Malawi committee proposes temporary ban on undocumented travellers seeking informal work in South Africa

Malawi’s Parliamentary Committee on International Relations has recommended temporary travel restrictions on citizens who plan to travel to South Africa for informal work without valid travel documents, the committee said in Parliament.

Proposal and scope

The proposal was presented in Parliament by the committee’s Vice Chairperson, Frank Mwenifumbo. He emphasised that the measure is targeted and “is not a blanket ban”, applying only to Malawians intending to travel to South Africa for informal employment without valid travel documents.

“This ban is not a blanket ban; it is a ban for those who are going to South Africa to seek informal employment while undocumented, meaning they have not been issued a passport for them to legally enter, exit and enter South Africa. Those are the ones that I mentioned that there must be a ban on,” he told Parliament.

Drivers: concerns about monitoring and repatriation costs

The recommendation follows concerns raised by the Department of Immigration over its inability to effectively monitor citizens who leave Malawi through undocumented routes.

The committee said the proposed restrictions are part of broader efforts to manage the financial burden of repatriating Malawians stranded in South Africa. According to Mwenifumbo, government consultations showed authorities had initially budgeted K25 billion (about R236.0 million) to repatriate 15 000 Malawians.

He told Parliament that the repatriation programme had exceeded initial projections: “Government has managed to beat its own budget. It has repatriated over 41 000 Malawians at a cost of K7 billion ((about R66 million), compared to the K25 billion (about R236.0 million that had been budgeted to repatriate only 15 000 people,” the committee reported.

Measures to protect resources and tighten controls

The committee recommended that Treasury continue allocating resources for the repatriation programme while ensuring strict oversight to promote accountability, transparency and efficient use of public funds.

Lawmakers also raised concerns that nationals from other countries have allegedly been using Malawi’s repatriation programme as a transit route to return to their own countries, a practice the committee said diverts resources intended for Malawian citizens.

“What it simply means is that those that are not Malawians are depriving the bona fide Malawians of the opportunity to use the resources that government has provided, because they are not within the budget,”

To prevent abuse, the committee has directed immigration and transport officials to conduct background checks on passengers boarding buses destined for Malawi to verify they are genuine Malawian citizens.

In addition, the committee urged the Department of Immigration to strengthen border controls and ensure that Malawians travelling abroad possess valid travel documents, saying tighter enforcement will help reduce repeated repatriation costs and ensure government assistance is reserved for citizens who genuinely require support.