A government-approved rise in taxi and bus fares set to take effect on May 18 has sparked swift backlash across Namibia, with many urging authorities to match the move with increases in public sector pay. The adjustment covers taxis, minibuses, and inter-city buses, drawing immediate concern from everyday commuters and civil servants alike. Minister of Works and Transport Veikko Nekundi said the revision stems from escalating fuel costs linked to persistent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, a squeeze he noted is…

South Africa has escalated its response to the extreme weather battering the country, declaring the ongoing severe storms a national disaster. The crisis spans six provinces — the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, North West, Free State, and Mpumalanga — where communities are contending with widespread disruption. The South African Weather Service cautioned that heavy downpours and powerful winds will persist in parts of the Western Cape. In a precautionary move, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED)…

President Félix Tshisekedi has ignited a political backlash in the Democratic Republic of the Congo after saying he would consider a third term if citizens called for it, a statement that opposition leaders swiftly denounced. The constitution restricts presidents to two terms, and Tshisekedi said any modification would be decided by referendum. His critics counter that Article 220 expressly forbids changing presidential term limits, accusing him of laying the groundwork to prolong his time in office. The dispute…

South Africa’s top court has struck down Parliament’s 2022 move to halt impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa, ruling the decision unconstitutional in a judgment that immediately reshapes the political landscape. The Constitutional Court sided with opposition parties, which argued that lawmakers from the ruling party improperly shut down a process designed to test grave allegations against the head of state. The dispute traces back to an independent panel’s findings that the President had a case to…

Former President Festus Mogae has died at 86, the government announced, marking the passing of the nation’s third leader in the post-independence era. Revered for championing clean governance and fiscal prudence, Mogae steered the diamond-rich economy for ten years, winning broad respect for his steady hand and reform-minded leadership.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has signaled a firm response to unrest, with his spokesperson saying he expects law enforcement to act against violent demonstrators, while stressing that South Africans are not xenophobic, as protests against undocumented immigrants spread across several major cities in South Africa.

Branding the sanctions “untimely and counterproductive,” politicians aligned with the Mouvement Sauvons la RDC — a movement co-founded by Joseph Kabila — condemned the measures, warning they could deepen the country’s protracted crisis. The pushback from the opposition comes as diplomatic efforts gather pace to tackle the conflict in eastern DR Congo, with parallel tracks seeking to address both the regional dynamics and the internal drivers of instability.

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has not publicly stated why Inspector General Joseph Shikongo was removed, but the decision comes in the wake of a serious State House security lapse in which an intruder slipped into the President’s private quarters without detection. The breach triggered swift and widespread outrage. Among the critics was former Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga, who said the incident laid bare “catastrophic weaknesses” across the police chain of command. Shikongo, 62, had led the force since…

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s low-key weekend trip to Zimbabwe carried a sharp warning for Emmerson Mnangagwa, according to former ally Rutendo Matinyarare: drop any plan to dismiss Vice President Constantino Chiwenga and rethink Constitutional Amendment Bill No.3, the measure seen as paving the way for Mnangagwa to stay beyond his two-term limit. Ramaphosa visited Mnangagwa at Precabe Farm in Kwekwe, where he was photographed alongside a tight circle of the Zimbabwean leader’s allies who back the proposed…

Botswana’s struggle to contain foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is tightening the screws on the national economy and rural livelihoods, with beef exports taking a major hit and access to the European Union market lost, Agriculture Minister Edwin Dikoloti said. "In Botswana, many households depend on cattle for income and food; therefore, any disruption affects entire communities," the minister said. He added that the government is shifting its approach to deepen collaboration with partners, notably the private sector and…