Malawian President Hastings Banda visits SA

Date: 16 Aug 1971
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

Malawian President Hastings Banda visits SA

Following a visit by South Africa's Prime Minister B.J. Vorster to Malawi in May 1970, President Hastings Banda of Malawi became the first head of an independent Black African state to visit South Africa (16-20 August). During his visit Banda met with the State President and Prime Minister and invited the President to visit Malawi. On his return, he declared that 99% of the Africans whom he met supported his policy of contact with Pretoria. Though Banda's relationship with South Africa was widely criticised, Malawi continued to enjoy economic prosperity, which was attributed to foreign investment, including trade agreements with South Africa.

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How we know this

01Eye on Africa, "Malawi History and Safari Information", from Eye on Africa, [Online], available at www.eyesonafrica.net [Accessed: 13 August 2013]
02Potgieter, D.J. et al. (eds)(1970).Standard Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa, Cape Town: NASOU, v. 7, p. 143

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Malawian President Hastings Banda visits SA. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012162

South African History Online (2011) 'Malawian President Hastings Banda visits SA', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012162 (Accessed: 15 August 2026).

South African History Online, Malawian President Hastings Banda visits SA [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012162, (accessed 15 August 2026).

"Malawian President Hastings Banda visits SA." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012162. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "Malawian President Hastings Banda visits SA." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012162.