Over 1,900 Arrested On Cybercrime Charges In Africa

‘Tip of the Iceberg’ Africa Police arrested more than 1,000 people suspected of cybercrimes across 19 African countries between September and October, Interpol announced this week, in a coordinated operation aimed at combatting rising cyber threats on the continent, the Washington Post reported. The operation, dubbed Operation Serengeti, was a joint cooperation between Interpol and the African Union’s policing agency, Afripol. It targeted cybercrimes such as ransomware, phishing, digital extortion, and online scams. Local law enforcement agencies and private-sector partners, including Internet service providers, played a major role in the effort. Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza called the results a testament to international cooperation, noting that cybercrime’s increasing complexity demands collective action. The international police organization identified some 35,000 victims worldwide, with financial losses totaling nearly $193 million. In Kenya, police arrested nearly two dozen individuals connected to a credit card fraud operation that caused $8.6 million in damages. In Senegal, authorities apprehended eight suspects, including five Chinese nationals, for running a Ponzi scheme that defrauded over 1,800 people of $6 million, Africanews noted. Meanwhile, Nigerian police arrested a suspect behind cryptocurrency scams, believed to have made over $300,000. The operation also uncovered human trafficking networks in Cameroon, where victims from seven countries were lured with false job offers, then held captive and forced to operate pyramid schemes. According to a United Nations report and Interpol findings, many people involved in online scams are trafficking victims coerced into illegal activities under abusive conditions. Urquiza and other officials also warned about the growing sophistication of cybercrime, including the use of AI-powered malware and digital extortion. Afripol executive director Jalel Chelba emphasized the need for continued international collaboration to address emerging threats. While Operation Serengeti marks significant progress, Urquiza cautioned that these arrests represent “just the tip of the iceberg,” underscoring the ongoing challenges posed by cybercrime, which costs the global economy hundreds of millions annually. Share this story

Social Unrest Grows In Angola

Playing Hardball Angola Amnesty International on Wednesday accused Angolan police of killing at least 17 protesters over the past 30 months and using excessive force to suppress demonstrations, a report that came days after thousands of people protested in the capital Luanda to denounce growing poverty and authoritarianism, Agence France-Presse reported. In its report, Amnesty detailed police actions at 11 protests between November 2020 and June 2023, where officers fired live bullets, deployed tear gas, and carried out arbitrary arrests. The document highlighted the January 2021 crackdown in the eastern mining town of Cafunfo, where police killed at least 10 demonstrators. In another deadly incident in June 2023, authorities allegedly shot four demonstrators, including a 12-year-old boy, in the central city of Huambo. The human rights group criticized Angolan authorities under the administration of President João Lourenço for failing to hold officers or their superiors accountable, writing that they consistently stifle the constitutional right to peaceful assembly, AFP wrote separately. The report’s findings come days after around 4,000 people joined a peaceful opposition-led protest in Luanda to condemn poor governance and economic hardship. Supporters of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola party (UNITA) carried banners declaring “Lourenço leave” and “people are dying of hunger” as they marched under close police surveillance. Demonstrators also called attention to severe drought and hunger gripping southern Africa, which the United Nations said has left millions struggling to find food. UNITA secretary general Álvaro Chikwamanga blamed the governing People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) for the worsening conditions, accusing it of failing to address poverty despite Angola’s vast oil wealth. Tensions in the country have especially been running high since parliament passed a controversial “vandalism law” in August, that critics say forbids protests, Deutsche Welle noted. The law criminalizes filming police misconduct, with penalties of up to 10 years in prison. Vandalism offenses, including property damage, can carry sentences of 20 to 25 years. Critics lambasted the bill, saying it violates constitutional rights and deters citizens from demonstrating. Civic groups have accused the government of weaponizing the law to silence dissent. Opposition leaders and activists vow to continue protesting until authorities repeal the law.

Namibia May Get Its First Woman President

Freedom Fighters, Beware Namibia The South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) led the fight against South Africa, then under Apartheid, for Namibia’s independence in 1990. It has led the country since. Now, that might be changing. As University of Pretoria political scientist Henning Melber argued recently in the Conversation, SWAPO presidential candidate Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, known as NNN, is running after a series of elections in which Namibian voters have expressed their dissatisfaction with SWAPO’s unfulfilled promises for economic growth, its corruption scandals, and other issues. NNN, who if elected would become the country’s first female president, wants to reduce Namibia’s dependence on diamonds. Namibia’s uranium mining industry, for example, could generate more revenues, the Diplomatic Courier wrote. SWAPO officials believe the country could double its economic growth to 8 percent annually through offshore oil and gas exploration, too, the Financial Times reported. Chevron, ExxonMobil, Galp, TotalEnergies, and Shell are operating in Namibia now. But NNN has also pledged to protect those resources for future generations – reflecting how many Namibians might be skeptical of her claims. Her closeness with business leaders as SWAPO’s endorsed candidate might seem like cold comfort to many voters who have yet to see the reforms they want. Angola and Nigeria have oil riches but have still struggled to lift many of their citizens from poverty, too. At the same time, Panduleni Itula, a former SWAPO official and the founder of a new opposition party, Independent Patriots for Change, appears to be giving NNN a run for her money. Itula has pledged to create jobs while investing in housing, sanitation, electricity, and water for the approximately one million Namibians who now lack those services, Channel Africa noted. Itula and other opposition figures have also successfully sounded alarm bells about the unfair fundraising practices and connections that have helped SWAPO retain power over the past decades, added the Friedrich Naumann Foundation. This efforts come as trust in SWAPO has fallen from 42 percent in 2014 to 17 percent in 2021. The coup de grȃce in this downward plunge was the so-called “fishrot scandal,” which involved SWAPO leaders diverting fishing quotes from local companies to foreign ones for millions in kickbacks. SWAPO is facing a downward momentum that other liberationist political parties in Botswana, Zambia, Mauritius, South Africa, and elsewhere also are, mainly because they have failed to live up to their pledges for growth as governing political parties, noted Nyasha Mcbride Mpani of the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation based in Cape Town, South Africa, in the Mail & Guardian. Namibia is on the brink of change, he added. Namibians, having witnessed the possibility of ousting a liberation movement, now see this as their opportunity to push for change,” he wrote. “(SWAPO) must confront its vulnerabilities by addressing corruption, reconnecting with its grassroots base and offering tangible solutions to Namibia’s economic problems. Its liberation struggle credentials, while significant, may not be enough … The outcome will not only determine SWAPO’s future but also signal whether Namibia will follow the regional trend of rejecting liberation movements in favor of change.”

An Old African Leader Declines To Step Down

The Art of Gaslighting Guinea-Bissau Speaking at the COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan recently, Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embaló detailed his government’s “strategic actions” to mitigate the impacts of climate change on his Portuguese-speaking nation. These measures, he said, according to Voice of America, include growing mangroves to blunt rising sea levels and halt ecological degradation. They are crucial, he added, because climate changes are becoming extremely dangerous for Guinea-Bissau. Residents such as 70-year-old Aghoti Sanhan, can attest to that. “The sea keeps coming toward us,” Sanhan told the World Economic Forum recently. “The fields have been ruined by the seawater. (The) land is getting smaller and many people have abandoned the village. One day, I will have to make a decision to abandon this house, too.” Sanhan’s house lacks electricity and running water, a common problem in the Atlantic coastal nation even though the World Bank determined that Guinea-Bissau possesses the “highest natural capital per capita in West Africa,” meaning lots of untapped potential given its natural resources. Inadequate infrastructure, dependence on agriculture, the exposure of low-lying coastal areas to climate change risks, organized crime – the country is a key transit hub for illegal narcotics from Latin America to Europe – the suppression of civil society, and political issues are among the obstacles to positive change, the institution wrote. Illustrating the situation was the president’s recent decision to postpone parliamentary elections indefinitely. As Agence France-Presse wrote, Embaló dissolved parliament in December 2023 after what he described as a failed coup attempt. Afterward, he scheduled new elections for Nov. 24 this year. But just weeks before the elections, he scrapped them. That turn of events was the latest in a history of corruption, coups, and other disruptions in the country, World Politics Review noted. Not having a parliament might make Embaló’s life easier. He was elected in late 2019 to govern for a five-year term. Remarkably, aiming to quell accusations that he is trying to consolidate his power to remain in office indefinitely, Embaló has pledged not to run for reelection when his term ends, Africa News reported. However, since elections were legally supposed to be held this year and he’s canceled them, that means little, wrote Deutsche Welle, adding that it is likely he will actually run again. The president’s actions may not be a bad thing if he uses the extra time to improve the country’s institutions, especially the judiciary, argued Paulin Maurice Toupane of the Institute for Security Studies. But he added that it could increase instability and backfire on the presidents. Others, however, believe that the country is headed for another coup. Alex Vines, the Africa director at Chatham House, told Inkstick earlier this year that the “failure of security sector reform, penetration of organized crime and the absence of credible institutions” are continuing to increase instability in Guinea-Bissau. “Under Mr. Embaló’s increasingly authoritarian rule, further clampdowns on opposition leaders should be expected – often justified through claims of preserving national security – in the foreseeable future … The dissolution of parliament further highlights the fragility of governability and the risk of a further coup attempt.” Share this story

Gabon-A Promise Fulfilled

Share this story A Promise, Fulfilled Gabon Gabonese voters cast their ballots in favor of a new constitution in a referendum over the weekend that would also see the Central African country end the transitional military government that deposed long-time President Ali Bongo Ondimba last year, Africanews reported. Provisional results on Sunday showed a 91.8 percent “yes” vote based on turnout of just under 54 percent, Gabon’s interior minister said on state television. Saturday’s referendum came more than a year after the army led by Gen. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema seized power shortly after Bongo was reelected as president in the August 2023 elections. the Voice of America reported. The army and opposition parties said the election was rigged. The coup ended the rule of the Bongo dynasty which had controlled the Central African nation for nearly 60 years, starting with Omar Bongo, who died in 2009 and power was handed to his son, Ali. Nguema – who became head of the military government – vowed to hand power back to civilians after a two-year transition and urged voters to support the new constitution, Al Jazeera added. Analysts said the new charter would prevent political dynasties as it would bar the president’s relatives from succeeding him. The draft constitution also increases the president’s term from five to seven years and imposes a two-term limit. While some citizens were pleased with the provisions, opposition politicians and civil society groups expressed concern over some changes that would give more power to the president. These include removing the post of prime minister and being granted the power to dissolve parliament, as well as hiring and firing vice presidents. Others also warned that the draft constitution was tailor-made for a strongman to be able to remain in power, noting that junta leader Nguema is not barred from running. Local media reported that early results showed that a majority of voters approved the new charter. The final results will be released by the constitutional court – although officials did not provide a specific timeline. After the results, Gabon will revise its electoral laws in February and establish an elections management body, Nguema said. The oil-rich country is expected to hold presidential, parliamentary, and local elections in August 2025. Share this story

Islamic Violence And Political Instability In Burkina Faso

The Coup Trap Burkina Faso When a military junta seized power more than two years ago in Burkina Faso, the coup leaders promised to end the violence and fighting that were plaguing the country. They failed. Islamist fighters now hold sway over 40 percent of the landlocked West African country, according to ACAPS, a research firm. Jihadists have also killed more than 2,000 people this year, an almost 75 percent increase over the rate before September 2022, when the junta staged its coup against a leader who had taken power only nine months earlier in another coup, World Politics Review added. These are some of the reasons that some people in Burkina Faso have lost faith in their armed forces. A video now circulating in the country, for example, depicts Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland, a government-sanction militia group, hacking corpses with machetes, while “gloating” on camera, the BBC reported. The military under Burkina Faso’s interim president, Capt. Ibrahim Traore, is now investigating the matter. News in the country now often centers on lethal attacks where the central government and its militia allies have not been able to defend their positions. Last month, al Qaeda-linked terrorists killed as many as 600 people in the remote northern town of Barsalogho. CNN dubbed the attack one of the deadliest in Africa in decades, describing the violence as another example of how the region – called the Sahel – has become increasingly unstable in recent years. Investigators at Human Rights Watch later concluded that Burkinabe troops could have prevented the attacks if they had not forced civilian laborers to dig a trench around a military base in the town, creating a target for the jihadists, and then leaving those civilians defenseless. The same al Qaeda-linked militants killed more than 100 Burkinabe soldiers in the town of Mansila near the border with Niger, added Al Jazeera. Another 150 people died when terrorists attacked the northeastern town of Manni, wrote the Catholic News Agency. Traore bears responsibility for these losses. He came to power in 2022, a year when Burkina Faso saw two coups and three presidencies. He has retained power, rather than setting up democratic elections or another transfer of power as he promised in the early days of his administration, saying that the security situation in the country has warranted it. Writing in Geopolitical Intelligence Services, African affairs expert Teresa Nogueira Pinto described Traore’s situation as a “coup trap” where juntas come under pressure to solve the problems that weakened the previous government they overturned. In Burkina Faso, where the junta has lost control over half of its territory and where one in four Burkinabe now requires humanitarian aid, the coup has had disastrous consequences. “Over the past decade, and particularly in the last four years, militant insurgency has upended security and humanitarian conditions in the Sahel, now considered the global epicenter of jihadism,” she wrote. “Amid regional turmoil and domestic political instability, Burkina Faso – until recently viewed as a beacon of stability – has become the epicenter of religious extremism in the Sahel.” Share this story

South Africa Will Not Help 4,000 Illegal Miners Trapped in a Mine

South Africa South Africa’s government said will not help 4,000 illegal miners stuck inside a mine without basic necessities because they want to “smoke them out” and stop the illegal mining in the country, the Associated Press reported. Recently, police closed off the entrances to an old mineshaft in Stilfontein in northwestern South Africa, leaving thousands of illegal miners, known locally as “zama zamas” stuck without food, water or other basic supplies. The closure is part of the police’s Vala Umgodi operation, or “Close the Hole”, which aims to cut off entrances used by the miners to transport supplies, in an effort to force them to return above ground and face arrest. Police have estimated that as many as 4,000 miners may be below the surface. In the past weeks, over 1,000 miners have emerged sick and hungry from various mines in the region after going weeks without basic supplies. They were arrested by authorities. “We are not sending help to criminals,” said Cabinet Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni. “We are going to smoke them out. They will come out. Criminals are not to be helped. We didn’t send them there.” Illegal mining is common in South Africa’s former gold mining areas, with miners going into closed shafts to search for gold and other minerals. The illegal miners often hail from neighboring countries and are part of larger syndicates that employ the miners. The miners work in extremely dangerous conditions, but are also deemed dangerous by South African authorities, noted Deutsche Welle. Nearby communities have complained about the presence of the illegal miners, saying that they commit crimes such as robberies and rape. Disputes sometimes between rival mining groups result in fatalities, as the groups are known to be heavily armed. Share this story

Cape Town Named The Best Food City In The World!

'We have changed the game': Cape Town crowned best food city in the world accreditation Noluthando Ngcakani Comments Comments add bookmark Bookmark 08:11 Cape Town is officially the world's best food city. Cape Town is officially the world's best food city. Cape Town has been named the World's Best Food City in the 2024 Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards, scoring an impressive 95.65 and surpassing culinary destinations like Tokyo, Rome, and Porto. The accolade highlights the city's unique blend of African, Dutch, Malay, and Indian culinary influences, celebrated by local chefs and restaurateurs contributing to its diverse and innovative food scene. Chefs and restaurateurs anticipate the accolade will elevate Cape Town's global standing, showcasing its rich cultural heritage and culinary excellence. Cape Town has been crowned the World's Best Food City in the 2024 Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards. The city, sprawling with tasty corners and crevices, is proud of its intricate and often complex food story, which adds to its charm. With a tantalising 95.65 score in the prestigious competition, Cape Town bested culinary hotspots like Tokyo, Rome, and Porto, cementing itself as the world's culinary capital. Millions of global travellers ranked the award based on the foods on offer in cities, as well as on quality, service, and overall experience. Cape Town's unique blend of African, Dutch, Malay, and Indian influences made it the top food city. Its rich cultural heritage has shaped the city's culinary landscape, resulting in diverse flavours and cooking styles. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bo-Kaap Kombuis (@bokaapkombuis) One example of its vibrant heritage is Die Kombuis, a landmark eatery in Cape Town's historic Bo-Kaap neighbourhood - where owner Yusef Larney and his wife, Nazli, have been serving authentic Cape Malay cuisine for more than 19 years. Larney expressed his excitement about the city's recognition, telling News24 Food: "Cape Town deserves it - it speaks to the diversity of our people and how we can stick together." He built his business brick-by-brick, transforming a once humble two-bedroom house in the Bo-Kaap into a four-storey building that is home to a guesthouse and bustling eatery. "I have had a dream [of opening a restaurant] since high school." Die Bo-Kaap Kombuis is Larney's celebration of his Cape Malay roots and its bold and aromatic cuisine. Cape Malay cuisine first took shape in the 17th century when the Dutch East India Company brought enslaved people from Indonesia, Malaysia, and other Southeast Asian countries to the Cape. Larney says these enslaved people played a significant role in shaping the region's culinary landscape, adding: Cape Malay cuisine is a melting pot of history and a labour of love. When the Dutch came here and displaced people from Malaysia and Indonesia and brought them here as enslaved people. "They mixed with indigenous people from here; not only were their bonds born from that, but also this merging of different flavours." The Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards are the longest-running and most prestigious recognition of excellence in the travel industry. READ| The story of Cape Malay cuisine as told by proud chefs Home of the culinary innovator The city's culinary scene is not just about tradition. It's also a hub of innovation, with chefs like James Gaag of La Colombe inspired to push the boundaries of fine dining. Gaag believes the award will further elevate Cape Town's global standing on the international fine dining stage. "As with any award, it does come with a fair amount of pressure to maintain high standards - but this isn't an industry you get into if you can't handle a little pressure. "We are spoilt for choice when it comes to dining options in the city - of course, fine dining has a special place in my heart - but I do love that no matter what you're craving, you'll find it in Cape Town." Edge Africa co-founder Absie Pantshwa echoes Gaag's sentiments, adding these awards should aim to give African ingredients and culinary techniques on the international stage. Pantshwa and award-winning chef Vusi Ndlovu founded Edge Africa, a culinary collective committed to showcasing Africa's culinary glory. READ| Ex-cop goes from serving his country to serving up traditional meals at his restaurants "We are opening up our minds more about what is available around us than looking outside of the country and continent. "We have always been focused on the African ingredients narrative, cooking over fire and giving the ingredients we have around us the respect they deserve. It's about providing a voice to African ingredients and growing." View this post on Instagram A post shared by EDGE Restaurant (@edge.africa) Pitso Chauke, the owner of Pitso's Kitchen, expressed his excitement about Cape Town's culinary diversity, comparing it to a blend of Europe and Africa. The Limpopo-born food entrepreneur is a former Cape Town detective who quit the police to follow his culinary passions, opening his first restaurant at the Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock in 2016. "It's so exciting. We all know this place is so diverse - like Europe and Africa in one place. It is fascinating. About seven years ago, I read an article about Cape Town not having African cuisine, 20-something years after apartheid - now, looking at it, we have changed the game." Forgotten gems South African cookbook author Errieda du Toit further emphasises the broader impact of Cape Town's recognition in the culinary world, highlighting the rising prominence of African cuisine. "I know that part of Cape Town's food magic is rooted in its powerful diversity. The city increasingly shows a much larger diversity. I think the recognition and nature of the award will further encourage growth in the diversity of its food offerings." Du Toit also points out while Cape Town offers a rich culinary experience, much remains to be done to promote the food offerings in the rural areas of the Western Cape. sleepwalking chef Celebrity chef and food writer Errieda du Toit says she’s been sleepwalking for years – and then creates the weirdest dishes. (PHOTO: Supplied) She hopes the award will encourage more people to explore these areas, which offer incredible produce, scenery, and people. "I feel that we have a long way to go in what we offer tourists outside the city - our countryside. I am not talking about the Stellenbosches and the Elgins that come with the West Cape - these platteland dorpies I find when I go there; they cater for every palate." The top ten Cape Town, South Africa. Score 95.65 Milan, Italy. Score 95.20 Valencia, Spain. Score 95.00 Tokyo, Japan. Score 94.78 Porto, Portugal. Score 94.48 Hong Kong, China. Score 93.94 Bangkok, Thailand. Score 93.71 Rome, Italy. Score 93.33 Singapore. Score 92.90 Sydney, Australia. Score 92.50