Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Johannesburg (Fides News Agency) - Approximately 10,000 Malawian citizens are stranded in South Africa and seeking to return to their country, according to the government in Lilongwe. In two separate statements, one from the Office of the President and Cabinet, Department of Disaster Management Affairs, and the other from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malawian authorities took stock of the situation of their citizens forced to repatriate due to the violence and xenophobic threats that have occurred in South Africa in recent weeks (see Fides, 15/6/2026).
"As of June 13, 2026, it is estimated that 10,000 Malawian citizens are in vulnerable situations throughout South Africa," the statement from the Presidency notes. In response to the emergency, Malawian authorities have sent a government task force to the country to facilitate repatriation procedures. Simultaneously, a reception and management facility has been established at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre, Malawi.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also confirmed that eight buses carrying 645 Malawian citizens departed from South Africa on June 15 as part of the Voluntary Repatriation Operation. The repatriated individuals had found refuge at Sherwood Town Hall in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal province. "The repatriated individuals are expected to enter Malawi through the Mwanza border crossing on June 17 and then proceed to Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre, where they will undergo the necessary checks and procedures before being transferred to their respective areas of origin," the statement specifies. Malawian authorities acknowledge, however, that they cannot address the humanitarian emergency alone. “With around 10,000 citizens in distress awaiting repatriation, the scale and urgency of the operation have generated unprecedented financial, logistical, and humanitarian needs,” states the Presidency of the Republic, which is appealing for international solidarity “to ensure that Malawians return home safe and sound, with dignity and with the hope of a new beginning.” (L.M.) (Fides News Agency, 16/6/2026)
