By ZR Reporter
The Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, has launched a comprehensive mission to facilitate the voluntary repatriation of Malawian nationals from South Africa following a series of vigilante attacks targeting foreign nationals in the country.
As of June 13, 2026, the government estimates that approximately 10,000 Malawian nationals are in distress across South Africa. In response, the government has activated a multi-agency response, coordinated through the Malawi High Commission in Pretoria, to ensure the safe, orderly, and dignified return of its citizens.
The government has already undertaken several key interventions, including the deployment of a task team to South Africa to assist with registration, verification, protection, and the repatriation of affected individuals.
Authorities are also facilitating emergency travel documentation for those who lost or do not possess valid travel papers, and the first group of returnees arrived safely in Malawi on June 9, 2026, with others currently in transit. Furthermore, officials are engaging transport operators to relocate vulnerable individuals from shelters and affected communities, while reception and processing facilities have been established at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre. Returnees are being provided with essential support, including temporary shelter, food assistance, protection services, psychosocial support, and onward transportation to their respective homes.
The scale and urgency of this operation have created unprecedented financial, logistical, and humanitarian demands for the government. Recognizing this as a national humanitarian mission, the government has issued a formal appeal for collective effort, compassion, and solidarity from development partners, the private sector, humanitarian organizations, faith-based institutions, transport operators, and corporate entities.
These stakeholders are encouraged to support this critical undertaking through financial contributions, transport services, and the provision of humanitarian relief.
© Zambe Reports | June 16, 2026