22 July 2021
South Africa: Zuma in prison is a huge victory. Looting out of pity for the victimised former president? No, “hungry people do not become violent looters on behalf of better-known looters who are in jail. They may well be available for mobilisation (looting, violence, marching) behind the organisers – but it is the organisers that need to be brought to book, and who must also face the rule of law.”
https://theconversation.com/south-africa-in-flames-spontaneous-outbreak-or-insurrection-164466
South Africa: The number of dead has risen to 337 today Thursday, up from 276 yesterday, with people dying from their injuries. According to the Minister in the Presidency, 213 murder cases are being investigated in connection with the riots.
BBC Africa Live 22 July 2021. 15:41
Mozambique: Secrecy surrounds the deployment of Rwandan troops in Mozambican as it did for mercenaries of the Russian Wagner Group and the South African-based Dyck Advisory Group in the past. Parliament, for one, was not informed. Neither SADC (the regional body that is yet to send its troops) nor the Renamo opposition are happy with the Rwandan deployment. The government has always been reluctant to let SADC intervene. Not sure that locals will support the Rwandan soldiers…
https://issafrica.org/iss-today/mozambicans-divided-over-rwandan-deployment
Cameroon: In the Far North region (the country’s poorest and most remote), since Shekau’s death, security forces instead of civilians have been targeted by terrorist attacks – this could reflect ISWAP’s consolidating its power and presence; it corresponds to “ISWAP’s approach of targeting military bases and the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) coalition troops rather than civilians” because “(a)llowing civilians to pursue their livelihood activities and then taxing these activities is a pillar of the Islamic State’s strategy”. Yaounde should do something fast or the State risks being “replaced” by ISWAP.
https://issafrica.org/iss-today/iswap-takes-aim-at-the-state-in-cameroon
Cameroon: 50 Boko Haram fighters surrendering to Cameroonian authorities bring the number of surrenders to 183 over the last two months in the Far North province, i.e. since the death of Abubakar Shekau.
BBC Africa Live 22 July 2021. 16:46
Angola: Millions are close to starvation in the south of the country which is in its third year of drought.
BBC Africa Live 22 July 2021. 10:10
Ethiopia: According to a “senior rebel commander – I suppose of the Tigrayan “rebels” –, Tigrayan forces have won “a major victory” in Afar region. No independent confirmation is available. “An Afar official said more than 50,000 people had been displaced by rebel attacks.”
BBC Africa Live 22 July 2021. 17:02
21 July 2021
South Africa: 276 killed (234 in KwaZulu-Natal and 42 in Gauteng) and counting – but unrest has largely subsided since the deployment of 25,000 soldiers. Several thousand have been arrested for looting.
BBC Africa Live 21 July 2021. 18:12
Zimbabwe: After a significant rise in teenage pregnancies during Covid lockdown and 2,000 below 16 years old, “rights groups are pushing for schoolgirls to be able to obtain contraceptives without parental consent.”
BBC Africa Live 21 July 2021. 18:11