Most of these are African and Asian nations. However, South Africa, with all its passport troubles has not been included in Brazil’s visa restrictions.

SOUTH AFRICA EXCLUDED FROM BRAZIL VISA RESTRICTIONS

South Africa and Botswana were recently removed from Ireland’s visa-free list of nations.

One of the reasons was that increased numbers of “travellers” were allegedly entering Ireland with South African passports.

The other reason was so that Ireland could align its entry requirements with those of the United Kingdom and Europe.

PORTUGUESE CONNECTIONS

Brazil’s new visa restrictions on a list of nations even include countries which are also Portuguese-speaking ones.

Under these new visa restrictions citizens of Angola, Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau now need visas to enter Brazil. The restriction came into place on 26 August.

Angola, Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau are Portuguese-speaking countries, just like Brazil.

They indeed belong to the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLC), an international organization and political association of Lusophone nations across five continents, where Portuguese is an official language. 

VISAS FOR SADC COUNTRIES

Brazil in fact allows unrestricted entry to few SADC nations. These include Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and the Seychelles.

Passport holders from Angola, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe must obtain visas to enter Brazil.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is a regional economic community comprising 16 Member States.

Members include Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

INTENTIONS BEHIND BRAZIL VISA RESTRICTIONS

These visa requirements were reportedly implemented to prevent migrants from various countries using Brazil to reach countries such as the United States and Canada, where they seek asylum.

However, a report by the Federal Police found that the majority of immigrants who request asylum do not have justification for refugee status.

The document showed that more than 70% of the requests for asylum made at airports come from people of Indian, Nepalese or Vietnamese nationality.

Somalia, Cameroon, Ghana and Ethiopia are among the remaining 30% of asylum applicants.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING ROUTE

According to a report by the Federal Police, many foreigners travel to Brazil en route to other countries. They then cross the border into Peru, continuing through Latin America until they reach the United States and Canada.

Brazil has implemented these visa restrictions as a result of allegations that it is being used as a human trafficking route by criminal organisations.

Will you travel to Brazil, using this visa-free arrangement?

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Impact of diesel prices

When an economy depends heavily on diesel and lacks alternative energy options, high diesel prices can lead to financial strain, as reported by Business Insider Africa. However, if this challenge is tackled, it can provide economic relief throughout the market, helping to keep living costs manageable.

Road freight companies rely on both petrol and diesel, but diesel is the primary fuel for most of their operations. When fuel prices rise, these companies often have to raise their prices to keep up with the higher cost of diesel. While this might seem straightforward, some transporters may struggle to increase their rates due to contracts or because they risk losing customers. This could lead to difficulties in maintaining their business.

Top 10 African countries where diesel is the cheapest

Based on the most recent data from Global Petrol Prices, on the African continent, Libya is the country with the cheapest diesel.

Following are the top 10 African countries with the cheapest diesel indicating their rank on a global level:

What does the global picture look like?

As of August 19, 2024, the global average price for diesel is $1.24 per liter. However, prices vary greatly from one country to another. Typically, wealthier nations tend to have higher diesel prices, while poorer countries and those that produce and export oil usually enjoy much lower prices.

The variation in diesel prices between countries comes from the different taxes and subsidies each country has. While all countries can access the same international petroleum prices, they choose to apply different tax rates. This leads to the retail price of diesel being different in each country.

Are you surprised by the countries on the top 10?

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Environmental Performance Index

The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) provides a data-driven summary of the state of sustainability around the world. The EPI uses 58 performance indicators across 11 issue categories. It ranks 180 countries on climate change performance, environmental health, and also ecosystem vitality.

Funding from the McCall MacBain Foundation supports the EPI work at both Yale and Columbia Universities. Both these universities are located in the US.

Following is a section of the overall EPI scores showing Africa’s ratings.

In 2024, African countries that rank highly on the EPI are those that have prioritised environmental health and sustainability. These countries understand that a clean environment is not just a luxury but a necessity for economic growth, public health, and overall quality of life, as reported by Business Insider Africa.

African countries with lowest cleanliness ratings

“Cleanliness is next to godliness.”
English cleric John Wesley, 1778

Markedly, Eritrea in East Africa has the lowest cleanliness rating in Africa in 2024, with a score of 28.6, placing it 174th globally. Madagascar follows closely with a score of 29.9, ranked 173rd, and Djibouti with a score of 32.2, positioned at 167th worldwide.

Top 10 dirtiest African countries

Sanitation and drinking water assessment: Africa

The sanitation and drinking water category in the EPI measures how well countries protect human health from environmental risks based on two indicators: unsafe drinking water and unsafe sanitation.

Out of the 180 countries assessed, the 10 countries with the lowest scores in this category are as follows:

Markedly, all of them are also in Africa.

Are you surprised by this data?

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The diamond was discovered in the Karowe Diamond Mine in northeastern Botswana using x-ray detection technology, Lucara Diamond Corp. said in a statement.

‘One of the largest rough diamonds ever unearthed’

Lucara did not give a value for the find or mention its quality, but in terms of carats, the stone is second only to the 3 016.75-carat Cullinan Diamond discovered in South Africa in 1905.

“We are ecstatic about the recovery of this extraordinary 2 492-carat diamond,” Lucara president William Lamb said in the statement.

Pictures released by the company show the diamond is as large as the palm of a hand.

This find was “one of the largest rough diamonds ever unearthed” and was detected using the company’s Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray technology installed in 2017 to identify and preserve large, high-value diamonds, the statement said.

Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi was due to view the massive stone later on Thursday. His government said it was the second biggest in the world.

Largest producer

Tobias Kormind, managing director of Europe’s largest online diamond jeweller, 77 Diamonds, confirmed it was the largest rough diamond to be unearthed since the Cullinan Diamond, parts of which adorn Britain’s crown jewels.

“This discovery is largely thanks to newer technology that allows larger diamonds to be extracted from the ground without breaking into pieces. So we will likely see more where this came from,” he said.

Botswana is one of the world’s largest producers of diamonds, its main source of income, accounting for 30 percent of GDP and 80 percent of its exports.

Before the find was announced on Thursday, the largest diamond discovered in Botswana was a 1 758-carat stone mined by Lucara at the Karowe mine in 2019 and named Sewelo.

Lucara found a 1 174-carat diamond stone in Botswana in 2021 using the same x-ray technology.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

What makes Mauritius appealing?

Mauritius offers a unique blend of cultural experiences, pristine beaches, and also luxurious resorts. Additionally, Mauritius has a visa-free policy for South Africans, further enhancing its appeal, according to Business Tech.

Mauritius has a welcoming environment for expats and a diverse expat community. English is widely spoken in Mauritius. These factors contribute to non-local people feeling welcome.

According to Two Futures Realty, Mauritius is very favourable for real estate investment. This is due to its investor-friendly policies, diverse lifestyle, robust infrastructure, and well-established business environment.

One of the safest countries worldwide

Another key aspect that makes Mauritius a popular retirement destination is its reputation for safety. Mauritius ranked 28th on Global Finance magazine’s safest country index for last year, 2023. This index takes into account factors such as natural disasters, violent crimes, terrorism, and war to present a well-rounded analysis of overall societal safety. In comparison, South Africa ranked 120th on this index.

The Global Peace Index 2024 stated that Mauritius is the most peaceful country in sub-Saharan Africa for the 17th consecutive year. It ranked 22nd on their global index.

“Mauritius is the only country in sub-Saharan Africa that has not been involved in any internal or external conflicts over the past five years.”
Global Peace Index 2024

Retirees flocking to Mauritius for a high quality of life

Mauritius has experienced an almost three-fold increase in the number of retirees flocking to its shores, with South Africa being one of the top three feeder countries.

According to the Economic Development Board of Mauritius (EDB), more and more people are finding the island to be an affordable, safe, and healthcare-focused retirement option. It continues to attract retirees from across the world.

The total number of retirees increased by over 150% between 2007 and 2023, with France, South Africa, and the United Kingdom being the top three feeder countries.

The introduction of various residency and investment schemes by the Mauritian government has further facilitated this trend.

One of the primary reasons South Africans are considering Mauritius for retirement is its favourable tax regime. The island nation offers a low and straightforward tax structure, with no capital gains tax, inheritance tax, or wealth tax.

This is particularly appealing to retirees looking to preserve their savings and investments while enjoying a high quality of life.

Would you consider moving to Mauritius?

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SOUTH AFRICA’S CITIZENSHIP BY DESCENT

So, how does South Africa’s citizenship by descent work and who is eligible? According to the amended South African Citizenship Amendment Act No. 17 of 2010, anyone with a ‘sound association’ to South Africa is legally eligible for citizenship by descent. Unlike citizenship by naturalisation, it’s not open to interpretation by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA).

South Africa’s citizenship by descent is based on facts of birth and parentage. This is why local authorities are steadfast in their pursuit of Adetshina’s mother’s alleged identity theft. Because if the identity of the parent is fraudulent, the rest of the citizenship by descent rule falls down spectacularly.

HOW DOES ELIGIBILITY WORK?

Simply put, the DHA says South Africa’s citizenship by descent recognises that, “A child follows the citizenship or nationality of his or her parents.” Therefore, if one parent is a South African citizen, the child will be a citizen, too.

The following candidates are eligible:

• Anyone born outside of South Africa can claim citizenship by descent if one of their parents was a South African citizen at the time of their registered birth.
• Anyone born in Namibia after March 21, 1990, whose mother or father was a South African citizen at the time of their registered birth.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS?

• Permanent residents who wish to explore South Africa’s citizenship by descent rule must complete a (BI-24) Notice of Birth form.
• Supply the DHA with an unabridged birth certificate.
• Produce the original and valid passports of their parent(s).
• Share their South African parents’ original birth certificates, identity documents, and/or passports.
• The marriage certificate of their parents.

HOW DOES THE PROCESS WORK?

• To apply for South African citizenship by descent costs R1 330 (subject to change).
• Additional fees for DNA testing and/or legal advice from immigration specialists (refer to the bottom of this article for contact details) may be incurred.
• The processing time for citizenship by descent applications may take several months to years even.
• Once all the relevant documents and certified copies are gathered, submit an application to the nearest South African Department of Home Affairs (DHA) branch.
• If and when approved, invitees attend a citizenship ceremony to take an oath of allegiance to South Africa and receive their citizenship certificate. Citizens are entitled to a South African passport.

DO YOU THINK THE LAW SHOULD BE STRICTER?

Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below or by emailing info@thesouthafrican.com. You can also send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Don’t forget to follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest social media updates.

Note that this article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as immigration or legal advice. For detailed advice on individual cases we recommend getting in touch with Lawyers for Human Rights. You can call their immigration hotline on 0800 079 614 or WhatsApp them on +27 817 168791.   

Since the department has looked into its archival records and hospital visits, it says there are, “Prima facie reasons to believe that fraud and identity theft may have been committed by Adetshina’s mother.” The term prima facie means, “Based on the first impressions and accepted as correct until proven otherwise.”

CHIDIMMA ADETSHINA IDENTITY THEFT

The alleged Chidimma Adetshina identity theft case has been making headlines around the world. And the way it’s been handled has even prompted reputation management experts to question underlying xenophobia in South Africa. Moreover, it’s once again shed a spotlight on the manipulation of South Africa’s citizenship and permanent residency processes. The former Miss South Africa contestant is now participating in and leading the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant due, in part, to the publicity the incident has amassed worldwide.

However, many have taken to social media, showing sympathy for the young woman, “Caught in the middle of a storm she did not create.” Nevertheless, local authorities are moving quickly to produce a win for South Africa to expose the alleged Chidimma Adetshina identity theft. They suspect Adetshina’s mother may have unlawfully assumed the identity of a Tshwane woman born in 1982. Following this, the birth of a Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina was registered in 2001, reports IOL.

NO VICTIMLESS CRIME

Advocate Constance Moitse, the head of the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation’s (the Hawks’) counter-corruption unit, said: “An innocent South African mother whose identity may have been stolen as part of alleged fraud committed by Adetshina’s mother did suffer as a result. She was not able to register her own child at birth.”

The mother whose identity appears to have been stolen, applied for an ID document in 1995 in Tshwane. The first red flag came when she went to collect it. She was told by officials that it was ready for collection in Johannesburg. Six-years later, when the same woman give birth to a child, she was informed that a child had already been registered under her name/ID number. That child was Adetshina. For months she tried to rectify the situation. The department eventually issued her a new ID number, allowing her to finally register her child’s birth certificate.

WHAT’S NEXT IN THE CASE?

Home Affairs says it has visited the mother whose ID was stolen in Tshwane. The department has issued Adetshina’s real mother with a Promotion of Administrative Justice Act letter. And her response to this letter will determine the final decision that the department takes. Currently, per her mother’s allegedly fraudulent ID, Chidimma Adetshina is South African. However, because her mother’s status is in question, if her ID document were to be cancelled, it will mean Adetshina’s citizenship is fraudulent.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE ALLEGED IDENTITY FRAUD?

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Whether poorly managed or not, Adetshina’s withdrawal from the Miss South Africa contestant has once again shed a spotlight on the difference between permanent residence and citizenship. This has even escalated by Home Affairs, making a public ultimatum regarding impending South African ID document cancellations (mostly for illegal immigrants).

SOUTH AFRICA IS A XENOPHOBIC COUNTRY

Nevertheless, reputation-management expert Tshepo Matseba has come out slamming South Africa’s handling of the xenophobia allegations. While accusations that South Africa is a xenophobic country have been rife on the continent for a while, Matseba believes the Adetshina debacle has negatively affected SA on an international scale.

It’s alleged that Adetshina’s mother is from Mozambique and her father from Nigeria. She is therefore not capable of being a South African citizen through any acceptable legal means. In turn, Matseba said the pageant’s organisers should have verified all the participants’ information thoroughly beforehand. And upon finding inaccuracies, it should have communicated its concerns properly. In turn, this would stopped the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie from turning to social media about the allegations without all the information.

AN IMPORTANT DEBATE

Matseba urged event organisers to think of this as a cautionary tale. Any national or international events must verify the identity of all people involved. “McKenzie spoke about the issue and that raised an important debate. But it would have been much better if all the facts were at hand first. This has only prompted a preliminary investigation by Home Affairs and we’re still waiting for the final results. The young lady was caught in a storm that she did not create. But if it comes out that her parents manipulated the system to obtain South African citizenship it must be corrected,” said Matseba.

DO YOU THINK SOUTH AFRICA IS XENOPHOBIC?

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Moreover, the Department of Home Affairs has been in the news of late, following the Chidimma Adetshina citizenship debacle. As a result, the department is getting tough and has served notice to cancel ID books/smart cards of anyone who’s had their ID number blocked/flagged for fraudulent activity, reports Business Tech.

WHY A SOUTH AFRICAN ID MAY BE CANCELLED

According to Home Affairs, these are the new reasons your South African ID may be cancelled or blocked in the future:

• If your ID document does not reflect the particulars to whom it was issued to.
• A fraudulently obtained ID document. Ie. false statements/information was provided at issuance of the document.
• Forged ID document. Ie. If lawfully issued to another person but stolen or unlawfully obtained and altered to reflect the names or images of someone else.

WHAT IF YOUR ID IS CANCELLED INCORRECTLY?

Furthermore, these tougher new laws are set to come into effect, one month from now, on Monday 16 September 2024. Home affairs could not stipulate how many South African ID may be cancelled in the shakeup. However, if yours is wrongfully impacted, you have 30 days to provide a written response. You need to motivate to the department, with reasons, why your ID document was cancelled incorrectly.

The action is a bid to reduce internal corruption and the number of fraudulent ID documents in circulation. These are often held by illegal immigrants in the country since the rightful ID holder passed away. Previously, biometric systems have flagged thousands of duplicate ID documents. Minister Schreiber has vowed to instigate a new culture of zero-tolerance towards corruption in his department. And he says it is particularly urgent given that Home Affairs is the heart of the national security apparatus.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE TOUGH NEW STANCE?

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NATURALISED SOUTH AFRICAN CITIZEN

According to the South African Citizenship Amendment Act 2010 (which came into operation on 1 January 2013), it explains the journey to become a naturalised South African citizen like so. First, an application for Determination of Citizenship must be submitted to the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), before an application can be submitted.

This is known as a DHA/BI-529 and it is vital for anyone who wants to become a naturalised South African citizen. Critically, identity documents, passports and other services will only be accepted following confirmation of determination of citizenship status by the applicant.

DETERMINATION OF CITIZENSHIP

All elements in your Determination of Citizenship Status application must be fully completed in order to comply with legal due process. They include (follow the LINKS to download documents):  

• DHA-175 (application form).
• DHA-529 (applicant form).
• Proof of continuous residence of at least one year prior to application.
• RSA Police report valid for six months from the date of issue.
• Police clearance from country or countries of present nationalities.
• Letter confirming acceptance of dual nationality.
• Proof of payment of the R300 application fee.
• All supporting documents and copies must be attached to enable easy reference to the application.
• Offices and embassies will ensure stamps and sign-offs are adequately done on each application submitted.

SO, WHAT’S NEXT?

Okay, so the Determination of Citizenship Status is only the beginning. Once you’ve done all that, your actual application to become a naturalised South African citizen starts here with the DHA. You will need:

• An original South African non-citizen identity document.
• Forms DHA-63 and DHA-757.
• Your marriage certificate and/or divorce decree (if applicable).
• An application form BI-9, completed in black ink for the re-issue of your identity document Two recent ID photographs. HERE is an example of how it can be filled out.
• The fee for the re-issue of your identity document is R140.
• You must supply proof of permanent residence.
• Form SAP 91 with a full set of fingerprints (needed for a police clearance report for applicants aged 18 years and over).
• If you’re less than 18-years of age, your parents or legal guardian must sign the application form (BI-63).

Furthermore, the process can take extraordinarily long and experts recommend you get a legal expert to assist with your application. This will come at additional cost.

ASK A QUESTION ABOUT IMMIGRATION

Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below or by emailing info@thesouthafrican.com. You can also send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Don’t forget to follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest social media updates.

This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as immigration or legal advice. For further details and advice on particular cases we recommend getting in touch with Lawyers for Human Rights. You can call their immigration hotline on 0800079614 or WhatsApp them on +27817168791.   

So, what exactly is the difference between South African permanent residence and full-blown citizenship? Being a citizen of a country gives your certain benefits and privileges. These include being able to vote and having a passport from that country. However, according to June Luna Immigration Attorneys, gaining South African permanent residence should not be confused with citizenship. Permanent residents are entitled to have a South African identity document which, in turn, provides them with a South African identity number.

SOUTH AFRICAN PERMANENT RESIDENCE

The experts from XPatWeb explain that South African permanent residence is awarded when you prove to the state that you’re contributing to the country’s economic base. However, it’s vital to understand the nuances of the procedure before applying for South African permanent residence. One of the key requirements is to already be resident in the country on the basis of a valid visa/work permit. Only after you receive permanent residence will you be able to apply for citizenship.

There are five important factors to South African permanent residence qualification:

• If you hold of a Critical Skills Work Visa.
• You’ve had a valid work visa for five years or more.
• If you are married to a South African citizen for five years or more.
• You’re financially independent and/or retired in South Africa.
• If you have a permanent job offer in South Africa.

AND SPOUSES OR KIDS?

A spouse or life partner of a citizen or permanent resident can apply for South African permanent residence. But they will have to prove to the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) they have been in a relationship for at least five years, through a legal marriage certificate or proof of cohabitation. Likewise, children under the age of 18 of South African citizens or permanent residents are also eligible to apply for South African permanent residence.

HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE MATTER?

Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below or by emailing info@thesouthafrican.com. You can also send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Don’t forget to follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest social media updates.

Please note that this article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as immigration or legal advice. For detailed advice on individual cases we recommend getting in touch with Lawyers for Human Rights. You can call their immigration hotline on 0800 079 614 or WhatsApp them on +27 817 168791.   

Lesotho’s suicide rate 10 times the global average

Lesotho is a landlocked, mountainous kingdom of 2.3 million people encircled by South Africa.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Lesotho has the highest suicide rate in the world. The country’s suicide rate is more than double the second country on the list, Guyana in South America, where the figure is just more than 40 people per 100 000.

The global average stands at nine suicides per 100 000 people.

The Telegraph reported that ‘nowhere is it more serious than in Lesotho’. The suicide rate is particularly high in men.

The traditional role of a man as the provider for the family is still strongly upheld in Lesotho. Consequently, unemployed men with families to support, often struggle with psychological problems caused by feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem.

In the UK, the suicide rate stands at 10.7, while Cyprus (3.5), Greece (4), Italy (5.6) and Slovakia (6.9) have among the lowest global rates.

Reasons behind suicide rate

Health workers caution that the reasons behind suicide are complex. Factors include mental illness, addiction, loss, loneliness, financial woes, chronic pain, and abuse.

According to experts and Lesotho locals the country has a number of unique factors that are very likely worsening the suicide situation. These include poverty in the country and its lack of prospects for young people. Drug abuse is also a major contributor.

Stigma attached to mental health

Mental health issues stand at the core of suicide.

Liau Mochaba has worked as a psychotherapist and counsellor in Lesotho for 10 years and he sees many cases of depression, anxiety, stress, drug addiction, and domestic violence among his patients. Although suicidal thoughts are common among his patients, very few people want to talk about mental health, he says. People in Lesotho are concerned about being labelled and stigmatised in terms of mental health issues.

“The awareness is very low about mental health issues. When people have mental health problems, they would rather see traditional doctors. Some people hide when they have problems.”
Liau Mochaba

Do you think traditional healers and conventional mental health experts should work together to address the problem?

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Just like the final 2024 Paris Olympics medal table, South Africa is not the top dog on the African continent. And the quicker we accept that other countries are more attractive to investors and we implement crucial reforms to boost economic activity, the better-off we’ll be in the long-term.

INVESTMENT ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT

According to the report, South Africa has slipped to fourth place behind Seychelles, Mauritius and Egypt in Africa. This is due, in part, to the fact that South Africa’s economy has remained stagnant for the past decade, with only 1% GDP growth annually. As a result, South Africa ranked last on RMB’s lists of ‘GDP growth’, ‘income inequality’ and ‘unemployment rate’.

While the African continent is expected to grow at 3.8% in 2024, economists believe only 1% growth is possible in South Africa. In fact, there was only one category we still rank number one on the African continent, namely ‘forex stability and liquidity’. Egypt has the highest ‘economic output’ on the African continent. And Ivory Coast recently overtook us for ‘best-rate sovereign debt’.

BETTER RETURNS IN AFRICA

Like The South African reported recently, many local companies are finding better returns on investment outside of South Africa. Southern Sun, for example, has seen business boom in Mozambique while its concerns in Mzansi have faltered over the same period of time.  

Likewise, Standard Bank CEO Sim Tshabalala says for the first time Standard Bank made more money from its rest-of-Africa operations than it did in its home market. Therefore, proving that South Africa is lagging behind the rest of the African continent. Energy and logistical issues hamstrung the bank to just 3% growth in South Africa, versus African operations which grew by 49%.

South Africa has long been the African continent’s economic powerhouse, but the truth is we’re battling major economic headwinds that have seen other countries supersede us in a number of consequential metrics, concludes RMB. Recovery spurred on by the formation of the 2024 Government of National Unity (GNU) has seen renewed investor optimism. However, it’s going to take time for genuine reform to make a meaningful impact.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF OUR LONG-TERM ECONOMIC PROSPECTS?

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Self-proclaimed pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie and dozens of other suspects pleaded not guilty in January to multiple counts of manslaughter, one of several cases against them over what is known as the “Shakahola Forest Massacre”.

Mackenzie appeared in a magistrate’s court in the Indian Ocean port city of Mombasa along with more than 90 other suspects, prosecutors and court officials said.

“There has never been a manslaughter case like this in Kenya,” prosecutor Alexander Jami Yamina told AFP, adding that they will be charged under a Kenyan law dealing with suicide pacts.

“This is going to be a very unique manslaughter case.”

Pastor Mackenzie is alleged to have incited his followers to starve to death in order to “meet Jesus” in a case that provoked horror in Kenya and across the world.

He was arrested in April last year after several bodies were first discovered in the remote Shakahola forest that lies inland from the Indian Ocean town of Malindi.

Rescuers spent many months searching the scrubland and have now unearthed around 448 bodies from mass graves.

Autopsies revealed that the majority of victims had died of hunger. But others, including children, appeared to have been strangled, beaten or suffocated.

Previous court documents also said that some of the bodies had their organs removed.

Some bodies released to families in Kenya

At least 420 witnesses have been prepared by the prosecutors, with the hearing scheduled to run for four days until Thursday.

“Due to the gravity of the case, we have prepared well,” Yamina said.

Some of the witnesses will present testimonies in camera.

The suspects, 55 men and 40 women, went on trial last month on charges of terrorism over the Shakahola massacre, and also face separate cases of murder and child torture and cruelty relating to the deaths, which prosecutors say occurred over the years 2020 to 2023.

In March this year, the authorities began releasing some victims’ bodies to distraught relatives after months of painstaking work to identify them using DNA. So far 34 have been returned.

Pastor Mackenzie had set up his Good News International Church in 2003, but said he closed it in 2019 and moved to Shakahola to prepare for what he had predicted would be the end of the world in August last year.

The grisly case led the government to flag the need for tighter control of fringe denominations, while questions have been raised about how Mackenzie managed to evade law enforcement despite a history of extremism and previous legal cases.

A commission set up by President William Ruto to investigate the deaths and review regulations governing religious bodies presented its report last month, urging for a hybrid model of self-regulation and government oversight.

Separate reports by the Kenyan senate and a state-funded human rights watchdog have said the authorities could have prevented the deaths.

Efforts to regulate religion in the majority-Christian country have often been fiercely opposed in the past as attempts to undermine constitutional guarantees for the division of church and state.

© Agence France-Presse

Back in the day, grey import cars in South Africa represented a range of exotic performance cars. These hailed mostly from the Japan Domestic Market (think JDMs like the Nissan Skyline GT-R, Mazda RX-7 and Mitsubishi Lancer Evo) and people actively brought them into the country because there was no authorised distributor. Nowadays, grey imports are much less glamorous. Drive through Ceres in the Western Cape, for example, and you’ll see so many Lesotho-plated Honda Jazzes you’ll lose count after a while.

GREY IMPORTS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Sadly, the grey import cars in South Africa every is raving about are not stunning JDMS like the one pictured above, but rather everyday commodity cars peddled by dubious dealers, reports TopAuto. As a result, if you’re in the market for a cheap second-hand car and you come across a deal that sounds too good to be true, it might be because it’s a grey import. Therefore, here’s a quick checklist on how to spot one in South Africa:

• If it’s too good to be true. Suspiciously low prices well below the market average usually give away grey import cars in South Africa.
• Uncommon models. Cars imported and sold in the rest of Africa differ slightly. One such example is a Mazda2 being called a Demio in other markets. Be cautious of uncommon looking and sounding models, even if they seem familiar.
• Microdot verification. All cars sold in South Africa come with microdot certificate. Ask for verification to confirm it’s not one of the grey import cars in South Africa.
• Check Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and registration papers. Ensure these all match up and no documentation looks like it’s been tampered with.

WHAT’S SO RISKY ABOUT GREY IMPORTS?

As mentioned earlier, it’s not strictly illegal to own any grey import cars in South Africa. However, there are numerous dangers. Especially if an unsuspecting person purchased it without full knowledge of its import status:

• Being in possession of a grey import could see you receive a hefty fine.
• The car could be impounded.
• In extreme scenarios, you may be criminally charged.
• If you’re involved in an accident with another road user, you will face liability issues.
• You could face jail time for knowingly driving an illegal car on South African roads.
• No insurance company will cover you against theft or accident damage.

THEY’RE COSTING THE COUNTRY BILLIONS

Recently, NAAMSA estimated there were as many as 1-million grey imports on the roads in Mzansi. Used cars cannot be imported into the country for sale. However, they are allowed to be brought in for export to a neighbouring country. And this is the policy that’s being exploited by nefarious traders.

Similarly, countries adjacent to South Africa, like Botswana, Swaziland and Lesotho, often simply drive vehicles across the border. They say they’re visiting for holiday or business purposes and just leave the vehicles behind. It’s anticipated that grey import cars in South Africa cost authorities billions a year in lost licencing fees.

WOULD YOU BUY A CHEAP GREY IMPORT?

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AIRPORT LOUNGES

Airport lounges are a significant component of air travel, offering travellers a respite from crowded terminals and a little comfort before boarding a flight.

The rise in the use of airport lounges is indeed due to several factors, including the increasing affluence of the middle class in emerging markets and a rising demand for premium travel experiences worldwide.

THE AFRICAN CONTINENT

Airport lounges in Africa are gaining in prominence, according to Business Insider.

In fact, there is an increasing number of high-quality lounges across the continent, enhancing travel experiences in Africa.

That said, six of the best airport lounges in Africa are in South Africa.

ACCOLADES FOR SOUTH AFRICA

While South Africa did not clinch the number one or number two spot on the continent, six of the country’s airport lounges are indeed listed among the top ten in Africa.

This list is courtesy of data provided by Skytrax. Skytrax is an international organisation that rates airlines and airports based on product and service standards.

The top eight airport lounges in Africa are as follows :

1^st Place: Amédée Maingard Lounge at Mauritius SSR Airport

2^nd Place: Royal Air Maroc Le Zenith Lounge at Casablanca Airport

3rd Place: Arrivals Lounge, O.R. Tambo International Airport

4th Place: Domestic Lounge, Cape Town International Airport

5th Place: Domestic Lounge, King Shaka International Airport

6th Place: Domestic Lounge, O.R. Tambo International Airport

7th Place: International Business Class Lounge, O.R. Tambo International Airport

8th Place: International Platinum Lounge, O.R. Tambo International Airport

SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS

Most of the best African lounges listed in the Skytrax ratings are indeed operated by South Africa’s national airline, South African Airways.

The airline offers airport lounge access to passengers in premium classes as well as those who are members of its loyalty programme SAA Voyager.

GROWTH IN AIRPORT LOUNGE MARKET

Airport lounges are key to increasing passenger comfort as well as brand loyalty when members are allowed to access airport lounges.

According to Mordor Intelligence, the global airport lounges market is in fact projected to expand from USD 4.21 billion in 2024 to USD 9.44 billion by 2029, growing at a robust CAGR of 17.52% during this period.

What do you think of South Africa’s airport lounges?

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The cost of obtaining Zimbabwe passports in South Africa is nearly eight times more than that of SA passports.

ZIMBABWE’S COSTLY PASSPORT

Zimbabwe’s consulate in Johannesburg said that from 29 July all passport applications will be handled as express applications. These will cost USD 250 (R 4 600), instead of USD 170 (R 3130).

By comparison, the cost of an ordinary South African passport (a 32-page document) is currently R 600.  South Africans are fortunate that SA passports do not cost the earth.

INCREASED ZIMBABWE PASSPORT FEE

The Zimbabwe Consulate in Johannesburg said that Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage has directed that all e-Passports applications that are processed at the Consulate in Johannesburg should be handled as express or emergency passport applications (in terms of Statutory Instrument 1 of 2024).

This therefore means that passport application fees for an express/emergency passport shall apply.

The fee is set at USD 250 (charged at the prevailing USD/ZAR exchange rate) with effect from 29 July 2024.

ORDINARY PASSPORT COSTS

The price of an ordinary Zimbabwe passport has increased significantly. This puts renewed passports out of reach for most Zimbabweans, especially those living in South Africa, earning South African Rands.

The new fee is excessive and thus makes legal documentation extremely expensive for expat communities.

According to Groundup, a Zimbabwean informal trader living in Gqeberha said, “We are suffering in foreign countries because of their (Zimbabwe’s) mismanagement of our country and they now milk us dry like this.”

PETITION AGAINST COSTLY ZIMBABWE PASSPORT FEE

The Zimbabwean community in South Africa can ill afford the price of a new passport.

Times Live reports that a petition launched on July 30 asking for a reprieve in price, from USD 170 to USD 250, has already gathered almost  1 300 signatures.

The petition asks for Zimbabwean authorities to indeed review the fees. As stated in the petition, “This fee is far beyond what many Zimbabwean nationals in South Africa can afford, considering the average earnings of our community.”  

REACTION FROM ZIMBABWEANS

A group of Zimbabweans living in SA marched to Zimbabwe’s Embassy in Tshwane on Tuesday calling for a fee reduction.

The group was joined by some EFF members, as reported by The Citizen. The group claims that the steep increase deprives Zimbabweans of essential legal documentation.

The petition also claims, “It’s an overwhelming burden that prevents us from securing our legal documents which are part and parcel of our fundamental human rights.

Many individuals think that by being born in South Africa, a child is automatically entitled to South African citizenship.

BEING BORN IN A COUNTRY

However, this is not the case. Merely being born in a country does not entitle an individual to nationality of the country concerned.

If this was the case, it would be highly likely that people would be travelling to all sorts of places they like to give birth to children so that the child may claim the nationality of those countries.

CONFUSION REGARDING SOUTH AFRICAN CITIZENSHIP

A number of individuals are not aware of the proper requirements and believe that South African nationality can easily be acquired.

According to IOL, Home Affairs Deputy Minister Njabulo Nzuza has clarified this matter, explaining that children born in South Africa, with neither parent being South African, do not automatically acquire South African citizenship.

DEPENDENT ON NATIONALITY OF PARENTS

For a child to obtain citizenship by birth in South Africa, one of its parents must be a South African citizen at the time of the child’s birth.

The parents may have legitimately claimed nationality through being naturalised or by becoming a permanent resident of South Africa.

BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP

However, there are several countries where all children born in that respective country are conferred citizenship at birth.

Birthright citizenship or “jus soli” is a policy whereby a child is granted citizenship by the country they are born in.

According to VividMaps, a number of countries, including Argentina, Canada and the United States offer birthright citizenship.

The United States has recognized birthright citizenship, or “jus soli” since the passing of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868.

ANCHOR BABIES

Critics of birthright citizenship say it encourages immigrants to travel a country and have so-called “anchor babies.”

This is true for many countries. Women might fly to places like the United States or Canada to give birth to children.

This is so that their children are entitled to the nationality of another country, regardless of the parent’s nationality.

SOUTH AFRICAN CITIZENSHIP

Nationals from other other countries might come to South Africa to have babies here.

This is because medical services in South Africa are often better than those in many other states.

They might desire acquiring South African citizenship for babies since South Africa has a relatively powerful African passport.

However, this is not possible under current legal frameworks.

De facto leader since the end of the 1994 genocide and president since 2000, Kagame scored 99.15% of the vote, the National Election Commission announced after 79% of ballots had been counted.

It tops the 98.79% Kagame won in the last election in 2017 and puts him streets ahead of the only two candidates authorised to run against him.

Democratic Green Party candidate Frank Habineza scraped 0.53% of the vote and independent Philippe Mpayimana 0.32%.

The outcome of Monday’s poll was never in doubt, with Kagame’s regime accused of muzzling the media and political opposition, and several prominent critics barred from the race.

Soon after the partial results were announced, giving Kagame a fourth term, he thanked Rwandans in an address from the headquarters of his ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF).

“The results that have been presented indicate a very high score, these are not just figures, even if it was 100%, these are not just numbers,” he said.

“These figures show the trust, and that is what is most important,” he added. “I am hopeful that together we can solve all problems.”

Full provisional results are due by July 20 and definitive results by July 27.

With 65% of the population aged under 30, Kagame is the only leader most Rwandans have ever known.

The 66-year-old is credited with rebuilding a traumatised nation after the genocide but he is also accused of ruling in a climate of fear at home, and fomenting instability in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.

‘Big margin’

Over nine million Rwandans — about two million first-time voters —  were registered to cast their ballot, with the presidential race being held at the same time as legislative elections for the first time.

“(Kagame) gives us everything we ask him, such as health insurance. This is why he wins by a big margin,” said 34-year-old mechanic Francois Rwabakina.

Kagame won with more than 93% of the vote in 2003, 2010 and in 2017, when he again easily defeated the same two challengers.

He has overseen controversial constitutional amendments that shortened presidential terms from seven to five years and reset the clock for the Rwandan leader, allowing him to potentially rule until 2034.

Rwandan courts had rejected appeals from prominent opposition figures Bernard Ntaganda and Victoire Ingabire to remove previous convictions that effectively disqualified them from Monday’s vote.

The election commission also barred high-profile Kagame critic Diane Rwigara, citing issues with her paperwork — the second time she was excluded from running.

Well-oiled PR machine secures victory for Paul Kagame

The imbalance between the candidates was evident during the three-week campaign, as the well-oiled PR machine of the ruling RPF swung into high gear.

The party’s red, white and blue colours and its slogans “Tora Kagame Paul” (“Vote Paul Kagame”) and “PK24” “Paul Kagame 2024”) were everywhere.

His rivals struggled to make their voices heard, with barely 100 people showing up to some events.

Despite the lacklustre turnout at his rallies, Habineza hailed the “free and fair atmosphere”.

“This is a very good show of the level of growth in democracy in our country. We have been able to campaign (across) the whole country,” he told AFP.

Kagame’s RPF militia is lauded for ending the 1994 genocide when it marched on Kigali — ousting the Hutu extremists who had unleashed 100 days of bloodletting targeting the Tutsi minority.

The perpetrators killed around 800,000 people, mainly Tutsis but also Hutu moderates.

Kagame has overseen a remarkable economic recovery, with GDP growing by an average of 7.2% per year between 2012 and 2022, although the World Bank says almost half the population lives on less than $2.15 a day.

Ahead of the vote, Amnesty International said Rwanda’s political opposition faced “severe restrictions… as well as threats, arbitrary detention, prosecution, trumped-up charges, killings and enforced disappearances”.

Abroad, Kigali is accused of meddling in the troubled eastern DRC, where a UN report says its troops are fighting alongside M23 rebels.

Kigali was also accused of killing tens of thousands of Hutus in the DRC during its pursuit of fleeing genocide perpetrators.

Discussion of these alleged massacres remains taboo and is considered genocide “revisionism” in Rwanda.

In the parliamentary election, 589 candidates were chasing 80 seats, including 53 elected by universal suffrage. In the outgoing assembly, the RPF held 40 seats and its allies 11, while Habineza’s party had two.

Another 27 spots are reserved for women, the youth and people with disabilities.

© Agence France-Presse

In May Botswana’s neighbour, Namibia, said it will place visa restrictions on numerous nations. Will Botswana follow this route?

IRELAND ENDS VISA-FREE ENTRY FOR BOTSWANA

On 8 July, Ireland announced that two nations, Botswana (and South Africa), had abruptly been removed from its list of nations enjoying visa-free entry status.

The Journal states that Botswana passport holders are now subject to visa requirements. The restriction comes into place on Wednesday 10 July.

Ireland’s Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee also said that transit visas will also be required. This is if Botswana passport holders intend to transit through Ireland to reach other destinations.

Transitional arrangements will now be put in place for nationals of Botswana who have existing arrangements to travel to the State until 9 August. 

REASONS FOR IMPOSITION OF IRELAND’S VISA RESTRICTION

The scrapping of visa-free travel for Botswana nationals comes due to alleged abuse of the arrangement by individuals entering Ireland seeking protection. 

The Irish Times says the decision was made due to what the Irish Department of Justice has described as “a significant number of international protection applications” being received from nationals of Botswana and South Africa.

Furthermore, Ireland claims that the introduction of the visa requirement is aimed at bringing Ireland in closer alignment with the entry requirements for the Schengen Area and the United Kingdom.

Unlike South African nationals, Botswana passport holders do not require visas for entry to the United Kingdom. However, they do require visas for visits to the Schengen Area.

WARNING TO SOUTH AFRICA

Ireland warned that it would be reviewing visa-free entry for South African passport holders in April this year.

This was in light of the number of individuals carrying South African passports turning up in Ireland, to seek asylum.   

RESPONSE TO IRELAND’S VISA RESTRICTIONS

The decision to impose visa restrictions on South Africa has evoked a strong response from South Africans.

Parliament’s media liaison officer, Chrispin Phiri, has said that South Africa is addressing concerns with Ireland.

IMPOSING VISA RESTRICTIONS

It remains to be seen how Botswana will respond to Ireland’s visa restrictions since its visa-free entry status has abruptly been terminated.

Botswana’s neighbour, Namibia announced in May that it would implement visa restrictions for countries that require visas for its citizens.

Namibia is currently removing visa-free entry arrangements for over 30 nationalities in a move to improve parity and justice.

Ireland is listed as one of the countries that will require visas for entry to Namibia.   

Should Botswana place visa restrictions on Ireland?

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Travellers in both South Africa and Botswana will soon have a new direct route to look forward, as Air Botswana recently announced a major route network expansion between the two countries.

As per travel news, the airline announced it will be adding as well as reinstating destinations into its network, connecting Botswana to more destinations in neighbouring countries, including South Africa.

The new routes will include flights from Kasane to Cape Town, from Maun to Cape Town, from Kasane to Kruger (KMIA) and from Kasane to Windhoek.

This is according to Mogolo Mokgosi, Sales and Marketing Manager for Air Botswana, who also said that the new fares were designed to stimulate demand, increase sales and provide affordable air travel, particularly within the specified new markets.

Besides Maun and Kasane, Gaborone will also see new connections with Durban, South Africa and Windhoek, Namibia.

The airline also revealed that it had recently taken delivery of three Embraer aircraft in June, with Air Botswana CEO Lulu Rasebotsa saying that, with Air Botswana’s expansion plans, it is likely that it will need to purchase a fourth aircraft soon.

“The airline views the acquisition of the Embraer jets and the expansion of routes as crucial steps towards achieving financial stability and operational efficiency,” Rasebotsa said.

RETURNING ROUTES

Apart from the new routes, Air Botswana also announced the reinstatement of routes that were placed on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline’s flights connecting Kasane and Johannesburg, Maun to Johannesburg and Francistown to Johannesburg will soon be available as well.

No flight schedule is available just yet.

COMPETITION

Last year FlyCemAir also announced that it will be offering a new flight service to Kasane, Botswana. This new service will make it the official second service that the airline offers to the nation of Botswana, with the first being to Maun.

The new flights started from 16 September, and operate non-stop, twice weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and Kasane International Airport.

LIFT Airline has walked away with their first-ever Skytrax award, winning ‘Best Low-Cost Airline in Africa’ for 2024 at the Skytrax World Airline Awards on 24 June.

The World Airline Awards, which occurs annually, are determined through a customer satisfaction survey conducted by Skytrax. At this year’s awards, LIFT was chosen as the recipient of the Best Low-Cost Airline in Africa award, beating out previous winner, FlySafair.

Jonathan Ayache, LIFT CEO said that they were thrilled to receive their first-ever Skytrax Award.

“Winning the Best Low Cost Airline in Africa is a huge feat for our domestic airline that has been around for just shy of four years. This is a testament to the amazing service our team provides, but also serves as recognition of the broader business model. We are clearly making a mark by providing travellers with our elevated experience and industry leading flexibility. Thank you to our amazing travellers for this vote of confidence” Ayache said.

‘BEST NEW AIRLINE BRAND’ TOO

Earlier this year, LIFT also bagged the title of ‘Best New Airline Brand’ in South Africa by Global Brands Magazine (GBM).

The global accolade recognises an airline’s commitment to excellence and innovation in the aviation industry. GBM conducts the prestigious awards annually to celebrate companies that set themselves apart with incredible service and a unique vision.

“LIFT’s achievement in securing this award is a testament to our exceptional team and the world-class service they offer within our dynamic airline industry. We’re extremely proud to win awards as a newcomer to the industry, being recognised for the elevated experience we’re providing,” LIFT CEO, Jonathan Ayache said.

“We are honoured to receive the ‘Best New Airline Brand, South Africa’ award from Global Brands Magazine. This global recognition will fuel our passion and motivate us to continue to provide an exceptional flying experience that goes beyond expectations,” Ayache added.

South African troops have been deployed in the DRC as part of a Southern African Development Community force helping the government put down a rebellion.

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) said one of its bases was hit by a “mortar attack” on Tuesday.

It occurred in Sake, a town 25 kilometres (14 miles) west of Goma in restive North Kivu province.

“Four members who were critically injured have been hospitalised, whilst the rest who suffered minor injuries are expected to be discharged soon,” the army said in a statement.

South Africa began deploying 2,900 soldiers in eastern DRC in mid-December.

South African soldiers helping fight against M23 rebels

They were sent as part of a southern Africa regional force alongside soldiers from Tanzania and Malawi, tasked with helping DRC government forces fight M23 rebels.

One South African soldier was killed in the region in May and another two in February.

The east of the DRC has been plagued by 30 years of violence by armed groups.

“Families of the two members who lost their lives have been informed and all procedures to bring their mortal remains are in process,” the army said.

Targeted by insurance scammers

In other news involving “death” benefits of South African soldiers, it was reported on Tuesday that some personnel deployed to the DRC are being swindled by insurance scammers, “unknowingly paying premiums for insurance policies that allow unscrupulous scammers to profit from their deaths”.

A report by defenceWeb says these beneficiaries, who stand to benefit upon the deaths of some South African soldiers, are unknown.

And now there is an investigation into the military and three insurance firms

© Agence France-Presse

The high court in the capital, Windhoek, declared the crimes of “sodomy” and “unnatural sexual offences” as “unconstitutional and invalid” in a ruling hailed by LGBTQ rights groups.

“We are not persuaded that in a democratic society such as ours… it is reasonably justifiable to make an activity criminal just because a segment, maybe a majority, of the citizenry consider it to be unacceptable,” the judges wrote.

Namibia gained independence from South Africa in 1990

The judgement overturns rarely enforced laws dating back to 1927, which Namibia inherited from the colonial era but maintained after gaining independence from South Africa in 1990.

“Because of this decision, I no longer feel like a criminal on the run in my own country simply because of who I am,” said Friedel Dausab, the activist who brought the case.

London-based Human Dignity Trust called the ruling “historic”.

“LGBT Namibians can now look to a brighter future,” said its chief executive, Tea Braun.

‘Significant victory for equality and human rights’

The verdict comes against a backdrop of growing intolerance towards LGBTQ rights in southern Africa.

While a handful of African countries have legalised same-sex relationships, South Africa remains the sole African nation which allows gay marriage, legalised in 2006.

The United Nations AIDS program, UNAIDS, said the ruling marked a “significant victory for equality and human rights”.

“This decision… is a powerful step towards a more inclusive Namibia,” said Anne Githuku-Shongwe, UNAIDS regional director for East and Southern Africa.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

The currency stands at 13.31 per US dollar, according to data published on the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s website on Monday, 3 June.

By comparison, the South African rand was trading at R18.56/$ at 07:20 on Tuesday, 4 June.

According to the Bloomberg website, the ZiG, short for Zimbabwe Gold, was introduced earlier this year.

It was Zimbabwe’s sixth attempt to resuscitate the local currency.

Its predecessor, the Zimbabwe dollar, lost value every single trading day of this year before being abandoned on April 5.

As reported by The South African website, the ZiG will be “fully anchored and fully backed” by a basket of reserves comprising foreign currency and precious metals – mainly gold, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mushayavanhu said.

The move was aimed at fostering “simplicity, certainty, (and) predictability” in Zimbabwe’s financial affairs, he added, presenting the new banknotes that will come in seven denominations ranging from 1 to 200 ZiG.

ZIMBABWEAN DOLLAR LOST ALMOST 100% OF ITS VALUE AGAINST THE US DOLLAR

The Zimbabwean dollar has lost almost 100 percent of its value against the US greenback over the past year.

Last Friday, it was officially trading at around 30 000 against its more coveted US counterpart – and at 40 000 on the black market, according to tracker Zim Price Check.

Its poor performance contributed to the southern African country’s high inflation rate, which, after climbing well into the triple digits last year, was at 55 percent in March, according to official data.

This has piled pressure on its 16 million people who are already contending with widespread poverty, high unemployment and a severe drought induced by the El Nino weather pattern.

Meanwhile, as reported by The South African website, South Africa’s water and sanitation minister signed a memorandum with his Zimbabwe counterpart for the transfer of treated water.

SOUTHERN AFRICAN MULTI-COUNTRY VISA

The new multi-country visa, similar to Europe’s Schengen Visa, allows entry to various countries in Southern Africa.

According to Travelobitz, this will ease cross-border trips for travellers visiting various countries in the region.

Thus, the new uni-visa aims to boost tourism by simplifying travel across Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

KAZA UNIVISA

Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe – member states of the Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area, will introduce the expanded universe.

The new regional visa will allow entry to five countries. Initially, the visa granted entry to only two countries, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The expansion, to include Angola, Botswana, and Namibia, aims to increase tourist numbers and streamline travel within the region.

DRIVING TOURISM AND GROWTH

This unified visa is expected to enable seamless cross-border travel, attract more visitors and enhance the region’s appeal as a top travel destination.

Moreover, this initiative is expected to increase economic growth and strengthen regional cooperation in tourism.

EXTENSION OF KAZA VISA

During a recent summit in Livingstone, Zambia, KAZA leaders agreed to extend the uni-visa’s coverage to additional countries within both the conservation area and the larger Southern African economic community.

Botswana’s Vice President, Slumber Tsogwane, confirmed his country’s commitment to fully adopt the Southern African multi-country visa.

LIFTING BAN ON IVORY TRADE

Furthermore, Travel and Tour World reports that the KAZA member states are pushing for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to lift its ban on elephant and ivory trading.

CITES, established to regulate and restrict wildlife trade to prevent overexploitation, imposed a ban on the commercial trade of African elephant ivory in 1989 due to significant declines in elephant populations.

The KAZA countries state that lifting these restrictions would allow them to sell ivory stocks valued at approximately $1 billion (R19 billion). The proceeds would be dedicated to conservation efforts.

SCHENGEN VISA

The KAZA univisa is similar to Europe’s Schengen Visa, which provides entry to many states in Europe.

The Schengen Area consists of 29 European countries that have abolished their internal borders to allow free and unrestricted movement of people.

Thus, it covers a vast area of 4,718,084 km2 and is home to over 448 million citizens.

Most European Union (EU) countries are within the Schengen Area, except Ireland and Cyprus. Two EU states, Romania and Bulgaria, joined the Schengen Area in March this year.

Additionally, several non-EU countries, such as Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and Lichtenstein, are members despite their non-EU status.

South African troops have been deployed in the country as part of a Southern African Development Community (SADC) force helping the government put down a rebellion.

There have been several clashes between the force and the M23, the latest on Thursday at Sake, a town 25 kilometres (14 miles) west of Goma in restive North Kivu province.

The SANDF headquarters, said a “battle ensued between M23 and our forces” in which “13 members were injured and one was fatally wounded”.

“All the injured [SANDF] members were evacuated to Goma Hospital and are recuperating. Meanwhile two armoured personnel carriers were damaged during the engagement,” it said.

Members were killed in early 2024

Two South African soldiers were killed by mortar fire in February, the first soldiers to perish since the country deployed troops to the region in December.

Three Tanzanian soldiers, also part of the SADC force, were killed in April by mortars.

The March 23 Movement resumed its armed campaign in eastern DRC at the end of 2021, seizing swathes of territory in war-torn but mineral-rich North Kivu.

The Congolese army has tried to repel the rebel group, which has almost entirely encircled Goma, the provincial capital, where hundreds of thousands of displaced people have sought shelter.

The FARDC launched an offensive some 10 days ago in North Kivu in a bid to re-capture areas occupied by the M23.

M23 makes gains

Over the last few days the M23 has progressed towards the strategic town of Kanyabayonga, home to more than 60,000 people.

The fighting, which took place on Thursday about five kms (three miles) south of Kanyabayonga, moved into the town on Friday, local sources said, adding that the rebels had been pushed back by government forces.

A bombing on Friday also killed several civilians in Sake, according to administrative and health sources.

The east of the DRC has seen 30 years of violence by armed groups, local or foreign.

© Agence France-Presse

In a statement on 24 May Namibia’s Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, said that Namibia’s cabinet had granted authorisation for the introduction of entry visa requirements to over 30 countries.

The proposal was submitted by Namibia’s home affairs minister Albert Kawana.

AFFECTED COUNTRIES 

Approximately 37 nations are set to face new visa requirements for entry to Namibia.

These include: Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong (SAR), Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau (SAR), Mauritius, Moldova, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Seychelles, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America and Uzbekistan.

IMPACTING TOURISM

Namibia could witness international tourism numbers fall when it imposes visa requirements for over 30 nationalities.

Moreover, the country will see some of its top tourism source markets removed from its visa exemption list.

Tourism Update says this list includes many of Namibia’s top international tourism source countries. These nations include Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The visa restrictions could impact Namibia’s tourist sector which has seen positive growth in post-pandemic times.

According to The Brief, the Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) says the country’s hospitality sector is worried and disappointed with the initiative.

“This announcement comes as a huge disappointment to HAN and a large part of the tourism sector,” HAN chief executive Gitta Paetzold said.

BARRIERS TO ENTRY

The move may not be wise considering a trend among many countries to ease entry restrictions for tourists.

Several countries including Kenya, Malawi and Rwanda have eased entry by removing visa restrictions for many nationalities.

As a result, this increases tourist flows and ultimately boosts local tourist economies.

REASONS FOR NAMIBIA IMPOSING RESTRICTIONS

Namibia has decided to take a stand against countries that do not reciprocate unrestricted entry for its nationals.

According to the Namibian, Namibia currently grants visa exemptions to around 55 countries. However, only 18 of these reciprocate the arrangement to Namibian nationals.

Furthermore, Namibia says that this is not a tit-for-tat response but an effort to ensure parity and fairness.

“In recent years, the Republic of Namibia has extended gestures of goodwill and favourable treatment to nationals of various countries. However, despite these efforts, certain nations have not reciprocated. In light of these disparities, the government has deemed it necessary to implement a visa requirement to ensure parity and fairness in diplomatic interactions,” the statement reads.

REVOKING VISA-FREE STATUS

The ministry said the date of implementation and procedures for the issuing of visas for travellers from the affected countries would be communicated through diplomatic channels.

Thus, citizens from over 30 countries will no longer enjoy visa-free access to Namibia. Unless of course, their governments agree to reciprocate visa exemption agreements.

Countries with reciprocal visa arrangements, such as Angola, Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe, will not be affected by the upcoming changes.

The couple arrived Friday in the Nigerian capital Abuja where they visited a school to open an event on mental health for students there.

Prince Harry earlier visited London

Greeted by a drum and dance group from the Igbo ethnic group, Prince Harry and Meghan toured the Lightway Academy where they were welcomed by pupils.

“If you take anything away from today, just know that mental health affects every single person,” he told students, wearing a traditional Nigerian bead necklace around his neck.

“The more you talk about it the more you can kick stigma away.”

Meghan joined the Duke of Sussex on the stage before they left for a meeting with Nigerian military commanders as part of the Invictus programme.

“It was really cool. I just wanted to touch him,” said student Nnena Edeh, 13, as the prince left the school.

“It was really inspiring.”

Prince Harry was in London on Wednesday to mark the 10th anniversary of the games.

As with all his trips to the UK since he moved to the United States in 2020, his visit prompted fresh speculation over a reconciliation with his family.

Harry, a former army captain who served as a helicopter pilot in Afghanistan, founded Invictus in 2014. Since then the games have expanded, boosting rehabilitation through sports.

Heavily armed criminal gangs

Last year, former Nigerian soldier Peacemaker Azuegbulam, who lost his leg in combat, became the first African to win a gold at the games in Germany.

Nigeria’s military said on Thursday that Harry would take part in a sporting event in the capital and also travel to Kaduna in Nigeria’s northwest to visit a military hospital and speak with troops wounded in combat.

He would later travel to the country’s economic capital Lagos.

Nigeria’s military forces are battling armed groups on several fronts.

A grinding jihadist insurgency in the country’s northeast has killed more than 40 000 people and displaced another 2 million more since 2009.

In northwestern and central states, heavily armed criminal gangs known locally as bandits carry out mass kidnappings for ransom and raid villages from camps hidden deep in remote forests.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

Bearded Vulture numbers in the wild have sharply declined in recent times and these beautiful and ecologically vital birds are listed as regionally endangered.

African Raptor Centre fight to maintain Bearded Vulture numbers

There are estimated to be just 100 breeding pairs and a total population of only 320 birds left in the wild.

That is where the African Raptor Centre come in. Their Bird Sanctuary puts on regular flying shows at their facility just outside Pietermaritzburg showcasing the beauty of many species of raptor found in South Africa and uses the money raised from modest entry fees to fund a breeding programme beset by enormous challenges.

The birds are threatened by human development in multiple ways.

“Bearded Vultures are threatened by multiple factors,” say the African Raptor centre. 

“They collide with, or get electrocuted by power-lines. 

“They get poisoned when ingesting poisoned bait that is put out by farmers for jackal. 

“Their body parts are also used in the traditional muthi industry and, as if this is not enough, the latest threat looming is the proposal of wind farms in the high mountain areas of Lesotho. These massive turbines, while providing a quick and renewable form of energy, have proved lethal to flying birds utilizing the same wind corridors. The construction of one such wind farm, made up of 200 turbines, is planned for in the very core of the Bearded Vultures’ home range. KZN Wildlife ecologists predict that if they go ahead with the proposed development, the Bearded Vulture will be gone from our skies in 14 years.”

A vital cog in our ecosystem

The various species of vulture play an integral part in our ecosystem, acting as the ‘garbage disposal’ of the animal kingdom. Their highly acidic stomachs mean they are able to consume carcasses infected with diseases such as rabies without spreading the disease or coming to harm in any way.

Birds like the Bearded and Cape Vultures have begun to increasingly fall victim to poachers who kill the birds to prevent them from circling above a kill and alerting Park Rangers and farmers to the death of an animal.

“Many of the factors threatening Bearded Vultures today are human induced and in order for this species to survive, implemented education and public awareness objectives must lead to attitude and behaviour change. 

“A project goal therefore, is to create a general public that was not only informed about Bearded Vultures, but appreciative enough of the species to want to take active part in their custodianship. While this may be an extremely challenging aspiration, the iconic nature of the bearded vulture and its unique characteristics make it certainly worthy of the attempt.

“The only Bearded Vulture currently in captivity in the southern hemisphere is a non-releasable female based at the African Bird of Prey Sanctuary. Confiscated from a sangoma, she is not able to fly and so will spear-head this awareness campaign and later join a captive breeding program.

“The establishment of a captive breeding program will create a genetic reservoir to supplement dwindling wild populations and to safeguard against species extinction. This pro-active approach has been successfully accomplished in Europe with the northern Bearded Vultures. Project success rate should, therefore be high, as we would be replicating and building on established conservation breeding methods.”

Bearded vultures breed in winter and, while they lay two eggs, only a single chick is raised with the younger usually eaten by the older stronger offspring. The birds nest in potholes in mountainsides and getting to the nests proves difficult and expensive, but harvesting these second eggs is the key to ensuring the birds endure beyond our generation. 

“We propose that some of these biologically redundant second eggs be carefully harvested and the chicks be raised by surrogate European parent birds at the Sanctuary. A genetically-viable founder population of 20 captive birds will be created over the next five years. These youngsters will, in turn, be ready to breed at five or six years of age. This means that young vultures bred will be released into safe wild areas from the year 2018 onwards.”

How you can help save the Bearded Vulture

Funded only by gate receipts and a small grant from the Lotto fund the African Raptor Centre have encouraged concerned members of the public to support this initiative in whatever way they can, whether it be through donations or offering assistance on the egg harvesting expeditions.

“Please contact us if you wish to see the complete project plan and perhaps consider where you may be able to help; cash, your services or your product. 

“Maybe you can provide a couple of bags of cement, provide a load of sand or maybe you are moved to donate a lump sum. It will all be of help and appreciated. If we break this project up into pieces we can pull it off. Get involved. We all have different resources, networks and skills.”

For contact details visit africanraptor.co.za.

They are tasked with patrolling kilometres of wild terrain for smugglers ferrying across cigarettes, stolen cars and most of all, people.

Struggling in the polls ahead of the most competitive election in decades, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) has vowed to clamp down on illegal immigration amid rising xenophobia.

But outplayed by smugglers who fly drones to spy on unmanned crossings, border guards are fighting a losing battle, locals say.

Authorities tend to agree.

“Do we have the full manpower required? We don’t,” said Mike Masiapato, head of the recently established Border Management Authority (BMA), which works in tandem with the army.

Plunged in a perennial economic crisis, with high inflation and widespread poverty, Zimbabwe has long provided the largest influx of migrants to Africa’s most industrialised nation.

Nearly half of the about 2.4 million foreigners living in South Africa are Zimbabweans, according to the latest census.

Hostility towards them has increased in recent years, as South Africans tired of unwavering unemployment, inequality and dim economic prospects.

Politicians have fanned the flames, scapegoating foreigners for high crime and the breakdown of overstretched public services.

Most parties, including the ANC and the leading opposition, the Democratic Alliance, have pledged to secure the country’s borders in the run-up to the May 29 vote.

Some have made talking tough on immigration their main selling point.

One is led by a former Johannesburg mayor who recently described himself to AFP as a proud xenophobe. Another promises to build a border wall.

Xenophobia has “moved to the centre of national politics,” said Loren Landau, a migration expert at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.

Walking through

At risk of losing its outright parliamentary majority for the first time in 30 years, the ANC has sought to show it means business.

Once a flag-bearer for pan-Africanism, the government has greenlighted an overhaul of immigration laws that would bolster deportations and pull it out of some international refugee treaties.

And in October, President Cyril Ramaphosa launched the BMA, which rationalises work previously done by different departments.

Illegal migration exacerbated “the country’s social and economic problems”, he said, visiting the border town of Musina.

Curbing it is no easy feat.

Of South Africa’s six land borders, the 200km separating it from Zimbabwe are the most problematic, said the BMA’s Masiapato.

The border line runs along the Limpopo, which dries up in winter.

“When the river is dry, literally people walk through,” said Masiapato.

That leaves security forces playing a game of whack-a-mole with smugglers, he said.

Drones procured by the BMA are yet to be deployed.

Up to 18 000 people a day, including shoppers and daily workers, go through the disorderly border post of Beitbridge – the only official crossing point.

Around it, informal cross border trade has flourished.

Some traders use donkey-carts and small boats to traverse the river avoiding queues, questions and duties.

They bring over vegetables and other goods and take back items that can fetch a higher price in Zimbabwe.

‘Greener pastures’

Criminality is rife.

A barbed wire border fence set up in 2020 has been holed, torn apart and pillaged for scrap metal.

Locals advise against driving along the river unarmed.

Migrants say gangs lurking in the low vegetation prey on those crossing.

“Robbers are everywhere,” said Beloved, 36, a Zimbabwean migrant staying at a church-run shelter in a township near Musina.

The first time he crossed over a decade ago, he was stripped of all his belongings at gunpoint. His wife and other women were raped, he said.

Beloved has since been deported three times, only to return, once on the same day he was sent back.

“I come to South Africa in search of greener pastures,” he said, sitting under the shelter’s corrugated iron roof.

Dozens of others live there, sleeping on wooden planks as they wait for occasional work on farms or as contraband couriers hoping to send some money home or pay for a bus ride to Johannesburg.

“Everything is difficult. Our life is up and down,” said Beloved, who preferred not to give his full name.

The BMA said it prevented more than 281,000 people from “unlawfully entering” the country over the past year.

Yet, some locals in Musina say little has changed.

“Security forces are not as resourced as they should be,” said Conrad Young, a private security contractor.

Some farmers say they constantly check and repair fences cut by trespassers.

Others have learnt to live with it.

“I let them through. It’s not our responsibility. They don’t bother us, we don’t bother them,” said a farmer who did not want to be named.

“There is no border”.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

April’s lunar event was a spectacular sight. May and June 2024 have more moon upcoming moon events. Make sure you don’t miss.

There’s one every month, except for supermoons, which are lunar events that happen twice in the same month.

A lunar cycle takes about 28 days, but moons won’t happen on the exact same day every month.

Here are the expected full moon dates for May and June.

Full Moon: May

The next full moon happens in May.

You can see May’s lunar event in just a few weeks.

May’s lunar event is on 23 May, 2024.

It’s called the Flower Moon, and you can’t afford to miss seeing it. The Flower Moon signifies seasonal changes.

The Planting Moon is another name for it.

According to Astronomy.com, that’s May’s lunar event.

Full Moon: June

According to Time and Date, June’s full moon is on 21 June, 2024.

It’s called the Strawberry Moon, although other names include the Rose and Hot Moon. This is on account of lunar naming conventions, which names every month’s moon something different.

Thus, each month’s moon is easily identifiable.

You’ll want to see the June moon, however, don’t forget about July and August’s next.

Full Moon: July and August

July’s full moon is on 21 July, 2024.

Soon you can see the year’s seventh moon! Rather than missing the moon, set a reminder. You can set a reminder now so that you don’t forget.

August’s lunar event is on 19 August, 2024.

Set a reminder so that you don’t miss it!

Why moons are named

Every moon has a name.

Names make the moons easier to identify.

Rather than guessing, the moon’s name indicates the month. It significantly increases accuracy, and we’re all on the same page.

Instead of confusion, each moon has a clear name, like the Flower Moon or Blood Moon. Seasons and other natural events impact its names.

Send us your photographs and videos

We want to hear from you! Send us your moon photographs and videos. Get in touch with us at: info@thesouthafrican.com Tell us your thoughts and feelings, or show us what you’ve captured.

READ MORE ARTICLES BY FRANCOIS JANSEN (ALEX J. COYNE)

The election comes a week after the west African nation of Togo held a vote which could prolong the Gnassingbe dynasty, in power for over half a century.

Chad’s Deby Itno took over in April 2021 at the head of a military regime after his father, Idriss Deby Itno, who ruled with an iron fist, died while on his way to lead a battle against rebels.

The elder Deby was one of a group of African strongmen who have clung onto power for decades.

Here’s a look at the longest-serving of the continent’s current leaders:

Obiang: record-holder

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo holds the longevity record with nearly 45 years in power in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea.

Jimmy Carter was US president when Obiang came to power in a coup in August 1979 that saw him oust his uncle, who was then executed by firing squad.

In November 2022, at the age of 80, Obiang won a sixth term with an official 94.9 percent of the vote, over which the US voiced “serious doubts”.

He is believed to be preparing his son, Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, usually called Teodorin, to be his successor.

But the younger Obiang has made headlines internationally for all the wrong reasons.

France, Britain and the US have seized millions of dollars of assets, from mansions to luxury cars, that he is believed to have acquired illicitly.

Biya: four decades and counting

Cameroon has lived through more than 41 years of largely unchallenged and hardline rule under President Paul Biya.

The 91-year-old runs the country through a very small circle of aides, whom he appoints and banishes as he sees fit.

He has overseen a ruthless crackdown on dissent since his highly contested re-election in 2018.

Openly talking about succession is taboo but one of the names that has cropped up is that of his son Franck.

Sassou Nguesso: 40 years

In Congo-Brazzaville, Denis Sassou Nguesso, officially aged 80, has been in power for a combined 40 years.

The former paratrooper was president from 1979 to 1992, then returned to office in 1997 after a civil war and has dominated politics ever since.

The leader dubbed the “emperor” is widely expected to run for a fifth term in 2026.

Museveni: six terms

In Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, 79, has led his country for 38 years, since January 1986. He was re-elected in January 2021 for a sixth term after a contested campaign.

A Supreme Court ruling to abolish an age ceiling of 75 allowed him to stand once again and continue serving.

In March, he appointed his son Muhoozi Kainerugaba to head the defence forces, leading one opposition lawmaker to accuse Museveni of treating the country as his “personal enterprise”.

Mswati: king since his teens

Eswatini, the former Swaziland and Africa’s last remaining absolute monarchy, has been ruled by 56-year-old King Mswati III for 38 years.

He ascended to the throne in April 1986 aged just 18.

In 2021, dozens of people were killed in a crackdown on pro-democracy protests.

Afwerki: over 30 years

Isaias Afwerki, 78, has ruled the Horn of Africa nation of Eritrea with an iron fist since independence in May 1993.

Known as the North Korea of Africa, the country which has one of the world’s worst rights records, imposes indefinite military conscription that had led many young Eritrean men to flee abroad.

In 2022, the UN counted 501 677 refugees and 76 071 Eritrean asylum-seekers around the world, equivalent to around half the population of Eritrea’s capital Asmara.

Bookmark The South African website’s Elections 2024 hub for the latest news you need to know.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

Galp Energia’s stock price rose by almost 19 percent to €19.05 in morning trading in Lisbon.

The company said on Sunday that drilling carried out in January and March on the Mopane field found that the location could contain at least 10 billion barrels of oil.

Galp owns 80 percent of the field.

“Namibia could become a new source of income for Galp, which currently has significant investments off the coast of Brazil and is also involved in a natural gas project in the Rovuma basin in Mozambique,” it said in a statement.

Galp posted a record profit of €1 billion in 2023, up 14 percent from the previous year.

For more Namibia-related news, visit The South African website.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi have declared a national disaster over the severe dry spell that started in January and has devastated the agricultural sector, decimating crops and pastures.

Appealing for almost $900 million in aid this week, Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema linked the lack of rains to climate change.

But scientists at the World Weather Attribution (WWA)  research group found global warming had little to do with it.

‘Fuelled primarily by El Nino’

“Over the past year, attribution studies have shown that many extreme weather events have been driven by a combination of both climate change and El Nino,” said Joyce Kimutai, of Imperial College London.

“The southern Africa drought appears to be a rarer example of an event fuelled primarily by El Nino.”

In a study focusing on Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique, researchers analysed historical weather data for the period from December to February — the peak of the rainy season.

They found rainfall has actually increased in the region as the planet warms.

But effective precipitation has remained the same, likely because higher temperatures lead to more water evaporation, they said.

On the other hand, El Nino, a recurring natural weather phenomenon, brought fewer showers, increasing the likelihood of severe droughts, the data showed.

“Together, the results indicate that El Nino, rather than human-caused climate change, was the main driver of the southern Africa drought this year,” the group said.

El Nino corresponds to the large-scale warming of surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean.

It occurs on average every two to seven years, leading to hotter weather globally.

Episodes typically last nine to 12 months.

20 million people face hunger in Africa

The current El Nino emerged in mid-2023 and is expected to affect temperatures until May.

Earlier this month, aid agency Oxfam said more than 20 million people faced hunger and malnutrition across southern Africa because of the drought.

Water shortages, particularly in Zambia and Zimbabwe, have also fuelled outbreaks of cholera and other waterborne diseases, according to WWA.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

The Brit was aiming to become the first person to finish this epic journey, that covered a distance of over 16 000kms. Cook started at Cape Agulhus (the southern-most tip of Africa) and finshed at Tunisia’s most northerly point, Ras Angela.

In the process he raised more than £700 000 for charity (R16.4m).

‘Hardest Geezer’s’ claim disputed

Cook’s claim to be have been the first man to complete this feat however has been disputed by the World Runners Association (WRA).

In a press release issued on 2 April, the WRA recognised Danish national Jesper Kenn as being the first man to traverse Africa on foot, between 2008 – 2010.

“WRA recognises Mr. Jesper Kenn of Denmark as the first person to have run the length of Africa,” the statement read.

Unlike Cook, Olsen ran a north-south route, starting the Africa crossing from Tabia in Egypt and ran 12 792km to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.

“The WRA therefore contests the claim made by British national Mr. Russ Cook to be the first person to run the length of Africa.”

The statement from the WRA was amplified by fellow runner Tony Mangan on Facebook, who said that when he, Jesper and WRA tried to bring this error to Cook’s attention, they were “met with resistance and denial from his crew and supporters.”

“As runners, we should hold each other accountable and strive for honesty and integrity within our community,” Mangan said.

He also questioned Cook’s motives behind his claims, and cited possible reasons like “publicity and attention” and/ or sponsorship opportunities.

“In this situation, it’s not just about one runner claiming a world first … it’s about the impact it has on the running community as a whole,” Mangan added.

“By falsely claiming to be the first runner to complete this journey, Russ Cook is diminishing the achievements of Jesper and all other runners who have attempted or completed this incredible feat.”

Cook covers longer distance in a shorter space of time

Nonetheless, Cook could still hold onto the mantle of “Hardest Geezer” by managing to complete the journey in under a year, and covering a longer distance in a shorter space of time.

Cook faced many challenges, including a gunpoint robbery in Angola. He came in over 100 days behind his original goal despite running over a marathon every day.

Olsen on the other hand completed a 12 791km journey during his crossing, which took him 434 days.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES BY NICK PAWSON

Russ Cook’s epic endeavour has seen him live up to his “hardest geezer” nickname with health problems, visa issues and even an armed robbery to contend with on his over 16 000km journey.

The 27-year-old set off from South Africa’s most southerly point on April 22 last year.

By the time he crossed the finish line in northern Tunisia he took more than 19 million steps in 16 countries.

Cook’s efforts raised more than £550 000 for the Running Charity and for Sandblast, which raises awareness of the indigenous Saharawis of Western Sahara.

For the final leg of his run, the endurance athlete from Worthing in southern England was joined by supporters.

“Wanted to open up the last day of this project to anyone and everyone who has been watching and supporting,” he said on X, formerly Twitter.

“Come and run the last marathon, the last half, 10km, five kilometres, one kilometre. Whatever you fancy,” he added.

The end of the challenge will be celebrated with a party at a hotel in Bizerte, Africa’s northernmost city.

Russ Cook a ‘totally normal bloke’

It will feature a performance by rock band Soft Play, formerly known as Slaves.

“Can’t quite believe it but we’ve managed to pull off Soft Play playing the finish line party in Tunisia,” he said.

“Get your daiquiris ready girls & boys this is gonna be mega,” he added.

Before setting off last year Cook said his approach to life was to throw “everything and the kitchen sink” at it.

“I’m a totally normal bloke, so if I can do this, hopefully people can apply this to their own lives in whichever way they choose,” he said.

“For 99 percent of people, it’s not going to be running across Africa, but it might look like chasing their dreams a little bit more,” he added.

Last week he described the past year as “the toughest in my life but an immense honour”.

“We have met incredible people in every single country we’ve been to that have welcomed us with love & kindness. The human spirit is a beautiful thing,” he said.

Congratulations Russ Cook from The South African website.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

The ZiG – short for Zimbabwe Gold – will replace the Zimbabwean dollar which has tumbled in value over the past year pushing inflation through the roof, Reserve Bank governor John Mushayavanhu said.

“With effect from today… banks shall convert the current Zimbabwe dollar balances into the new currency,” he said presenting a monetary policy statement.

Zimbabwean dollar has lost almost 100% of its value against the US dollar

The ZiG would be “fully anchored and fully backed” by a basket of reserves comprising foreign currency and precious metals – mainly gold, he added.

The move aimed at fostering “simplicity, certainty, (and) predictability” in Zimbabwe’s financial affairs, he added, presenting the new banknotes that will come in seven denominations ranging from 1 to 200 ZiG.

The Zimbabwean dollar has lost almost 100 percent of its value against the US greenback over the past year.

On Friday it was officially trading at around 30 000 against its more coveted US counterpart – and at 40 000 on the black market, according to tracker Zim Price Check.

Its poor performance contributed to the southern African country’s high inflation rate, which after climbing well into the triple digits last year, was at 55 percent in March according to official data.

This has piled pressure on its 16 million people who are already contending with widespread poverty, high unemployment and a severe drought induced by the El Nino weather pattern.

Meanwhile, as reported by The South African website last month, South Africa’s Water and Sanitation Minister signed a memorandum with his Zimbabwe counterpart for the transfer of treated water.

This is a developing story …

Hardest Geezer is on his victory lap

For long portions of this arduous journey, success felt like an unrealistic, distant, virtually impossible prospect. 27-year-old Englishman Russ Cook has completed the equivalent of 376 marathons in 345 days across the vast, unforgiving African continent. He started the quest in South Africa’s Cape Agulhas South of Cape Town and will complete it in Bizerte, Tunisia. Words will never do ‘Project Africa’ any justice, such is the sheer insanity, scale and unprecedented nature of it. What went down between 22 April 2023 and 8 April 2024 in the life of Russell Cook will forever be etched in history books. Here’s a post he shared roughly two weeks ago, detailing some of the mind-boggling distances he’s covering on the daily:

Africa is no joke, but nobody ever said it was

Cook was 25 when he set out, relatively clean-shaven and fresh-faced; now he’s 27 with a woolly red beard that any Viking would be proud to sport. Having endured all sorts of opposition with visas, health scares, geopolitical challenges and an armed robbery, Cook and his team changed the route, extending it from 240 days to one which spans 351.

“Get your daiquiris ready girls and boys. This is going to be mega,” Mr Cook said, alluding to an after-party going down at the Northernmost tip of the continent. Those cocktails are going to hit differently, and all are welcome to partake.

Give this man a follow

Follow Russell Cook, aka @hardestgeezer on Instagram to try and grasp the enormity and sheer ridiculousness of this epic achievement. Human beings are capable of some absurd things. All told the man from Worthing in West Sussex can look back at a distance equating approximately 380 marathons (or 16,000km) in comfortably less than a year. He’s also raised £380,995 (R9 million) for charity and that number will spike as his record-breaking run reaches a stunning crescendo. How can we ever quantify these numbers?

By the way, have you gone for a run today?

MEANWHILE, CLICK TO READ MORE ARTICLES BY SPORTS FANATIC JAMES FREEMANTLE.

Also, follow The South African on X for up-to-the-minute news updates.

Have you ever wondered about its top-selling book?

South Africa has many great authors, and it has many fantastic books.

However, some have stayed on the top-seller list for years at a time.

Can you guess what our top book is?

Here’s a clue: it’s one of the most famous autobiographies. It was also made into a 2013 movie by the same name.

Here’s more about Amazon’s top-selling book.

Amazon: Registering a local retailer

Amazon launches in South Africa later this year.

Retailers can register using the website link. South Africans with a registered business can sell their wares here.

Writers can also use AmazonKDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) to self-publish their books.

Have you guessed what the top-selling book is yet?

It’s about one of South Africa’s most famous celebrities.

Amazon: What’s South Africa’s top-seller?

South Africa’s top-selling book is A Long Walk to Freedom, says Amazon’s ranking page.

It’s Nelson Mandela’s famous autobiography. The book is his full story, starting from his birth.

It includes unique details from his childhood, upbringing, and rise to power.

It’s something everyone should read at least once!

A Long Walk to Freedom

‘A Long Walk to Freedom’ has sold millions.

Amazon lists the book and ebook on its top-selling list.

Mandela started writing the book in prison, composing its first chapters in 1975. It was finally published in 1994, coinciding with the first elections.

It reveals Mandela’s story, including his childhood and later upbringing.

‘Long Walk’ also describes his loves, passions, and time working as a lawyer.

It was turned into a 2013 movie of the same name.

It’s an essential part of South African history – and world history.

Haven’t read it yet?

Then you’re missing out on an excellent read.

Amazon: Other popular books

It’s not the only Amazon’s only popular South African book.

Mandela’s autobiography is also joined by Three Sips of Gin by Tim Bax, and The Fate of Africa by Martin Meredith.

South African history has a lot to talk about.

Tell us your thoughts

What do you think about this story? What’s your favourite book? We love hearing from our readers, and this includes you. Send us a message at: info@thesouthafrican.com.

READ MORE ARTICLES BY FRANCOIS JANSEN (ALEX J COYNE)

Exciting news, isn’t it?

You can look up at the skies tonight for the Worm Moon. It’s this year’s third lunar event, and you don’t want to miss it.

But what about the year’s other upcoming lunar events?

Don’t worry about remembering the dates.

We’ll tell you all the moon dates for 2024.

Here’s all the lunar events – for the rest of the year!

Full moon for March and April

March’s lunar event is happening tonight.

25 March, 2024 is the Worm Moon. Worms are active during this part of the year. If you didn’t know it: every moon gets its own name, corresponding to the month.

March’s moon is in the Libra Constellation.

Next there’s April.

Look up on 23 April, 2024. You’ll get to see the Full Fish Moon! It’s the year’s fourth full moon, says FullMoonology.com.

Full moon: June to August

June to August brings more great lunar events for you to look at!

21 June, 2024 is the new season’s first moon. The next lunar event happens just a month later – on 21 July.

July’s moon is also called the Hay and Thunder Moon.

Expect to see August’s event on 19 August, 2024. Don’t miss it!s

August is the Sturgeon Moon.

Full moon: September to November

September brings a special event for moon sighting lovers.

The September moon (17 September) is also a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse!

On 17 October this year, see the Super Hunter’s Moon. Super moons are larger, and they’re truly special to see!

November’s moon (15 November) is called the Full Beaver Moon.

December’s moon

There’s one more lunar event.

December’s moon is on the month’s last day. You can see the December moon on 31 December this year.

There you go!

Make sure you don’t miss a single lunar event for the year.

Set a reminder on your smartphone if you’re bad at remembering things.

We’ve got your back.

Send us your photographs and videos

Send us your photographs and videos! We’d love to see cool moon videos and photographs – so let us know what you’ve captured. Get in touch with the team at info@thesouthafrican.com.

We love hearing from our readers, which means we love hearing from you!

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The killing took place during a hunting expedition operated by Kilombero North Safaris and allegedly involved a prominent American trophy hunter from Texas.

A statement revealed that ”as of 10 March, a further three licenses are said to have been granted raising alarm and putting the integrity of the Amboseli elephant population in jeopardy”.

This is reportedly the third “super tusker” gunned down near the Tanzanian-Kenyan border within the past six months.

“Super tuskers,” also known as “hundred-pounder” elephants, are male elephants with at least one tusk weighing 100 pounds (45kg).

It is believed that there are as few as 50 left in Africa.

They are critically important for stability in elephant societies and their habitats and ecosystems.

Dr Audrey Delsink, elephant behaviour expert and wildlife director for Humane Society International/Africa, says, “It is beyond comprehension that yet another of Africa’s iconic ‘super tuskers’ has fallen victim to the relentless pursuit of trophy hunters. The intrinsic value that these bulls bring to elephant society through their genetics, as repositories of social knowledge and as keystones of the environment, is irreplaceable. Mature bulls are crucial influencers within the population, holding significant importance for the future of younger males.”

“It is a myth that they are expendable as they approach 40+ years of age. This is not the end of their breeding lives but rather when they are at their highest reproductive success, and they should not be senselessly cut down in their prime. The killing of these iconic animals isn’t just a biological travesty but a moral tragedy and a stain on humanity’s conscience,” Delsink explained.   

ElephantVoices, Big Life Foundation and the Amboseli Trust for Elephants, released a statement appealing for “an end to elephant trophy hunting in the Enduimet Area of Tanzania”. 

“The Amboseli population includes adult males with some of the largest tusks on the continent due to the particular genetic makeup of these elephants,” the statement reads. “Approximately 30 adult male elephants, over the age of 25 years, use the Enduimet area and beyond in Tanzania as part of their home range. For half a century Enduimet has been a favourite area for a particular set of adult males.”

Elephants are listed under Appendix II of the Convention on Migratory Species, to which both Kenya and Tanzania are parties. The listing encourages collaboration between countries to achieve conservation and management targets for listed species. Since 1995 a moratorium on trophy hunting of this cross-border elephant population between Kenya and Tanzania was agreed between the nations. After nearly 30 years, this moratorium was shattered when two “super tuskers” were killed south of the border in Tanzania, prior to this third killing.

Elephant bulls act as role models for younger males

Studies have found that with age, male elephants dedicate more of their energy toward reproducing. Mature bull elephants like these “super tuskers” will travel twice as fast and three times as far when they are in musth – the periodic state of intensive testosterone-fuelled sexual activity.

Thus, the “conscious selection” of older “surplus” males being targeted by hunters has detrimental effects on the wider elephant society and can lead to a population collapse or long-lasting negative population changes. The biased removal of these older Amboseli bulls through trophy hunting poses a massive threat to these migratory animals. 

Mature elephant bulls also act as role models for younger males. The killing of dominant elephant bulls results in the loss of vital social knowledge and experience from which these younger animals learn. Without leadership, the young bulls may navigate into risky environments and become more aggressive, resulting in physical interactions and associated injuries, and even increased human-wildlife conflict. 

Dr Joyce Poole, co-founder and Scientific Director of ElephantVoices, says, “Fifty years of research on Amboseli’s known individuals has shown that males between 35 and 55 years of age are the primary breeders. Hunters who claim that older males are “dead wood” are just plain ignorant of the science. Males who are given the chance to live to an old age produce a disproportionate number of offspring, passing their genes to the next generation. By killing large tusked males, hunters are damaging elephant society, negatively impacting Amboseli’s rare gene pool for large tusks and taking a toll on its future tourism potential.”  

After a hunt, it is common for parts of the elephant to be taken and claimed as trophies. It is alleged that in this instance, the elephant’s carcass was intentionally destroyed through burning, to hide the travesty of making this bull yet another statistic in the ever-declining, already fragile “super tusker” elephant population.  

Meanwhile, as reported by The South African website, a field ranger was trampled and killed by an elephant at the Gondwana Private Game Reserve in the Western Cape over the weekend.

The 62-year-old Afrikaner is an evangelist for Portulacaria afra, a red-stemmed bush or small tree with thick, dense green leaves that acts as a sponge for carbon dioxide.

“Here you can see the difference between degraded land and what we call pristine spekboom veld,” he said, pointing out a division running like a contour between lush green hilltop and arid valley side.

The plant once dominated the dry terrain of the Little Karoo in South Africa’s Western Cape.

But decades of what Britz calls over-grazing and mismanagement have destroyed the shrub and the vital shade it offers the sun-scorched earth, not to mention its strength at absorbing carbon.

“The spekboom does carbon sequestration day and night. It is one of the few plants that do it,” Britz told AFP on a tour to explain his 10-year-old mission.

“And the other thing is that it occurs here naturally,” he said.

“So that was why it was important to plant spekboom here and to have that secondary effect on the change of climate.”

Ten years ago Britz founded Jobs 4 Carbon, an organisation dedicated to replanting and encouraging the spekboom in an area where farming was devastated by the long 2015-2020 drought.

Now he has a team of planters, labouring with shovels and picks in the rocky terrain to nurture new plants that could once more blanket the dry ground with lush green leaves.

‘Miracle plant’

Nearby, a two-year-old replanted Spekboom has begun to spread its branches above fresh shoots. Jobs 4 Carbon has already replanted almost 700 hectares (1 730 acres).

“It brings nature back to life,” team leader Jan Cloete, 49, said with a smile.

To botanist Alastair Potts, 41, in its natural semi-arid ecosystem or “subtropical thicket”, it is a “miracle plant”.

It “creates forest-like micro-environments”, a “carpet” of leaves that “trap water and dust and nutrients”, as well as carbon, he said.

The latter is stored in large quantities because of the succulent’s rare ability to swing between two types of photosynthesis.

In dry, hot weather, spekboom sucks carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere at night and stores it in the form of malic acid.

During the day, the plant closes its pores, called stomata, to minimise water loss and uses its night stash for photosynthesis.

This greatly boosts its sequestration capacity.

Fact-checkers have debunked overenthusiastic claims that the plant rivals the Amazon rainforest in terms of carbon absorption, but proponents say it still pulls above its weight when allowed to grow in its natural environment.

A 2006 paper estimated that one hectare of spekboom sequestered on average four tonnes of CO2 per year. Others put the figure at more than 15 tonnes.

Carbon credits

Jobs 4 Carbon is hoping to plant more of it and fund the venture selling carbon credits, a financial instrument bought by companies to offset their greenhouse gas emissions.

To make that viable, however, scientists first have to agree on just how much CO2 the little succulent exactly sequesters.

Still, Potts is optimistic. Spekboom doesn’t have the drawbacks of other tree-planting projects criticised for setting up monocultures in unsuitable ecosystems, he said.

And by restoring the environment, it helps prevent emissions from land degradation.

“I feel that carbon farming and spekboom is the perfect mix,” he said.

“We’re changing the ecosystem functioning back to what it was, through carbon, which is fantastic.”

With funding from international foundations and private companies, Jobs 4 Carbon is looking to green 13 000 hectares across the region, said Andre Britz.

But much more could be done across the country, according to Potts.

The group currently plants the shrub for free if landowners agree to leave their plot fallow for at least 15 years in return.

In the courtyard of his village church, 15,000 small plants are ready to put down roots in the arid ground, which reminds him of an old saying he heard from his grandfather: “Take care of your veld, and your veld will take care of you”.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

FOR MORE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS VISIT THE SOUTH AFRICAN WEBSITE

AFRICA IS AGEING RAPIDLY

We tracked down a study from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that delves into pensions on the African continent. The report notes that there are very few private pensions disbursed and most are state funded. Similarly, Africa is a rapidly ageing continent. The United Nations predicts that by the year 2050 more than 2-billion people will be over the age of 60. In fact, over 60s represent the fastest growing population group in Africa right now.

HOW SASSA PENSIONS COMPARE TO THE REST OF AFRICA

So, within the context of urgent need for pension reform on the continent, how do SASSA pensions compare to the rest of Africa? The OECD points out that African nations are utilising vastly different earnings-related systems, so comparing like-for-like is difficult. Nevertheless, some easily distinguishable traits are:

• SASSA’s is a means- and asset-tested state pension system.
• Universal state pension systems (age being the only qualifier) exist in Botswana (paying the equivalent of R736 per month), Lesotho (R550 p/m), Mauritius (R2 057 p/m) and Namibia (R1 100 p/m).
• Nigeria and Kenya offer occupational state pensions. This is if you worked as a civil servant, for example, or opted into the state pension and were taxed throughout your working life.
• Many African nations pay out a percentage of salary earned per month (anywhere from 25-60%) in retirement.

EARNINGS-RELATED PENSIONS

Finding reliable figures on how SASSA pensions compare to the rest of Africa is difficult. But where possible, and converting local currency to Rands, we found the following selection of pensions paid by the state:

• Zambia – R3 930 p/m.
• South Africa – R2 090 p/m.
• Mauritius – R2 057 p/m.
• Seychelles – R1 196 p/m.
• Namibia – R1 100 p/m.
• Cape Verde – R930 p/m.
• Botswana – R736 p/m.
• Lesotho – R550 p/m.
• Ghana – R444 p/m.
• Ethiopia – R247 p/m.
• Tanzania – R88 p/m.
• Rwanda – R51 p/m.
• Burundi – 60% of wage.
• Congo – 50% of wage.
• Sierra Leone – 50% of wage.  
• Ivory Coast – 50% of wage
• Cameroon – 30% of wage.
• Madagascar – 30% of wage.
• Benin – 30% of wage.
• Liberia – 25% of wage.

FINDINGS ON SASSA OLD-AGE PENSIONS

According to these findings, state-funded SASSA pensions compare favourably to the rest of Africa. With the exception of Zambia, the closest in Rand terms is Mauritius and Seychelles. Therefore, we should applaud the efforts of the South African Social Security Agency and government in alleviating poverty and improving the quality of life for old-age pensioners in South Africa.

NEXT READ: MUST pensioners reapply for SASSA Old-Age Grants April 2024?

What do you think of these findings on how SASSA pensions compare to the rest of Africa? Be sure to share your thoughts with our audience in the comments section below. And don’t forget to follow us @TheSANews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest updates.

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The partnership aims to develop the Orange Basin area in Namibia, with TotalEnergies securing a 33% stake in the offshore block 3B/4B.

This covers an area of approximately 18 000 square kilometers, with QatarEnergy holding a 24% stake. The deal’s financial details remain undisclosed.

The existing project owners include Africa Oil, Azinam (owned by Canada-listed Eco Atlantic), and Ricocure.

TotalEnergies and QatarEnergy have a history of collaboration in exploration and production ventures in Namibia, Guyana, and Kenya.

Oil exploration in Orange Basin

Block 3B/4B, located in South Africa’s Orange Basin, positions itself just south of major discoveries by Galp, Shell, and TotalEnergies in neighboring Namibia.

“Following the Venus success in Namibia, TotalEnergies is continuing to progress its exploration effort in the Orange Basin,” Kevin McLachlan, Senior Vice-President Exploration of TotalEnergies told Reuters.

New global hotspot for surveys

Namibia, despite lacking current oil and gas production, has become a global hotspot for exploration, driven by discoveries in deep water from companies like Shell, TotalEnergies, and Galp.

“TotalEnergies are the best partner one could have, they know the Orange Basin better than anyone else, they have a drilling rig in the area, and they are a great operator with a strong balance sheet,” says Eco Atlantic CEO Gil Holzman.

The Orange Basin is mostly unexplored, with dozens of legacy wells drilled in shallow shelf waters along the South African coastline. “Legacy wells” are oil or gas wells that were drilled by companies in the past.

“South Africa’s side of the Orange Basin resembles those of Namibia, it is highly prospective with at least two prospects in the northern region of the basin potentially containing millions of barrels of oil and associated gas,” added Jonathan Salomo, lead geologist for the west coast at the Petroleum Agency of South Africa.

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FRENCH OVERSEAS TERRITORY

Last month, France’s minister of the interior, Gérald Darmanin, visited Mayotte to announce changes to citizenship entitlements.

Mayotte is a French territory situated in the Indian Ocean. It comprises the two south-easternmost islands of the Comoros archipelago.

Darmanin announced proposed amendments to the French constitution – aimed at addressing migration from places including the Comoros islands. 

FRENCH CITIZENSHIP BY BIRTH

Darmanin said that the amendment would end the right to French citizenship through birth (known in French as droit du sol) in its territory, Mayotte.

This type of citizenship entitles anyone born on French soil to become a French citizen – regardless of the citizenship of their parents.

MIGRATION ISSUES

France’s decision to withdraw this right to citizenship was caused by the fact that nationals from the nearby Comoros islands come to Mayotte to give birth there.  

Thus, it is hoped that the amendment will reduce the desirability of Mayotte for potential immigrants. These migrants seek to obtain French nationality for their offspring.

Ultimately, this enables these individuals to remain on the island of Mayotte.

MAYOTTE

As such, France hopes the change in citizenship entitlements will benefit the citizens of Mayotte.

Though Mayotte is considered one of the poorest French territories or departments, nationals from the Comoros are attracted to Mayotte because it offers better living standards than in Comoros.

Moreover, these migration flows have created tensions with locals, who blame migrants for increased crime and overburdened social services.

Daily Maverick states that many locals have become frustrated and disenchanted by the influx of migrants from the Comoros.

Furthermore, it is thought that almost half of Mayotte’s population (350 000) is not native to the island.

Most are nationals of the nearby Comoros islands.

ALSO READ: South African Airways cancels flights to Indian Ocean island

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In the fight against corruption, the President has suspended or fired several individuals during the cabinet. The latest to get the axe is Deputy Minister Dipuo Peters, who remains suspended for one month.

Who else has been suspended or fired – and why?

Here’s what you should know about how Ramaphosa is unscrewing the cabinet.

President Ramaphosa: Is he unscrewing the cabinet?

When a cupboard is only as strong as the screws holding it, corruption can be unscrewed by the right tools.

President Ramaphosa suspended Deputy Minister of Small Business Development, Dipuo Peters. The suspension is valid for a month, and without pay.

This is the first of several moves to remove corruption, favouritism, and other unfavourable elements from cabinet.

Are this the next steps to a better South Africa?

President Ramaphosa versus Judge Hlope

The second noteworthy screw to come out of the cabinet is Judge Hlope.

President Ramaphosa wrote to the Western Cape High Court, asking for the Judge’s dismissal and suspension.

It comes after charges of gross miconduct against the judge.

The higher authority for South Africa’s judges, the Judicial Services Commission (JSC), found Judge Hlope guilty.

Prior suspensions include Mkhwebane and former President Jacob Zuma.

What do you think comes next?

Ramaphosa’s plan against corruption

The President has laid out a new anti-corruption plan, says Polity.org.za.

Changes in cabinet come as part of this new reform, which aims to end all corruption in the public sector.

Success asks close cooperation between departments, including tip-offs from anonymous sources and information from the inside.

Do you know about corruption?

Report it.

It’s the right thing to do.

Tell us your thoughts

We’d love to hear what you think about this story. Let us know your thoughts by getting in touch! Drop us a message with an e-mail to info@thesouthafrican.com.

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An unrecognized name on your social media accounts could mean that you’ve been hacked. Hacks are a common problem, affecting thousands of worldwide social media users daily.

Unknown accounts could mean that someone else has been accessing your details, or sometimes that your phone number belonged to someone else – and they’re trying to log into their account.

Here’s what to do if this happens.

Facebook listing a second account you don’t know? Here’s what to do

A Reddit question asks what to do with unrecognized social media accounts.

Facebook’s login screen can sometimes list more than one account. Sometimes the login screen shows two people – and one of them might not be your account.

ALSO READ: Catfished: Potential signs of a romance scammer

There are two possibilities for this.

One reason is an outright social media hack. But it can also happen when someone used to have your cellphone number (and they’re trying to log back in).

Here’s what to do: removing unknown accounts

According to Vector Linux.com, there’s an option to remove unknown accounts from your Facebook.

Go to the login screen.

Next to the name, an option should allow its removal.

Remove the name you don’t recognize, and login to your own account normally.

If that doesn’t work, you might need Account Recovery.

Facebook account recovery

Facebook’s Account Recovery tells users what to do if their account has been lost.

If you can’t get in, account recovery logs you back into your account. Accounts might need to be verified.

You can use your e-mail address, phone number, or a previous device to confirm. If you can’t, then contact Meta for more details.

Hacked.accounts are easy to recover.

Regain access to your accounts as soon as possible.

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The exchange rate between currencies can make a country an attractive or unattractive destination for people to travel to. Strong currencies can make costs in another country higher than they could be in a country with a weaker currency.

Here is a look at the most powerful currencies from various states on the African continent.

AFRICA’S MOST POWERFUL CURRENCIES

That said, here are the African countries with the strongest currencies in 2024. This list is based on each country’s exchange rate against the US Dollar, courtesy of real-time data on 27 February 2024.

Data from Google Finance and Forbes Advisor was used to compile the list below.

BENEFITS OF STRONG CURRENCIES

Business Insider Africa says that it is beneficial for a country to have a stable and strong national currency.

Indeed, a strong currency attracts foreign investors seeking stable and reliable opportunities.

INVESTOR CONFIDENCE

Investors want to be able to put their money in places where they feel confident.

Furthermore, stronger currencies are more likely to increase the confidence of potential investors, for making investments in a country.

Foreign investors are also more likely to invest in countries with strong currencies, as they stand to gain higher returns on their investments.

RISING COSTS

A strong currency increases the purchasing power of both individuals and businesses in a country. It makes imported goods cheaper.

The rising value of the US Dollar has been a problem for many African governments in recent years as this makes items purchased in USD more expensive in many countries.

ALSO READ: Legendary London department store closes its doors

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FREE ENTRY TO KENYA

The initiative received global attention. The country’s President, William Ruto, was applauded for the forward-thinking move, which was expected to help the country’s economy.

However, when the initiative was implemented in January 2024, it came with a few surprises. Visa requirements had been dropped, but entry was not free.

ELECTRONIC TRAVEL AUTHORISATIONS

Kenya thus implemented an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme.

It requires all visitors – including previously visa-exempt nations – to apply for costly electronic travel authorisations.

VISA-EXEMPT NATIONS INCLUDED

Kenya’s ETA was met with mixed reactions from the tourism industry.

Nonetheless, visitors from previously visa-exempt countries (including South Africa) were also required to apply for the ETA at a cost of USD34 (R650). This is the fee for processing an ETA.

Before the introduction of the ETA system, passport holders from 51 countries enjoyed visa-free entry to Kenya.

VISA ABOLITION AGREEMENTS

Moreover, the new entry processing fee for visitors from countries with which Kenya has visa-abolition treaties drew some objection.

Nationals from South Africa, Comoros, the Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mozambique and San Marino fall under Kenya’s visa exempt list.

These countries had concluded visa abolition agreements or signed visa waiver agreements with Kenya before the introduction of the ETA.

FEE-FREE ENTRY

Kenya has now reviewed these new requirements and made adjustments.

TravelNews reports that the Kenyan Ministry of Interior has now exempted seven countries from paying ETA fees. 

This change was confirmed in a memo released by Kenya’s Director of Immigration Services in the ministry, Dr Dan Opon.

With effect from 15 February, passport holders from the following nations are now exempt from ETA processing fees:

• South Africa

• Comoros

• Republic of Congo

• Eritrea

• Ethiopia

• Mozambique

• San Marino

ALSO READ: Brilliant visa-free options for SA travellers! See here

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