On a visit to Cameroon's troubled northwest, Pope Leo XIV delivered a forceful rebuke to foreign profiteers, accusing them of siphoning Africa’s wealth and deepening the continent’s hardships. Speaking in Bamenda, the epicentre of the country’s long-running Anglophone separatist crisis, he urged Cameroon’s government to confront corruption so that peace can take root. The pontiff said domestic failings are being compounded by outside actors who, “in the name of profit,” continue to seize Africa’s resources to “exploit and…

By  MOGOMOTSI MAGOMEThursday April 16, 2026 Julius Malema, one of South Africa’s most prominent and polarizing opposition figures, was handed a five-year prison sentence Thursday after being convicted of violating firearm laws for firing a rifle at a political rally in 2018. He was released while he awaits the outcome of an appeal, which will be heard at a later date. If the conviction and sentence are ultimately confirmed, Malema would lose his seat in Parliament. Under South African law, anyone sentenced to more than 12…

France has revoked South Africa’s invitation to the forthcoming G7 summit, removing Pretoria from the guest list for the high-profile gathering. Paris rejected early claims that Washington had pushed for the exclusion, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa likewise dismissed suggestions of U.S. pressure. South Africa, not a G7 member, had been slated to attend as an observer. French officials said they were pursuing a “streamlined G7” and have invited Kenya instead, citing its role in helping France prepare a major…

Activists challenge official assurances after study flags hormone-disrupting chemicals in menstrual products Activists say dismissing a University of the Free State finding does not equal proof of safety, urging clarity on possible risks in menstrual products. Activists said authorities’ assurances on menstrual product safety do not settle concerns raised by research from the University of the Free State that reported hormone-disrupting chemicals in some items. The University of the Free State, a South African public…

China’s next five-year plan could rewrite African agriculture — if the continent seizes the moment China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) is more than a domestic blueprint. It is a signal of how the world’s second-largest economy intends to buy, process and secure the food that will feed a warming planet. For Africa — home to the largest share of the world’s uncultivated arable land and an emerging network of agribusinesses — the plan reads like an invitation. The opportunity is to move from being a supplier of raw crops to…

Iran–Israel war redraws the Horn of Africa’s security map The joint United States–Israeli strikes on Iran last week, which killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior security officials, have vaulted the Middle East into a wider war with immediate spillover risks for the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa. Iran has hit Israel and several Arab states that host U.S. military facilities — the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Jordan — while Hezbollah’s barrage from Lebanon…

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana warned in his 2026 Budget speech that poorly run municipalities face the prospect of having national funds reduced if they fail to "clean up their act," signalling a shift by the national government from "oversight" to "active structural intervention" to stabilise local government finances. Godongwana told Parliament the move is aimed at improving the financial health of municipalities, many of which have long struggled with rising debt, weak revenue collection, and uneven service delivery.…

JOHANNESBURG — The acting head of South Africa’s Special Investigating Unit (SIU) on Thursday urged residents to report suspicious behaviour in their communities — singling out neighbours who suddenly drive “flashy cars” — as the unit released findings from a probe into corruption at the Department of Home Affairs. Leonard Lekgetho said the SIU’s investigation, authorised by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2024 after a whistleblower complaint, uncovered syndicates operating inside the visa and permit system. Evidence indicates…

ADDIS ABABA — Somalia’s foreign minister, Abdisalam Ali, on Friday chaired the sixth A3 high-level ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the 39th African Union Assembly, as African leaders moved to tighten coordination at the United Nations Security Council. Somalia currently serves as coordinator of the A3 — the three African non-permanent members of the Security Council: Somalia, Liberia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo — a role that places Mogadishu at the center of efforts to advance Africa’s priorities in New…

John Steenhuisen, the leader of South Africa’s Democratic Alliance since 2019, has stepped aside from the party’s leadership race and will devote his attention to managing a severe foot-and-mouth disease outbreak that has drawn heavy criticism of his handling of the crisis, the party and his office said Friday. Steenhuisen — who, according to party sources, also served as agriculture minister — had been expected to run unopposed for another term but withdrew amid internal disputes and lingering controversies that party…