‘Always Like Home’: South Africa’s Msibi Reflects On Her Malaysian Deployment

By Rohani Mohd Ibrahim

KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 (Bernama) -- For Jabulisile Msibi, her nearly five-year diplomatic posting in Malaysia was more than just an assignment — it was a journey marked by cultural connection, enduring friendships, and shared values between two nations with deep historical ties.

Msibi on Monday concluded her tenure as the Charge d’Affaires of the South African High Commission in Malaysia.

bootstrap slideshow

She first arrived in Kuala Lumpur in November 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and its various iterations of the Movement Control Order (MCO). 

Upon arrival, Msibi was appointed First Secretary (Political). She assumed the role of Charge d’Affaires earlier this year.

Reflecting on her four years and seven months in Malaysia, the 47-year-old said the country felt “always like home.” The familiar culture and warmth of the local Malay community, in particular, reminded her of the Malays back home in Cape Town.

“I never felt alone working here. I love the weather, the beaches — I visited Langkawi five times with my family, and they adored it.

“I also visited Ipoh once and found it to be a lovely, quiet city with such warm people,” she told Bernama in an interview just hours before departing Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysian food also struck a familiar chord.

“We have rendang, satay, and cakoi — a kind of kuih — in South Africa, too. Even bananas are called ‘pisang’ back home,” she shared with a laugh.

A particularly fond memory for Msibi was discovering Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin’s ballad, Bukan Cinta Biasa.

“I first heard the song during a live performance at an event, and it immediately gave me a sense of calm,” she recalled. 

“I recorded it at the time, then asked my Malaysian friends for the title and downloaded it on Spotify. I listened to it so often that I memorised the lyrics and eventually learnt to sing it well,” said Msibi.

“I will always listen to and sing along to Bukan Cinta Biasa whenever I think of Malaysia,” she added.

When asked if she would return, Msibi said she would gladly visit Malaysia again — or even welcome another posting in a different capacity.

Msibi expressed hope that bilateral ties between South Africa and Malaysia will continue to deepen, with more high-level exchanges and strengthened cooperation under the South-South framework.

She noted the two countries' shared advocacy of Palestinian rights and self-determination — particularly following Israel’s attack on Gaza in October 2023 — has further strengthened the longstanding relationship.

Msibi said Malaysia is highly respected in South Africa for its unwavering support dating back to the anti-apartheid struggle and the country’s eventual freedom in 1994.

“After South Africa achieved independence, Malaysia trained some of our diplomats as early as 1995 during the country’s formative years.

“My supervisor in Pretoria was among them. When she found out I was posted to Malaysia in 2020, she was very happy,” she said.

-- BERNAMA