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Malawians repatriated from South Africa amid xenophobia concerns

BBC News June 08, 2026 3 views
Malawians repatriated from South Africa amid xenophobia concerns

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Malawians repatriated from South Africa amid xenophobia concerns

AFP via Getty Images A woman in a grey hat sitting in a coach smiles and waves from the window at the people outside.
A group of 150 Malawians repatriated from South Africa amid growing worries about xenophobia are due to arrive by road in their home country on Monday, the Malawian authorities have said.
The Malawians were "among a number of foreign nationals" who had "sought refuge in temporary camps" in Mossel Bay, according to a statement from Lilongwe.
Ghana, Nigeria and Zimbabwe have also organised repatriation efforts after raising concern about xenophobia in South Africa.
Anti-migrant groups are demanding undocumented migrants leave the country - and have set 30 June as a deadline.
But he also warned South Africans not to take the law into their own hands. He told South Africans there was "no space for xenophobia, racism, sexism, Afrophobia or any other forms of intolerance" in the country.
A group of 74 Zimbabweans arrived home on Sunday "following xenophobic attacks" after being driven from Mossel Bay in transport organised by the Zimbabwean authorities, state-run media report.
Meanwhile, Nigeria has postponed the first planned evacuation flight for 270 of its citizens that was due to leave on Monday.
Nigeria's foreign affairs spokesperson Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa said the evacuation "has been rescheduled for Wednesday... due to unforeseen logistical considerations".
Officials say more than 500 Nigerians have so far been screened and cleared for return as part of a wider government response to the anti-migrant tensions in South Africa.
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has approved five evacuation flights in total, with screening and registration of affected citizens extended to Wednesday as authorities continue processing applicants.
Additional reporting by Makuochi Okafor

Getty Images/BBC A woman looking at her mobile phone and the graphic BBC News Africa

<small>Source: BBC News</small>

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