Criticism mounts for Shivambu over Bushiri visit

MK Party SG Floyd Shivambu

2 minutes

Criticism is mounting against uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party Secretary-General Floyd Shivambu for his recent visit to self-proclaimed prophet and fugitive Shepherd Bushiri’s church in Malawi.

Bushiri and his wife Mary were granted leave to appeal the extradition judgment which a court in Malawi had delivered in favour of South Africa last month.

Bushiri was declared a fugitive after he fled South Africa to Malawi in November 2020. He and his wife had been granted bail of R200 000 on charges, including rape and fraud.

This led to many asking why Shivambu visited the church of a person deemed a fugitive and who is wanted by the South African law enforcement agencies.

The MK Party distanced itself from Shivambu’s action.

The party says Shivambu’s visit to Bushiri’s church in Malawi was in his personal capacity and without the mandate of the party and its leadership.

Shivambu was later seen thanking Bushiri for his hospitality.

Thank you my brother, Prophet Bushiri for hosting us and for the kind words. The government scale amount of work you do to economically, educationally, socially and spiritually uplift our people is unparalleled now and in history.

I know that the leadership and people of Malawi…

— Floyd Shivambu (@FloydShivambu) April 19, 2025