Repatriated Malawians from South Africa due to a surge in xenophobic attacks are telling harrowing stories of fleeing their homes, leaving behind possessions and small businesses that took years to build. CHIFUNDO KOWEDZA of Malawi News Agency writes
Shaminah Adam fled for her life six months pregnant, holding onto her two-year-old toddler and a few possessions. Behind her, rioting against foreigners was erupting in Durban, South Africa.
Adam, who left Malawi in 2019 to work as a maid, was pursuing the same economic goal that attracts many of her countrymen from other countries
Rather, that goal was dashed over night when she saw gunshots and watched helplessly as a group of protesters from South Africa massacred other refugees.
She is one of hundreds of people crammed into makeshift camps today, where the only thing that is certain is uncertainty.
Her story is just one strand in a vast, unfolding tragedy: thousands of displaced Malawians are now stranded in overcrowded shelters, watching years of hard work vanish in a matter of days as fresh xenophobic attacks compel them to flee for their lives.
Adam, who is waiting with the others in Kamuzu Stadium for the last part of the trip home, says, "People are being attacked and killed throughout the day and we were forced to move out of our houses to stay in tents for "protection."
Adam remembers living in a nice home prior to the attacks, but when violence broke out, she and many other Malawians were forced to flee their houses and seek shelter in camps where displaced migrants congregate.
"After being hauled from our houses, we were forced to sleep in camps with other Malawians who were fleeing the attacks," she narrates.
The soon-to-be mother claims that the situation gets even more terrifying when access to healthcare becomes questionable. She remembers going to King George Hospital in Durban with her husband for a check-up, only to be informed that she should not go back.
"They informed me that this would be the final time I would receive assistance there and that I should not return to the facility," she says.
Adam fled with her toddler and is now back in Malawi
Adam has safely returned to Malawi, but her husband is still in South Africa. She hopes that he will be one among the people who return as additional busses continue to transport stranded Malawians home.
Weeks of waiting within cramped tents, where thousands of displaced migrants relied on help and uncertain plans for return, had replaced what had started as a brief flight from violence.
However, the lack of medical help and privacy made the situation particularly challenging for a pregnant lady like Adam.
"As a pregnant woman, witnessing other women give birth in tents was frightening and traumatizing, especially because men were also present," she says.
Amina Bwanali, a 28-year-old woman from Makanjira in Mangochi, is one of them. She tells a terrifying story of giving birth in a camp after escaping the violence.
Living among hundreds of displaced refugees, Bwanali went into labor despite experiencing extreme suffering and terror following her displacement from home.
“Giving birth while a multitude of people are watching is the most painful thing I have experienced in my lifetime,” Bwanali told Malawi News Agency.
Amina Bwanali gave birth at a camp and suffered trauma due to lack of privacy
The experience, she says, remains one of the most traumatic memories of her life.
Another returnee, Norah Chitseko reflects on the life she has left behind in South Africa. The former salon owner who once employed several people and rented out saloon shops helping her earn a living now returns home with almost nothing after fleeing the xenophobic violence
“Our belongings have been taken away from us, including money, and now we have nothing left,” she told Mana.
Like Adam and Bwanali, Chitseko says she is grateful to have returned safely but she worries about how she will rebuild her life.
For years, South Africa has remained a destination for thousands of Malawians seeking employment and business opportunities with some working as domestic workers, builders, gardeners, security guards and traders, while others operate small businesses.
Recurring xenophobic attacks have repeatedly disrupted those dreams.
Malawi Government estimates that about 10,000 Malawians are in distress across South Africa following attacks targeting foreign nationals.
So far abot 3000 people have already returned home while others still remain awaiting their repatriation.
Malawi's Foreign Affairs Minister George Chaponda says government is committed to helping to reintegrate the returnees.
“We believe that with the skills you have acquired you can succeed here at home. Government has loan schemes through which people can access support to start business,” he explained.
Malawi's Foreign Affairs Minister Dr George Chaponda says government will support the returnees
But the returnees bemoan the painful process of starting all over to rebuild their business from scratch or start hunting for employment.
The plight of Malawians repatriated from South Africa underscores the urgent need for both immediate humanitarian assistance and long-term solutions to ensure the safety and economic well-being. Mana
Main Picture- Amina Bwanali gave birth at a camp after fleeing vioelnce