Plus de 15.000 Malawiens ont quitté l'Afrique du Sud avant des manifestations antimigrants
South Africa has allowed more than 15,000 Malawian nationals to leave the country ahead of planned anti-migrant protests next week, which many fear could turn violent, the justice minister said on Friday.
Thousands more are waiting for permission to leave in makeshift camps, according to the same source.
Citizen initiative groups have given undocumented foreign nationals until June 30 to leave the country and have called for nationwide protests, raising fears of a resurgence of xenophobic violence.
"To date, a total of 15,162 Malawian nationals have been subject to deportation and repatriation proceedings, and others are still being verified," said Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi.
Growing security fears, following looting of businesses and attacks targeting foreigners, have forced several countries, including Malawi, Ghana, Nigeria, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo, to offer voluntary repatriation to their nationals.
The South African Border Management Authority reported that it had taken charge of the repatriation of 8,230 foreign nationals -- including 6,709 Malawians and 1,521 Zimbabweans -- between June 12 and 24 at the Beitbridge border crossing on the border with Zimbabwe.
South Africa has been on high alert for several weeks following xenophobic and sometimes violent unrest that has left at least three people dead, according to official sources.
Mozambican authorities have estimated that five of their nationals were victims of these incidents.
A Malawian national was also killed during a protest in Pietermaritzburg, Ms. Kubayi said.
These latest tensions come as municipal elections approach, scheduled for November 4th. Previous outbreaks of violence targeting undocumented immigrants resulted in 62 deaths during riots in 2008.
AFP
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