Malawi Tightens Migration Controls Amid South Africa Xenophobia

Malawi’s foreign affairs minister George Chaponda met South Africa’s international relations minister Ronald Lamola in Salima to discuss regional integration and a proposal that would allow travelers to stay up to 90 days visa‑free. The talks, held on the sidelines of a SADC security meeting, aimed at promoting orderly migration and economic cooperation, but civil‑society groups warned the initiative may ignore the plight of Malawians returning home after recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

In parallel, Malawi’s Parliamentary Committee on International Relations recommended temporary travel restrictions for Malawians seeking informal work in South Africa without proper documentation. Committee vice‑chair Frank Mwenifumbo cited the high cost of repatriating over 41,000 citizens—at roughly K7 billion (US$66 million)—and concerns that non‑Malawians were exploiting the repatriation programme. The proposal targets undocumented job seekers, not a blanket ban, and calls for tighter border checks and continued funding for legitimate repatriations.