- Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi called the private buses that left Malawian nationals stranded at a Johannesburg church unlawful, and ordered teams to find whoever commissioned them.
- Prophet Shepherd Bushiri, who lives in Malawi after South Africa's extradition request was blocked, publicly took credit for commissioning the buses on his verified Facebook page.
Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has ordered an investigation into who commissioned private buses that left hundreds of Malawian nationals stranded at a church in Newlands, Johannesburg.
Prophet Shepherd Bushiri publicly took credit for the operation days before her statement.
In a post on his verified Facebook page, Bushiri said his ministry secured buses to assist with the voluntary repatriation of Malawians in South Africa. He said the Malawi Consulate in Johannesburg asked him to deploy buses to Pietermaritzburg, where displaced nationals needed urgent help. He said foreign exchange constraints prevented his ministry from settling payments to transport operators on time.
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Kubayi said all legitimate government repatriation buses are escorted by law enforcement from KwaZulu-Natal all the way to the border. She called the Newlands drop-off inhumane and unlawful, and said her department was sending specialised teams to identify whoever commissioned the private transport.
Bushiri lives in Malawi. He fled South Africa in 2020 while on bail facing fraud and money laundering charges. The High Court of Malawi recently overturned South Africa's extradition request, blocking his return to face trial here.
The displaced Malawians carried on Bushiri's buses had fled Pietermaritzburg after a 29-year-old Malawian man was stoned to death at the Jika Joe informal settlement on 19 June. A mob broke away from an anti-immigration march and attacked foreign nationals in the settlement after a speaker accused Malawian nationals of killing her brother. Two other people were seriously injured. No arrests have been made.
The government is processing the stranded individuals in Newlands through official state channels.
Reports indicate the group became stranded due to administrative delays and transport problems on the way to the border. Ward 82 councillor Marilyne Smouse said Newlands residents gathered outside the church out of concern about local resources.
