Minister of Foreign Affairs Eisenhower Mkaka has assured Malawians that the bilateral relations between Malawi and Republic of South Africa (RSA) are still intact despite the expulsion of Malawian diplomats.

Mkaka, who addressed a media conference in Lilongwe, said government has already deployed temporary staff at Malawi`s High Commission in Pretoria and the Consulate in Johannesburg.

“What we don’t want to see is the disruptions of services at the Embassy and naturally no Malawian who is South Africa in need of the services will want any disruptions that are offered by the Embassy.

“So, what we have done is to deploy temporary staff as we finalise the processes of deploying the permanent members of staff to the mission so temporary staff have already left and they are already at the Embassy offering such services,” disclosed Mkaka.

The Foreign Affairs Minister added that government has considered all necessary measures with an aim of making sure that expelled diplomats return to Malawi.

He said: “Currently what we are trying to do is to facilitate the movement of people from South Africa, I think that is the first things that we are doing, now what happens when they come here, I think is another story.”

Mkaka also maintained that the recent appointments of various heads of mission to different countries that President Lazarus Chakwera has made is thorough and objective based on experience and national interest.

“Malawians that are qualified have been appointed by the President to represent this country as ambassadors when we were making the appointments what we looked at the qualification, moral capital to represent this country.

“Because what has just happened has taught us some lessons that we need people of high integrity that will represent this country well in these countries we are sending so it not so much about politics but the qualification that people the President has appointed have,” he said.

The expelled Malawian diplomats were given 72 hours to leave the rainbow nation, and the ultimatum ends today, Monday, June 14, 2021.