South Africa says it has processed more than 15,000 Malawian nationals for repatriation ahead of planned anti-immigration marches scheduled for next week, amid growing concerns that the demonstrations could trigger fresh xenophobic violence.
Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi disclosed on Friday that 15,162 Malawian nationals had so far been processed for deportation and voluntary repatriation, while thousands more remain in temporary camps awaiting verification.
Citizen-led groups have issued an unofficial June 30 deadline for undocumented foreign nationals to leave South Africa and have called for nationwide protests, raising fears of renewed attacks on migrants.
Kubayi said conditions in parts of KwaZulu-Natal Province, where many Malawian nationals had gathered for weeks, had become “untenable.”
The worsening security situation has prompted several African countries, including Malawi, Ghana, Nigeria, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo, to organise voluntary repatriation programmes for their citizens.
The South African Border Management Authority said it processed 8,230 foreign nationals for repatriation through the Beitbridge border post between June 12 and June 24.
According to the agency, 6,709 Malawian nationals were transported in 112 buses, while 1,521 Zimbabwean nationals returned home in 26 buses.
South Africa has witnessed weeks of intermittent xenophobic unrest that has left at least three people dead, according to official figures.
Mozambican authorities, however, said five of their citizens had died during the unrest. Kubayi explained that two were killed in the violence, three died in a road accident, while another Mozambican national was killed during an altercation at an entertainment venue.
The minister also confirmed that a Malawian national was killed during a march in Pietermaritzburg, adding that the victim’s body had yet to be repatriated.
Minister of International Relations Ronald Lamola expressed concern over reports of self-appointed groups moving from house to house in search of undocumented migrants.
He described such actions as “problematic,” stressing that immigration enforcement remains the responsibility of law enforcement agencies.
The latest tensions come ahead of South Africa’s local government elections scheduled for November 4.
The country has experienced repeated outbreaks of xenophobic violence over the years, with one of the deadliest incidents occurring in 2008, when 62 people were killed during attacks targeting undocumented foreign nationals.
