According to Nyasa Times, the Malawi Police Service reported that 42 people have died suddenly between January and June 2026 due to side effects from unregulated sex-enhancement drugs. Police investigations revealed that individuals have been taking these performance-boosting medicines without proper medical supervision, resulting in severe health emergencies and fatalities. Medical experts, including reproductive health specialist Dr. Zaziwe Gunda, warned that self-medicating with these drugs is highly dangerous, particularly for users with underlying conditions such as heart disease or diabetes.
In a separate incident, police and the Ministry of Labour have opened an investigation into a fatal workplace accident in Balaka District, Nyasa Times reports. Two young workers, identified as Chikondi George and Geoffrey Makawa, died on June 16 after becoming trapped inside a concrete mixing drum at a batching plant supporting the Nsipe to Chingeni to Liwonde Road Project. The workers were cleaning the drum during a power outage. When the power was restored, the machine was misoperated, trapping them inside. Following the incident, Jiangxi Construction Engineering Group suspended operations at the plant to facilitate a full safety review and cooperate with investigating authorities.
Update: Tensions surrounding the ongoing repatriation of Malawians from South Africa escalated on June 17 when migrants clashed with police at a Durban deportation centre. The Associated Press reports that frustrations over transport delays caused protests to erupt among the roughly 10,000 nationals camped in the Sherwood area. Groups threw rocks and logs at officers. Police responded by deploying stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd. Thousands of Malawian nationals are currently waiting to return home following a recent wave of anti-migrant violence in South Africa.