* Labuschagne got deported from Malawi on January 23, 2024 over the smear campaign based of what IFAW describes as false allegations
* The media reports by UK’s The Guardian and the Daily Maverick on March 26, 2025 are an effort to apply pressure to IFAW to capitulate to Labuschagne’s demands
* Malawi government has overall jurisdiction and responsibility for all national parks and wildlife including Kasungu through Department of National Parks & Wildlife
* IFAW has become the target of an increasingly personalised, patently false and vitriolic campaign by Labuschagne in the aftermath of his termination prior to the translocation on which he had been working
By Duncan Mlanjira
In a case of sour grapes, disgruntled fired employee, Michael Labuschagne — whom the Malawi Government eventually deported from the country — is reported to be behind the smear campaign against the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), in the 2022 translocation of 263 elephants to Kasungu National Park.
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UK media houses, The Guardian and the Daily Maverick reported on March 26, 2025 that IFAW is facing a group action lawsuit seeking compensation for Malawians and Zambians, whose family members were killed by elephants that had strayed out of their sanctuary as well as their crops and property damaged.
The reporters claimed that they had travelled to Malawi and Zambia where they allegedly interviewed affected community members on both sides of Kasungu National Park, which falls under Malawi-Zambia Transfrontier Conservation Area Treaty that the two countries signed.
However, according to highly-placed sources in the Ministry of Tourism, it was discovered that it was Labuschagne himself who visited Malawi to interview the alleged victims, that led to Malawi Government to deport him.
Our sources also say authorities from both Malawi and Zambia are failing to identify the alleged victims of the elephants that had strayed out of their natural sanctuary.
IFAW International itself has come out in the open to declare that the allegations it is being accused of are false, saying IFAW has been working in support of governments of Malawi and Zambia in the tourism intervention for many years — a key are under its flagship Room-to-Roam initiative.
“Securing the future of elephant population in Kasungu; supporting local communities transition towards more sustainable livelihoods and helping navigate challenges including human-wildlife conflict, are key pillars of Room-to-Roam,” says IFAW president & CEO Azzedine Downes in response to Maravi Express’ request for clarification over the supposedly impending legal suit.
Downes explains that prior to 2022, IFAW was asked to provide financial and technical support to Malawi’s Department of National Parks & Wildlife (DNPW) for the translocation of 263 elephants from Liwonde to Kasungu as part of its restoration.
“IFAW has become the target of an increasingly personalised, patently false and vitriolic campaign by Labuschagne in the aftermath of his termination prior to the translocation on which he had been working.
“Following that termination, Labuschagne established an organisation called ‘Warm Heart’, from which he continues to pursue his campaign against IFAW,” says Downes, while indicating that Labuschagne got deported from Malawi on January 23, 2024.
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He further said IFAW UK, IFAW Malawi and IFAW Zambia received a purported Letter Before Action in December 2024 from UK-based law firm, Leigh Day, “repeating many of Labuschagne’ generalised allegations, threatening a claim in the English courts”.
“The letter alleged that IFAW UK, IFAW Malawi and IFAW Zambia are liable for human-wildlife conflict suffered by unidentified individuals in and around Kasungu National Park following the translocation.
“IFAW rejects any allegations that it is liable for human-wildlife conflict,” empasises Downes. “Our focus continues to be resolutely on delivering our mandate which includes supporting a proactive, community-led and science-based approach to managing human-wildlife conflict.
“Nonetheless, we take this threat of litigation seriously. We have instructed our external legal counsel and requested specific particulars of any claims brought against IFAW, which Leigh Day has yet to provide.”
Downes takes note of the report by The Guardian and the Daily Maverick on March 26 based on Leigh Day’s press release, which he observes if meant to be “an effort to apply pressure to IFAW to capitulate to its demands”.
He thus clarified IFAW’s position on the matter emphasising that the Malawi government has overall jurisdiction and responsibility for all national parks and wildlife in Malawi including Kasungu through its DNPW.
He indicates that Kasungu National Park lies within the Malawi-Zambia Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA), which is governed by a Treaty between the two countries, pursuant to which both countries agree to promote and facilitate the development of a complementary network of protected areas within the TFCA — linked through corridors to safeguard the welfare and continued existence of migratory wildlife species.
“Accordingly, the western side of Kasungu National Park, which lies along the international border, is not fenced. Malawi’s DNPW decided to undertake the translocation as part of its ongoing work to restock the protected areas, in conjunction with Zambia’s DNPW with financial and technical support of partners, including IFAW,” says Downes.
Regarding IFAW’s role, he says “it is important to note that high standards were met in delivering IFAW’s mandate and we continue to support a proactive approach to managing human-wildlife conflict”.
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“That translocation was informed by respected experts in the field such as those at the Conservation Ecology Research Unit (CERU) at the University of Pretoria.
“Before, during and after the translocation, IFAW has worked alongside its partners, including relevant authorities, to support the two governments to undertake a proactive approach to human-wildlife conflict which continues to date.
“Ahead of the translocation, IFAW supported construction of a 40km fence on the Malawi side of the park where no fence existed. To date, 116km of fence (of the target 135km) has been constructed, providing employment to approximately 543 people.
“As more data is collated, IFAW and its partners working closely with DNPW have been able to identify and channel additional resources to hotspots and we are confident this will have a positive impact.”
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