Thousands of Malawian nationals are leaving South Africa under duress, fleeing a wave of anti-foreigner violence and an ultimatum set by citizen-led groups demanding that undocumented migrants depart by 30 June. The crisis has forced families to abandon years of accumulated belongings, with many sleeping outside Home Affairs offices and consulates in cities including Durban and Cape Town as they await repatriation. A helicopter has been making rounds over a makeshift refugee camp in central Durban, where a constant stream of cars drops off disoriented families clutching only the essentials. At least one Malawian national has been killed on the margins of an anti-immigration demonstration.

The Malawian government has activated a response plan to ensure what it describes as the