The final buses carrying Malawian returnees from South Africa arrived in Mwanza on Friday, ending a government-funded programme that brought home more than 56,700 people.

Returnees were observed unloading belongings and undergoing checks before receiving aid.

Blessing Kamtema, the Assistant District Disaster Risk Management Officer, explained, "The Malawi government announced that on the 12th the South African side would be sending us the last buses, and a total of eight buses have been sent on the 12th, and we are expecting to receive about 561 returnees, probably starting on Friday, and until Saturday we will be receiving these eight buses."

Returnees urged the government not to end the programme, saying others remained stranded in South Africa.

Foster BandaI is a Malawian Returnee who said, " The government should not close the repatriation programme now because there are still many Malawians who are stranded out there. Lots of them are stranded in Durban, Cape Town."

Aid organisation Gift of the Givers Country Manager, Sherifa Misa, said it would now focus on helping the most vulnerable returnees resettle.

"We have done what we could; for the past two months we have been together with DODMA, first in Blantyre at Kamuzu Stadium, and we came here to Mwanza at Joyce Chitsulo Stadium. We have been providing food, also initially for maybe almost one and a half months; every child that was coming back was receiving some clothes. We have been providing water because, as you can see, water is also a challenge here in Mwanza." 

The programme began in June after anti-foreigner violence and threats affected Malawian and other foreign migrants in South Africa.

Malawi said 56,723 nationals had been assisted. The final buses departed from Johannesburg and Pretoria, with those wishing to return after the programme closed on 12 August expected to arrange their own transport.