Shepherd Bushiri Allegedly Funds Repatriation of Malawians Amid Violence in South Africa

• Shepherd Bushiri funds repatriation efforts for Malawians amid looming expulsion deadline in South Africa
• Thousands of Malawians gather at processing facilities, seeking transport home as violence escalates
• Government monitors repatriations as administrative backlogs delay formal deportations of over 15,000 citizens

KWAZULU-NATAL—The self-proclaimed prophet and wanted fugitive, Shepherd Bushiri, claimed he is funding the repatriation of Malawian nationals facing a looming expulsion deadline in South Africa. He spoke after civil society groups set a June 30 cutoff for undocumented migrants to leave the country.

Bushiri posted on his @psbushiri_ X account as thousands of Malawians are currently gathering at processing facilities like the Sherwood grounds in Durban to secure transport home. Bushiri, who fled South Africa in 2020 while on bail for fraud and money laundering charges, stated he secured ten buses following an urgent request from the Malawian Consulate in Johannesburg to assist stranded citizens fleeing localized violence.

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Fugitive Shepherd Bushiri funds voluntary repatriation

Bushiri said his team expanded transportation operations to Pietermaritzburg. He stated that displaced countrymen are being provided with first aid and medical personnel during the journey back to Malawi. The self-proclaimed cleric remains a primary subject of an ongoing extradition battle between South African prosecutors and Malawian authorities, following a high court ruling in Lilongwe regarding trial witnesses.

View the tweets here:

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi confirmed that state law enforcement is strictly monitoring official repatriations to the border. Government representatives rejected claims of state-sponsored domestic relocation, while confirming that the Lindela Repatriation Centre faces extreme capacity strain. Over 2,200 Malawians have successfully returned home, while an estimated 15,000 citizens still await processing as administrative backlogs at foreign embassies slow down the formal deportation process.

Mob Violence Displaces Malawians in Pietermaritzburg

Similarly, Briefly News reported that a severe humanitarian crisis has escalated in KwaZulu-Natal following the mob murder of a 29-year-old Malawian national at the Jika Joe informal settlement. The violence forced foreign nationals to flee their homes and seek safety in local churches and mosques. In response, Malawian officials are urging the South African government to establish an additional temporary facility in Pietermaritzburg to process voluntary repatriations.

Source: Briefly News