Breaking Report  ·  Southern Africa

Xenophobic Phakel Umthakathi Sealed in a Witchcraft Bottle in Malawi for the Deaths of Foreigners

In a dramatic act of desperation, Malawians have reportedly encased the man blamed for deadly anti-immigrant violence in South Africa inside a plastic bottle — armed with potent muthi — in a bid to neutralise his power before 30 June.

By Collen Makumbirofa  ·  Makumbirofa Farms  ·  [email protected]  ·  28 June 2026

Image circulating on social media: the bottle allegedly discovered in Malawi, captioned “Malawi Has Began The Operation Ahead Of June 30.” — Source: Foreigners in South Africa / Facebook

As a desperate measure, it is alleged that some Malawians have put Phakel Umthakathi inside a plastic bottle together with strong muthi — traditional African medicine widely believed to carry supernatural destructive power — in order to destroy him. The bottle was reportedly discovered at a location in Malawi and photographs of it quickly spread across social media platforms, sparking intense debate across Southern Africa.

“Malawians believe Phakel Umthakathi has caused the deaths of more than six of their countrymen in South Africa — men killed like dogs in Mossel Bay, Western Cape.”

These Malawians did not die in obscurity. They were killed in acts of xenophobic brutality in Mossel Bay, Western Cape — slaughtered not because of anything they had done, but because of where they were born. Six lives. Six families shattered. Six names that deserve to be spoken.

Context: Who is Phakel Umthakathi?Phakel Umthakathi is identified as a leading figure in the anti-immigrant violence movement in South Africa. He has been publicly associated with organising and inciting attacks against foreign nationals ahead of the 30 June 2026 deadline, which he and his associates declared as a day of mass expulsion of foreigners from South Africa.

Phakel Umthakathi is a man who has made the hatred of foreigners his vocation. He has stood at the front of marches, broadcast threats, and emboldened mobs. Under his leadership — or at the very least his vocal encouragement — foreign nationals across South Africa have lost their lives, their livelihoods, their homes, and their dignity. Africans across the continent are seething with anger at what he represents.

A few days ago, social media was flooded with reports that Phakel Umthakathi had been involved in a serious car accident. Many who follow the situation closely began to wonder: was this a consequence of the muthi? Witchcraft, in African traditional belief, carries genuine power — the power to bring about accidents, illness, and death. Whether one subscribes to that belief or not, the timing has not escaped notice.

“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”— Romans 12:19, NIV

We must be clear: we do not support witchcraft. As journalists and human rights defenders, we do not endorse, promote, or celebrate occult practices of any kind. Our duty is to report what is happening — to document the reality unfolding on the ground and give voice to communities who are suffering. The fact that desperate, grieving Malawian families have resorted to traditional spiritual warfare tells us something profound about the depth of their pain and the failure of official institutions to deliver justice.

Many foreigners have paid an unbearable price because of Phakel Umthakathi’s campaign of hatred. Lives have been taken. Jobs have been destroyed. Homes have been looted and burned. Children have been left without parents. The trauma rippling through foreign-national communities in South Africa today is not abstract — it is raw, immediate, and deadly.

The image of a man’s face trapped inside a battered Coca-Cola bottle, entangled in thorns, is a striking metaphor for what the people of Malawi — and indeed all of Africa — want to see: Phakel Umthakathi contained, stripped of his power, and rendered unable to cause further harm. Whether through spiritual, legal, or diplomatic means, the demand is the same: this must stop.

Phakel Umthakathi is the kingdom of darkness. If witchcraft — which is also the kingdom of darkness — can fight against him, then let them fight each other. We will not mourn when darkness turns upon itself. We call upon South African authorities, regional bodies, and the international community to take urgent action against individuals who orchestrate and promote xenophobic violence. No amount of muthi should be necessary. Justice must be delivered through law — swiftly, visibly, and without compromise.