Malawi, SA sign bilateral pact

Blantyre, Malawi, 05/19 - The governments of Malawi and South Africa have signed a bi-lateral agreement that could see, among other things, a resumption of Malawians going to work in South African mines.

The practice, under what was known as Temporary Employment Bureau (TEBA), saw hundreds of unskilled labour from Malawi flocking to South Africa to work in mines in the 1960s and 1970s.

But the practice was stopped in the 1980s when South Africa started demanding compulsory HIV/AIDS tests for those Malawians seeking employment in South Africa.

The government of the late Hastings Kamuzu Banda, which did not have any formal HIV/AIDS policy, however, deemed the practice discriminatory.

But Malawi`s foreign affairs minister Joyce Banda told journalists Thursday she signed a Memorandum of Understanding with her South African counterpart Ncosazana Zuma that would see the resumption of the practice.

"Our labour officials will get in touch with their South African counterparts on the issue," she said.

Banda said although Malawi has had diplomatic relationship with South Africa since 1964 the two countries never had a formal bilateral agreement.

She said the agreement she has signed with Zuma include a section on health, which will see Malawians- who are usually referred to expensive South African hospitals like Garden City Clinic or Milpark- can now be admitted to government hospitals at subsidized fees.

Privileged Malawians, especially politicians and senior government officials, are often referred to Garden City Clinic and Milpark at government expense. Also, since Malawi does not have facilities for radio therapy, most cancer cases in need of the service are referred to South African hospitals.