South Africa contributes to the extinguishment of the ‘fuel fire’ in Malawi

Fuel assistance could make long queues at Malawi's filling stations disappear. Copyright: Travis Lupick

After Zambia sent five million liters of fuel to Malawi last week, South Africa joins and furhter provides Malawi with fuel which lasts for one month.

I am so grateful to the president Jacob Zuma of South Africa for providing Malawi with fuel to last one month. – Hon. Joyce Banda during the burial ceremony of Bingu wa Mutharika.

Zambia had been giving the Malawian government of Joyce Banda a fuel loan of five million liters. The support aimed at assisting the government particularly during the funeral activities for late president Bingu wa Mutharika. By then South Africa had already announced its support for the new Banda administration as well. Now Malawi got that promised fuel support which will provide the country with its fuel requirements for a month. South Africa High Commissioner to Malawi, Thombile Mabude commented on that current fuel assistance:

When your neighbour’s house is on fire, you take a bucket of water and help in putting out the fire that’s what good neighbourlines are all about.

Since almost two years Malawi is facing chronic fuel shortages. The support from the neighbouring countries comes at the right time of transformation in Malawi. Besides that it strengthens the regional cooperations of the neighbouring countries.