Malawi deports South Africa journalist to block her investigation assignment

February 20, 2019 Osman Faiti -Nyasa Times 51 Comments

Malawi police and Immigration officer on Monday detained a South African journalist Ntombizodwa Patience Makhoba at Chileka International Airport in Blantyre and subsequently deported her.

South African journalist Ntombizodwa Makhoba detainedand deported from Malawi

Makhoba, who works for City Press in South Africa, was in the country to undertake an assignment.

Nyasa Times understands that the journalist was coming to trace the roots of a prominent Malawian entrepreneur based in South Africa.

Immigration national spokesperson Joseph Chauwa said the South African journalist lacked “proper travel documents”.

But the Immigration later confiscated her passport.

Malawi and South Africa, both countries being in SADC, nationals freely visit each other’s country as long as they have a valid passport and return tickets.

Chauwa said the journalist was not accredited with the Ministry of Information to carry her assignment.

“She was supposed to apply to Ministry of Information for clearance and the ministry was then supposed to issue a clearance,” said Chauwa.

However, accreditation is not done at the point of entry and she was not given a chance to be heard.

Authorities also accused her of not having a host when she had a hotel booking at four-star Protea Hotel Ryalls by Marriot in Blantyre.

“She failed to whoever was hosting her so security officers took her to police for her safety,” said Chauwa.

The journalist was told on arrival that she was persona non gratta and would  not be allowed to enter Malawi.

Makhoba was sent back to South Africa using the same Malawi Airlines fight that she boarded when coming to Malawi.

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51 replies on “Malawi deports South Africa journalist to block her investigation assignment”

  1. The authorities know the real truth. As long as all procedures were followed in the detaining and deportation, it’s ok.

  2. Now what will you do if South Africa decides to send all Malawians in South Africa packing? Including the fake Prophet???

  4. I for once will agree with government move, there are so many facts to back up this. Am neither the fun nor follower of Bushiri but the facts is City Press hate Bushiri and other African foreigners residing in South Africa who are doing better in terms of business or Academics.
    I studied right there in Cape Town but
    (1) i met so many xenophobic treatment by my fellow school mate but this is not being investigated by these Journalists
    (2) many Malawians are being butchered day and night in South African still not being invested by these media group
    (3) innocent people are falling victims at OR Tambo international Airport and I was once detained for 3 Hours without valid reason and later the same day released and unfortunately I missed my Flight to Cape Town but no Compensation on wrongful arrest and no one investigated though I reported to other relevant authority.
    (4) Many Malawians are being robered of their properties in South Africa but no one is investigating it.

    So why only interested to investigate about Bushiri’s background at this juncture while there is Court Case for Bushiri ?? There is indeed sinister behind this move.
    Well done our government though we are poor but stand up for your daughters and sons of Malawi. Big up for this.

  8. IF SHE DID NOT HAVE REQUIREMENTS SHE IS NOT ALLOWED RULES AND LAWS SAYS SO. ALL WHO HAVE PROBLEM CHECK ON ENTRY REQUIREMENTS IN MALAWI IF SHE HAS MISSED SOME THEN SHE IS NOT ALLOWED FULL STOP.

  9. In 1993 we voted for freedom of speech, association, also of media. What I have seen here is that Malawi turning against media freedom. We rejected this oppressive system by the then ruler Kamuzu Banda. Some of the current leaders in the government were did not participate in that referendum. They were in diaspora scared of Kamuzu. Ife amene tinalimomwemuno we fought and removed the oppressive system. Malawians lets not allow this old system to resurface. Munthuyu sanalakwe kalikonse ayi. Thousands of desparate Malawians are entering South Africa everyday and the SA government doesn’t do what our government has done to this innocent journalist. Malawi is a fully democratic country. Media freedom is one of the things we fought for. Dzuka Malawi.

  10. Is this a Banana Republic or what?? This is disgraceful behaviour even for a government as ridiculous as this DPP cabal. If the South African government decides to respond in kind, innocent Malawians will be the ones that suffer. This must be investigated so that the Immigration officers explain where the directive came from, and that fool must explain himself. This is a country governed by Laws, not a back garden belonging to DPP cadets. Who pocketed the money here? ACB, do your job please.

    1. I don’t think you fully understand the subject matter. How many countries have you ever visited on this earth? Try to do what this so called journalist did in thr USA, the mother of democracy, and see what will befall you. Some of these comments are based on ignorance.

      1. The USA is certainly not the ‘mother of democracy’. Know your history. The USA continues to be riddled with racism towards black Americans.

      2. Come on Joyce, the only reason she was detained and deported is because someone has something to hide. Full stop. Don’t support criminals.

  11. Malawi has not done anything wrong to deport her.I am one of malawians who stay here in RSA,but her we are in trouble being deported back home even treated like maybe animals.Is better for her that she didn’t be killed,malawians are being killed everyday her in south africa.

    1. Vincent, iweyo akanati akufunse usanalowe pa border kuti ukudzatani kuno akanakuloleza kulowa? There are millions of Malawians that if they do the same kuti mudziauza who’s hosting you, palibepo chance yolowa. South Africa only checks validity of your passport when entering. Kumathokoza kuti even ena amapangidwa deport, there are millions alibe zoyenelela koma akukhala nkumagwila ntchito

      1. I am not sure but ‘hosting’ in this case sounds like ‘a local media org that she was supposed to work with, no? Otherwise he had a hotel booking so needed not to go to Kanjedza or Chitawira lol

  12. That is a recipe for disaster and should be condemned in strongest terms! you are putting Malawians in South Africa in jeopardy! Atibwenze kuno mudzatipatsa ntchito inuyo? Ntchito mumangogawana pachibale kumeneko! The girl was just coming to do her work and did not even overstay! Who are you protecting? Koma Bushiri ameneyu atipweteketsa ndithu? What is wrong in finding out the truth about someone? Apologise to South Africa for this maltreatment mwansanga!

    3. Uwo ndiye uchitsiru, ngati simupita ndi mapepala kumeneko azikukhaulitsani kumene. Let laws of the land work on this idiot journalist.

  13. Malawians cannot just go to South Africa and carry out investigations. We can go as tourists but not as investigators

  14. Nice am very proud of my country. We may be poor but hello this our country Ms Khwelele. Why won’t you investigate your barbaric brothers responsible for so many deaths in the JHB? Osatopa a Immigration ..deport all these murders backwhere they come from.

  15. Let her in she would have undercovered some cashgate thus why they are afraid to let her do her work!! Dpp involved perhaps

  17. Zoona amalawi mukulemba apanu,poti she’s coming from SA basi zilizonse YES BWANA! ??
    Abwenzedwe basi if the Immigration authorities deems it fit!!
    Bravo Malawi Immigration!!👏👏👏

  19. you cant just allow anybody to come to malawi and investigate people without permission, dont take malawi for granted, the fact that south africa is above malawi economic wise does not mean that malawi will take every shit from south africa, ……

  20. Bravo Malawi Immigration! These South Africans handle our fellow Malawians at Tambo International Airport very badly!

  22. Sounds like some rubbish excuses from the
    Malawi authorities! We enter South Africa without any documents, what’s so special about Malawi? Zomvesa chisoni.

    1. Probably its you who enter South Africa without any documents. You need PI status in South Africa. Some of us do enter this country with proper documents as required.

    3. Try to do that in the UK and see what happens to you. Umbuli basi . You go to RSA as who;, that’s where the difference is.

  25. Sovereign state anthu onyera ntchire.
    Almost 60 years of indepence and you can’t make a toothpick. Shame of a country

  26. SOUTH AFRICANS MUST BE PUNISHED RUTHLESSLY FOR ALL THE ATROCITIES INFLICTED ON OUR PEOPLE IN THEIR LAND. GOOD WORK, OUR POLICE AND IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES.

    1. What is here bravo? How can you send someone immediately back, before you give him the chance to get her proper ppapers together? This lady is a journalist and here to investigate, not a drug dealer or a illegal immigrant! Is it not in all our interest to hear and read what is going on around us and this from different angles?! According to the writer, the SA journalist tried to investigate the roots of a Malawian entrepreneur who is runing his business over there. Would it not be interesting to hear who it is and how and what..?
      Anyway there must be a interest from government side to cover up!
      I would appreciate if I couldt read and hear more about our leaders, how they came to power and the rest! But unfortunately the space under our corrupt and filthy carpet seems endless and often it becomes a danger stir in a hornets nest for our and foreign journalists!

      2. Hahaha Ms. Khwelekhwele akumva phaini. We are just reversing the roles. Thats what they do Malawians over there. Likely she came to investigate Bushiri. I salute our law enforcement officers for sending her ass back.

    1. Mwina makhobidi amatulutsa Bushiri (allegedly) pa ndege analowa m’matumba a ena ake! Or a Simbi Phiri (like amanena wina wake? Because a Simbi’wo amatchulidwa-tchulidwa ndi zichito-chito zawo (za ntchito zawo za manja) ndi anthu ena a mu boma mbali yakuno’tu). Corruption fight down yavuta pa joni’tu. Anthu amangidwa’tu osati masewera. Kkkkkkkkkkkkk

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