Malawi deports South Africa journalist to block her investigation assignment

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.

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.