SA expels Malawian diplomatic staff for illegal importation of alcoholic drinks
The South African Government has expelled Malawian diplomats in Pretoria for smuggling alcohol bought at duty free shops in that country, a development the government of Malawi has confirmed.
A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation states that the diplomats and their families have been given 72 hours (three working days) to depart the Republic of South Africa.
“The South African Government has taken this action in consonant with the provisions of the Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961. The Government of Malawi has since conveyed its regret to the Republic of South Africa on the conduct of the concerned diplomats,” reads the statement issued a short while ago.
It further states that the Government of Malawi will take appropriate actions on the expelled diplomats upon their return.
The expulsion of the diplomats and their spouses follow an investigation, by the South African Revenue Services (SARS) that uncovered a tax scam in which foreign diplomats were buying large volumes of alcohol at duty free retailers and sell it locally.
The investigation established that the South African Government lost R100 million due to the scam.
Some of the countries named in the probe include Rwanda, Lesotho, Ghana, Guiana, Malawi and Burundi.
Interestingly, the expulsion of the diplomats comes barely a few days after Chief Resident Magistrate Patrick Chirwa ordered that the Rainbow Nation should fly its witnesses in the Prophet Shepherd Bushiri’s extradition case into Malawi to testify before the Malawian courts.
But Malawi Government spokesperson Kazako, who is also Minister of Information, assured Nyasa Times in an interview that this notwithstanding, Malawi’s bilateral relationship remains intact.
“This will not, in any way, affect our bilateral relations with South Africa,” he said.
Akabwerako ku Joni azafikila mu ma tarven. Time to revive tarvens i.e. Zingwix, Mbengwe, Limbe, etc. 1 million jobs across borders. Kupusa
This is what happens when employees are paid peanuts compared to their colleagues. The money malawian diplomats get is a joke. Our problem is taking into account malawian standards of living forgetting these people are in foreign lands.
I am personally not surprised, our commissioners couldn’t communicate properly on South African national TV when floods struck in our country. We could see these were political appointments. Come and see how dilapidated Malawi offices are in RSA. These people come here to get rich. The work ethos at Malawi offices are pathetic. Servant leadership should start here Mr President. Imagine the scandal of our officials busy buying beers to run businesses on the sideline. Zochitisa manyazi. Please install bank card swiping machines, they don’t like them but CASH because they want to steal. Who pays with cash these days? Muwauzenso akubwerawo kuti atikonzere matoilet abwino ogwirizana nkuno ku Joni. Their toilets are disgusting.
Nthawi yosossa azibwelako.
Thanks for that good news we need more information about it
Ochakwera, njoka soweta. Onyamata o dpp oli mkwatimu!!
This is very embarrassing and shameful. Good enough I believe they are coming back at their own costs, probably by road. This kind of behaviour cannot be tolerated and what government needs to do as soon as they set foot in Malawi is first withdraw their diplomatic passports, secondly it is likely that they still owe government money on loans, particularly motor vehicles. Government should confiscate the vehicles and finally with all due processes followed dismiss them from the service. Zotsilu zatichititsa a Malawi manyazi.
Rwanda, Lesotho, Ghana, Guiana and Burundi diplomats were also planted by APM according to Mswahili mambo. Hahahahahahaha!!
A Chakwera tidakuwuza kuti chotsani ma kadeti ku ma embassy ndi akuba. Lero akuchitsani manyazi kumagulitsa mowa. Let them come back and continue with the business. They abuse their status as diplomats. They are thieves. Diplomatic thieves. Prophet mudamupatsa diplomatic passport naye anali ndi njira zake zobera. Zamanyazi. Mukabwerako muziti pa galawundi sipali bwino. Really? Mupamvadi kuwawa mukabwera.
Eish our country now it’s too way much corruption anywhere zamanyazi
Hopefully the Ministry of Foreign affairs dismisses these individuals on their immediate return for embarassing the country and acting contrary to their contracts by acting in a corrupt manner.
If you can ask me this is just the beginning. Bushiri saga cannot go unpunished “ Ramaphosa said”. SA will always out-smart us.. 99% of us are too poor to care and the other 1% too greedy and rich to give a damn.
I do not promote nor condone corruption or stealing or any abuse of government or state resources as per reported for Malawi diplomats in South Africa. Have noted with regret that you are mixing issues of My Prophet Bushiri which is not related at all with the bad news of the diplomats. Let us not mixed issues be mature people
Kodi ma diplomats amenewa ndi ati ? Asankhidwa liti? Mayina awo ndani? Tifuna tiwadziwe . Koma mowa wa jozi ndiwe udulatu ntawanimu
The DPP is long gone. One year on still no action to clear the rubble from your sleeping Nonse Alliance. Kuzolowera kukhala ku opposition basi! Kkkkkk!!!!
Nde inu muli ku opposition tsopano
It has nothing to do with Bushiri issue , as you can see it’s not only malawi, they are more than 6 countries, what kind of journalism is this?
These are DPP boys sent by Peter Munthalika , let them comeback their days have expired.
Gule or rather Nyau diplomats
Mwasahili mambo, u r very stupid and have no brains. Even a chicken can think better than you. Why talk shit on this column, we need facts not just come from the blue and say they are DPP boys. Who has told u they are DPP boys, nonsense. Stop shitting in public.