Malawi evacuates citizens
2008-05-23 11:56
Blantyre - The Malawian government announced on Friday that it had begun helping to evacuate 850 of its citizens trapped in the wave of violence against immigrants in South Africa.
"More than 850 Malawians have been affected by the current violence. All Malawians willing to return home will be evacuated," Ben Mbewe, foreign affairs principal secretary said in a statement.
He confirmed that a Malawian citizen had been shot dead in Durban and said a task force had been set up to coordinate the evacuation. The first batch of people would be home this weekend.
"The government will do everything possible to ease the plight of affected Malawians," he said.
Mbewe said hundreds of Malawians had camped at police stations. Some 850 Malawians and 3 000 other immigrants were sheltered at Klipton camp in Johannesburg, he said.
Embassy officials were visiting to check if there were any Malawians hospitalised and to offered help.
Malawi's Foreign Minister Joyce Banda flew to South Africa on Sunday, where she was briefed by the country's embassy officials on the situation.
Hundreds of Malawians had flocked to South Africa in recent years seeking employment.
Foreigners in South Africa, many of whom had fled economic meltdown in neighbouring Zimbabwe, were being blamed for sky-high crime rates and depriving locals of jobs.
- AFP