It is the Nigerian novelist and poet, Chinua Achebe, who opines this chilling Igbo adage that, “he is a fool who treats his brother worse than a stranger — because when brothers fight to death a stranger inherit their father’s estate — that a kinsman in trouble had to be saved, not blamed; anger against a brother was felt in the flesh, not in the bone — and that the White man is very clever — he came quietly and peaceably with his religion. 

“We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.” 

We have demonstrated to ourselves that we are a resilient people even though they have taken much from us, they couldn’t take our stories and our joy! Born of forebears who went through trials and tribulations, broken hearts and unfulfilled dreams but nevertheless, figured out what they are here for and planted in us the same seeds and are, therefore always here for us, stood for justice and dignity and a commitment to do what is right. 

Our forebears did not allow society to write their story and it is their song that shifted the atmosphere and changed the world. For those our society has harmed in the past, we are one Family — a quarrelsome Family, one may say, for one has witnessed our quarrels, but when woe falls on us, it welds Family together and draws us closer together. To Family, one always presumes goodwill, an act of faith to a cause in which I and many Africans believe most fervently! 

The movement has no lack of differences, disagreements and disputes, bristles with thorns as fiercely as the scrub of the Low Veld and is beset with tangles and thickets of bitter memories, hatred, prejudice, distrust and misunderstanding so densely that, at times, it is difficult to see the wood for the trees. 

Because I and many more Africans believe in the greatness of Afrika’s destiny and collectively hold the unshakable faith in the future of the land and the people we dearly love, my blood tells me what I must do and I must obey it — that there is freedom still to be attained. We are all of one mind on that, should think of nothing else and until this account is settled, we must not weaken our will by other agendas like greed and conflicting prestige. 

And that we shall enjoin our children that they must also take part with us in this, for a remembrance even for our posterity. Every country has a plan for Africa but Africa has no plan for herself. No White person calls himself Chinese, Arabian nor Indian even though he might be born there. It is only in Africa that they want to claim to be also African! No African is fighting with Chinese, Arabs, Indians and Europeans about their respective lands but only Africans feel compelled to explain themselves to all and sundry. We all thirst to feel part of something bigger!

With the greatest of humility and respect — tearfully but nonetheless joyfully, words are often not adequate to express my and Family’s gratitude to you and the Board of the Not Alone Foundation for graciously extending to me this truly remarkable, globally coveted and historic recognition. I am eternally grateful for this undeserved honour. 

It is also most humbling, though befitting that such honour and celebration is on the grounds of the civil, social and human rights pioneer’s holy home — The most Reverend Dr Martin Luther King, Jr in the sacred cathedral of the International Chapel, Morehouse College, Atlanta, Georgia! Allow me to appreciate highly the virtues which ennoble your mission and souls, namely, love of justice, courage, dedication and professional conscience as well as recognise fully the immense services which you render to the world. 

As the Psalmist 37:28 so eloquently reminds us that, “For Jehovah loves justice, And he will not abandon his loyal ones.” 

I will be glad to think that this award might, albeit in a small way, become the means through which we restore Black excellence and normalise it as something we wake up to and go to sleep thinking of — of quickening amongst Africans a recognition of our common destiny and bond deeply rooted, which carries with it the obligations of unity in action, a common purpose and greater good — as a tribute of fellowship that “right through” the texture even of our quarrels, the golden thread still remains — that we are descended from the same trauma, pain and fire and speaking different languages. 

But the peoples are kindred people and the languages are of one Family. In our political traditions, our national characteristics and our attitudes of mind, we have much to unite us. Our destiny to build up a United States of Africa with our own purpose, grace, continental vision, economic strategy and the Afro as the common currency, has never been clearer! Officially launched in 2021, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) creates a single market projected to grow to 1.7 billion people and $6.7 trillion in consumer and business spending by 2030. 

This preferential trade agreement will increase international exports and intra-African trade, unlocking tremendous opportunities for local and global businesses to enter into and expand throughout new markets across the continent. Four sectors — automotive; agriculture and agro-processing; pharmaceuticals and transport and logistics — were identified by the AfCFTA as important areas of business due to their potential for meeting and exceeding local demand with local production. 

And yet, Africa understands that, this is not even the tip of the iceberg of the potential offered by this continent. Indeed, on the big things of continental and national unity, we have always been united. It is only really the little things and sentimental issues that still, to some extent keep us apart. The birth pangs of a new nation that are appealing for a cessation of strife among brethren because we only have one another! Its real value will be in building our African Nationhood wherever we are, anywhere in the world.

Following the inauguration of President Donald Trump 2.0, the world is pondering the implications for growth, cooperation and security in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. As the world continues to recover from economic shocks and navigates the changing geopolitical volatility, rapidly moving geoeconomics, digital transformation and societal shifts, uncertainty remains high! 

As a revival of economic nationalism and industrial policy reshapes the world, governments are racing to shore up their readiness to attract investment and establish next-generation industrial hubs within their borders, with value chains simultaneously becoming more complex and regional. At a time of the hugely fragmented age and increasingly unipolar world where interconnected disruptions compound, such as the rapid emergence of new technologies, accelerating just energy transition, war for talent and the new needs of the workforce — leaders are left with less time and space to anticipate and to react than ever before, in their collective quest to, among others, find both new operating models and new ways to cooperate and collaborate across trade and capital; innovation and technology; climate and natural capital; health and wellness and peace and security, thereby, playing a vital role in driving long-term economic growth, creating jobs and sustaining living standards. 

Organisations also need wholly new approaches to develop younger and much better equipped leaders that will better thrive in the uncertainty of the 21st century. Africans in the diaspora, have left undone those things that we ought to have done and have done those things that we ought not to have done. Foreign converses pour from our lips and borrowed ropes hang from our necks with the attendant disappearance of ethics and values from the public sphere. The process of globalisation seems to be one of the most far reaching and complex events of our time. It can be described as a primarily economic and technological process, although it inevitably implies social and cultural changes and raises urgent questions related to social justice and human dignity. 

There is also a need to examine the ethical issues involved in the seismic shifts that have come with it. The changing patterns of our way of life need a critical reflection on our new moral responsibility for the achievement of a global greater good and common purpose. This point is better accentuated in Proverbs 11:25, that “the generous person will prosper. And whoever refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” “When we grow in our healing we come to learn and accept that life will always meet us where we most find our most authentic self. Our strength lies in our vulnerability and flexibility to ebb and flow with what life throws our way.” By forcing our collective mind to quieten down might just help us get closer to nature and to whatever is in our heart, to access the most amazing energy for us to feel grateful, proud, calm, self aware, interconnected and our heart crack wide open to the sense of ecstasy in the air! To both preserve and restore the original bones as a site of importance. 

Considering urgent measures to keep alive the architecture; arts; festivals; oral literature; heritage; culture; mores; folklore and folkways; customs; cuisine; traditions; knowledge and language. To take a critical approach, not being afraid to fight with facts to birth a blend of cultural richness, simplicity, immense burden on our collective shoulders and outstanding quality of life and realise the opportunity to decide what will be history and heritage going forward. Together we are responsible for a globalisation of both solidarity and spirituality! 

At a time that less than 7% of the global population have their own home, eat adequately, drink clean running water, have a mobile phone, have access to the internet, and have gone to college, needless to say that the world has, once again not kept its promises and commitments and has missed its own deadline! So it is that in September 2000, 189 countries committed themselves to the Millennium Development Goals that still represent a common and strong commitment to eradicate both poverty and injustice worldwide and were meant to have been realised by 2015! These goals can only be met if all countries concerned are purposeful, intentional, deliberate and immediately begin to take collective and coordinated action.

You see, the colonisation of Africa was driven by a combination of greed, strategic interests, economic exploitation, political, nationalistic ambitions, racial prejudices, religious and cultural motivations and technological advancements. During this time, an economic depression was occurring in Europe and powerful countries such as Germany, France and Great Britain, were losing money. The era began in the 15th century, when Portugal and Spain started establishing trade outposts and military bases outside of Europe. 

Starting in the 1880s, in what became known as the “Scramble for Africa,” European countries raced to occupy the continent, seeking economic and strategic gains. Britain established control over many parts of Africa, including Sudan and much of the south. And recent archaeological work places the presence of Africans in Southern Africa from the Niger River Delta, as early as the 3rd century CE. The ancestors of the amaZulu nation migrated from west Africa into south-eastern Africa during the African peoples’ migrations from 2000 BC until the 15th century. This amaZulu nation expanded into a powerful kingdom, subdued surrounding nations and settled in the modern-day KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. 

With this, came the Slavery and Forced Labour Model brought by the Dutch and subsequently exported from the Western Cape to the Afrikaner Republics of the Orange Free State and the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek. The cornerstone of which was the intentional environmental degradation, economic underdevelopment, systemic racism with its attendant racial profiling and poor social infrastructure that then manifested in unequal access to healthcare, education and social justice. As forced labour continues to affect people worldwide, emerging datasets offer critical insights into its scope and impact.

South African apartheid was characterised by, among others, settler colonialism and the forced displacement of the indigenous population; the division of the colonised into different nations now demoted to mere “groups” with different rights, severe restrictions on movement and violent suppression of resistance. It caused a great deal of change and the vast majority of that change was meant to be not good for Africans as a group — hence the continued assassination of genuine, revolutionary and selfless African leaders like Kwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba, Amilcar Cabral, Thomas Sankara, Samora Machel, Steve Bantu Biko and Chris Hani. For that reason, Africans, like other people around the world who found themselves under foreign rule, found ways to resist. Some few notable ones being, Makhanda/Makana/ Nxele, a traditional doctor who served as a top advisor to Chief Ndlambe, who initiated an assault on the then Grahamstown during the Frontier Wars, on 22 April 1819; Abushiri in the 1888 Maji-Maji Rebellion (Aufstand) defended Tanganyika in East Africa against the Germans who had taken over the best land, stole their cattle and then forced the indigenous population to work and grow cotton for export; Germany formally colonised South West Africa (GSWA), now Namibia, in 1884 and forced the Herero, the Nama, the Damara, the San and the Ovambo people into slavery in their own land; Chief Bambatha kaMancinza, leader of the Zondi clan of the amaZulu people, who lived in the Mpanza Valley, a district near Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal led the 1860 – 1906 Bambatha Rebellion, using the Nkandla Forest as a base, against British rule and forced taxation; Samori Ture of  Mandika State who created the Wassoulou Empire in the 1895 Battle of Adwa against Europeans rushing to claim African colonies across the continent — in north-east Africa, the Italians saw an opportunity to conquer the vast, fertile territory of Ethiopia to use as a place to resettle poor, landless Italians; The 1952 – 1960 Mau Mau rebellion/Kenya Emergency, was a war in the British Kenya Colony that lasted 1920 – 1963 and the 1976 student uprising and general strikes that dramatically focused attention on the growing mass struggles against the apartheid state. These struggles took an increasingly anti-capitalist form and were supplemented by a slowly escalating guerilla war waged by the military wings in the main, of the then banned African National Congress (ANC), Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) and Azanian People’s Organisation. 

I am a South African and the story of my country’s connection with the world takes us back far beyond the founding of the first White settlement by Netherland’s Jan van Riebeeck when, on that fateful day of the 6 April 1652, the first three ships landed in the Cape — the Drommedaris, the Reijger and the Goede Hoop! This was more than a  hundred years before even the well-publicised voyage of Bartholomew Diaz! 

There are two incontrovertible notions that never change, the first is that “facts you cannot deny and the second is that truth you can apply”! In September 1978, in the midst of the worst recession in the country’s history, a new South African prime minister PW Botha came into office, claiming that the state confronted a “total onslaught”. Since becoming free on the 27 April 1994, it is fair to attest that “the great problem for South Africa is rampant greed …. is essentially a problem for the once glorious African National Congress that has morphed into an organised crime syndicate, primarily because for a solid 30 years of our democracy, they held the absolute majority power in everything that matters”. 

Since then, South Africa has become the only African country that became free from colonialism, that failed to substantially increase the education level of its people, dramatically increase the ownership of the economy by the indigenous population to, at least double digits, and the very first to hand over power back to its colonisers and oppressors after only 30 years in absolute power! The ANC chose to be in a coalition government with the Democratic Alliance (DA), a party that has no demonstrable track record of cooperating with anyone, that disagrees with, among others, Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE), Universal, Equitable and Quality Access to healthcare (NHI) and the BELA Act — purportedly due to primarily language and admission policy. 

This is the party that believes that the legacy of colonialism was not only negative, that the ANC cannot bring a functional democracy to South Africa and is, therefore committed to the fact that “the ANC has to come apart” for it to accomplish its own liberal mission. This was laid bare for all to witness during the proposed 2% VAT increase in the budget. Even though the “Government of National Unity” has made some progress in formerly moribund and inefficient departments (Basic Education, Public Works and Home Affairs) now being run by DA ministers other than inappropriately deployed ANC cadres and is dominated by the DA and its record is one of mostly failures, the Budget 2025 has demonstrated that, not only is this the very first to be voted on three times in 115 years that South Africa has existed as unitary state, but that it is the the DA that precipitated this crisis with its brinkmanship and clumsy attempts at being the opposition inside government by, among others, to score political points by blackmailing the ANC! It attempted to extract concessions on matters (Basic Education Laws Amendment Act, Land Expropriation Without Compensation Act and National Health Insurance Act) totally unrelated to the Budget. The very seed of life is now running the risk of rotting in the soil!

Nonetheless, we remain hopeful that the forces of social justice, transformation and democracy will prevail, precisely because we all thirst to feel part of something bigger. This is a universal moral law written on the human heart and sets out clearly the ultimate vocation of each person to help humanity gain a sharper insight into its full destiny — so that it can fashion the world more to humanity’s surpassing dignity, search for a sisterhood/brotherhood which is universal and more deeply rooted and meet the urgencies of our age with a gallant and unified effort born of love! 

Human dignity of the “human person as a whole” is a unique and sacred value that is present in each individual without exception. All people are equal in dignity but unfortunately, in reality, many risk losing this dignity when faced with inhumane living conditions. Humane globalisation needs to ensure that all human beings can live a life in dignity and can participate fully to attain a globalisation of solidarity and spirituality. Each person is a unique part of the totality of creation and of the mosaic that is the human family. Each person is further related to other persons and bonded to each other and one another as the human community. Interpersonal relationships therefore, cannot be expressed in material and measurable ways — we must measure what genuinely matters. It is these relationships which make a person more humane. 

This is underscored by the need for more open intercultural engagement and deep, meaningful and respectful dialogue. This presupposes the ability for deep introspection, self reflection and self correction based on hindsight, insight and foresight that no culture, nor tradition, nor religion, has an exclusive claim on ownership of the total and only truth! Only then can we constructively and collectively search together for the best insights and ways to take the right decision and DO the right thing with regard to universal basic values. And to bring together our collective strengths to attain the greater good and the common purpose which surpasses all narrow economic, cultural, social, political and religious interests — bonds strengthened and alliances forged.

Of the 1.2 million students enrolled at South Africa’s 21 public universities and universities of technology in 2024, some 76.4% of these students are African — representing 5.5% of Africans aged 18 to 29 years, while 11.4% are White; 6.5% are Coloured and 5.7% are Indian/Asian. University places accommodate fewer than 50% of those completing matric with a certificate which makes them eligible for further study. Our graduation rates are very low, averaging only 17% across higher education institutions and 14.5% at PhD level. According to Statistics South Africa’s (StatsSA) Quarterly Labour Force Survey, the unemployment rate, using the narrow definition, for university graduates between the ages of 15 and 34 was an astounding 33.6% in the first quarter of 2023. This suggests that about one in three of these age group’s university graduates are having trouble finding work. The face of unemployment according to the 2022 National Human Development report is young, Black females as women continue to shoulder a disproportionate burden of unemployment, underemployment and lower workforce participation compared to men. 

We have struggled for years with low economic growth and high unemployment. The official unemployment rate was 33.5% in April-June of 2024. During that period, the unemployment rate was 37.6% among Black South Africans and 7.9% among White South Africans, according to StatsSA. The higher education system is still developing its understanding of both graduate and post graduate unemployment. Even though social partners — business, labour, government, professional associations and civil society — have worked together to make some progress, there is still much more that needs to be done to close the skills gap that graduates and post-graduates face in the job market. To further improve graduate employability and lower unemployment rates, institutions of higher learning can develop curricula in conjunction with business as continued dedication and creativity are required by all social partners. We will make great strides toward improving the conditions that enable graduates to enter the labour market and contribute to the socioeconomic growth of their country if we all collaborate and work internationally, diligently and cooperatively.

I am absolutely privileged to be a part, albeit it small, of an entire education ecosystem that seeks to reassert the role of the university as the leading radical institution in social, economic and intellectual development to, among others, create an inclusive academic excellence and national relevance; develop a social justice approach to higher education, where universities propel democratic engagement; advocate for contextual academic freedom — the university’s only birthright — which nurtures success of the higher education system through assessments of different perspectives; conceptualise ethical frameworks that will guide societal engagement and governance; promote public ownership of higher education institutions, where the public recognise their role as both beneficiaries and stakeholders in the accomplishments of universities and advocate for the financial sustainability of universities and for the development of long term sustainable models of student funding. 

We must leverage the right synergies among intellectual credibility, innovative curricula and a good mix of globalisation; dedication to quality, contribute to the creation, sharing and evaluation of knowledge in the pursuit of academic scholarship and intellectual inquiry in all fields of human understanding, through rigorous research, learning and teaching; facilitate the imaginative acquisition of knowledge that acts as powerful bridges between knowledge system and the cultural, social, political and economic spheres and use community engagement as tools to contribute to society like in courageous implementation of an employability strategy — consisting largely of organisations and official institutions which are active in the care, welfare and service sectors and operate on the basis of mostly state subsidies and state regulation — situated somewhere between the individual citizen and the state and have to deal both with politics and with the economy — promoting citizens active participation and contributing to humanity – managing the tension between self interest and the general interest — values driven and acting ethically to realise collective goals that meet the basic needs of many. 

It bears emphasis that values obtain their specific meaning only against the background of a well defined and articulated view of humanity, which consciously or subconsciously colours the way one looks at human actions and human dignity — a view that puts emphasis on the notion of “person in community” — that which is human and desirable in all its dimensions and relations to achieve the best that is humanely possible — a complete human being! 

Only through sustained ethical reflection on one’s own functioning both as a collective and as an individual in society, both as an organisation and as a responsible individual within an organisation, can one prevent the exertion of power from only being directed at the strengthening of one’s own position. It is seldom the case that only something good is brought. Mostly the choice is between a lesser evil and a greater evil. So universities that seek to take a critical look at the way they function can do this, for example, by asking themselves four exploratory questions, namely, what is the national economic strategy; what is the target group; what goals does the university wish to achieve and what means should be employed to realise these goals. It is a commitment to ourselves. Ultimately answering to whom one is finally accountable because safety and quality are the truth the same way that humanity (is not a given) like hate is a choice!

Professor Bonang Mohale is the chancellor of the University of the Free State.

There were several crucial agricultural data releases during April, despite all the public holidays. For example, on 30 April, the Crop Estimates Committee released its third production forecast for South Africa’s 2024-25 summer crop production season. 

There are generally 10 releases a season, which means there are seven more monthly updates to come. But, on the third estimate, we begin to feel more comfortable about the accuracy of the data.

At a time when we were worrying about excessive rains, predictably, a lot more attention was paid to these figures. Notably, the Crop Estimates Committee slightly increased South Africa’s 2024-25 summer production estimate by 0.05% from March 2025 to 18.01 million tonnes. 

This is a mild uptick but it remains crucial when some are concerned that we might see a downward revision of the crop because of heavy rains. This estimate comprises yellow and white maize, sunflower seeds, soybeans, groundnuts, sorghum and dry beans.

Essentially, this harvest estimate is 16% higher than the 2023-24 production season, representing a decent recovery from drought. Although the overall production figure was mildly up, there were some adjustments in the various commodities. 

For example, the maize harvest is up 1% from the March 2025 estimate to 14.66 million tonnes. There is an increase in white and yellow maize, with harvests now at 7.75 million tonnes and 6.91 million tonnes, respectively. Overall, the maize harvest of 14.66 million tonnes is up 14% year-on-year, primarily benefiting from expected yield improvements on an annual basis.

Importantly, these forecasts are well above South Africa’s annual maize needs of about 11.8 million tonnes, which implies that the country will have a surplus and remain a net exporter of maize.

Regarding oilseeds, the soybean harvest is estimated at 2.3 million tonnes, down 2,5% from March 2025, but still up 26% year-over-year. This monthly downward revision reflects concerns about yield damage following the recent rains. 

Still, the annual uptick is mainly a result of better yields from last year’s drought. We see a similar pattern with sunflower seeds, down 4% from March 2024 but still up 18% from the previous season, estimated at 742 800 tonnes.

The groundnut harvest is estimated at 64 595 tonnes (up 24% year-on-year), sorghum production is estimated at 137 970 tonnes (up 41% year-on-year) and the dry beans harvest is at 70 540 tonnes (up 40%). The base effects also boost the significant annual increases, given the poor harvest we recorded in 2023-24 during the drought.

Overall, this is shaping to be a better agricultural season and a year of recovery. Moreover, the improving weather prospects, with sunnier and drier conditions expected, will help support the harvest from this month onwards.

The excessive rains of the past few weeks probably caused quality damage in some regions. Still, we suspect this problem is limited to a few regions. Thus, we remain optimistic about the overall national grains and oilseed harvest. We will learn more about the extent of the damage when the harvest gains momentum in the coming weeks and months.

From a consumer perspective, the crop quality issues in a few regions are not a significant concern. There is a broad consensus that this is a recovery season. Thus, we continue to observe generally softening commodity prices, driven by the expected large harvest, which bodes well for a comforting food inflation path in the year’s second half.

This quarter — specifically for grain-related products in the food inflation basket — could still reflect the effects of the recent higher prices and tight grain supplies at the start of this year before we receive the new season’s deliveries.

Wandile Sihlobo is the chief economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa.

When Nelson Amenya blew the lid on a murky $2 billion deal to lease out Kenya’s biggest airport, he didn’t anticipate the backlash he would face: online trolls, a $68,000 defamation lawsuit and death threats. 

“They’re after you, bro. Lawsuits or a bullet, your call. Quit hitting the state and watch your back. One misstep, and you’re gone,” said a caller delivering one of the most chilling warnings. 

Amenya said the call came from a high ranking official in Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations he considers sympathetic to his cause. 

Public furore following Amenya’s whistleblowing — and news that United States authorities had charged Gautam Adani, the Indian billionaire at the centre of the deal in his American dealings — saw Kenya’s President William Ruto scrap the airport deal. 

Despite that validation, Amenya was targeted for speaking out. Business person Jayesh Saini, whom Amenya named among Adani’s top fixers in Kenya, sued him in France where he is living on a student visa.

The court dismissed the case in January, by which time Amenya had won Transparency International Kenya’s Whistleblower Integrity Actions award and been named by the New African Business magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2024. 

But social media accounts continued to send him messages threatening that his mother wasn’t as safe as he was in France. At one point, his parents called him saying they had been interrogated by Kenyan police over a missing car they didn’t know anything about. Amenya’s Kenyan business received a letter suggesting that it was under police investigation. 

Whistleblowers across Africa walk similarly bittersweet journeys of public appreciation and severe personal cost. 

Only a handful of countries — Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda — have laws that protect whistleblowers. Kenya does not, despite a years-long struggle to pass one. 

Elizabeth Duya, of Transparency International Kenya, says Amenya’s fate could have been different if the Whistleblowers Protection Bill had been enacted. 

It proposes protections (such as a framework for anonymous reporting) not just for whistleblowers but also protects their relatives. 

Prohibited retaliation includes not just physical threats but also more subtle forms at the workplace and in court. “It’s one of the most progressive drafts we’ve had,” said Duya. 

“It borrows from global best practices, including financial rewards for leakers,” said Antony Karuga, of Kenya’s Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission. But the Bill has been in limbo since 2013. 

“The political will just isn’t there,” said Duya. 

It is “bogged down in the slow churn of public consultations, parliamentary readings and political debate”, according to Karuga. 

Whatever the cause of delay, the cost is clear. “Fighting graft begins with speaking out, but in Kenya, as in many African nations, there’s no dedicated framework to protect tipsters,” Duya added. “Relying on vague constitutional rights isn’t enough. That’s why so many stay silent.” 

Where whistleblower protection laws exist, they have major blind spots, or their enforcement is weak. Ghana’s 2006 Whistleblowers Act — one of Africa’s most robust, on paper — hasn’t translated to real safety. 

In a 2018 study, public policy scholar Joseph Antwi-Boasiako found that fear of retaliation outweighs the promise of justice. When graft is exposed, it is often met with official inaction. 

But when retaliation comes, the toll is heavy. Journalist Ahmed Hussein Suale was gunned down in 2019 after a lawmaker exposed his identity as one of the undercover reporters behind a graft exposé. 

His colleague Manasseh Azure Awuni fled to South Africa the following year amid threats to his own life. 

South Africa’s Protected Disclosures Act offers some legal cover for whistleblowers facing retaliation. But, according to a Corruption Watch report, it exposes them to the risk of more direct threats. 

The cost of exposure was highlighted when Babita Deokaran, a whistleblower who revealed a $22 million Covid-19 procurement scandal, was gunned down outside her Johannesburg home in August 2021. 

With little to no protection, whistleblowers face stark choices. For Amenya, the ultimate price might be losing Kenya as his home. 

He said there is no chance that he will return home even though the student visa allowing him to live in France will expire in June. “Not under this regime.” 

Yet Duya is hopeful. 

“These laws show intent. With time, they could offer real protection and encourage more people to speak up.”

This article first appeared in The Continent, the pan-African weekly newspaper produced in partnership with the Mail & Guardian. It’s designed to be read and shared on WhatsApp. Download your free copy here.

The seasonal movements of two migratory antelope species — the white-eared kob and tiang — across South Sudan’s expansive wetlands and Ethiopia’s Gambella National Park have been mapped in unprecedented detail to help better conserve them.

Covering an area of over 100 000km² — roughly seven times larger than Serengeti National Park — these maps reveal the largest known land mammal migration on Earth, also known as the Great Nile Migration.

About 5 million kob and 400 000 tiang, alongside other hooved mammals, also known as ungulates, undertake complex, long-distance journeys to access essential wet and dry-season habitats annually, according to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS).

Their routes take them between the Badingilo and Boma national parks in South Sudan. Some migrate further north to Gambella National Park, an important dry-season refuge, particularly for kob, from February to May.

The Convention on Migratory Species said the newly released migration maps form part of the Atlas of Ungulate Migration, which was developed by the Global Initiative on Ungulate Migration under the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. 

“Publicly available online, the atlas and the new maps aim to support conservation planning, infrastructure development and policy-making to maintain critical ecological connectivity, thus preserving essential habitats for migratory species while reducing the potential for human-wildlife conflict.”

“The detailed migration maps … highlight the interconnectedness of landscapes across South Sudan and Ethiopia and underscore the urgent need to balance infrastructure development with the survival of migratory species,” said Amy Fraenkel, the executive secretary of the CMS.

The maps build on recent aerial surveys and tracking data, which were released in June last year by African Parks and South Sudan’s ministry of wildlife conservation and tourism. 

During these surveys, biologists estimated 5 to 7 million migratory animals across four species — white-eared kob, tiang, Mongalla gazelle and Bohor reedbuck. 

For the kob, the maps significantly expand upon earlier tracking studies conducted by the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority between 2013 and 2015, providing new insights into how migrations connect critical habitats across international boundaries, the CMS said.

Seeing the full extent of these migrations is awe-inspiring, but also daunting, said Kumara Wakjira, director general of the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority. “Although it will be challenging, we are committed to assuring that these landscapes remain protected to sustain the movement of kob and other migratory species in Ethiopia into the future.”

Migration routes for kob and tiang, which are now mapped clearly between seasonal ranges, highlight essential corridors needed for their survival through extreme seasonal conditions. 

The CMS said that as human populations and infrastructure expand, these detailed maps offer critical information to mitigate impacts of large-scale projects, particularly energy infrastructure.

“Oil extraction poses a pressing concern, notably within a development area known as Block B2, operated by South Africa’s Strategic Fuel Fund and South Sudan’s Nilepet, covering areas critical for both kob and tiang migrations. 

“Without careful and informed planning, the oil exploration set to begin in 2025 could seriously disrupt wildlife migration, increase human encroachment and escalate illegal hunting,” the CMS said. “The rising incidence of illegal tiang harvesting along roads already shows how essential it is to plan infrastructure with wildlife protection in mind.”

Humans and wildlife have shared this landscape since time immemorial, and even amid new pressures, they can continue to do so, said Grant Hopcraft, a member of the scientific advisory team of the Global Initiative on Ungulate Migration, which led the migration analyses and mapping. 

“If used, these migration maps, based on the best available science, are important tools in ensuring that the needs of both wildlife and humans are balanced.” 

In South Sudan, conservation based on sound management and collaboration with local communities is urgently needed. The CMS said that increasing illegal wildlife trade and the potential impact of petroleum extraction highlight the importance of safeguarding the region’s migratory wildlife. 

“South Sudan and Ethiopia have a unique opportunity to preserve one of the world’s most remarkable natural phenomena for future generations, potentially leveraging conservation and tourism for sustainable economic growth.

“We are dedicated to conserving and studying the migrations here in South Sudan, which are not only globally significant, but part of our national identity,” said Malik Morjan, a professor of wildlife biology at the University of Juba, South Sudan, and a key contributor of data for the maps.

The CMS added that conserving migratory species and “ensuring that spectacular wildlife movements continue into the future” directly supports the achievement of key global commitments such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The ANC in Gauteng believes it is on track to secure at least 40% of the vote in the 2026 local government elections, according to party insiders familiar with internal and external polling data.

The forecast emerged from a two-day weekend lekgotla in Fourways, Johannesburg, where the party’s provincial task team (PTT) met regional officials, members of the provincial legislature caucus, municipal representatives and national executive committee (NEC) members to craft a recovery plan for the embattled party.

A source who was part of the meeting told the Mail & Guardian that the research was conducted internally and externally and it showed that the ANC should grow in the upcoming elections.

“The external one, the settling is too little, ours is much broader, but I can say that even that 40% is almost like a lower estimate based on work not done. The elections will not necessarily be in 2026 it can even be in February 2027,” the source said. 

“If we make sure that we implement all the programmes that we agreed upon, we up Ekurhuleni, we up Johannesburg and we lessen the tensions amongst members because elections that are ruptures are going to destroy us further. So even that 40% is going to improve dramatically.”

The ANC’s national support dropped significantly in the May 2024 general elections, getting just 36.49% of the vote — down from 50.19% in 2019. 

The decline in Gauteng, the country’s most populous province and its economic engine, has sparked urgent efforts by the NEC to restructure its leadership and to reassert its political relevance.

The party dissolved its previous leadership and installed the PTT with a mandate to inspire hope, respond to electoral setbacks and accelerate transformation in line with its broader renewal agenda.

As part of the plan to exceed the projected 40% threshold, the ANC is prioritising stabilisation in key municipalities, particularly Tshwane. 

“In my view, leaving it at 40% is correct but pushing it to 47% is what we need to do. There must be one or two metros which must be won,” the source said.

Another source told M&G that the report showed that the ANC would receive 40% in the elections but raised concerns about the party working with the Democratic Alliance (DA) and “the VAT matter”.

“We can’t be having the DA in the GNU, if we are to get support from the community. We know about these issues they are complaining about and this is what we must address. The polls say 40% but we still need to work hard.” 

Responding to a question in a briefing after the PTT meeting on Sunday,  co-convenor Panyaza Lesufi said the polling had caused excitement within the party. 

“The issues of membership-buying and the issues of using money to influence the outcome, as this legotla and this PTT, it’s an area that we will prioritise so that we stamp out that kind of conduct and that kind of behaviour. 

Lesufi’s co-convener Amos Masondo was more cautious, acknowledging the uncertainty of election outcomes but voicing confidence in the ANC’s ability to regain support. 

“There is no way that the party could foretell the outcomes of the elections but, overall, the research and the kinds of discussion that the party has had, the ANC is confident that it would be able to turn back the wheel and have a positive outcome.”

The party is preparing to hold several regional conferences, with Johannesburg scheduled for June. However, Lesufi has warned against the use of these platforms for factional advantage.

Hope Papo, the party’s provincial coordinator, said that while conferences are a vital part of renewal, unity would not be sacrificed. 

“If processes of the conference are used to further divide the organisation, the PTT will act on those activities,” Papo said. “We should not tolerate that kind of behaviour, whether by any branch leader, any member or any regional leader or any PTT member or any other member of the organisation.”

Papo emphasised the need for ethical leadership. “No weak organisation can serve diligently and fairly,” he said. 

“The majority of ANC members are not delinquent and disruptors … the job of the PTT is to isolate those who are doing wrong things in the organisation to protect the rights of ANC members who, in the main, comply with what they are required to do as party members.”

Since GWM introduced it in 2021, the Haval Jolion has become the brand’s best-selling passenger vehicle in South Africa.

The Jolion became a talking point in the country as it offered consumers a great deal at an affordable price. South Africans love that and gobbled it up. 

Haval then introduced the Jolion Pro in the last quarter of 2024. This one came with a much more sporty look. From an aggressive grille to a coupe-like silhouette, a rear spoiler, black door handles and a lightbar at the back, Haval took an already well-liked exterior and styled it to the maximum. 

It really took the fight to the exterior of the Jetour Dashing and Baic Beijing X55, while maintaining its uniqueness.

You will also notice this is the first Haval vehicle that has GWM branding across the back as the Chinese manufacturer has opted to keep all its brands under the GWM umbrella, instead of its own brand. 

The interior

The interior is very pleasing as well. When you get in, you are greeted by comfortable leather seats both in the front and back; a stylish leather dashboard with carbon-fibre print; a fully digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch infotainment screen that comes equipped with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

The Jolion Pro also has a few buttons below the infotainment screen for aircon controls, park assist and the demister, which is extremely convenient. 

Overall, the interior is lovely to look at and provides sufficient comfort for the driver and passengers. 

Only the boot gave me issues with this car. First, the 291 litres of bootspace felt very cramped. Second, there was no electric tailgate which I thought was odd, especially in a car packed with so much technology. 

The drive

The Jolion Pro, much like the classic Jolion, has a seven-speed, dual clutch transmission gearbox paired to a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine that delivers 105kW of power and 230Nm of torque. 

I’ve never had a problem with the engines the majority of Chinese manufacturers put in compact SUVs. They provide sufficient power and a joyful and comfortable drive — albeit not the most seamless. 

The other issue we’ve been finding with the 1.5 turbocharged vehicles which are paired to a DCT or CVT gearbox is that the fuel consumption is often far higher than the figure claimed by the manufacturer. 

Luckily, this time, we were in the hybrid version of the Jolion Pro. It still has that 1.5-litre turbocharged engine but has an electric motor as well. The combined power of the two means increased performance and better fuel consumption. 

The hybrid version is lightning quick and extremely silent. It is perfect for the urban areas or traffic where your battery kicks in to help save fuel. 

Haval claims 5.1 litres/100km on the hybrid but a more realistic figure is 6 litres/100km.

Safety

The Haval Jolion Pro prioritises safety with features like adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring and a 360-degree camera system. The vehicle also benefits from a robust chassis, multiple airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control and tyre-pressure monitoring.

Depending on which variant you jump into, you might be without features such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist and a 360-degree camera. But, no matter which variant it is, the vehicle will be packed with technology and safety features to put you at ease. 

The outer body of the vehicle feels solid and heavy. The robust frame and high-strength steel provide a strong foundation for safety.

Verdict

For all the technology packed into the Jolion, there was one thing that was slightly annoying. My late grandfather owned one of the first GWM bakkie models brought to South Africa and that bakkie and this Jolion Pro had the same hooter sound. I might be being picky here but the hooter does sound like it’s coming from an old vehicle. 

With that said, aesthetically, the Jolion Pro is definitely an upgrade from the classic version. But, if we are talking about the drive quality, there is not much of a difference. 

However, it must be noted that the classic Jolion did so well because of the amount of safety and technology that it gave consumers at an affordable price. The Pro does the same but looks cleaner. It ticks all the boxes and is still well worth it for South Africans on a budget who want a beautiful car that has everything. 

The Jolion Pro comes in four variants: a premium (R391 150), super luxury (R425 950), ultra luxury (R462 950) and a HEV ultra luxury (R516 950). 

From my experience, it is well worth going for the hybrid version if you can afford it. It provides a better drive and will save you money on running costs in the long run.

There has been a “remarkable and sustained disruption” in the trafficking of pangolin scales and ivory from Africa to Asia since the Covid-19 pandemic. 

A new report from the Hague-based Wildlife Justice Commission documents a sharp decline in significant seizures since 2020, pointing to a shift in the criminal landscape and the potential long-term impact of targeted law-enforcement efforts. 

It presents an updated analysis of ivory and pangolin scale trafficking trends over the past decade, comparing the pre-pandemic period from 2015 to 2019 with the post-pandemic period from 2020 to 2024. The report is based on reported seizure data, open-source research and criminal intelligence and investigation findings from the commission. 

In 2019, pangolin scales and ivory were being trafficked from Africa to Asia in extraordinary quantities. During that year, two record-breaking pangolin scale shipments were seized just days apart in Singapore totaling more than 25 metric tonnes, while three ivory seizures were made in Vietnam, Singapore and China also amounting to more than 25 tonnes.

Rapid growth in the average shipment size pointed to the involvement of organised crime networks “operating at an industrial scale”. This was because of the significant financial capital, business infrastructure and corrupt connections required to move large shipments across continents with such frequency. 

Then in 2020, triggered by the global shock of the Covid-19 pandemic, pangolin scale and ivory seizures plummeted — and have remained comparatively low in the years since. “The disruption was sudden and, remarkably, it appears to be holding.”

Apart from the effects of the pandemic, recent intelligence suggests that important law-enforcement efforts, fluctuations in price dynamics and changing market demands could be contributing to a substantial reduction in the illegal trade of both pangolin scales and ivory compared to the pre-Covid years, the report noted.

Since the disruption of the pandemic, there has been a substantial decrease in the number of multi-tonne seizures and a subsidence of the trend for combined shipments of both pangolin scales and ivory. 

“While this could point to organised crime networks getting better at evading detection, fewer large consignments could also indicate a lower risk appetite for criminal networks to bear the financial losses caused in the event of law-enforcement interception,” it said.

There was also an increased proportion of multi-tonne seizures in Africa before export, which “could point to a greater proactive law-enforcement response in African hotspots”. 

No significant pangolin scale seizures have been reported at any seaport globally for three years or airport for more than five years. “The relative absence of pangolin scale seizures at the demand side of the supply chain could suggest a diminished capacity of organised crime networks to move their goods out of Africa.” 

While a shift appears to be emerging from Nigeria to other African countries for sending ivory shipments to Asia, persistent stockpile seizures in Nigeria suggest that it continues to be a key export hub for pangolin scale shipments. 

“Criminal networks appear to adopt a fluid approach to commodity choice, diversifying their investments to take advantage of high demand and rising market prices of either product.”

The flexibility of networks to adapt to changes in the market and deal interchangeably with pangolin scales and ivory highlights the importance of targeting the criminal networks, rather than the product, to address this problem. 

Pangolin scale values have declined and stabilised at lower levels at both the supply and demand ends of the supply chain. Ivory values declined by about half across the supply chain in the pre-pandemic period, then were relatively stable in Africa in the post-pandemic period. 

“Steady product prices, alongside the ongoing but lower levels of product seizures, could point to continued existence of market demand for both commodities,” the report said.

Although the pandemic generated the initial shock, strengthened and targeted law-enforcement efforts could also have contributed to fundamental changes in the global wildlife crime landscape. 

“The current intelligence picture suggests a major reduction in the trafficking of both commodities, which appears to have stabilised at relatively low levels compared to the pre-pandemic period. 

“However, intelligence gaps remain on the extent to which pangolin scale and ivory shipments are successfully entering supply chains in Asia, despite the apparent slowing down of seizures. 

The report found that the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the trafficking of pangolin scales and ivory from Africa to Asia “cannot be overstated”. 

“It wreaked havoc on the transcontinental wildlife supply chains and upended the unsustainable trajectory of the trafficking of these commodities.”

The commission said that the current intelligence picture suggests a major reduction in the trafficking of both commodities, which appears to have stabilised at relatively low levels compared to the pre-pandemic period. 

“Key questions include whether shipments are no longer being detected due to the use of more sophisticated concealment methodologies or changed modus operandi, or whether networks have procured better corruption settings at the receiver ports to facilitate more secure importation of goods.” 

Limited data on pangolin population levels also means the possibility of a scarcity of product contributing to the drop in transnational trade “cannot be ruled out”, although the ongoing large stockpile seizures in Africa and steady pricing trends suggest this is unlikely to be the case just yet. 

“While the root causes of the disruption in the trafficking landscape are likely varied and complex, investigation findings indicate that proactive law enforcement efforts targeting the primary criminal networks in African hotspots with arrests and prosecutions are having an important impact. 

“Intelligence from Wildlife Justice Commission investigations has found that fear and breakdown in trust among the networks at the supply side is resulting in an increased perception of risk and a stalemate scenario between wholesale suppliers, Asian buyers, and brokers that is thwarting their ability to do business.”

Law-enforcement results achieved by Chinese and Nigerian authorities have had a “highly disruptive impact” on the criminal landscape in a relatively short period of time, underlining the effectiveness of a consistent and targeted criminal justice approach, the report said.

Among the report’s recommendations are a top-tier targeting strategy to map the criminal networks and identify and target the crime bosses, financiers and high-value linchpins who play a crucial role in the network’s activities. 

Further recommendations include deepening long-term, intelligence-led investigations to penetrate complex networks, corroborate intelligence and gather robust evidence and to target the profits of crime through financial investigations and asset forfeiture.

There should be joint investigations and intelligence sharing as they are essential to dismantle networks operating across multiple countries, it said.

When Covid forced the high street to go digital and turned handling physical money into a health risk, some businesses decided to stop accepting cash altogether.

As a result, cash use fell by 35% in 2020 alone, the steepest drop in a years-long downward trajectory.

Just 12% of all payments were made using cash in 2023, a figure that sat at 51% a decade earlier – and nowadays, ‘card only’ signs are a common sight.

But while many prefer the ease of contactless shopping, the Treasury Committee has warned that this trend could lead to a ‘two-tier society’ where vulnerable people are left behind.

According to its latest report, elderly people, disabled people, domestic abuse victims and those on low incomes are at risk of being excluded if the country transitions to a cashless economy.

Reduced consumer choice and ability to budget were also listed as potential impacts, with LINK research showing that half of respondents had been somewhere that did not accept or discouraged cash payments over the previous eight weeks.

While it stopped short of recommending a change in the law, it said ‘there may come a time in the future’ where cash acceptance is mandated, ‘if appropriate safeguards have not been implemented for those who need physical cash.’

Committee chair, Dame Meg Hillier, commented: ‘The Government is in the dark on how widely cash is being accepted and that is completely unsustainable… this needs to be a wake-up call.’

Metro readers thoughts on going cashless

On Facebook, Metro readers shared a number of concerns over the possibility of a cashless future, including Natalie Carter who commented: ‘Everyone loves cards, until there is a blackout or the banking apps go down. Then everyone cries about not being to pay bills. I say stick with cash – it can’t be manipulated the way digital can.’

‘Cash all the way, if you don’t use it you lose it,’ added Dawn Hughson, whileAlly wrote: ‘Cash is king! I always pay in cash.’

When it comes to shared the places where ‘card only’ policies irk them most, car parks were a common theme.

Sharon Woodward was among those who bemoaned trying to pay for parking with no signal and dodgy apps or card machines that time themselves out.

Lorraine Close said she’d ‘hate to be stuck to using card only at the pub’ as ‘it’s impossible to over spend if you take your limit in cash’, while according to Lorraine Stocks, the ability to pay with cash at Center Parcs would help it be ‘an inclusive place for everyone’.

Jo Sturch said she’s decided to boycott Gail’s for her coffees after forgetting they don’t take cash, but Kristen Stephanie Roobottom claims it’s most annoying at theme parks ‘when you have little ones with pennies to spend on a treat’ since ‘it doesn’t feel the same with pocket money just paying on a card.’

Cashless refreshments trolleys on planes were another common gripe, with Barbara Ibbett claiming her Barclays bank cards ‘don’t seem to work on EasyJet, leaving her without an in-flight snack.

Is it legal for retailers to refuse cash?

Although cash is considered ‘legal tender’, this only means it can’t be refused as payment for a court-ordered debt.

The Treasury explains: ‘The acceptance of physical currency in the UK is not currently specified in legislation. Businesses and organisations can therefore choose which payment methods they accept.’

If a retailer specifies card payment only and you’d prefer to use cash, unfortunately your only option at present is to take your business elsewhere.

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Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

An iconic pottery firm has gone bust after more than 100 years of trading.

Moorcroft Pottery, based in Stoke-on-Trent at the heart of the UK’s pottery region, has shut with immediate effect, putting 57 people out of work.

Directors had warned of job cuts in March and worked to find a buyer in the weeks leading to the closure.

Bosses said in a statement: ‘The company faces an increase in energy and other costs, in a difficult trading environment with a global cost of living crisis. This has resulted in a seemingly unsustainable financial position.

‘The board of directors wishes to thank each employee for their unique heritage skills and commitment to the art pottery during a very challenging economic period.

‘The directors have pursued every avenue possible to save the business, however they have been left with no other option than to engage the services of a local insolvency firm to place the company into liquidation.’

Union organiser Chris Hoof told Metro: ‘The closure of Moorcroft is devastating news for workers and their families, but, unfortunately, it’s not a surprise.

‘The government must act and act now to support the ceramics sector and protect workers in this sector.’

Moorcroft was founded in 1897 and by 1928 it was appointed as Potter to HM The Queen during the reign of George V and Mary.

Queen Elizabeth II added Moorcroft designs into the Royal Collection and the company won many prestigious international awards.

Reflecting on the collapse of Moorcroft, a spokesman from the British Ceramic Confederation said: ‘This regrettable news underscores the significant challenges currently facing the UK ceramics sector, including soaring energy costs, increased international competition, and a difficult trading environment.

‘These pressures are making it increasingly difficult for even established and celebrated manufacturers to remain viable.

‘Ceramics UK is actively engaging with the government and relevant stakeholders to highlight the urgent need for support for our vital industry.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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Hundreds of thousands of people could be left with no heating or hot water as their obsolete electricity meters are shut down.

Radio Teleswitching Systems (RTS) are being switched off for good on June 30 – but energy companies warn it will be ‘very very difficult’ to replace all of them with smart meters before that deadline.

By the end of March there were still 430,000 homes using RTS meters for their heating and hot water, and campaigners reckon more than 300,000 will still be stuck with the old tech when it’s switched off.

Energy UK, which represents energy companies, says more than 1,000 RTS meters are being replaced each day – but in order to reach everyone in time they would need to replace closer to 5,000 per day.

And not only could homes be left with no heating or hot water, there are also concerns they could be stuck with their heating constantly on during the warmer summer months.

Ofgem, the energy regulator, has called it an ‘urgent consumer welfare issue’ while the government said the industry has to ‘work urgently to continue to increase the pace of replacements’.

When asked if it was impossible to switch every meter by the June 30 deadline, Ned Hammond, Energy UK’s deputy director for customers, told the BBC: ‘I wouldn’t want to say impossible – but clearly very, very difficult to get to that point.’

RTS meters have been used since the 1980s, using a longwave radio frequency to switch between peak and off peak rates.

They tend to control heating and hot water on a separate circuit to the rest of the household’s electrics, meaning plug sockets and lights are unlikely to be impacted by the switch-off.

The deadline for the switch-off was originally set for March 2024, but it was extended by more than a year to give energy companies more time.

Ned said energy companies are still aiming for the June 30 deadline ‘as things stand’, and say they are developing plans for a ‘managed and very careful phase down of the system’ to try and protect vulnerable customers.

Simon Francis, from the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said: ‘With pressures on the replacement programme growing and with limited engineer availability, especially in rural areas, there’s a real risk of prolonged disruption, particularly for vulnerable households.’

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