POET and media personality Ntsiki Mazwai has opened up about a terrifying health scare that left her hospitalised for weeks.
The podcaster contracted malaria.
Fortunately, she’s home and recovering.
Ntsiki (45) from Pimville in Soweto, shared her diagnosis on social media and turned it into a warning to people.
“When I was absent from social media, it was because I contracted malaria and have been in hospital for weeks and now at home for recovery. I don’t think the Department of Health is warning you enough and they seem a bit out of their depth,” she said.
“Please, take the warning about malaria seriously. I literally almost died. You lose your mind and become delirious. Any signs of a fever or changes in your body, please go to the doctor immediately. Joburg has a malaria outbreak.”
Ntsiki said she did not travel and contracted it in Joburg.
“I did not travel anywhere or to any malaria-prone places. I was in Joburg working on my podcast. Malaria is spread through mosquitoes. Please, don’t panic, but please also don’t relax.”
She also thanked her family for being with her during that time.
“Thank you to my family for circling around me like a baby elephant. I will never forget what you did for me,” said Ntsiki.
The Department of Health also warned Mzansi about the rising malaria incidences in Gauteng.
“Between January and December 2025, Gauteng recorded 666 malaria cases and seven deaths. However, during the first quarter of 2026 alone, from January to March, the province has already recorded 414 confirmed cases and 11 deaths,” read the statement.
“This marks a significant increase, compared to the same period in 2025, when 230 cases and only one death were reported.”
“I’m not doing media. I was just alerting people that there is an outbreak,” she said.