One of the business players in the country, William Mwale, says the current xenophobic attacks in South Africa are one of the indications of the economic melt-down in the southern part of Africa.

Mwale who is also the national chairperson for National Association of Small and Medium Enterprise (Nasme), said the xenophobic attacks in South Africa are due to high levels of unemployment in most African countries including Malawi.

He has also hinted that the only way Malawi can walk out of the shameful and inhuman acts happening in South Africa is by working out on strategies that can limit the number of job seekers flocking into South Africa.

Mwale said: “it’s a very worrisome development and without sounding political, let me recall during the era of late Kamuzu Banda who discouraged people from going to other countries but instead encouraged them to work hard in their farms and again late Bingu Wa Mutharika strategized on creating small scale industries in the villages to discourage migration.”

He added that most Malawians will never get settled because the country has no muscle to provide them with employment.

He further bemoaned that almost all the countries in Africa are struggling economically a development which has a huge impact on their citizens.

In recent days, some cities in South Africa have been registering waves of xenophobic attacks targeting tourists and immigrants a development which has also affected Malawians who are seeking greener pasture in the rain ball nation.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, through a press statement, has advised Malawians in RSA to present themselves to any nearest police station and immediately report to the High Commission in Pretoria or the Consulate in Johannesburg.