🇿🇦🗳 Just in: Constitutional Court Blocks Zuma Candidacy in Election

South Africa’s Constitutional Court ruled that former President Jacob Zuma can’t run as a candidate for parliament in this month’s elections.

The decision by the nation’s top court raises the risk that supporters of Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe Party will foment unrest in the run-up to the May 29 vote or contest the outcome. Party leaders have vowed to destabilize the ballot if Zuma is barred from competing.

South Africa’s constitution bars anyone sentenced to more than 12 months in jail from being a member of parliament.

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe Says 60% of Its Population Needs Food Aid Until March — Bloomberg

Zimbabwe said 9 million people — more than half of its population — will need food aid until March after the El Niño weather phenomenon resulted in a drought that decimated the nation’s corn crop, a staple in the southern African country.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/zimbabwe-says-60-population-needs-120442085.html

🗳🪖2 828 soldiers deployed to ensure "peaceful elections"

President Cyril Ramaphosa has deployed 2 828 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) personnel to maintain law and order when South Africans head to the polls on Wednesday.

Law enforcement agencies have been on high alert since the much-anticipated election season kicked off.

https://www.news24.com/news24/politics/ramaphosa-deploys-2-828-sandf-members-to-ensure-peaceful-elections-20240528

🗳🇿🇦 South Africa in Uncharted Waters With ANC Set to Share Power

South Africa’s ruling party looks set to fall short of securing a parliamentary majority for the first time since surging to power at the end of apartheid three decades ago, ushering in a period of uncertainty with a coalition partner needed to retain control.

The African National Congress is on course to win 42% of the votes cast in Wednesday’s national election, according to projections based on early results. That would be a massive 15.5 percentage point drop from the last vote five years ago.

If the state-owned Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s modeling proves accurate, the ANC will probably need to team up with one of its biggest rivals to cross the 50% threshold, with its market-friendly main opposition the Democratic Alliance one of the chief options. The ANC could also join forces with one of two populist parties, who back the nationalization of mines and banks, unnerving financial markets concerned about the likely hit to investment.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-30/south-africa-s-anc-projected-to-lose-its-majority-model-shows

🪖🇿🇦🇨🇩 SANDF casualties reported in latest battle against M23 rebels in the DRC

DRC government forces (FARDC) together with Wazalendo militia and SAMIDRC troops bombarded M23 rebel positions in the mountains around Sake – about 30 km from Goma – on Thursday morning, which was followed by a ground assault on M23 positions. The M23 rebels apparently destroyed five SAMIDRC vehicles, and captured an armoured personnel carrier (APC) and a truck. They also bombarded Sake, with at least several projectiles falling on the town, killing a number of civilians.

Photos and videos posted on social media show rockets being fired at – apparently – M23 targets, and an SA Army Mamba armoured personnel carrier covered in spent shell casings and with bullet damage to the windscreen and at least one flat tyre. Another photo shows an IVECO truck apparently captured from FARDC or Tanzanian forces.

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/african-news/dead-and-wounded-reported-in-latest-battle-against-m23-rebels-in-the-drc/