The Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services has announced the arrival of 205 Malawians who were deported from South Africa. The deportees returned to Malawi through the Mwanza border post.

Sergeant Mavuto Jenings Kalilombe, the deputy public relations officer at Mwanza border Immigration, informed Times 360 Malawi that three South African buses brought the deportees to the border on Thursday afternoon. Among the 205 individuals, 180 are male and 25 are female.

One of the deportees, Master Justice Kaziputa, was detained by South African authorities for overstaying his visa and working without a permit. “I was caught because I lacked the necessary documents to work in South Africa,” Kaziputa explained. He criticized the treatment of Africans in detention centers prior to their deportation, stating it was often poor.

Kaziputa has declared that he will not return to South Africa as a migrant worker, emphasizing, “East or west, home is the best.”

Meanwhile, the South African government has intensified its efforts to locate and deport foreigners living and working in the country without proper documentation. This crackdown has led to many individuals from Malawi and Zimbabwe being taken to the Lindela repatriation center before being sent back to their home countries.