Friends or frenemies?
A timeline of the relationship between South Africa and Malawi
Pre-1964
Malawi exported labour to South African mines prior to 1964
Apartheid era
Malawi was the only country in Africa to maintain diplomatic relations with the apartheid government in South Africa. This led to a surge in air traffic to Lilongwe, which became a stopping-off point for international travellers bound for SA
2012
The decomposing corpse of Malawi's president Bingu wa Mutharika was flown to South Africa in a bizarre plot to buy enough time to prevent the then vicepresident, Joyce Banda, from succeeding him, a commission of inquiry found
October 2013
While defending e-tolls in Johannesburg, President Jacob Zuma sparked a diplomatic incident by saying:
“We can’t think like Africans in Africa generally. We are in Johannesburg ... It is not some national road in Malawi. No.”
2014
Malawian President Joyce Banda gets into trouble after jetting around on a private plane linked to South African arms dealer Ivor Ichikowitz. She awarded Ichikowitz’s company a controversial $145-million deal for naval patrol boats and military equipment, which was cancelled by the next administration due to alleged procurement irregularities
March 2019
In the wake of the devastating Cyclone Idai, South African military personnel and equipment were dispatched to Malawi to assist with rescue operations
May 2020
Malawi government issued an extradition request to South Africa for an alleged Cashgate-linked fugitive Limumba Karim. This is the biggest corruption scandal in Malawi's history that took place in 2013. Karim recently died in the freak car crash involving prominent Zimbabwean, socialite and businessman Genius Kadungure