Author: Faith Daniel

An uneasy calm hangs over the rolling green countryside of South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province. From a distance, the landscape appears peaceful, but beneath it lies growing fear as farmers confront a fast-moving foot-and-mouth disease outbreak that has now reached almost every corner of the country. Over the past year, the highly infectious virus has spread through eight of South Africa’s nine provinces, cutting through livestock populations and forcing the slaughter of large numbers of animals in an effort to contain it. For many farmers, the consequences have been devastating, and there is rising concern that international bans on South African…

Gabon’s media regulator has ordered the suspension of social media platforms across the country “until further notice”, citing concerns that online content is fueling tensions and deepening divisions. In a televised address on Tuesday evening, the High Authority for Communication (HAC) said the decision was taken in response to the spread of false information, cyberbullying, and the unauthorised sharing of personal data on digital platforms. Internet monitoring organisation NetBlocks reported that by Wednesday afternoon several major platforms had been restricted, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and WhatsApp. Gabon is currently led by Brice Oligui Nguema, who won last year’s presidential…

At least 33 miners have died following a suspected carbon-monoxide leak at a lead and zinc mine in central Nigeria’s Plateau State, witnesses have told the BBC. The incident is believed to have occurred just before sunrise at a mining site outside the town of Wase, operated by Solid Unity Nigeria Ltd. According to witnesses, toxic gas built up underground in poorly ventilated tunnels, causing workers to collapse shortly before the end of their night shift. The miners were discovered by colleagues reporting for duty in the morning. More than 20 other miners were rescued and taken to hospital for…

At least 20 people were killed on Saturday in the northern town of Titao, Burkina Faso, in attacks claimed by JNIM, an Islamist militant group linked to al-Qaeda, according to reports. Among the dead were seven Ghanaians who were “burnt beyond recognition” and have not yet been identified, Ghana’s Interior Minister Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak said. The victims were part of a group of tomato traders travelling on a supply lorry that was targeted by the jihadists. Ghanaian officials said road access to the area remains blocked, making it impossible for embassy staff to reach the scene as efforts continue to…

Three people in South Africa have been formally charged with murder following the killing of an e-hailing taxi driver, whose death — captured on a dashboard camera — has caused widespread shock. Dashcam footage that has circulated widely on social media shows a man and a woman struggling with the driver, Isaac Satlat, as they appear to rob him. Satlat is seen trying to fight back before one of the passengers allegedly strangles him until he goes limp. The three suspects were arrested over the weekend and appeared in court in Pretoria on Monday, where they abandoned their applications for…

Police in Malawi are searching for nine suspects who escaped from custody after allegedly being caught smuggling charcoal in a hearse disguised as part of a funeral procession. Forestry officials, acting on a tip-off, intercepted the vehicle at a roadblock near the commercial city of Blantyre. Inside the hearse, officials discovered an empty coffin placed over several bags of charcoal valued at around $1,700 (£1,200), However, a manager from the funeral service involved told the driver was returning from visiting a bereaved family when he purchased the charcoal that was later confiscated. Charcoal smuggling is widespread in Malawi, where demand…

Around 100 United States Army personnel have arrived in Nigeria to train the country’s armed forces and provide intelligence support as Nigeria steps up efforts to counter Islamist militants and other armed groups. The soldiers and their equipment landed at an airfield in the north-eastern state of Bauchi, according to Nigerian defence spokesperson Samaila Uba. He said the deployment was carried out at the request of the Nigerian government and stressed that the US troops would not take part in combat operations. The arrival marks the latest phase of growing military cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, following US…

The family of Edgar Lungu, Zambia’s former president, have rejected claims that he was poisoned, as a dispute over his burial continues to unfold in South Africa. Lungu died in South Africa last June at the age of 68, and his body has yet to be laid to rest. It remains in a morgue as legal proceedings between his family and the Zambian government drag on. According to his relatives, South African police are now also seeking custody of his body as part of their own investigation. In a letter sent to police, lawyers representing the Lungu family said they…

South Africa’s agricultural sector ended 2025 on a record-breaking note, with farm exports climbing to an all-time high of $15.1 billion, even as shipments to the United States dropped sharply in the second half of the year. The export figure represents a 10 percent increase from the previous year and marks the seventh consecutive annual rise, highlighting the sector’s resilience despite shifting global trade conditions. This strong performance came amid growing trade pressure from the United States, where newly imposed tariffs on selected agricultural products weighed heavily on exports. According to Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at the Agricultural Business Chamber…

Over the past few years, a small group of companies has quietly become major players in South Africa’s rooftop solar space, installing hundreds of megawatts of capacity that are making a real dent in load-shedding. The expansion of utility-scale renewable energy has slowed, largely because of limited transmission grid capacity in the Cape provinces, which otherwise offer some of the best conditions for renewable generation and returns on investment. While large power plants will still be needed to meet growing electricity demand, energy experts increasingly agree that South Africa’s future grid will be far more decentralised than it is today.…