South African Police Minister Placed on Leave After Organised Crime Accusations
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa placed Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on immediate leave following allegations of links to organised crime. In a national address, Ramaphosa announced a judicial commission, led by the deputy chief justice, to investigate the allegations, which he said threaten national security and the Constitution. Law professor Firoz Cachalia was appointed interim police minister. Mchunu denied wrongdoing and expressed readiness to cooperate. The allegations, first made public by KwaZulu-Natal police boss Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, included accusations of interference in political killing investigations and corruption. Mkhwanazi alleges Mchunu dismantled a task force investigating political assassinations after it uncovered links to politicians, police, and a drug syndicate. He also said Mchunu ordered the removal of 121 case dockets without proper authorisation and has ties to businessman Vusimuzi Matlala, who allegedly funded Mchunu’s political activities.
Former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari Dies
Former president Muhammadu Buhari has died, his spokesperson announced on Sunday. The 82-year-old was reportedly receiving treatment at a medical facility in London. He left the country in April this year for what was described as a “routine medical check-up”. Buhari served two terms as president after being democratically elected in 2015. He previously ruled the country as a military head of state from January 1984 to August 1985. During his tenure in office, he made frequent medical trips to the United Kingdom. It was reported that his health improved when he left office in 2023, but it seemed to deteriorate again in April 2025.
Worsening Cholera Outbreak Plagues War-Torn Sudan
Sudan faced a worsening cholera outbreak amid the near-total collapse of its healthcare system after over two years of war. Since late 2024, there have been tens of thousands of infections and hundreds of deaths. As a result of the cholera outbreak, sanitation services have been disrupted, basic health care has collapsed, and international organizations are warning of an impending humanitarian catastrophe if urgent measures are not taken. Health workers, especially in Darfur, struggled to respond due to security risks and limited access, with MSF leading much of the care. In areas like Umbada, local activists criticised government inaction and called for joint community responses. Water shortages, attacks on infrastructure by the Rapid Support Forces, and overcrowded shelters further worsened the crisis. UN officials warned that over 33 million people were at risk, calling Sudan’s situation the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Chad and South Sudan are also at risk.
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France to Return Historic Talking Drum to Cote d’Ivoire
French lawmakers unanimously passed legislation to return the Djidji Ayôkwé talking drum to Côte d’Ivoire, more than a century after colonial troops seized it from the Ebrié people in 1916. The three-metre-long, 430-kilogram drum, once used by the Atchan to send messages across villages, was taken after locals refused to join forced road construction. Exhibited in Paris since 1922, it remained in the Quai Branly Museum awaiting restitution. France’s law on public collections required a legal exemption before the drum could be returned. President Macron promised restitution in 2021, but there has been no comprehensive legal framework, so restitution has lagged. Maurice Kouakou Bandaman, Ivorian ambassador to France, welcomed the unanimous vote “with lawmakers recognising the full value of this artefact, the wrong that was done to Côte d’Ivoire, to the Bidjan people, to the Tchaman (Ebrié) people, through this theft.”
Kenyan President Ruto Calls for Unity and Action Against Violence
President William Ruto called on Kenyans to reject hate and division by rejecting tribalism and hatred. Speaking in Elgeyo-Marakwet County, he urged leaders to prioritize unity and warned against inciting youth to commit crimes for “selfish reasons”. This comes after ongoing protests during which 38 protesters were killed, more than 130 people were injured, and over 500 arrests. Ruto didn’t respond to the police shooting protesters dead, other than saying looters should be shot in the leg, not killed, and then promised to take stern action against those responsible for attacks on police and the destruction of property. He urged parents to teach their children “moral values”. Meanwhile, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen urged the judiciary to act firmly against violent protesters to prevent anarchy.
