Responding to Merkel's criticism of human rights abuses in Zimbabwe, Ndlovu told her to "shut up or ship out," saying Germany needed a head of state like Otto von Bismarck.
Since the departure of Jonathan Moyo from the information ministry and his re-appointment in 2013 and the minister of information, Charamba has become the defacto government spokesperson and permanent secretary on the ministry, usurping the powers of Sikhanyiso Ndlovu.