South Africa expels Malawi diplomats over booze scandal

Diplomats ordered to leave after they ‘were found guilty of engaging in illicit trade in duty-free alcohol’.

Malawi has said several of its diplomats had been expelled from South Africa after they were found guilty of peddling duty-free alcohol. Malawi’s foreign affairs ministry in Lilongwe said on Friday that South Africa had given the diplomats and their families 72 hours to leave the country. South Africa’s ministry of international relations said in a statement that the decision was taken because the diplomats “were found guilty of engaging in illicit trade in duty-free alcohol” following an intensive investigation into their flouting of diplomatic privileges.