Africa Daily

Black Economic Empowerment was initially introduced by former South African president Nelson Mandela in the 1990s, as one of his government’s policies.

This section of the population was excluded during the years of white minority rule, leading to high levels of poverty. But some sections of the white population, including American businessman Elon Musk, who was born in South Africa, have been critical of this policy.

So today Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje finds out why this law is so polarizing.

Guests: Tshepo Mokoena, Kganki Matabane and Sandile Swana

For African immigrants in the US, the threat of mass deportation is a constant fear.

Many have built lives, found stability, and raised families but now over a million non-US citizens face the reality of potential deportation.

The Trump administration now plans to create a national register for undocumented migrants over the age of 14, with those failing to sign up risking criminal prosecution.

Deportees like Anwar Mohamed, sent back to Somalia in 2018 after being convicted of a felony, recall the shock of being forced to leave the country they had come to see as home.

Alan Kasujja speaks with Anwar and Muktar Ahmed about their deportation experiences, as well as Ghanaian immigration attorney Akua Aboagye, who helps families navigate the complex US immigration system.

Producer: Mohamad Gabobe

River blindness – or onchocerciasis – is a tropical disease which causes itchiness, skin damage, and eventually blindness. It affects millions of people across Africa.

“We didn’t harvest anything at all” – Zimbabwean resident Hlengiwe Moyo

Today, Africa Daily’s Mpho Lakaje focuses on Zimbabwe, one of several southern African countries recently hit by a prolonged drought. Seven million people are now desperate for food assistance.

The World Food Programme, along with several nations, partnered to donate bags of maize, pulses and cooking oil. Other countries that were hardest hit include Zambia and Malawi. Namibia even resorted to slaughtering wild animals such as hippos, elephants and zebras, to feed its people. The situation became so bad that Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared a national disaster to tackle the prolonged drought crisis.

Guests: Ish Mafundikwa, Regina Vurayayi and Hlengiwe Moyo

Autism remains one of the most misunderstood conditions in many African countries, often leading to stigma, misdiagnosis and a lack of support.

Why do so many children in Africa go undiagnosed, and what impact does this have on their futures?

BBC Africa Daily’s Peter Musembi speaks with Cameroonian author Delly Singah, whose personal journey as a mother of an autistic child has shaped her advocacy.

Through her book ‘Diary of a Special Mum – Kicking Autism to the Curb’, Delly challenges misconceptions and highlights the struggles families face in getting

“South Sudan is on the brink of a return to full-scale civil war - and this civil war could be on a much larger scale than we’ve seen in the past.”

What’s going on in South Sudan? This week alarm bells have been ringing after leading allies of the Vice President, Riek Machar, were arrested – and Machar’s own home in Juba was surrounded temporarily by troops.

It follows clashes between a militia called the ‘White Army’ which fought alongside Machar during the civil war, with government troops in Upper Nile state, close to the Ethiopian border.

The relationship between Machar and President Salva Kiir has always been fractious and in 2013 a bloody civil war broke out after their political differences spiralled. 400,000 people were killed and 2 and a half million were displaced.

So is the peace deal which ended that war in 2018 now under threat?

Presenter: @Mpholakaje

“I believe that when I sing things will change and we shall have a bright future. We are going to be the ambassadors of change for our country South Sudan."

Schools in South Sudan could remain closed for another four weeks as a severe heat wave continues in the country.

(Audio updated: 0658 6/3/25)

The bacteria in our stomachs – known collectively as the microbiome - are increasingly seen by scientists as playing an important role in our overall health. According to research, it can show markers of disease as well as affect everything from digestion to mental health. Everyone has a different microbiome depending on where you live, your lifestyle, and various external factors. But data in Africa has been lacking. Now a new study of four different countries on the continent – Burkina Faso, South Africa, Kenya and Ghana - is starting to fill that gap. Alan Kasujja talks to two of the researchers involved.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the world - from healthcare to finance, agriculture to education. But in Africa, the stakes are different. How do we make sure AI isn’t just another import but is something built for Africans, by Africans?