Zimbabwean Street Vendors Vow to Defy Eviction Order
Street vendors in Harare have vowed to defy a government order to leave illegal trading sites. They said informal trading was their only means of survival in the current economic climate and amid high unemployment. As the September 9 deadline approaches, the government is preparing to launch a zero-tolerance operation against illegal vending in the capital before extending it nationwide. Vendors and civil society groups have warned that removing traders without providing adequate alternative spaces could deepen poverty and leave thousands of people without an income.
South African Anti-Immigrant Group Raids Durban Refugee Camp
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A vigilante group known as March and March raided a camp housing hundreds of refugees outside Durban’s Home Affairs offices. Several people were injured, and at least four refugees were hospitalised. The refugees, mainly from the DR Congo, Burundi and Rwanda, have been living at the site for more than three months after being displaced by xenophobic threats. They have been verified by the department as being in the country legally. They have asked for protection from xenophobic attacks. Activists have condemned the violence and accused authorities of failing to provide the refugees with adequate protection, shelter and support.
Cholera Outbreak Kills 10 in Sudan’s West Kordofan
At least 10 people have died and more than 40 others have been infected in a cholera outbreak in Sudan’s West Kordofan. Conflict has severely restricted access to healthcare, medicines and humanitarian aid. The World Health Organization has recorded more than 2,600 cholera cases across several Sudanese states. Kordofan has been identified as the latest outbreak hotspot. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric has said that the UN and its partners are intensifying efforts to combat cholera. Health workers are continuing to treat the sick, conduct vaccination campaigns and distribute vital medical supplies. Officials and aid groups have warned the outbreak could worsen as fighting, poor access to medical supplies and deteriorating environmental conditions continue to hinder efforts to contain the disease.
Ruto Orders Tata Chemicals to Vacate Kenya
Kenya’s President William Ruto has ordered Tata Chemicals to leave the country. He accused the company of failing to generate sufficient benefits for Kenyans during its long-running operations at Lake Magadi. Ruto criticised the company for exporting soda ash rather than expanding local processing. He said that the government had identified new investors to take over its operations and create more jobs. Ruto’s comments come five weeks after Kenya’s mining minister directed Tata Chemicals Magadi to suspend operations, reportedly citing its failure to make royalty payments and meet other regulatory requirements. Tata Chemicals, which has operated the plant since 2005, said it respected the government’s decision and remained committed to resolving outstanding matters through legal and regulatory channels.
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Driver in Fatal Anthony Joshua Crash Appears in Nigerian Court
The driver of a vehicle carrying former heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua has appeared in court in Nigeria over a crash that killed two of Joshua’s close friends and team members last December. Prosecutors have alleged that the driver lost control of the vehicle while attempting to overtake a moving truck before colliding with a stationary lorry, killing Joshua’s personal trainer Latif Ayodele and strength coach Sina Ghami. The driver has denied charges including causing death by dangerous driving. The court also heard that police have yet to take a statement from Joshua, who was a passenger in the vehicle. The trial has been adjourned until September 10.
Concern Grows Over Missing Niger Journalist
Reporters Without Borders has called for an urgent investigation into the disappearance of prominent Nigerien journalist Moussa Kaka, who vanished after leaving his office in Niamey days after a failed coup attempt. Kaka, a former Radio France International correspondent and director of a private television station, has not been heard from, raising concerns among his family, colleagues and press freedom groups. His disappearance comes amid rising political tensions and pressure on journalists under Niger’s military government, with RSF calling on the authorities to reveal his whereabouts and the circumstances of his disappearance.
