Blantyre traffic builds on weekday mornings into the city and again from mid-afternoon around Chichiri, Ginnery Corner, and the Clock Tower. School runs and month-end shopping make Fridays slower.
If you can move an appointment to late morning, you often save more time than a shortcut through residential streets that also clog. Pedestrians should assume minibuses will stop in the lane, not in a lay-by.
There is no live city traffic app that covers every junction. Local radio still beats guessing.