Pretoria –This week, (09/09), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in partnership with the Consulate of the Republic of Malawi in South Africa, facilitated the second voluntary return flight of stranded Malawian migrants, taking home 111 individuals. An earlier flight left on 27 August.  

These two chartered flights, from South Africa to Malawi, took returnees, who were affected by the COVID-19 related restrictions implemented in South Africa, and were enabled assisted thanks to funding from the European Union (EU).   

“This group of Malawians have been in South Africa for various reasons, but they have all faced the tremendous socio-economic impact of COVID-19 modalities”, said H.E. Gloria Bamusi, High Commissioner of the Embassy of the Republic of Malawi in South Africa.    

“It was their strong wish to return home, and we are appreciative to IOM for helping facilitate this movement, and thus alleviating the stress they endured throughout the ongoing pandemic”, she added.  

In March 2020, the Government of the Republic of South Africa announced a nationwide lockdown in order to prevent a spread of the Coronavirus outbreak. The related national and international restrictions resulted in a cascade of socio-economic and humanitarian challenges, thus further exposing national and non-national vulnerable groups to social difficulties.   

As reported by the Government, thousands of people lost their jobs since the beginning of the lockdown. This effect was felt in both the formal and informal sectors, the latter in which most migrants were employed.  

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, IOM and our partners have provided voluntary return support to approximately 400 nationals from various countries of the region. This is a continuation of our support to vulnerable migrants that decide they would be better off returning home“, said Ms. Lily Sanya, Head of Mission of IOM in South Africa. “It has been a challenge to consistently secure resources to sustain this support, and we are therefore thankful to the European Union and its funding through the AVRR’s Pilot Action on Voluntary Return and Sustainable, Community-based Reintegration project, for making the current initiative possible”.  

Some of this week’s 111 beneficiaries were transported from Durban and Cape Town to Johannesburg to take a charter flight, after undergoing medical screening. They were also provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks, gloves, and hand sanitizers. UNICEF South Africa also provided hygiene items for the women and girls of the traveling group. 

“I have been in South Africa for 3 years, and I had a job that did not pay much but allowed me to live decently and send money home to my family as well,” said a 45 year-old man, carrying his luggage toward the airport entrance. “However, since the pandemic, I lost my job and source of income and support to my family. It’s been too tough, so I decided to go back home and figure things out with the people I have missed all this time.” he explained. 

The assisted migrants traveled to Lilongwe, Malawi; on 2 chartered flights, 56 migrants travelled on 27 August 2020 and 55 9 September 2020 respectively, and were received in Malawi by the IOM team, and were provided further assistance to rejoin their respective communities.  

Thanks to the funding from the European Union, IOM will continue to support the voluntary return of stranded Malawian, Zimbabwean, Zambian as well as Mozambican nationals, from South Africa to their respective home countries.   

For more information, please contact Maria Moreriane, Policy Liaison and Reporting Officer, at mmoreriane@iom.int