Cape Town Streets Turned Into A Cyclist's Paradise!

https://www.sapeople.com/news/cape-towns-trendiest-street-transformed-into-a-cyclists-paradise/?utm_source=brevo&utm_campaign=SAP%20Friday%20Newsletter%2013%20June%202025&utm_medium=email&utm_id=109

A South African Reported on Cape Town

Sjanel Lucas Cape Town is gorgeous, that alone is reason enough to move here but it is also the only city in South Africa that has good governance instead of crippling corruption. It’s located in the only province with good governance instead of crippling corruption. It’s the only city where you walk around safely in the city center carrying an expensive camera. Yes, there’s crime here, but compared to other SA cities it’s negligible and mostly confined to gang violence in their locality that rarely spreads outside of their territories. You avoid those and you’ll be just fine. Also, my 22 year old just bought a house here. She graduated last year and has been working for 6 months. Not some crazy paying job. Just a regular job along with her boyfriend who works a regular job and graduated a year before her. Gen Z, both of them.

Burundi Chooses The Status Quo

As Elections Approach and Regional Tensions Rise, Burundi Chooses the Status Quo Burundi Burundi officially kicked off its 2025 election campaign season in early May at Ingoma Stadium in Gitega, the capital. Thousands of candidates dressed in their party colors paraded in a ceremony attended by politicians and political hopefuls. Attendees described it as a milestone for the country. “This is a first in Burundi’s democratic history,” Jean De Dieu Mutabazi, president of the Rally for Democracy and Economic and Social Development (RADEBU) party, told Africanews, adding he was optimistic about the election remaining peaceful. “It’s a very symbolic event, showing progress in our democratic culture and reducing political animosity between rivals.” If only that were so, say analysts. Despite a transition in 2020 from brutal autocrat Pierre Nkurunziza to President Évariste Ndayishimiye, who when he took office said he wanted to promote reform and civil liberties, five years later, the country has reverted back to a state of repression and brutality. For example, in spite of the ceremony celebrating the candidates running in federal and local elections on June 5, the leading opposition party, the National Congress for Liberty (CNL), has been suspended, and independent candidates have mostly been excluded from the election. “Recent events suggest that the political and security outlook in Burundi still mostly resembles the dim period of 2015-2016,” wrote Teresa Nogueira Pinto, an Africa analyst, in GIS, referring to the repression and political violence under Nkurunziza. “Despite some changes…, the (ruling) National Council for the Defense of Democracy – Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) has further consolidated its power…(by) … resorting to repression, including violent measures, against its opposition.” One example of that, analysts say, is how the president has legitimized the Imbonerakure, the youth wing of the ruling party. The group has become a paramilitary force acting on behalf of the party and has been accused of torturing and assassinating opposition figures and others found disloyal to the government. Recently, it was granted official status by the legislature as the Reserve and Development Support Force and charged with defending the country and promoting patriotism. The president has also severely restricted civil liberties and political freedoms, say human rights organizations. For example, the government has excluded former CNL leader Agathon Rwasa, who came second in the 2020 presidential race, from the current election. It did so by implementing a new electoral code that makes it difficult for independent candidates to run, a measure designed specifically to block Rwasa’s candidacy, wrote Nigeria’s News Central. Meanwhile, Reporters Without Borders recently warned of escalating violence against journalists sanctioned by the government, while members of opposition parties complain they face harassment, intimidation, and violence. As a result, analysts say, the elections will bring little change to a country facing deep problems that are becoming more destabilizing, analysts said. Burundi’s already fragile economy still hasn’t recovered from the disruptions stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine. High inflation and shortages of necessities including fuel have hit hard in a country where the majority of the population lives below the poverty line. Now it is being further destabilized by the war in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) next door: More than 100,000 refugees have crossed the border into Burundi since February, the Associated Press reported. United Nations officials say the situation is dire. Meanwhile, the war has escalated tensions with Rwanda, which is supporting the M23 rebels in the DRC with troops. As a result, Rwandan and M23 fighters are sparring with soldiers from Burundi, which supports the Congolese government. Burundi’s soldiers are also fighting the Burundian anti-government group, the Resistance for a State of Law in Burundi (RED-Tabara), based in the DRC. Burundi has long accused Rwanda of supporting the RED-Tabara, which has escalated its attacks in Burundi over the past year. In March, Ndayishimiye accused Rwandan leader, Paul Kagame, of planning to attack Burundi. Meanwhile, locals near the Burundian borders with the DRC and Rwanda say the halt of cross-border trade because of these tensions has hit the local economy hard, causing a loss of income and shortages of fuel and other commodities. They add that it has become impossible to acknowledge friends and family in the neighboring countries without being targeted by the government. Now, they are sure war is approaching. “Since the (war broke out in the DRC), we are afraid,” one resident of Buganda near the border with the eastern DRC, told Afrique XXI. “When the war breaks out, we will be the first victims.” Share this story

South Africa Proposes 10- Year Purchase Deal For US LNG

South Africa Proposes 10-Year Purchase Deal For U.S. LNG By Alex Kimani, 4 hours ago South Africa has proposed to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States over a 10-year period as the country looks to secure a trade deal with the Trump administration, a ministerial statement by the South African government has revealed. South Africa plans to import 75 to 100 million cubic metres of LNG per year from the U.S., the world’s top LNG exporter. According to Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, South Africa’s Minister in the Presidency, the deal would “unlock approximately $900 million to $1.2 billion in trade per annum and $9 billion – $12 billion for 10 years based on applicable price.” According to Ntshavheni, U.S. LNG will not replace South Africa’s current supplies but rather complement them. Ntshavheni, South Africa’s cabinet spokesperson, said her country would also explore areas of cooperation with the U.S. in various technologies, including fracking, to help unlock the country’s gas sector. South Africa's Karoo region holds significant gas reserves, however, the country has a moratorium on shale gas exploration over environmental grounds. The proposed trade package also includes a quota of 40,000 vehicles per year to be exported duty-free from South Africa; duty-free supplies of automotive components sourced from South Africa; 385 million kilograms of duty-free steel per year and 132 million kg of duty-free aluminium per year. South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa is credited with proposing the LNG deal during his visit to the White House a week ago, when U.S. President Donald Trump blamed him for “genocide” against white farmers and controversial government policies, such as black economic empowerment and land reforms. Ramaphosa had hoped to use the meeting to mend fences with the Trump administration after Trump cancelled aid to South Africa, accusing the government of committing “egregious actions.” South Africa-born billionaire and a Trump super-ally, Elon Musk, has condemned the South African leadership for supporting “openly racist policies.”Musk is considered to be a big reason behind the animosity towards South Africa by the Trump administration, where white South Africans disproportionately control most of the country’s land and wealth despite constituting just 7% of the population. Back in March, Marco Rubio, U.S. secretary of state, declared South Africa’s ambassador to the U.S., Ebrahim Rasool, persona non grata and expelled him from the country. The administration has criticised South Africa’sgenocide court case against Israel. South Africa currently imports most of its gas from Mozambique via pipeline, with Mozambique’s $20 billion natural gas and LNG project facing repeated delays. The project was halted in 2021 due to violence in the Cabo Delgado region, specifically an attack by Islamic State-linked militants. TotalEnergies (NYSE:TTE) is currently seeking approval from the Mozambican government to lift a force majeure declaration on the project, and hopes to start production by 2029. Total is the project’s main operator with a 26.5% stake, followed by Japan’s Mitsui & Co with 20%, while Mozambique's state-owned ENH owns a 15% stake. Despite the violence, the project is viewed as crucial for the region's economy and Mozambique's economy, with the Southern African country projected to earn US$23 billion from the Coral Norte project over three decades. The LNG plant will liquefy 13.12 million metric tons of natural gas per year (tpy). Whereas 18 African countries produce some natural gas, Algeria, Egypt, and Nigeria account for nearly 90% of all gas produced on the continent. Nigeria has the continent’s largest gas reserves at 206.5 trillion cubic feet. The oil and gas sector in Africa’s most populous country is responsible for 95% of the country’s foreign exchange earnings and 20% of GDP. Source: LNG Industry Currently, Africa has several big LNG projects in progress or awaiting FID (Final Investment Decision). These include Rovuma LNG, Coral North FLNG, Mozambique LNG, and Tanzania LNG. These four projects will be instrumental in ramping up the continent’s LNG export capacity over the next decade. The Coral South FLNG is a floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility located offshore Mozambique, specifically in the southern part of Area 4 of the Rovuma Basin. It is designed to process 450 billion cubic meters of natural gas from the Coral reservoir, liquefying 3.4 million metric tons annually for export. The facility is the first FLNG deployed in deep waters on the African continent. Meanwhile, Rovuma LNG is a 12-train project with a total capacity of 18 million tpy; Mozambique LNG has a total export capacity of 43 million tpy while Tanzania LNG will provide 10 million tpy worth of capacity. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Saudi Arabia to Review Spending Priorities After Oil Price Slide EIA Shows US Crude, Product Inventories Fell Upstream Spending and Production Holds Steady in Canada 61

Senegal Indicts Fifth Minister In Ongoing Corruption Crackdown

Senegal Indicts Fifth Minister in Ongoing Corruption Crackdown Senegal Senegal’s anti-corruption special court on Monday indicted former Minister of Community Development Amadou Mansour Faye on charges of embezzling more than $4.6 million of Covid-19-related public funds, Africanews reported. Faye, who is the brother-in-law of former president Macky Sall, is the fifth official from the previous administration to be charged by the High Court of Justice, a special organ responsible for trying former government officials for crimes committed while in office. According to Faye’s lawyer, the court denied the minister bail and ordered his detention. This case is part of a broader crackdown on corruption by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who was elected last year on promises to promote transparency and accountability. Last week, the anti-corruption court charged two other former ministers from Sall’s administration for embezzlement and misappropriation related to Covid-19 funds, and two others for taking bribes and “complicity in embezzlement.” These cases highlight the new government’s focus on fighting corruption at the highest levels of governance. According to a government spokesman, Senegal intended to summon Sall to court after officials found irregularities in the treasury’s bookkeeping made during his presidency. The former president dismissed the accusations as politically motivated.

Tanzania: When Promises Wither Tanzania's Leaders Start Using An Old Playbook

When Promise Withers: Tanzania’s Leader Starts Using an Old Playbook Tanzania When Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan took office in 2021, the hope was that she would be a different kind of Tanzanian leader, one that would allow civil liberties, stop repression, and promote the development the country so desperately needs. In the first year, she go off to a good start, say observers, promoting the “Four Rs” of reconciliation, resilience, reforms, and rebuilding, becoming a marked contrast to her predecessor, dictator John Magufuli, who, when he died, catapulted his vice president, Hassan, into the country’s top post. The president, from the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, which has held power since 1977, released political prisoners, removed restrictions on media outlets, began working with the opposition, lifted a ban on opposition party rallies, and started a program of electoral reform. But that was then, before a crackdown on the opposition began last year and is intensifying in the runup to elections later this year. “The façade of progressive change that had been constructed under Samia is crumbling and could presage a return to authoritarian rule in Tanzania,” wrote World Politics Review. Recently, the government arrested the country’s main opposition leader, Tundu Lissu, for treason and other crimes, charges he denies as politically motivated, and come ahead of elections in October. The accusations are in relation to social media posts he made calling for Tanzanians to boycott the elections, citing the possibility of rigging. His party last year began a “No Reforms, No Election” campaign, which calls for reforms to the country’s electoral system, such as an independent election commission and an ability to challenge the results in court. Without these, the party says, the current system is weighted on the side of the ruling party. The treason charge carries the death penalty. As the BBC explained, Lissu, who was shot 17 times in an assassination attempt in 2017 and arrested multiple times over the years, “is the great survivor of Tanzanian politics – and one of its most persecuted politicians.” At the opening of his trial last week, Lissu, the chair of Tanzania’s main opposition party, Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) appeared sanguine and said he was “hopeful,” telling his supporters that “all will be fine.” Still, the government has also banned his party from running candidates in the election after it refused to sign a code of conduct mandated by the Independent National Electoral Commission in order to participate in the elections. Party officials say they refused to sign because of the absence of election reforms, Africanews reported. Now, according to the Council on Foreign Relations, October’s election promises to be a repeat of local elections in November, where many CHADEMA candidates were disqualified, and the CCM ended up winning 99 percent of the local races. Meanwhile, the abductions and disappearances of CHADEMA members continue, say human rights groups. Dioniz Kipanya, a CHADEMA party official, disappeared in July after leaving his house, Amnesty International detailed, calling him and others who have disappeared the victims of a “campaign of repression.” Among these are two CHADEMA youth activists who were kidnapped in August by a group of men suspected to be police officers. And the body of Ali Mohamed Kibao, a senior CHADEMA member, was found in September after suspected security agents had abducted him from a bus while he was travelling home. According to a post-mortem his body had been soaked in acid and bore signs of a beating. Some say the wasted promise of Hassan’s presidency is due to hardliners in her party whose support she needs to remain in power and whose influence is very strong. “President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s ascent to power following Magufuli’s death provided an opportunity for the country of 67 million to exhale and (pivot) back toward Tanzania’s historically more moderate political culture,” wrote the Africa Center for Strategic Studies. “In the process, the lines between the party and the state have become blurred. Like other liberation parties in Africa, some CCM members feel entitled to govern indefinitely and, emboldened by Magufuli’s tenure, are willing to resort to whatever tactics needed to maintain their absolute hegemony.”

South Africans Dispute Claims Of "white Genocide"

South Africans Dispute US Claims of ‘White Genocide’ South Africa South Africans on Thursday reacted with dismay to US President Donald Trump’s claims of a White genocide in South Africa, accusations that dominated a meeting between the American leader and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and led many to wonder if his trip overseas accomplished its purpose – to repair relations, Reuters reported. Ramaphosa had said before the trip that he hoped the conversation with Trump on Wednesday could be an opportunity to make a fresh start with the US, after relations between the two countries became strained since January. Since February, Trump has canceled aid to South Africa, offered asylum to White Afrikaners, and expelled the country’s ambassador. During the meeting, however, Trump repeatedly said that South Africa’s White minority farmers are being systematically killed and that their land is being seized, according to the BBC. Data collected by White farmers themselves, however, does not indicate a genocide. South Africa, meanwhile, has one of the highest murder rates in the world, but the overwhelming majority of victims are Black. Ramaphosa signed a new law this year that defines how land appropriations for “a public purpose” or “in the public interest” are to be compensated. It also allows for a limited number of cases where land expropriation would not be compensated.

Former Congolese Leader to DO Hard Labor for Corruption

Former Congolese Leader To Do Hard Labor For Corruption Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) constitutional court this week sentenced a former prime minister to 10 years of hard labor on embezzlement charges, in a high-profile case brought by the administration of President Félix Tshisekedi against his predecessor’s government, Reuters reported. On Tuesday, the court found former Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo guilty of embezzling approximately $245 million in public funds, along with Deogratias Mutombo, former governor of the central bank, and South African businessman Christo Grobler. Mutombo and Grobler each received five-year sentences of hard labor. All three were tried in absentia and remain at large, according to the newswire. The charges stem from the misappropriation of funds meant for the Bukanga-Lonzo Agro-Industrial Park, a large-scale agricultural project launched under former President Joseph Kabila. The initiative aimed to reduce food insecurity and create jobs, but it collapsed in 2017. Three years later, Congolese authorities under Tshisekedi discovered that funds were stolen from the project and initiated a probe over the previous government’s conduct, the BBC wrote. Matata, who served as prime minister from 2012 to 2016, has denied any wrongdoing. His lawyer condemned the verdict as politically motivated. Following the ruling, both Matata and Mutombo have been barred from holding public office for five years.

Miracle Derailed? Ivory Coast's Success Threatened by Election Gambit

Miracle, Derailed? Ivory Coast’s Success Threatened By Election Gambit Ivory Coast The small, West African country of Ivory Coast experienced an economic “miracle” from the 1950s until the 1980s. Now, it seems as if it is on the verge of a second one. Devastated by two civil wars, from 2002 to 2007 and from 2010 to 11, which combined killed thousands, it has since become West Africa’s economic success story with growth rates hovering around 7 percent in the past decade and one of the highest GDP per capita rates in the region. With much of sub-Saharan Africa grappling with coups, wars, jihadist insurgencies, and economic stagnation, Ivory Coast, a country of 32 million people known for cocoa exports – it is the world’s largest producer – is a rare exception on the continent, say analysts. Still, while the first “Ivorian miracle” was driven by cocoa, part of the country’s recent success is attributed to diversification, an ability to attract investment over the past decade, and the smart economic policy of the government of Alassane Ouattara, a former deputy director of the International Monetary Fund, who has been president since 2010, and the relative political stability that followed over the next decade. That, however, is now being threatened in the runup to elections later this year. Ouattara, 83, won his third term in 2020, despite a constitutional limit of two terms, in an election that was boycotted by the opposition and led to unrest. Now he has signaled that he may run again, Reuters reported. Meanwhile, in April, a court banned Tidjane Thiam, the presidential candidate for the leading opposition party, Democratic Party of Ivory Coast–African Democratic Rally (PDCI), from running in the election, saying he wasn’t an Ivorian citizen. Thiam became a French citizen in 1987 but gave it up in March. The decision is not open to appeal. “While we had the right to hope for inclusive, transparent, and peaceful elections, it is clear that the unjustified removal of the PDCI candidate is part of the logic of eliminating the leaders of the main opposition parties to ensure tailor-made elections and a certain victory,” he said, before stepping down as head of his party recently. Protests have already broken out, led by the opposition. Meanwhile, former President Laurent Gbagbo announced he would run in this fall’s elections, before the court also banned his candidacy along with those of former minister Charles Blé Goudé and former Prime Minister Guillaume Soro.  The exclusion of Blé Goudé and Gbagbo has stoked uproar among their political supporters, Africanews wrote. In other countries, this situation might lead to a cycle of protests and crackdowns by the government before melting away, say analysts. But Ivory Coast has a history of politics turning bloody. For example, the first civil war broke out after the presidential election in 2000 when transitional military government leader Robert Guéï refused to step down after losing to Gbagbo. Then, in 2010, the country’s second civil war broke out after Laurent Gbagbo refused to concede the election to Ouattara. Now that cycle could continue and threaten the economic ‘miracle’ on the horizon. The Council on Foreign Relations said Ouattara is playing an old game, one where he pretends to hesitate to run again, but where his party pushes for his candidacy, leading to a situation in which the “father of the nation” reluctantly accepts to carry on for the good of the country. The think tank called it “a dangerous gambit.” “To say that President Ouattara’s shillyshallying is the last thing that Côte d’Ivoire needs is an understatement,” it wrote. “In the first place, the fact that previous electoral contests have been dogged by violence means that the country has little margin for error and can nary afford a potentially combustible situation … It is regrettable that Ouattara, (who was) the clear winner (of the 2010 elections but one who) Gbagbo was reluctant to hand over (power) to, has learned very little from the tragic episode.”

Alabama Native Issues 'Warning' To Afrikaner Refugees

Alabama local issues ‘warning’ to Afrikaner refugees An Alabama resident has given a ‘friendly warning’ to the group of Afrikaner ‘refugees’ set to settle in the state… By Megan van den Heever 19-05-25 06:58 in Featured Afrikaner refugees A clip of an Alabama resident 'warning' Afrikaner 'refugees' has gone viral. Images via X: @enna_original2 A black Alabama resident has gone viral after sharing a video warning Afrikaner “refugees” about relocating to the state. The clip surfaced shortly after 49 white South Africans arrived in the US through President Donald Trump’s resettlement programme. The group, which will largely settle in the Southern state, claims that they are being “persecuted” based on their race. ALABAMA RESIDENT ‘WARNS’ AFRIKANER ‘REFUGEES In a clip that was posted on X, two black female Alabama residents express their shock that Afrikaner “refugees” will now take up residence in their state. One of the women dramatically says, “Alabama? Lord help them. They better not talk to these people, they better not run into black people, or you’ll be missing. Pray for them.” In the comment section, other American citizens shared their views… @itsjustNiecy__: “Should they come and try that disrespectful stuff here. My they be met with the energy of the ancestors here” @broussard52: “They won’t like Alabama can tell you that right now” @0hhAudie: “Good, I will hire them on my farm!” Elsewhere, an opinion writer on Alabama news site Al.com wrote of their new Afrikaner neighbours: “Y’all shouldn’t be here. “Y’all shouldn’t have been able to skip the line. Y’all should not be here before the tens of thousands of people throughout the world who, just like you, were vetted and prepared to leave their homeland — who must leave out of true fear for their lives. But were denied, not expedited”. FLEEING WAR, FAMINE AND ‘WHITE GENOCIDE’ Meanwhile, NGO Inspiritus will assist the Afrikaner “refugees” as they settle down in Alabama. The organisation has helped displaced people who had fled countries with “violence, war and persecution”, and now “white genocide”. However, the resettlement programme was halted by US President Donald Trump earlier this year. “I feel like it’s disrespectful to the refugees that we are assisting and helping, who are running from violence and forced displacement, to be helping this population,” an employment specialist within the organisation told Al.com. Outright shunning of the Afrikaner refugees is the US’s Episcopal Church, who were initially tasked with resettling the minority community. Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe said: “It has been painful to watch one group of refugees, selected in a highly unusual manner, receive preferential treatment over many others who have been waiting in refugee camps or dangerous conditions for years”. Tags: DMumani featured Important refugees South Africa Post navigation Next Article

Sasol Faces Do Or Die Moment

https://www.news24.com/business/companies/sasol-faces-make-or-break-moment-amid-investor-fatigue-20250518-0729?lid=d9o9yk4k4ilo News24 wants to hear your voice. Please keep your comments respectful and relevant to the topic. No hate speech, including racism or sexism,

An Afrikaner Refugee Defends His Status In The US

'I didn't come here for fun' - Afrikaner defends refugee status in US 13 hours ago Share Save Nomia Iqbal and Cai Pigliucci Reporting from Buffalo, New York 2:08 The BBC's Nomia Iqbal asks Charl Kleinhaus about his refugee status in the US and about being called a "coward" Last week, 46-year-old Charl Kleinhaus was living on his family farm in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. With its scenic beauty, wildlife and deep canyons, it's known as "the place where the sun rises". His new home - for now - is a budget hotel near an American highway. He and dozens of other white South Africans were moved to the US under President Donald Trump's controversial policy to protect them from the discrimination he alleges they are facing - an accusation that South Africa rejects. Mr Kleinhaus defends the US president, telling the BBC he left his homeland after receiving death threats in WhatsApp messages. "I had to leave a five-bedroom house, which I will lose now," Mr Kleinhaus tells the BBC, adding that he also left behind his car, his dogs and even his mother. "I didn't come here for fun," he adds. The contrast in homes couldn't be more stark. But for Mr Kleinhaus, his situation in Buffalo, New York, is already a better one. "My children are safe," says Mr Kleinhaus, whose wife died in a road accident in 2006. The status of white South African farmers has long been a rallying cry on the right and far-right of American politics. Trump and his close ally, South Africa-born billionaire Elon Musk, have even argued that there has been a "genocide" of white farmers in South Africa - a claim that has been widely discredited. In February, Trump signed an executive order granting refugee status to Afrikaners, such as Mr Kleinhaus, who he said were being persecuted. Mr Kleinhaus is one of a group of 59 who arrived on Tuesday at Dulles airport, near Washington DC, after Trump's administration fast-tracked their applications. He admits he was surprised at how quickly he got to the US, and that he is grateful to Trump. "I felt finally somebody in this world is seeing what's going on," he says. As he and his family arrived with others at the airport they were greeted with red, white and blue balloons. He describes the pomp and ceremony as "overwhelming".

Mauritania's Former President Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

Mauritania’s Former President Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison Mauritania Mauritania’s former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz on Wednesday saw his sentence tripled to 15 years and was fined $3 million after he appealed a corruption conviction, in what analysts say is one of the few cases where an African leader has been held accountable for robbing the state, Africanews reported. Aziz, a former military general who helped lead two coups before serving as president from 2009 to 2019, was found guilty and sentenced in 2023 for money laundering and self-enrichment. Investigators say he accumulated over $70 million in assets while in power, according to the Associated Press. The court on Wednesday also cleared six senior officials who had served in Aziz’s administration but upheld a previous two-year prison sentence for his son-in-law on charges of influence peddling. According to the verdict, the “Errahma” (Mercy) Foundation, led by Aziz’s son, is ordered to be dissolved, and his assets will be seized by the government. Aziz’s legal team called the charges politically motivated, accusing current President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani of a power play. Aziz and Ghazouani were allies until Ghazouani became president in 2019 in what was the country’s first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since independence from France in 1960. Tensions escalated when Aziz tried to take over a major political party after leaving office. In 2020, a parliamentary commission initiated a corruption investigation targeting Aziz and other officials. Share this story

Kenya Is Taking On Meta In A Big Way!

Meta Action Against Meta: Kenya Hosts Lawsuits Against Big Tech With Global Implications Kenya In April, the European Union fined Meta and Apple almost $800 million collectively for antitrust violations, and added requirements that they change their business practices. These were only the latest European actions against American “Big Tech” companies for privacy violations, intellectual property infringements, anti-competitive practices, and other actions that the bloc deemed violated its rules over the past decade. The EU has long been at the forefront of governments and regulators worldwide attempting to change how Meta, Google, Apple, and others do business. However, it’s three cases in Africa that promise to have even broader consequences for US tech firms, analysts say. “(These cases) could serve as a model for similar plaintiffs from the global majority to seek some modicum of accountability from one of the most consequential companies of the last two decades,” wrote Compiler, a non-profit that covers digital policy.  One case centers on the death of an Ethiopian chemistry professor, Meareg Amare Abrha, who was the subject of Facebook posts that included his name, photo, and workplace, along with false allegations against him: He was accused of being involved in violence against other ethnic groups as a sectarian civil war raged in Ethiopia in the fall of 2021. His son, Abrham Meareg, panicked after seeing the posts, worried that the combination of the accusations and the ethnicity of his father, a member of the Tigrayan minority, would cause him to be attacked. “I knew it was a death sentence for my father the moment I saw it,” Abrham Meareg told NPR. He repeatedly requested the platform take down the posts. But the company “left these posts up until it was far too late,” he told the BBC. His father was murdered by armed men on motorcycles just weeks later. Some of the posts were removed after his father’s death. Others remained on the site for as long as a year later. The lawsuit against Meta, filed by Abrham Meareg and two other parties, is asking for $2 billion for a victim’s restitution fund, changes to Facebook’s algorithm, and an apology. The case, filed in Kenya because that’s where the content moderators for Ethiopia were based, alleges that Facebook’s algorithms amplified hate speech that spread hate and violence during the Ethiopian civil war and also led to real-world consequences – such as the murder of Meareg Amare Abrha. Initially, Meta disputed that it could be held liable in legal action in Kenya since its headquarters are in the United States – an argument it had sometimes used successfully in Europe, until the bloc required the physical presence of American tech companies operating within it. Meanwhile, liability claims for content posted on tech platforms are rarely successful in the US or anywhere else. Still, in April, Kenya’s High Court ruled it had jurisdiction to hear the cases. “(The) ruling is a positive step towards holding big tech companies accountable for contributing to human rights abuses,” said Mandi Mudarikwa, who is in charge of strategic litigation at Amnesty International, which is among the human rights organizations supporting the case. “It paves the way for justice and serves notice to big tech platforms that the era of impunity is over.”  When the case was initially filed, a Meta official told the BBC that hate speech and incitement to violence were against the platform’s rules, saying, “Our safety-and-integrity work in Ethiopia is guided by feedback from local civil society organizations and international institutions.” Meta says that it will appeal the ruling on jurisdiction in Kenya’s Supreme Court. Meanwhile, all three Kenya cases center on the tens of thousands of moderators the firm uses overseas to monitor and remove illegal content. In Kenya, like elsewhere, Meta had hired a third-party contractor, Sama, to perform content moderation in local languages. This is cheaper than incorporating overseas and hiring employees, which subjects the firm to local laws. Firms like Meta had also believed it allowed them to evade liability because it had offloaded the work, analysts said. In the second of the three cases, a class-action suit, 184 former content moderators say that the contractors hired by Meta, and also Meta itself, were guilty of unlawful termination and forced labor, according to their attorney, Mercy Mutemi, who is also representing plaintiffs in the other cases. In the third, workers accuse Meta and the subcontractors of mental harm, alleging they were forced to watch graphic images without access to mental health professionals and were terminated after they tried to unionize to obtain care. Meta has said it has no liability because it had no direct relationship with the workers, a claim that a judge in Kenya ruled against, calling Meta the workers’ “employer.” As the cases continue to be litigated, observers say they are also remarkable because they are the first in Africa or anywhere in the Global South to attempt to hold American big tech firms accountable for their practices. Moreover, how these cases are decided and what comes after could have global implications for Meta and other multinationals, especially tech companies, analysts say: That they can be held liable for content; that they can be sued anywhere; and that they can be held liable for work performed by subcontractors. “Kenya has become a key legal battlefield in the campaign to hold Meta accountable,” said Paul Barrett of New York University’s School of Law, writing in Tech Policy Press. “Meta continues to deny legal or moral liability in the innovative Kenyan case. But together with two other lawsuits pending against Meta in Nairobi, the Kenyan litigation provides an unusual opportunity to consider the obligations that powerful technology companies have to the populations that make their mighty profits possible.” Others point out that beyond the courts, Kenyans and other Africans have additional leverage with multinationals. Africa is the youngest continent demographically – 70 percent of sub-Saharan Africa is under the age of 30 – which makes it an important market for American tech companies in the future, analysts say. But these cases are advancing even as American tech companies like Meta are moving toward eliminating content moderation completely, reversing a decade-long trend. Meta, for example, in a January memo said it would eliminate its third-party fact-checking program in the United States this year to “restore free expression,” and instead follow a model used by X, which it called Community Notes. “Meta’s platforms are built to be places where people can express themselves freely,” wrote its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. “That can be messy. But that’s free expression.” “In recent years, we’ve developed increasingly complex systems to manage content across our platforms, partly in response to societal and political pressure to moderate content,” he added. “This approach has gone too far.” American tech titans have also been lobbying US President Donald Trump to fight governments overseas that are taking action against Big Tech, something he has signaled that he is willing to do. “We’re going to work with President Trump to push back on governments around the world that are going after American companies and pushing to censor more,” Zuckerberg said. The lure of jobs and economic growth can sometimes help multinationals avoid such legal cases. For example, Kenyan President William Ruto is trying to make Kenya into a continental tech hub to promote employment and economic growth. It therefore came as a blow when Meta moved its content-moderation operations from Kenya to Ghana after the lawsuits were filed. (However, Ghana’s content moderators recently filed suit against Meta for mental harm, too). Now Ruto has backed a new law to make it harder to sue American tech companies because he says the country needs jobs for its young people – currently, about 31 percent of Kenyan youth are unemployed or underemployed, according to the government. “(This bill would) make us more attractive for investment,” said Aaron Cheruiyot, the Kenyan Senate majority leader, on X. “(Tech is) a growing sector that currently employs thousands with the potential to explode and employ millions. Is it not in the best interest of the ever-growing number of unemployed youth to make do what needs to be done to open up more opportunities for them?” Essentially, Kenya’s government is facing an impossible choice, Mark Graham of the Oxford Internet Institute told the Economist: “Bad jobs or no jobs.”  Share this story

South Africa To Probe ANC's Role In Blocking Apartheid Era Cases

South Africa to Probe ANC’s Role in Blocking Apartheid-Era Cases South Africa Responding to complaints from survivors and relatives of victims, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa this week ordered an investigation into allegations that past governments led by his African National Congress (ANC) party intentionally blocked prosecutions of apartheid-era crimes, Al Jazeera reported. The president on Wednesday announced a judicial inquiry to address allegations of “improper influence in delaying or hindering” investigations made against ANC governments – which have led the country since the discriminatory system of apartheid ended in 1994. The decision comes after 25 survivors and relatives of victims of apartheid-era crimes filed a lawsuit against the government in January, accusing post-apartheid administrations of obstructing justice. The plaintiffs claimed that previous ANC administrations had failed to properly probe killings, disappearances, and other abuses committed in South Africa under white-minority rule. The families allege that since the late 1990s, ANC-led governments failed to act on the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) established in 1996 by then-President Nelson Mandela to expose apartheid-era atrocities and offer conditional amnesty to perpetrators who confessed. Among the most prominent unresolved cases is that of the Cradock Four, a group of four Black anti-apartheid activists who were abducted and murdered by security forces in 1985. Although the TRC denied amnesty to six security officers linked to the killings in 1999, none were ever prosecuted, and all have since died. Since the ANC came to power more than 30 years ago, party-led governments have received criticism for prioritizing national reconciliation instead of delivering justice to the victims. Victims’ families were skeptical that the new inquiry represents any real change, suggesting that it will only offer recommendations and will not compel legal action or resolve their claims for damages, the Guardian noted. The families are seeking around $8.8 million to fund further investigations, litigation, and education efforts.

Elon Musk ANd Trump Attack Alleged South African Racism Against Afrikaners

https://www.news24.com/news24/investigations/x-boer-unmasked-the-ex-farmer-spreading-racism-lies-to-millions-including-musk-trump-20250429?lid=1z6sr35a3swg#group-section-From-Twatterbaas-to-the-White-House-PUOTrx2Hf4

An Interesting New Mexican Restaurant in Cape Town

https://www.news24.com/life/food/restaurants/reviews/bite-club-cape-towns-newest-mexican-eatery-brings-the-fiesta-but-not-all-the-flavours-20250426

Black And White Farmers Are Still Suffering From The Zimbabwe Government Land Garb

https://www.news24.com/news24/africa/news/white-and-black-farmers-still-bear-the-scars-of-zimbabwes-land-grabs-20250423?lid=41yr1zqlxewj

An Afrikaaner Farmer Says It's Rough Being A Farmer In The US

‘It’s tough!’: Afrikaner farmer shares his experience working in the US An Afrikaner farmer working in the US has shared his experience in light of US President Donald Trump’s offer to… By Megan van den Heever 15-04-25 09:13 in Featured An Afrikaner farmer working in the US An Afrikaner farmer working in the US has shared his experience on TikTok. Images via TikTok: @h2a_groot_ockert Ockert du Plessis, an Afrikaner farmer residing and working in the United States, is using his social media platforms to share insights and challenges from his journey. He’s also offering advice to South Africans considering a move to the US for work opportunities. This comes in the wake of a recent Executive Order by US President Donald Trump, which grants refugee status to Afrikaners. Trump’s controversial comments accusing South Africa of “racial discrimination,” “genocide,” and “land confiscation” from white citizens have sparked significant attention. Afrikaner farmer in the US shares the challenges: ‘It’s not easy’ Ockert du Plessis has been sharing his experiences living abroad on his TikTok account. After being retrenched in South Africa, the qualified electrician moved to the US with his family in 2021. He explained that he spent four years without work before researching opportunities to move to America. Despite lacking any farming experience, Ockert and his family were able to secure a job with the help of another farmer. Through this role, he gained valuable experience and eventually found another job that further developed his skills. Responding to a follower, Ockert claimed that South Africans, particularly Afrikaners, hoping to work abroad should have some experience. While he admitted that it was “possible,” he added that farmers in America were looking for skilled workers. He said, “It gets tough… It’s who and what you know. It’s a dog-eat-dog world.” He added, Don’t let farming in America be your only option; there are other international job opportunities.” In another viral video from 2023, Ockert du Plessis claims that his move to the US was the best option for him as an Afrikaner. He said: “We all know about the state of South Africa. America is worth it. I take care of my family more than what I could; I save more than I could. We drive better cars; I can pay off my house quicker. “Will I do it for the rest of my life? No! But while God has given me this chance to work here, I will work here”. COUPLE BEGS TRUMP FOR HELP Meanwhile, an Afrikaner couple has requested US President Donald Trump to grant them refugee status as a matter of urgency. In a TikTok, Armand Cilliers and his wife Vilanie claimed that their environment was “unliveable due to racial discrimination” and “systematic injustice.” The couple claimed that they had been the victims of farm attacks, which were a “grim and frequent occurrence.” Vilaner said: “This is not living or merely existing. This is a targeted rat race in a maze to keep us hostage and trapped, with the only outcome being gathered and killed. It is not a question of if we die; it is a question of when”. Like many Afrikaners, the couple added that they hoped to be considered for President Trump’s refugee status programme. She added: “We long for the American dream we hear about. We want to be contributing citizens to a country that puts God and family first. Our family shares your vision.”

Economic Growth: South Africa Vs Poland

Economic growth in South Africa and Poland reveals a clear winner Daily Investor • 15 April 2025 https://dailyinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/South-Africa-Poland-1024x576.jpg Although both South Africa and Poland became democracies in the early nineties, their economic growth and GDP per capita had very different trajectories. South Africa held its first democratic elections in 1994, after which the new government inherited a struggling economy. The economy’s annual average growth rate was 1.0% between 1985 and 1990, falling to 0.2% between 1990 and 1994. President Nelson Mandela and Deputy President Thabo Mbeki stabilised the country’s finances and achieved an average economic growth rate of 3.0% between 1994 and 2000. It created a solid foundation for future growth, which was achieved after Mbeki took over the presidency from Mandela. Under Mbeki, with Trevor Manuel as Finance Minister, the country achieved an average economic growth rate of 4.2%. Mbeki’s administration saw the country run consistent budget surpluses, reducing government debt and enhancing its credit rating. However, it changed rapidly after Jacob Zuma dethroned Mbeki as ANC President and Pravin Gordhan took over from Manuel as Finance Minister. South Africa’s strong GDP growth during the Mbeki era stopped, and the country’s debt rapidly increased. The trend accelerated under Cyril Ramaphosa’s presidency, with many economists warning that South Africa is facing a fiscal cliff. In 2008/09, South Africa’s gross loan debt amounted to R627 billion, or 26% of gross domestic product (GDP). Net loan debt was R526 billion, or 21.8% of GDP. Over the next fifteen years, under Zuma and Ramaphosa, the government’s gross loan debt ballooned to R5.21 trillion, or 73.9% of GDP. Under Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s average real GDP growth rate was 2.6%, which increased to 4.2% under Thabo Mbeki. However, it plummeted to 1.7% under Jacob Zuma’s and declined further to 0.6% under Cyril Ramaphosa’s presidency. https://dailyinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/5.jpg Poland’s economic growth Poland became a Soviet satellite state under the influence of Joseph Stalin at the end of the Second World War. The Polish Committee of National Liberation, a communist party, took governing control in Poland with Stalin’s backing. The Polish Workers Party took over in 1948 and built a communist state over the following decade. Industries were nationalised and land was expropriated and redistributed. Poland became a government-controlled economy. Through the 1960s and 1970s, Poland started facing significant spikes in food prices, which the government delegated in an attempt to reduce its government deficit. During this period, Poland borrowed significant amounts of money from the West, leaving Poland with significant debt. Resistance followed with the formation of the Solidarity trade union, which stood for workers’ rights and freedom of speech. They also stood against the communist government’s use of intimidation and force to control citizens into silence and limit their freedoms. The Polish government implemented martial law on its citizens to prevent the Solidarity movement from growing. By 1988, Poland faced mass strikes and unrest, and the government could not suppress the growing demand for change within Poland. This led to a partially free election in June 1989, where the Solidarity union won by a landslide victory. This led to the amendment of Poland’s constitution and the disbandment of the communist party. By 1993, the last Soviet troops left the country. Today, Poland is a democratic republic with Western values, including freedom of speech, religion, assembly, and a free press. It also implements the rule of law and the separation of powers between the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. https://dailyinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1-4.jpg Poland versus South Africa Poland became a democracy at a similar time to South Africa’s, and by 1995, their GDP per capita was almost identical. However, where Poland moved from communism to a free-market economy and capitalism, South Africa became more socialist. Poland privatised state-owned enterprises, opened the economy to international trade, and joined the European Union. These changes helped Poland become one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe and rapidly increase its GDP per capita. Poland went from a struggling socialist economy into a thriving, modern, market-driven country. It is one of post-communist Europe’s biggest economic success stories. In comparison, South Africa went the other way and became deeply steeped in communist and socialist idealism. South Africa’s economic policies became business-unfriendly, and the state increased non-productive expenditure. Cadre deployment also caused widespread mismanagement and corruption, and state-owned enterprises collapsed. The result was that South Africa’s GDP per capita declined, compared to Poland’s, which significantly increased. https://dailyinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1-3.jpghttps://dailyinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/4-2.jpg Warm regards Cliff photo CLIFF HALL indlovu@axxess.co.za 0827810544

South Sudan Is Falling Into A Civil War

A Perfect Storm: A New Civil War in South Sudan Threatens Entire Region South Sudan When oil-rich South Sudan split off from Sudan in 2011, there were great hopes for the world’s youngest country. Two years later, those hopes were dashed by a civil war. Since then, a shaky peace established by an agreement in 2018 between President Salva Kiir’s South Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Government (SPLM-IG), aligned with the Dinka people, and Vice President Riek Machar’s Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), aligned with the Nuer ethnic group, has held. That’s now falling apart, as a standoff between Kiir and Machar is once again threatening to ignite a new round of ethnic killing that could destroy the fragile country and impact the entire region. “South Sudan is teetering on the edge of a relapse into civil war,” said Nicholas Haysom, the head of the United Nations mission in South Sudan. “A conflict would erase all the hard-won gains made since the 2018 peace deal was signed. And it would devastate not only South Sudan but the entire region, which simply cannot afford another war.” South Sudan broke off from Sudan and won independence in 2011 after years of internecine warfare pitting the mostly Muslim Sudan to the north against the mainly Christian and animist south. Two years later, civil war broke out in South Sudan after President Kiir and Vice President Machar began feuding. About 400,000 people died in the five-year conflict, more than 2.4 million people fled the country, and another 2.3 million were displaced internally. Much of the fighting stopped after the peace agreement in 2018, which divided power between the two sides. Still, not all of the groups that eventually became involved in the war signed on to the agreement, the Associated Press reported. And the peace agreement itself was not properly implemented, said analysts. “Make no mistake: War never stopped in South Sudan,” wrote Clémence Pinaud of Indiana University and author of War and Genocide in South Sudan in Foreign Policy magazine. “The peace agreement was already under threat.” The latest escalation of violence erupted in early March after a youth militia from the Nuer called the White Army overran South Sudanese army barracks in the city of Nasir, in the oil-rich Upper Nile province. It attacked a UN helicopter which was attempting to evacuate the captured soldiers and their leaders, killing 28 people. In response, Kiir blamed Machar and his forces and launched retaliatory aerial bombardments on civilian areas in Upper Nile State, using barrel bombs that allegedly contained highly flammable accelerants. Kiir has also cracked down on officials and communities associated with Machar and entered the vice president’s home to arrest him. Soon after, the party ousted Machar, deepening divisions within the Nuer community, too. Even before the attack in March, the conflict had been heating up. In the first few months of this year, for example, Kiir’s forces attacked opposition forces, politicians, Nuer people, and other ethnic communities in states such as Western Equatoria and Bahr el-Ghazal, as well as Nasir. Now, witnesses say soldiers are filling the streets around the capital, Juba, and surrounding areas as the White Army and national forces mobilize. Meanwhile, soldiers from Uganda are arriving to help Kiir’s forces. Observers say the situation is reminiscent of the eve of the civil war in 2013. “What happens in the coming days will determine the oil producer’s fate and that of the wider region,” wrote Bloomberg. “A return to fighting would mean active conflict with the potential for major civilian casualties engulfing a swathe of eastern Africa stretching from the Great Lakes to the Red Sea. That would have ripple effects, potentially drawing in Uganda … and Ethiopia, which shares a border with the nation.” And it could widen further, involving Sudan, where the government’s Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) continue to battle the Rapid Support Forces (RSF): Both are backed by an array of foreign actors including Russia, Turkey, Egypt, China, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, the International Crisis group warned. “From there, it risks merging with the war in Sudan, potentially triggering prolonged proxy fighting in South Sudan,” the think tank wrote, with SAF and RSF forces overrunning parts of South Sudan. “It could result in renewed massacres and ethnic cleansing, turn South Sudan’s territory into a free-for-all of various militias and illicit activity, and open a new arena for a proxy war in the region.” Before the breakdown of the peace agreement, the young country was already struggling with 2 million internally displaced people, 1.1 million refugees fleeing the war in Sudan, 7.7 million people facing “catastrophic” levels of hunger, and an economy that has all but collapsed, partly due to the war in Sudan. “All the dark clouds of a perfect storm have descended upon the people of the world’s newest country – and one of the poorest,” said UN Chief António Guterres. “Let’s not mince words … What we are seeing is darkly reminiscent of the 2013 … civil war.” South Sudanese say they can’t handle another one. “Another war will destroy our lives,” Choul Magil, whose brother and father were killed in the civil war, and which led him to flee the country for years, told the Wall Street Journal. “I can’t afford to run away again. I wish Kiir and Machar would resolve their differences and leave us in peace.”

American Preacher Rescued From Kidnappers In South Africa After Gun Battle

American preacher rescued from kidnappers in South Africa after gun battle Share CNN logoUpdated: 7:50 AM EDT Apr 16, 2025 Infinite Scroll Enabled By Nimi Princewill, CNN Josh Sullivan Josh Sullivan SOURCE: Fellowship Baptist Church An American preacher who was taken hostage by armed men while preaching a sermon in a South African township last week has been rescued in a fierce gun battle with his kidnappers, police said Wednesday. Josh Sullivan, 45, was kidnapped last Thursday during an evening service in Motherwell, a township in Gqeberha, formerly known as Port Elizabeth, in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, the Fellowship Baptist Church said. Advertisement The South African Police Service said officers launched a rescue operation after receiving intelligence the pastor was being held by his abductors at a house in KwaMagxaki, another township in the city. A rescue team was sent to the location, a police statement said, “leading to a high-intensity shootout” that left “three unidentified suspects” dead. “As officers approached the house, they observed a vehicle on the premises. The suspects inside the vehicle, upon seeing law enforcement, allegedly attempted to flee and opened fire on the team,” the statement read. It added that Sullivan, whom the Associated Press reported is from Tennessee, was found inside the vehicle “miraculously unharmed” and “is currently in an excellent condition.” Tom Hatley, whom Sullivan had said on his website he was training under, also announced the rescue. “Josh has been released,” Hatley wrote in a Facebook post along with a picture of Sullivan and his family. “I just got ‘the go ahead to let it be known,’” he added while urging for privacy from the public. “Also, PLEASE respect The Sullivans' privacy and their parents. A lot of folks love The Sullivans and they love you back, but give them some time,” he said in another post. Kidnappings are at a record high in South Africa with an average of 51 abductions every day, authorities said last year. The country also grapples with deadly mass shootings and a murder rate that is among the highest in the world. Sullivan’s abduction comes two months after renowned Islamic cleric Muhsin Hendricks was shot dead by armed men in Bethelsdorp, also in the Eastern Cape province. Sullivan, who describes himself as “a church planting missionary,” arrived in South Africa in 2018 with plans to “finish language school … and plant a church to the Xhosa speaking people,” he said on his website.

Zimbabwe Begins Paying Off White Farmers

Zimbabwe Begins Paying White Farmers For Seized Land Zimbabwe Zimbabwe’s government began paying compensation to White farmers who saw their land seized under a controversial government program in the early 2000s, the BBC wrote. This payment is the first installment of a 2020 compensation agreement signed by the state and local White farmers, which will see Zimbabwe pay a total of $3.5 billion in compensation. The payments will cover 378 farms out of the 740 deemed eligible for compensation. Only one percent of the total $311 million assigned for the first round of payments will be paid to farmers in cash, and the rest will be paid through US-dollar-denominated Treasury bonds. Now that the payments have started, more farmers have shown an interest in receiving compensation, even if the majority have yet to accept the deal and continue to retain their ownership deeds. Part of the reluctance of some farmers to accept the deal are the terms: The government has agreed to only compensate former farm owners for “improvements” made on the land – such as buildings or wells – while refusing to pay for the land itself, arguing it was unjustly seized by colonialists. It is prioritizing compensation for foreign investors with farms protected by bilateral investment agreements. When Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980 and shook off White minority rule, most of the country’s farming land was in the hands of about 4,000 White farmers. Land reform starting in 2000 aimed at restitution, mainly undoing colonial-era landgrabs from Black farmers, according to the Associated Press. Since then, thousands of White farmers were pushed off their land by government forces and vigilantes, often violently, in an attempt to rectify colonial-era land seizures. However, the program spooked Western investors and strained relations with the West. As a result of the program, Zimbabwe has been frozen out of the global financial system for over two decades, leaving the southern African country with a tanking economy and a massive foreign debt. Analysts see the compensation plan positively, saying it could be effective in repairing relationships with the West and averting international court judgments.

Gabon: The Emperor's New Clothes

The Emperor’s New Clothes: Coup Leader Ahead in Gabon’s Elections Gabon In August 2023, Gabon’s rulers were deposed in a coup. But unlike other countries in West Africa that have experienced coups, many voters hailed the change. After all, the Bongo family that presided over the country for 56 years were rapacious, brutal, and widely despised. “I am joyful,” Jules Lebigui, an unemployed young man in the capital Libreville, told Reuters soon after the coup. “After almost 60 years, the Bongos are out.” After the coup, the first in Gabon, its leader Gen. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema and the ruling junta formed the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions, dissolved the constitution and all state institutions, and set about building new ones they pledged would establish democracy in the country. Soon after, he became interim president and oversaw the implementation of a new constitution, which was approved by a referendum in 2024, and a new electoral law in January. Nguema won plaudits for freeing political prisoners detained by Ali Bongo, the former president, allowing exiles to return home and launching an anti-graft drive that targeted the Bongo clan and other elites. And to build support for this transition, he also allowed some members of Bongo’s regime to participate in his government along with opposition figures: For example, he allowed Marie-Madeleine Mborantsuo to return as president of the country’s top constitutional court, noted Africanews. The transitional government also introduced free school tuition, repaired more than 370 miles of roads, and launched youth work programs to tackle an unemployment rate of almost 40 percent among those under 35. He vowed to return the country to civilian rule sooner rather than later and initially set elections for August 2025 before moving them up by four months. The interim president did, more or less, what he said he would do, to the widespread approval of the public, observers said. And now, ending months of speculation over whether he would run, he’s the front-runner in presidential elections set for April 12. “Gabon is experiencing a historic moment,” Apoli Bertrand Kameni of the University of Freiburg in Germany told Deutsche Welle. “Things will follow the course (set) by the new authorities because for many of the Gabonese, the military has produced more achievements in one year than the old regime (did in decades).” Still, in spite of Nguema – a member of the Bongo clan himself – ushering in numerous changes, it’s not quite the fresh start that many in the country had hoped for, say analysts. “In other words, far from being a revolution to overthrow the old order, the ouster of Ali Bongo was a palace coup, and all that has followed it essentially amounted to ostensibly reshuffling an intricately stacked deck,” wrote World Politics Review. “But that in turn underscores the fact that Oligui does not embody the clean break with the past that he has long claimed to represent and which many Gabonese yearn for.” For example, some believe the changes strengthen the presidency to a dangerous extent. Others say term limits are necessary to prevent another multi-decade dynasty. And in spite of the enthusiasm of the country’s new rulers to hold elections, some members of the opposition say the new constitution and electoral code favor the junta’s candidate. Analysts agree. Despite the unlevel playing field, 22 opposition leaders submitted their candidacies to the Ministry of Interior, which is now in charge of elections, but only seven were accepted, according to the Africa Center for Strategic Studies. Opposition candidates with the most name recognition, like Albert Ossa and Pierre Moussavou, for example, were barred from running due to an age limit that was written into the new electoral code. Others were prohibited from running due to inadequate parental citizenship and marriage certificate documentation. “Oligui has followed a carefully choreographed sequence of actions to pave an unobstructed pathway to claim the presidency,” the think tank wrote. “Given the legacy of vote rigging in Gabon and the tightly structured post-coup transition, prospects of a free and fair process are dim.” Economically, things have not changed much either. Gabon is the third richest country in Africa as measured by GDP per capita, according to the World Bank. Even so, about one-third of Gabon’s 2.5 million people live in poverty. The country is also still far too dependent on oil in spite of attempts to diversify its economy. Its unemployment is high as its public debt, expected to exceed 80 percent of GDP this year. Regardless, Oligui is expected to win the election. And he’ll likely get the benefit of the doubt from the public – for a while, say analysts. “The positive thing is that since we went through a military coup, I want to believe that most of the population of Gabon wants a better democracy,” Herbert Mba Aki of the Omar Bongo University in Libreville, told OkayAfrica. “I want to believe that these new rules (set by the new constitution) will be respected and not be used for political purposes or for personal purposes.”

Independence Veterans Pressure Zimbabwean President To Resign

Independence Veterans Pressure Zimbabwean President To Resign Zimbabwe Police are on heightened alert and patrols in the country’s capital Harare and other cities this week, following calls by veterans for mass protests against President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his plans to extend his term in office until 2030, Reuters reported. More than 95 people were arrested at demonstrations Monday and Tuesday with the streets in Harare and other cities otherwise quiet as many businesses and schools closed their doors, and traffic fell to a handful of vehicles. Authorities reportedly fired tear gas at protesters, who were chanting “We reject 2030” – referring to plans by the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) party to extend Mnangagwa’s presidential term. The demonstrations were led by veterans of the country’s war of independence, which ended in 1979, with protest leaders calling on Zimbabweans “not to be cowards,” added the BBC. Veterans remain influential in ZANU-PF and initially supported Mnangagwa, who came to power in 2017 following a coup that ousted his former mentor, the longtime dictator Robert Mugabe. But veterans have grown resentful of the president and accused him of attempting to cling to power. In January, ZANU-PF said it wanted to extend the incumbent’s term in office by two years until 2030. Meanwhile, some veterans want Vice President Constantino Chiwenga to replace Mnangagwa. Chiwenga has not made any public comments about such calls. Meanwhile, officials have denied rumors of a dispute between the vice president and president. Mnangagwa – whose final five-year term expires in 2028 – has repeatedly denied plans to prolong his presidency, although veterans claim that he is pursuing an extension through proxies. Zimbabwe’s 2013 constitution limits presidents to two five-year terms.

Niger Gets A New President

The Forever Transition: Niger Gets New ‘President’ Niger Niger’s military junta leader, Abdourahamane Tiani, was sworn in on Wednesday as the country’s president for a five-year transition period, a move that aims to halt attempts by the regional Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to reinstate democracy following the country’s 2023 coup, France 24 wrote. The five-year transition period, which also begins on Wednesday, remains “flexible,” said Mahamane Roufai, the secretary general of the government, speaking at a ceremony in the capital Niamey where the new transition charter was approved. Tiani, an army veteran who led the soldiers who deposed Niger’s elected government in June 2023, was elevated to the highest military rank of army general, cementing the power he has held since the coup. Following the coup, Niger’s junta had proposed a three-year transition period but when ECOWAS rejected the proposal and threatened to intervene with force, Niger left the bloc. Neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso, both of which have had coups in recent years and are currently run by juntas, have also left ECOWAS. The two countries earlier this year joined forces with Niger to address security concerns in the central Sahel region, forming an alliance known as the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), explained Reuters. Still, analysts say that Niger’s military government has failed to stop the jihadist violence it used as justification for seizing power. Instead, the insurgents have grown stronger. Share this story Disco

War By The Inches: Sudanese Military Regains Control Of The Presidential Palace

War By Inches: Sudanese Military Regains Control of Presidential Palace Sudan Sudanese forces retook control of the presidential palace in the capital Khartoum from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the military said this weekend, marking a major symbolic and strategic victory after nearly two years of brutal warfare that has killed tens of thousands of people and devastated the country, the Washington Post reported. On Friday, Brig. Gen. Nabil Abdullah, spokesperson for the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), said army troops had “crushed” RSF fighters and reclaimed not only the Republican Palace – the prewar seat of government – but also key buildings including the Central Bank and the headquarters of the National Intelligence Service. He announced Saturday that hundreds of RSF fighters were killed as they attempted to flee. The RSF has not commented on the military’s claims, but previously said its fighters remained near the palace and had attacked soldiers inside, according to the Associated Press. Sudan erupted in civil war in April 2023 following a feud between Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan of the SAF, and his deputy, Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo (known as Hemedti), head of the paramilitary RSF, a force formed from the Arab Janjaweed militia in western Darfur that killed thousands of people there in the 1980s. The conflict initially began in Khartoum, but later spread into other regions, including Darfur. The RSF had seized the capital’s landmarks in the early days of the conflict in April 2023, but recent weeks have seen the army retake most of them. The advance caps months of military gains in Khartoum and its surrounding cities of Omdurman and Bahri, with the army expected to now attempt to retake Khartoum International Airport – held by the RSF since the start of the war. Analysts said the fall of the presidential palace is a blow to the RSF and comes just days after Hemedti made a rare appearance in a video urging fighters to hold the line. But despite the military’s recent advancements, some analysts warned that the war is far from over and could turn into a protracted stalemate between the RSF based in the western Darfur region and the military-led government in the capital. Volker Perthes, a former United Nations envoy to Sudan, told the Associated Press that the RSF is likely to withdraw to its strongholds in Darfur. The RSF continues to hold most of western Darfur and has surrounded the last SAF-held city there, Al Fashir, bombarding camps for displaced civilians with mortars and artillery. The war has forced millions from their homes, collapsed government services, and plunged Sudan into what UNICEF describes as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Both sides have been accused of widespread abuses and war crimes, including mass rapes and ethnically targeted killings. The US has accused the RSF of committing genocide and ethnic cleansing, while also alleging that the SAF has obstructed aid deliveries in famine-hit areas. The outgoing Biden administration imposed sanctions on both Burhan and Hemedti in January. Meanwhile, recent cuts by the Trump administration have eliminated support for grassroots-level humanitarian services, deepening the crisis in zones where major aid agencies cannot safely operate. Share this story

Guinea-Bissau: The President Takes A Rocky Road

Friends and Enemies: Guinea-Bissau President Takes the Rocky Road Guinea-Bissau The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) aims to promote economic integration and cooperation among a dozen countries, mainly along the continent’s Atlantic coast. The president of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, therefore garnered global headlines when he allegedly threatened a team of ECOWAS election officials who were trying to help him resolve a political dispute related to his decision to run for reelection. The ECOWAS team “prepared a draft agreement on a roadmap for elections in 2025 and had started presenting it to the stakeholders for their consent,” wrote the BBC. But they “departed Bissau in the early morning of 1st March, following threats by Embaló to expel it.” Voters in Bissau-Guinean were scheduled to choose a new president in November last year. Embaló postponed the vote, however, and rescheduled it to Nov. 30 this year. Opposition leader Domingos Simões Pereira, meanwhile, says the president’s term should have expired in late February. To further complicate the situation, the country’s top court has extended his term to September 2025, Deutsche Welle wrote. Pereira’s African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde won parliamentary elections in 2023, but contend that the president has stopped them from forming a government. Meanwhile, Embaló had also pledged to step down after his term expired. But then he backtracked earlier this month and said he would actually run again: “I will be a candidate in my own succession,” he said in March. A former Portuguese colony, the country has experienced numerous coups since gaining independence in 1974. Embaló, a 52-year-old former army general, has survived two attempted coups since he took office in 2020. After an attempted overthrow in 2023, he dissolved the opposition-controlled parliament, saying it was doing nothing to improve security. While he has outlasted his initial five-year mandate, Embaló technically can run for a second term, the Associated Press added. However, the opposition has pledged nationwide strikes to bring him down. “The current political climate is fraught with uncertainty, as the opposition’s actions and the government’s decisions could lead to significant instability in the region,” wrote Africa News. With its monoculture agrarian economy – it’s one of the world’s leading producers of cashew nuts, accounting for much of its exports and providing a livelihood to about 80 percent of the population – the country is one of Africa’s poorest, heavily dependent on foreign assistance. As a result, it’s looking to develop its mineral wealth. Recently, Embaló visited Russia, Azerbaijan, and Hungary, Xinhua noted. During Embaló’s visit to Moscow, Russian state television showed how Russian metals tycoon Oleg Deripaska attended the Bissau-Guinean president’s meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Reuters, a Russian aluminum company wants to construct a railway and port for bauxite mining operations in Guinea-Bissau. The military will expect a share of the spoils, analysts say. But the country will continue on its potholed path. “More of the same looks likely – a power vacuum, entrenched drug trafficking, lack of economic viability – this will keep Guinea-Bissau stuck in a vicious cycle, preventing progress,” wrote GIS, a think tank. “Political volatility in Guinea-Bissau has deeper roots than electoral calendar machinations – it has an institutional and constitutional nature and is driven by the unresolved tensions regarding the powers of the president, the national assembly, and the judiciary – all playing out amid attempts to ‘presidentialize’ the regime,” it added. “However, the opposition to dictatorial tendencies will likely continue in the country, as will the sense of entitlement among the military elite.”

Big Problems At South Africa's Antarctic Research Station

17 Mar 04:47 Sanae IV research base on the Vesleskarvet nunatak in Queen Maud Land. (Supplied/South African National Antarctic Programme) Sanae IV research base on the Vesleskarvet nunatak in Queen Maud Land. (Supplied/South African National Antarctic Programme) A team member at SA's Antarctic research base, Sanae IV, is reported to have allegedly physically and sexually assaulted colleagues – leading to high tensions within the group. An email was sent to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, detailing assaults and threats. The department said it was investigating and would provide necessary support and strategies for conflict resolution and interpersonal skills. Tensions have escalated at the Sanae IV South African Antarctic research base in the isolated and harsh environment of Vesleskarvet, Queen Maud Land, some 4000km south of Cape Town. The base, perched on the edge of a rocky outcrop some 170km inland of Antarctica, is at the centre of a situation involving conflict between the overwintering team and reports of safety concerns. Overwintering researchers as part of the South African National Antarctic Programme (Sanap) are sent to the island where they face extreme cold and isolation. The team spends around 15 months on the continent - 10 of which will be spent in total isolation until the next relief team arrives. ADVERTISEMENT The Sanae relief voyage takes place between December and March each year and takes approximately 75 days, according to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) website. Each expedition is made up of a doctor, two diesel mechanics, an electrical engineer/technician, a mechanical engineer/technician, an electronic engineer/technician, a senior meteorologist and two physicists. In an email last month to the DFFE, a team member pleaded for help, detailing how a team member allegedly physically assaulted and threatened to kill a colleague and sexually assaulted another, the Sunday Times reported. (South African National Antarctic Programme) Sanae IV research base on the Vesleskarvet nunatak in Queen Maud Land (Supplied/South African National Antarctic Programme) Supplied The Department said on Monday that while an investigation was under way, it was responding to these concerns with the "utmost urgency" and have had a number of interventions with all parties concerned at the base. ADVERTISEMENT "The emphasis is placed on creating a healthy and cooperative work environment, and the wellness unit is in contact with the team at the base on a continuous basis to find solutions and [a] sustainable way forward for the wellbeing of the team members located in that remote base," said DFFE communications head Peter Mbelengwa. He added that prior to being appointed, prospective overwinterers were subjected to a number of evaluations. READ | Salty dispute over kelp harvesting permit divides Western Cape fishing village These included: "background checks, reference checks, medical assessment as well as a psychometric evaluation by qualified professionals". "Only upon positive outcomes in all aspects and the final overall evaluation of the proposed overwinterers by the ship-based medical doctor will the person be appointed. In this instance, no negative outcomes were recorded in relation to all the current overwinterers in Sanae, which forms a critical component of the department's risk assessment processes." (Maria Olivier/Antarctic Legacy of South Africa) A graphic showing where SA's Antarctic research base is in relation to Cape Town. (Supplied/Maria Olivier/Antarctic Legacy of South Africa) Supplied He said the department was taking the team through a thorough process with various options being discussed with them. "During this unforeseen incident, the department is engaging with the professional that undertook the psychometric evaluation in order to have the overwinterers re-assessed and to assist with coping mechanisms during their time at the base, inclusive of conflict resolution strategies, interpersonal skills improvement as well as overall counselling and support." Mbelengwa said the situation at the base was being monitored nearly daily, with regular feedback from the team, management, and officials from labour relations and employee wellness. Evaluations are structured in order to track progress and improvement of relationships and conflict management. According to Sanap, Sanae's research is divided into physical sciences, earth sciences, life sciences, and oceanographic sciences. ADVERTISEMENT Only the physical sciences programme is conducted year-round at the base. "The other programmes are conducted during the short summer period when the temperatures and weather permit fieldwork and the extent of the sea ice is at its minimum," the website stated. You have invested in the future News24 has been there for South Africa's defining moments over the last 25 years, and you've been right beside us. Your support of trusted journalism has sustained us, and now it will propel us to continue to strive to inform, inspire and empower as we try to build a better future for us all. Discover News24 Related Links 'I'm SA's Gisèle Pelicot': Cape Town woman fears husband drugged, raped, photographed her More Zanzou allegations: Patrons' cars confiscated, wheels removed as coercion to settle bills Icebreaker returns from Antarctica with alarming news Next on News24 HIV cure trial in Durban shows promising results – UKZN's Prof Ndung'u 17 Mar HIV cure trial in Durban shows promising results – UKZN's Prof Ndung'u Read more on:fisheries and the environmentsanae ivdepartment of forestryantarcticacrime and courts

The Terrors of the North-Jihadists, Bandits, and Vigilantes Grow Stronger In Nigeria

The Terrors of the North: Jihadists, Bandits and Vigilantes Grow Stronger in Nigeria Nigeria Last fall, about 50 motorcycles carrying jihadists were ridden into Mafa, a village in Yobe state in northeastern Nigeria, where they began firing at individuals at a market, at worshippers, and at people in their homes, before burning the village to the ground. More than 170 people were killed in the incident that was meant to demonstrate the power of jihadist terrorist group, Boko Haram, and its splinter group, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), terrify those in the remote northern regions, and pay back villagers for security operations by Nigerian forces and vigilantes intended to defeat them. “This is the first time our community has faced such a devastating attack,” Buba Adamu, a local chief, expressing grief and fear, told the Associated Press. “We never imagined something like this could happen here.” Boko Haram fighters have killed 35,000 people and displaced 2 million since launching an insurgency to establish Islamic law, known as Sharia, in the early 2000s. They became notorious internationally for committing abuses against girls and young women they had captured, according to Amnesty International, most famously with the kidnapping of the hundreds of schoolgirls known as the Chibok Girls. For more than 20 years, the government’s forces have been trying to defeat the group, with mixed success. Since 2023, Nigerian military leaders said, more than 120,000 terrorists and their families have surrendered to Nigerian troops. Around half were children who otherwise would have become the next generation of terrorists. “The terrorists were reproducing children who would take over from them,” said Chief of Defense Staff Gen. Christopher Musa in the Vanguard, a Nigerian newspaper. “These children were born into violence, and if they remained in that environment, they would grow into more violent individuals.” Also, Nigerian military leaders recently said that their counter-radicalization program, called Operation Safe Corridor, has prevented 60,000 young people from joining Boko Haram. Musa and other Nigerian military leaders may be playing up Operations Safe Corridor because his forces have otherwise often fumbled their anti-Boko Haram activities, argued Responsible Statecraft. A joint force of troops from Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria, for example, has launched six campaigns since 2014 against the group. Most were short and ended before they could defeat the terrorists. Meanwhile, a crime wave involving ransom payments, cattle rustling, and illegal mining have also swept through northern Nigeria, wrote Deutsche Welle. These criminals are not necessarily jihadists. Operation Safe Corridor won’t likely stop them because their enterprises are too lucrative in areas where economic development and opportunities are lacking. As a result, the attacks go on: For example, last month, Boko Haram attacked a Nigerian military base on the border with Niger, killing 20 soldiers. The problem now, say analysts, is that these criminal and also jihadist groups are getting stronger. In 2016, the group split, with one faction, ISWAP, becoming a part of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. But after years of conflict with its rival, ISWAP recently regrouped, according to the International Crisis Group. Meanwhile, armed criminal gangs in the north have joined with the jihadists to terrorize civilians. In Mafa and elsewhere, villagers have long been aware the government’s fight against the gangs and the extremists doesn’t keep them safe. Jihadists such as ISWAP, for example, have regularly ‘taxed’ the villages and openly shop in their markets. As a result, villagers around the region, including in Mafa, formed vigilante groups and began killing members of ISWAP and Boko Haram. The villagers were warned an attack in reprisal for the vigilantism was coming and fled. But then they were told it was safe to return. It wasn’t. After the massacre, the villagers found this note left by the group, the New York Times wrote. “You have been lulled into a false sense of security, mistakenly believing that the Army of the Caliphate’s restraint – our decision not to trouble you, pillage your property, or disrupt your commercial activities and farming – implies weakness,” the note read. “You have grown bold and boastful.” Share this story

Fleeing The Flames: Tens of Thousands Try To Escape Congolese Conflict

Fleeing the Flames: Tens of Thousands Try to Escape Congolese Conflict Democratic Republic of the Congo Escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has created a humanitarian crisis in the region, human rights officials said this week, with tens of thousands of Congolese crossing the borders into Burundi and Uganda, France 24 reported. The majority of the 63,000 refugees who have crossed the border in recent weeks are women, children and the elderly, according to United Nations officials. They are crammed into makeshift camps that have reached capacity. There are widespread shortages of food, clean water, and medical supplies. Burundi’s officials said the country is witnessing the biggest humanitarian crisis it has seen in decades. The refugee crisis began soon after the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels launched an offensive to seize mineral-rich territory in eastern DRC in January. Since then, it has captured key regional towns such as Goma and Bukavu and is advancing further into the region. More than 7,000 people have been killed in the offensive. The DRC is struggling to hold off the M23 rebel group but is facing defections within its forces. Now, inspired by the proposed Ukraine-US mineral deal, the country is hoping the US will help repel the rebels via a mineral agreement, BBC reported. DRC spokesperson confirmed that the country is looking to supply Washington “with some critical minerals” in a possible deal that includes an “economic and military partnership.” The country is estimated to hold $24 trillion worth of untapped resources, such as cobalt, gold, and copper but also lithium, tantalum, and uranium. These elements are an essential part of everyday tech in the West such as smart phones and laptops. The US has not committed to any deal. Currently, China dominates the Congolese mineral sector. Share this story

Wild Geese

South Africa: Pipers Coming, Victims Of Apartheid Sue

Piper’s Coming: Victims of Apartheid Sue For Justice South Africa South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to begin negotiations shortly to settle a lawsuit filed last month by survivors of apartheid crimes and families of the victims, News24 reported. The 20 complainants argued that survivors and victims’ families were denied justice despite the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s recommendations to prosecute perpetrators. They say the prosecutions were blocked due to political interference and a secret deal between the African National Congress party and officials of the former apartheid government. The applicants are seeking $9 million in damages and the establishment of a commission of inquiry into the crimes of murder, torture, and abductions carried out by apartheid security forces against them or their relatives that have never been prosecuted, Bloomberg reported. Among those named in the case, Ramaphosa, the police department, and the justice minister are no longer opposing the case. The National Prosecuting Authority, however, still is. Negotiations will start on March 17. The judge has urged all parties to settle by the end of the month. Former President Thabo Mbeki, whose administration is among those named in the suit, has denied the accusations. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission, set up by former President Nelson Mandela, recommended pursuing about 300 cases when it completed its work in the early 2000s. However, there have been only a handful of prosecutions since then. Share this story

Before The Lion There Wan Another Apex Predator in Africa

Predatory Deities Long before lions roamed Africa, another fearsome predator ruled the land. A stunning fossil found in Egypt’s Fayum Depression unveiled an apex carnivore from 30 million years ago that was roughly the size of a leopard, according to a new study. “For days, the team meticulously excavated layers of rock dating back around 30 million years,” said lead author and paleontologist Shorouq Al-Ashqar in a statement. “Just as we were about to conclude our work, a team member spotted something remarkable – a set of large teeth sticking out of the ground. His excited shout brought the team together, marking the beginning of an extraordinary discovery: a nearly complete skull of an ancient apex carnivore, a dream for any vertebrate paleontologist.” Dubbing the creature Bastetodon syrtos, Al-Ashqar and her colleague explained that it belonged to a long-extinct group of super-hunters called hyaenodonts that predated modern carnivores like lions, hyenas, and wolves. With powerful jaws and sharp teeth, the team explained that the predator sat at the top of the food chain and was hypercarnivore – meaning that it relied on meat for at least 70 percent of its diet. Its name pays tribute to Bastet, the lioness-headed Egyptian goddess of protection – though this particular beast likely offered no protection to its unfortunate prey, noted Science Alert. The discovery in the Fayum Depression – a fossil-rich region in northern Egypt that was once a lush forest teeming with life – provides a window into Africa’s ancient ecosystems. “The Fayum is one of the most important fossil areas in Africa,” co-author Matt Borths said in the same statement. “Without it, we would know very little about the origins of African ecosystems and the evolution of African mammals like elephants, primates, and hyaenodonts.” Beyond introducing a new species, the findings also helped reevaluate fossils first unearthed more than 120 years ago. The team identified a new genus, Sekhmetops, named after Sekhmet, the Egyptian lion-headed goddess of war. In 1904, these fossils were mistakenly classified alongside European hyaenodonts. The new analysis shows that Sekhmetops and Bastetodon originated in Africa before spreading across the Northern Hemisphere. However, as Earth’s climate shifted and new predators arrived in Africa, the hyaenodonts declined. “The discovery of Bastetodon is a significant achievement in understanding the diversity and evolution of hyaenodonts and their global distribution,” noted Al-Ashqar. “We are eager to continue our research to unravel the intricate relationships between these ancient predators and their environments over time and across continents.” Share this story

US And South African Relations Are In Trouble

All bets are off — SA is a ‘bad deal’ for the US and it needs to deal with this new reality Image: Institute for Security Studies By Priyal Singh Follow 17 Feb 2025 0 Bilateral relations are now in uncharted territory, necessitating a radical rethink by South Africa of its US foreign policy. Now that US President Donald Trump’s opening salvos have been fired through a raft of executive orders and public statements, many countries are grappling with how to respond. As one of those singled out as a bad apple by Washington, South Africa must quickly come to terms with what exactly it is dealing with. The country’s foreign policy approach towards the US will need to radically differ from anything that has come before. Just four weeks into the second Trump administration, the broad contours of the US’ new foreign policy trajectory are clear. Three key issues stand out. First, Washington seems set on abdicating its role as the steward of liberal international institutionalism, something that enjoyed bipartisan support in almost all previous administrations and was the centrepiece of its post-Cold War foreign policy. Since Trump took office, about 91 executive actions have been taken, of which foreign policy has featured most prominently. They all reflect a common theme: how the US-backed international order of old has essentially led to a “bad deal” for US citizens. Various actions point to a clear break in US foreign policy. These include seeking to withdraw from global organisations, imposing duties on neighbouring states and other major international actors, re-evaluating foreign aid and clarifying that the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s global tax deal “has no force or effect in the US”. As US author Hal Brands argues, this underscores the lack of “any outsized ethos of responsibility for the international order”. Second, Washington seems comfortable – if not intent – on maligning its natural friends and allies in pursuing an “America First” agenda. The general theme of the US caught in a raft of bad deals with countries like Canada, North Atlantic Treaty Organization partners and the European Union is at the centre of Trump’s foreign policy priorities. Coupled with this approach is a scepticism and disregard for global rules, norms and institutions evident in the first Trump administration and which have come to the fore again. An example is Trump’s plans to take ownership of and “develop” the Gaza Strip. The net effect is a faltering transatlantic partnership in which Europeans see the US more as a strategic partner or rival than an ally. Perceptions of the US as an unpredictable, disinterested or malign force in global affairs will likely become more pronounced. This may be felt most acutely by its historical partners that have long counted on previous US administrations’ security assurances across Europe, the Asia-Pacific and Americas. Third, the US Department of State, and by extension the country’s foreign service, is also likely to be affected by the current administration’s extreme contempt for the “deep” or “administrative” state. Referring to the large bureaucracy that has developed in and around the US federal government system over decades, Trump has taken aim at this workforce. Comprising non-elected professionals and technical experts, Trump appears resolute in cutting inefficiencies and drastically reducing the size of this workforce. These efforts are billed as injecting a “democratic” culture into federal government operations by raising the influence of elected officials relative to apolitical bureaucrats (who Trump believes frustrated policy processes during his first term). This may hollow out the foreign policy establishment, as experts’ ability to independently craft and implement policy is eroded in favour of political appointees who advance Trump’s agenda. For South African policymakers and government officials, it’s vital to recognise these features of US foreign policy, and just how much of a break with the past they represent. Whereas past Democrat and Republican administrations framed their engagements with Pretoria under the rubric of common values and interests, the current one has no qualms about calling South Africa a bad apple because its bilateral relations simply constitute a bad deal. The recent bewilderment expressed by former president Thabo Mbeki on the executive order targeting South Africa, which was issued without appropriate diplomatic engagement, is telling. In seeking to understand Trump’s decision, Mbeki said Pretoria had built considerable rapport with past Republican administrations – despite disagreements on certain issues. This is a misreading of the current situation. The Trump administration is in no way similar to any past “establishment” Republican governments. It is far more dangerous and unpredictable – a political force bent on upending the rules of the game established by past administrations for the effective functioning of international order. In this context, South Africa is an easy country to be made an example of. Domestic legislation aimed at redressing structural inequalities due to the legacy of apartheid mirrors the diversity, equity and inclusion legislation in the US that Trump seeks to undo. And South Africa’s foreign policy positions in recent years – its non-condemnation of Russia’s Ukraine invasion, growing ties with China and Iran (through BRICS), solidarity with Cuba and the Palestinian cause – all place Pretoria squarely within Washington’s sights. Finally, the current administration may see US aid and development assistance to South Africa as something deeply embedded in the “deep” state policy networks that it is so set on dismantling. In sum, South Africa is a bad deal for the US – and Pretoria can bet that Trump will not stop reminding it of this for the foreseeable future. How to improve this overall deal should be top of South African government officials’ minds. Specific points of leverage and contention must be identified and worked on. These could include exploring a direct bilateral trade agreement, agreeing to disagree on certain international policy issues, and establishing direct links between South African officials and their Washington counterparts. Pretoria must acknowledge this new reality. The ball is firmly in its court, and it needs to make sense of the new rules of engagement, and how this game should be played. Traditional diplomatic avenues for engagement may be ineffective, no matter how skilled or professional South Africa’s diplomats working on the US are. Established methods may pay dividends with other international partners, but the US under the current administration is a special case and should be treated as such. DM Priyal Singh, senior researcher, Africa in the World, Institute for Security Studies (ISS) Pretoria. First published by ISS Today. If you wish to comment on this issue, please send an email to letters@dailymaverick.co.za