Guest: Fébé Potgieter-Gqubule: ANC Head of Policy and Research Acting Chair of NEC Education, Health and STI Committee 

 

The Morning Brief  

Afrika Update Report Extended  

23 December 2024  

1. Mozambique - Maputo 

Ahead of election recount announcement, Mozambique govt pleads with citizens not to resort to violence.Today, the Mozambican Constitutional Council will announce the results of their recount and verification process following weeks of unrest in the country. 

2. France – Chad  

France rushes to withdraw troops from Chad following new deadline  

The situation caught France by surprise. It was preparing to start withdrawing its ground troops in Chad from next week. Then on Friday, Paris received a communiqué from the authorities demanding the total withdrawal of all personnel from its base in N’Djamena by 31 December. 

3. ECOWAS- Niger- Mali- Burkina Faso 

ECOWAS sets exit date for coup-hit states 

West African leaders are giving the three Sahel countries led by military governments six months to reconsider their decision to quit the regional bloc Ecowas, as security issues and movements of populations cause concern among its 12 remaining members. 

 

4. USA- DR Congo  

UN Security Council Has Extended the UN Peacekeeping Mission In DRC Until December 2025 

The United Nations Security Council has voted to extend the mandate for a long-running U.N. peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo for another year. This follows further delaying an agreed withdrawal from the eastern provinces. 

 

5. In our historical archives, it was on this day 23 December 1980 when Four black newspapers, Post Transvaal, Saturday Post, Sunday Post and the Sowetan were banned by the then Apartheid SA government. 

 

 

Guest: Professor Vally Padayachee, power and energy expert and a former executive manager of Eskom and a former senior executive of City Power Jhb 

The Public Servants Association (PSA) says it has been inundated with calls from union members after the Government Employees Medical Scheme (Gems) membership subscription increased by 13.4% for next year. 

 

Guest: Claude Naiker – Spokesperson: Public Servants Association 

President Joe Biden signed a stopgap funding bill into law Saturday, extending government funding into March, after President-elect Donald Trump upended the effort to prevent a shutdown earlier in the week by coming out against an initial bipartisan deal. 

Guest: Brooks Spector - Associate Editor Daily Maverick 

 

Guest: Bhekisisa Mncube is an author and columnist 

THE National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has been asked to reject Eskom’s proposed tariff increases. The General Industries Workers Union of SA (Giwusa) said the recent tariff hike earlier this year has already placed immense pressure on the poor, working, and middle class. 

 

Guest: Mametlwe Sebei – GIWUSA President  

 

The Morning Brief  

Afrika Update Report  

20 December 2024 

1. USA- North Sudan  

The United States on Thursday announced $200 million of new funding for the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, bringing Washington's commitment to $2.3 billion, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said yesterday. 

2. Guinea- Conkary  

Mohamed Diane, a former defence minister in Guinea, has been sentenced to five years in prison by a special court on charges of corruption, illicit enrichment, embezzlement, and money laundering. 

Diane, who served under ex-President Alpha Condé from 2015 until the military takeover in 2021, was also fined $58.5 million, £46 million. 

3. DR Congo- Kinshasha 

Major Military Shake-up in Congo as President Tshisekedi Reorganizes Armed Forces 

President Felix Tshisekedi of Congo has instigated a significant military reorganization, replacing key figures including the chief of staff and commanders involved in security operations in the eastern region.  

4. France – Morocco- Burkina Faso 

Burkina Faso frees four French spies after Moroccan mediation 

Four French nationals held in Burkina Faso for a year have been released following mediation from Morocco and thus resolving a diplomatic row over their detention. 

5. In our historical archives, it was tomorrow on the 21st of December 1949 when Thomas Isidore Noel Sankara was born in Yako, Burkina Faso. 

On the 14th of December it was reported that there were delays and queues in the processing of passengers for International Departure at the Immigration points as a result of the Border Management Authority’ s system challenges. ACSA wishes to express our sincere apologies for the inconvenience that this situation has caused to travellers, airport users and our stakeholders. 

Guest: Mpumi Mpofu – Airports Company South Africa CEO 

An online and video-based study by market research specialist Ipsos has revealed that South Africa’s R50-Billion Stokvel sector made up of more than 800 000 Stokvel groups and 11-million members* is a vast network of dynamic ‘human banks’ in the South African economy. 

 

Guest: Palesa Lengolo - Absa Group Savings Product manager