Africa Rise and Shine

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, marked seven years since the launch of its Hashtag I Belong Campaign to End Statelessness. The agency has urged that more action is needed to resolve the plight of millions around the world who are still without citizenship. According to UNHCR, statelessness, or the situation of not being recognized as a citizen by any country, is affecting millions of people around the world. And for more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to Emmanuelle Mitte, UNHCR Senior Statelessness Officer

At least thirty schools, nine of which are supported by Save the Children, have been damaged in the recent violent protests in South Africa. At least one school is reported to have been burnt to the ground. One of the Save the Children supported schools that has been damaged is for children with disabilities, who are already at a higher risk of losing long-term access to education due to COVID-19. For more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to  Steven Miller, CEO of Save the Children in South Africa........ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Zambezi River Authority - a body that manages water on Lake Kariba and the Zambezi river has guaranteed that there would be enough water for power generation this year. Lake Kariba supplies water for electricity generation in Zambia and Zimbabwe and has allocated 12 billion cubic meters for this year. Channel Africa's John Cassim has more from Harare . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

South Africa's president Cyril Ramaphosa has brought forward the closure of schools for the winter holidays by a few weeks, as the country battles to curb the rise of new Covid-19 infections. Schools will start closing on Wednesday, and are expected to be all closed by the end of the week. The country, the worst-hit by the pandemic on the African continent is in the grip of a "third wave" of infections, with fears that it could eclipse the previous two waves. For more reaction on the school closure, Lulu Gaboo spoke to Wycliffe Otieno, Chief of Education at the United Children's Fund in South Africa..... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the new adjusted alert level four restrictions on Sunday which includes a ban on the sale of liquor. The ban is the fourth since the 1st case of the CORONA virus was reported in South Africa. For more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to Lucky Ntimane, National Convener of the National Liquor Traders Council in South Africa..... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A group of concerned Zimbabwean youth have organized a 100 kilometer walk to raise awareness on anti-rhino poaching efforts in the region. In 1999 more than 2000 rhinos were accounted for near the majestic Victoria Falls, but now only a small population is left owing to poaching. Channel Africa's JOHN CASSIM reports from ZIMBABWE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ethiopia's military has rejected accounts that dozens of civilians were killed in an air raid in the country's embattled Tigray region, saying its forces had only struck rebels. Local residents and medics quoted by multiple news outlets said this week dozens of innocent people were killed in the aerial attack on a busy market in the town of Togoga on Tuesday. The war in the country's North, that began in November 2020 has put some 5 million people in a humanitarian crisis, with the International community continuing to call for a ceasefire. For more on this, our correspondent in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababba, Coletta Wanjohi, spoke to Dina Mufti, Spokesperson of the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The COVID-19 outbreak has had a devastating global effect in almost all sectors, including the publishing industry in Africa. Many African publishers are said to be overdependent on selling printed textbooks to governments, a one-track business model that has had a catastrophic impact on them when COVID-19 closed schools and drove learning online. Now, the Africa Publishing Innovation Fund (APIF) committee, led by the international Publishers Association (IPA) and comprising veteran publishers from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tunisia, and South Africa, believes cultivating reading for fun in Africa - especially among children and young adults - stands to bring the continent wide socioeconomic advancements to the industry in the long term. More from Brian Wafawarowa, a member of the APIF committee… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

South Africa's Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment affairs has refused to give authorisation to Turkish powership company- Karpowership, blocking the energy company from providing emergency power to the debilitated South African grid. The application was dismissed on environmental grounds. Karpowership was named as a major winner in a government emergency power tender designed to help ease crippling power cuts. For analysis on this is Professor Mark Swilling, the co-director for Centre for Sustainability Transitions at the Stellenbosch University in South Africa. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Institute of Communicable Diseases last night announced that South Africa recorded 16- thousand - and -78 new COVID-19 cases, with 9 - thousand of those found in the Gauteng province, the country's economic hub. The province's premier, David Makura has said the country cannot afford to shut down the province and are looking at a hybrid lockdown approach. The southern African nation is currently on level 3 lockdown. There's been calls from the medical fraternity to impose stricter restrictions on movement in order to limit the high rate of infection the country is currently experiencing as it faces the third wave. More from Chairperson at the South African Medical Association, Dr Angelique Coetzee See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Journal of the American Medical Association states that using a nasal spray that deactivates the Covid virus in the nose, may not only prevent person-to-person spread of SARS-CoV-2, but may also diminish the severity of the disease in patients by limiting spread and decreasing viral load delivered to the lungs. Researchers have identified two agents: xylitol and grapefruit seed extract, which, when administered in the form of nasal sprays help reduce COVID-19 symptoms in patients. More from Andy Cook, the owner of Exceptional Health, who imports a nasal spray that contains xylitol and grapefruit seed extract. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As South Africa marks Youth Day, the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa, CoRMSA has joined the rest of the country commemorating the 45th anniversary of the 1976 Soweto uprising, the day now known as Youth Day in South Africa. Thifuluffheli Sithumule, Director of CoRMSA explains what Youth Day means for an organization like CoRMSA and why it's important for the organization to join in the celebrations of today.... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As South Africa marks Youth day Wednesday, the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa (CoRMSA) has joined the rest of the country commemorating the 45anniversary of the 1976 Soweto uprising, the day now known as Youth Day in South Africa. Thifuluffheli Sithumule, Director of CoRMSA explains what Youth Day means for an organization like CoRMSA and why it's important for the organisation to join in the celebrations of today.... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed the importance of cutting-edge technology in the delivery of healthcare in sharp relief, as institutions and enterprises embrace new systems and models to develop future-proof solutions. Experts say it is inevitable, with an ever-increasing range of innovative products and services, that healthcare will become a digital-first industry. More from Travis Dewing, who is the Netcare Group Chief Information Officer and CEO of Netcare Digital .... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As it commemorates its twentieth anniversary this year, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria says it is using this opportunity to mark what it says is the extraordinary progress made in the fight against the three diseases. Elizabeth Lediga reflects on the history of the Global Fund… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions Federation- COSATU, has warned that employers who force employees to be vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus, will be taken to court. We spoke to labour analyst Andrew Levy See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Germany has rejected calls for reparations from Namibians over colonial-era killings that Berlin has recognised as genocide, saying the 1.3 Billion US-Dollar- financial aid it was offering was on a "voluntary basis". German foreign minister Heiko Maas acknowledged that over the years there had been calls for reparations from countries including Greece and Poland over Nazi-era massacres. His comments came after Germany for the first time recognised that it had committed genocide against Namibia's indigenous Herero and Nama people between 1904 and 1908. As part of a deal with Namibian negotiators after six years of talks, Berlin also offered a financial programme of 1.3 billion US -dollars. However, Germany pointedly did not qualify the financial sum as "reparations”. To get some reaction on this, Channel Africa spoke to Israel Kaunatjike, Herero Activist... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The world has marked the first rise in child labour in two decades and the coronavirus crisis threatens to push millions more youngsters toward the same fate. This is according to the United Nations' child labour report. In a joint report, the International Labour Organization and the UN Children's agency –UNICEF, say the number in child labour stood at 160 million at the start of 2020, an increase of 8.4 million in four years. The report was published ahead of World Day Against Child Labour on 12th June. For more on the report and some of its key findings, Channel Africa spoke to Michaëlle De Cock, Head of Research and Evaluation Unit at the International Labour Organisation. Let's take a listen... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zambia's Constitutional Court is expected to deliver judgment today on whether President Edgar Lungu is eligible to contest the August 12 general election. A petition was brought forward by NGOs in the country seeking a nullification of President Lungu's nomination for election as President, as he has already served two terms as the country's president. Earlier, the Court dismissed an application by three foreign-based Zambian lawyers, Professor Chaloka Beyani, Melvin Mbao, and Cephas Lumina, who wanted to join the matter as friends of the court. To find out more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to one of the lawyers, Professor Melvin Mbao, Emeritus Professor of Law… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Innovative Pharmaceutical Association of South Africa - IPASA, has committed to a partnership with government in fighting COVID-19. The recent collaboration in this industry has led to better patient outcomes. In recent years, medicines have resulted in significant progress against some of the most complex diseases. These medicines are increasingly attacking not only symptoms, but the root causes of debilitating diseases. Innovation and drug development that typically takes 8-10 years has been achieved in a matter of months, demonstrating what the industry is capable of when operating at its peak and with the support and backing of stakeholders. Chief Operations Officer at IPASA, Bada Pharasi explains... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

South Africa's power utility Eskom implemented Stage 4 load shedding yesterday. This was due to additional breakdowns of a unit at Medupi and two units at Duvha Power Station, together with the high winter demand. To discuss this further, Lulu Gaboo spoke to Energy Expert and Mining Consultant Ted Blom.... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent research has shown the potential technology has in the effective delivery of primary healthcare services across South Africa. The research suggests that trans-disciplinary health consultancy; Percept should be used as a roadmap to better healthcare services for all in the country. Percept's research looked at a range of innovations that were rolled out in countries like Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Mozambique. For more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to Anja Smith, a Economist at South African based Percept… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dozens of children, most of them girls, have been abducted by non-state armed groups over the past year in northern Mozambique. This is according to a report by charity organisation Save the Children. The charity says at least 51 children have been abducted amid violence and insecurity that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people. It notes that the number of children abductions is likely to be far higher, as its report only reflects the reported cases. To find out more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to Nourshan Hannan, Save the Children Programmes Manager in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado Province… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US government has voiced concern over Nigeria's decision to ban Twitter after the US social media giant deleted a tweet from President Muhammadu Buhari's account for violating its rules. Nigerian telecoms operators complied with a government directive on saturday to suspend access to Twitter. The diplomatic missions of the EU, US, Britain, Canada and Ireland issued a joint statement condemning the ban. Channel Africa's correspondent in Lagos, Collins Nosa Atohengbe has more... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

South Africa's economy performed better than expected in the first quarter of this year. Eight of the ten industries recorded positive gains. Stats SA data shows between January and March this year, the economy grew by 1-point-1 percent. For more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to Maarten Ackerman, Chief Economist at Citadel... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President of the Resident Doctors Association of Zambia, Brian Sampa has been fired following a strike which demanded the recruitment of 500 doctors and payment of salary arrears. Sampa's dismissal letter notes that he had being absent from work for more than 10 consecutive days. For more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to Dr Brian Sampa... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mali's military leader Assimi Goita, who orchestrated his second coup in nine months, has been sworn in as the transitional president despite international condemnation of May's power grab. Goita, who served as Mali's vice president under transitional President Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane, seized power late last month after accusing them of failing to consult him about a cabinet reshuffle that would have replaced the defence and security ministers. Within hours of his swearing in, Goita appointed opposition leader and former Minister Choguel Maiga as Prime minister. To get a sense of what Goita said during his swearing-ceremony, Channel Africa spoke to Malian Political analyst, Kassoum Coulibaly... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 10th SA AIDS Virtual Conference is set to take place this Wednesday and Thursday. The virtual conference will discuss progress made on the South African and regional HIV epidemic response against set goals and targets and the socio-economic and behavioural impact of COVID-19 on people living with HIV amongst others. The theme of the 10th SA AIDS Conference 2021 is: Ending AIDS amid Pandemics. For more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to Conference Chair, Dr Gloria Maimela… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The African Energy Chamber has condemned Africa Oil Week's decision to relocate the conference venue for its flagship event from Cape Town, South Africa, to the United Arab Emirates. As the voice of Africa's energy sector, the African Energy Chamber says it fully supports and commits to conferences of African nature being held on African terrain. To discuss this further, Lulu Gaboo spoke to Africa Energy Chamber Executive Chairperson, NJ Ayuk... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The South African Medical Association (SAMA) predicts that the country will breach the 6 000 mark of Covid-19 infections in the next two weeks to officially enter the third wave of the pandemic. The southern African nation has been recording over 5 000 new infections daily in the past week, while the country recorded over 3 000 cases last night. SAMA has appealed to the public to ensure they observe the COVID-19 protocols, that people observe social distance and wear masks when visiting each other's homes. SAMA spokesperson, Dr Angelique Coetzee, explains... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aid groups have expressed concerns over the plight of about 6 000 displaced people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's Ituri Province. Deadly attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) have forced people to flee multiple displacement sites. ADF simultaneously attacked displacement sites and villages near the towns of Boga and Tchabi, killing 57 civilians. Jean Noël Ba-Mweze reports from Kinshasa… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two prisoners who spent close to 10 years at Zimbabwe's notorious Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison after they were wrongly convicted of murder have been acquitted and released after an appeal. They were sentenced to serve 20 years for allegedly murdering a Zimbabwe Republic Police officer. Channel Africa's John Cassim reports from Harare... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) has unveiled the world's first 'Journey of Blood' facility based in Kwazulu Natal Province. This state-of-the-art laboratory will enable the public to go on a walk through the facility without physically entering the laboratory space. People will see first-hand the testing and processing of blood to get it ready to save a life. For more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to Khensani Mahlangu from the SANBS… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United Kingdom has been working very hard to make sure that no momentum is lost in terms of action against climate change ahead of the next United Nations climate summit, or COP26 - due to take place in Glasgow in November. This is according to the Acting British High Commissioner to South Africa, Adam Bye. The British High Commission together with South Africa's National Press Club co-hosted a briefing session last week which discussed the progress made towards the highly anticipated conference and how the ambition has increased globally. Postponed from last year due to Covid-19 restrictions, the summit will be co-hosted by the United Kingdom and Italy, and countries are expected to announce new climate targets in advance. Bye says action will have to be taken at the conference before it is too late... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today marks World Food Safety Day, an annual campaign on June 7, which aims help combat food-borne diseases all around the world. According to the World Health Organisation, there is no food security without food safety. Ending hunger is about all people having access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food all year round. For more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to German More, of the MAMAS Alliance, a corporate social investment agency in South Africa… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some countries in Africa, like Tanzania and Chad, have not started COVID-19 vaccination while others have only just begun. Meanwhile, more statistics show that the third wave of the virus is starting to engulf South Africa, a nation with the highest case load of COVID infections on the continent. To unpack Africa's readiness to deal with a fresh surge of infections, following the World Health Organisation's warning of a looming continental third wave, Channel Africa's Lulu Gaboo spoke to Professor Adrian Puren from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases in South Africa… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government of Kenya has formally challenged a ruling by the country's High Court last month that found that President Uhuru Kenyatta's proposed constitutional reforms were illegal. The sweeping constitutional changes, popularly known as the Building Bridges Initiative -or BBI - were dismissed by the court on May 14, in a blow to Kenyatta and his allies who wanted the amendments put to a referendum before next year's elections. In a formal appeal filed in court Solicitor General Kennedy Ogeto said the five-panel bench had "erred" in determining that the president did not have the legal authority to spearhead such amendments. To discuss this further, Khumbelo Mundzelele spoke to Christine Nkonge, Human Rights Lawyer and Executive Director at Kenya's Katiba Institute... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A book titled 'Budding Democracy or Judicialization: Lessons from Africa's Emerging Electoral Jurisprudence' will be launched today, virtually. The book touches on a number of electoral laws, democracy and the role of the judiciary during elections in selected countries across the continent. While elections have been regarded as a form of democracy, their results are often disputed and recently the judiciary has had to determine the outcomes, making elections a source of both excitement and misery in Africa. John Cassim reports from Harare… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever since the Stonewall riots in New York City in 1969, June is celebrated as Pride Month all over the world. It is an initiative to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and fight against discrimination and violence towards them. The month aims to increase awareness among people and get rid of the stigma around it. According to an online publication, Independant, LGBTQ+ campaigners have warned that homophobic incidents are more common than many people realise, as Pride Month gets underway. For more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to Devan Moonsamy, Chief Executive Officer of ICHAF Training Institute... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

June is World Infertility Awareness Month, a time dedicated to heightening awareness regarding numerous infertility issues faced by couples across the globe. This includes problems related to female as well as male fertility. During this month, several myths regarding infertility are debunked and a lot of options are brought forward to those who may want to conceive. For more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to Dr Thato Maoto, a registered obstetrician and gynaecologist based in South Africa.... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Global cashless payment volumes are set to almost double from 2020 to 2025, from about 1 trillion transactions to about 1.9 trillion. By 2030, the number of cashless transactions per capita will be roughly double to triple the current level. This is according to a report issued by PwC titled: "Payments 2025 & beyond, Navigating the payments matrix: Charting a course amid evolution". For more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to PwC Strategy & Payments Transformation Africa leader, Chantal Maritz... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The President of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi, has launched the Temane Gas and Energy project, budgeted at around $1 billion. The Temane Thermal Power Station, in the northern province of Inhambane, will be able to guarantee the electrification of the entire southern part of the country in an extension of about 650 kilometers, as well as reducing the import of cooking gas into the country. Milton Maluleque reports… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the first time ever, a person's genetic capacity for resilience can now be measured, thanks to a ground-breaking new DNA test developed by a South African biotech company. The test can also help improve resilience, something which has become essential as we all grapple to adjust and cope with the effects of the pandemic on our lives and livelihoods. For more on the significance of the resilience test, Lulu Gaboo spoke to its pioneer, Jason Bernice, who is an Executive Life Coach… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The appeal hearing of Vital Kamerhe, the former chief of staff to DRC President Félix Tshisekedi, continued on Tuesday at the Makala main prison in Kinshasa. Kamerhe who's also the Union for the Congolese Nation leader, is currently in prison serving a 20 year sentence for embezzlement of public funds. Channel Africa's Jean Noël Ba-Mweze reports from Kinshasa... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has for the first time, criticized five judges of the country's High Court for rejecting a constitutional reform plan now known in the country as the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI). As James Shimanyula reports, in their ruling, the judges described the BBI as irregular, unlawful and unconstitutional. James Shimanyula reports from Nairobi… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The African Union (AU) has been called upon to intervene on recent issues raised by the Pan African Parliament in Midrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. Pandemonium broke out as delegates started getting physical with each other following a dispute over the rotation of the continental groupings presidency. Members clashed over the electoral system, with the Southern Caucus pushing for the change to rotational leadership, similar to the AU process. The Eastern and Western Caucuses are adamant that there is no authority that allows the impromptu change. The sitting has since been suspended. More from South African representative to the Pan-African Parliament, Pemmy Majodina. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) is hosting the fourth cohort of its flagship AWIEF Growth Accelerator. The initiative is designed to support the unique needs of early-stage and high growth-oriented women-led ventures with business modelling, growth strategy training, corporate advisory, mentorship, networks, and access to strategic partnerships. According to the forum, access to finance is the most cited challenge to the growth of women-owned businesses in Africa. For more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to AWIEF Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Irene Ochem... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Problematic food packaging, poorly informed consumers, poor design of plastic packaging, an unstable supply chain and a lack of co-operation between brand owners, producers and retailers are among the many reasons why South Africa is lagging behind when it comes to recycling. These findings are contained in a new World Wildlife Fund (WWF) report titled "Plastics: From Recycling to post-consumer Recyclate" which looks at recycling from an industry perspective. For more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to Lorren de Kock, Co-author of the report, and Project Manager for Circular Plastics Economy with WWF South Africa... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is good news for South African motorists as the retail price for all grades of petrol will decrease by 10 cents a litre from this Wednesday. However, diesel and paraffin will cost 20 cents more a liter. This is according to the latest data from the Department of Energy. For more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to Layton Beard from the Automobile Association of South Africa... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In an effort to tackle hate speech against religious communities, Saudi Arabian politician, and Secretary General of the Muslim World League, Dr. Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, has released a video to kickstart the #RejectHate campaign. The campaign calls for social media platforms to remove all hate speech targeting Muslims and other religious groups to create a more peaceful and tolerant world. The initiative comes just four months after Al-Issa established the Durban-based Mercy and Peace Foundation, which seeks to end gender-based violence, abuse, human trafficking and other crimes against humanity. For more on this, Lulu Gaboo spoke to Executive Adviser for Muslim World League in Africa, Sheikh Walid El Saadi… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The South Africa Department of Basic Education is today undertaking a nationwide school safety and violence prevention drive to raise awareness on the distressing impact of bullying on the school community. Bullying is a serious problem in the country's schools. A recent bullying incident which shook the nation after a video went viral, resulted in a Grade 10 school girl in Limpopo province taking her own life. For more on this issue, Lulu Gaboo spoke to Gundo Mmbi, a school principal at Spark Soweto, South of Johannesburg... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.