South Africa is a region with a vibrant culture, rich in news and events. The COVID-19 pandemic definitely slowed down the flow of events in the region. However, still, there is much interesting happening here, in terms of both business and private lives of South African residents.
#1 The Launch of Parimatch in Tanzania
At the time when millions of people are urged to stay at home and self-isolate, what can be better than a great gambling session? Parimatch.co.tz has opened its doors to the residents of South Africa, with a version in Swahili specifically tailored for Tanzania citizens. Now you can spend time indoors with excitement and agitation, attempting to win on sports and casino bets. The quarantine won’t be boing again!
#2 Broadband Cable Connection among 16 African Countries
In Africa, connectivity remains a serious issue as the continent is loosely inhabited and has some vast desert territories. But a grand project by Google promises to bring the poor Internet connection in Africa to an end, with 37,000 kilometers of a broadband cable connecting 16 countries. The Equiano cable (also called the 2Africa cable project) is expected to start operating in 2023-2024, connecting Africans to the Internet providers of Europe and the Middle East and ensuring free, open-access Internet through carrier-neutral data centers.
#3 Smoking Lockdown in South Africa
While the country remains under lockdown level 3, smoking has been completely banned for more than two months to date. The ban was initiated within the broader strategy of combating illegal cigarette trade, but it has disproportionately affected the legal tobacco industry in South Africa as well. The issue is now under court review, with tobacco producers filing lawsuits seeking the recovery of their operations.
#4 Political Unrest Escalates in Zimbabwe, Covered by COVID-19
The government of Zimbabwe recently announced a complete state lockdown imposing numerous limitations on the citizens’ movement, meetings, and activities. While the lockdown measures are officially explained by the rising COVID-19 threat in the country, critics say that Zimbabwe officials try to restrain the public unrest in the country this way. A recent shocking story about the abduction and torture of three opposition activists, as well as the arrest of private media journalists Chikowore and Takawira, put the legitimacy of political responses into question. Such measures suggest that the authoritarian regime’s rule hasn’t changed with Mugabe’s successor Mnangagwa.
#5 The Mozambique Insurgent Group Comes Out of the Shadow
Civil unrest has continued in Mozambique since 2017, the time when an Islamist insurgent group calling themselves Ansar al-Sunnah started terrorizing Cabo Delgado, a gas-rich but impoverished region of the country. For three years, the militants of Ansar al-Sunnah have been masking their faces and spoke very little about their agenda. Still, amid the further weakening of the country by the economic downturn related to COVID-19, they have activated, expanding their geographical presence and aiming to occupy a strategic city of Macomia. The violent group is known for beheading the dissenters and arranging barbaric attacks at the locals. The May 2020, Ansar al-Sunnah attacked several towns and villages, forcing people to abandon their homes and seek help from the government.
