“What’s Going On” Tallies Notable News Headlines From Across The Continent — The Good, The Bad, And The Horrible — As A Way Of Ensuring That We All Become A More Sagacious African Generation. With This Column, We’re Hoping To Disseminate The Latest Happenings In Our Socio-Political Climate From Across The Continent, Whilst Starting A Conversation About What’s Important For Us To All Discuss. From Political Affairs To Socio-Economic Issues, ‘What’s Going On’ Will Discuss Just That.

SENEGAL’S PRESIDENT ALLEVIATES FEARS OF A THIRD TIME IN OFFICE

In a live official recording on Facebook, Senegal’s incumbent President Macky Sall resigned all attempts at running a third term in the country’s 2024 elections. In his speech, Sall maintained on Monday that Senegal’s constitution would have allowed his candidacy despite having already been elected to a second term in 2019. Nonetheless, Sall chose to end years of uncertainty over his political future that helped fuel deadly opposition protests last month.

President Sall was first elected into office in 2012 for a seven-year term after prevailing against former President Abdoulaye Wade, whose decision to seek a controversial third term prompted violent street demonstrations. During his time in office, Sall made revisions to the government constitution that set a two-limit presidential term per candidate. When his first term ended in 2019, Sall was reelected for another five-year term.

“My decision, carefully considered … is not to run as a candidate in the upcoming election on February 25, 2024 … even though the constitution grants me the right,” he said. He went on to ask the government to do everything possible to organise a transparent election in February.

SUSPECTED GAS LEAK KILL DOZENS IN JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

On Wednesday, reports reached social media that a gas leak had taken place in Johannesburg, South Africa. According to BBC, medics shared that a nitrate oxide gas leak caused the death of 17 people through toxic chemicals. Current reports now state that police and forensic investigators have said the scene of the toxic gas leak is still active and have advised people to stay clear of the area.

A local resident of the informal settlement blamed the incident on an illegal mining operation in the area but these claims are yet to be verified. This won’t be the first time that such an occurence would happen in the region. According to loved ones of the victims, a similar leak happened in the past year. In December 2022, a gas tank explosion occurred in the same township, claiming 41 lives and destroying several homes and vehicles. The Gauteng Province Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, shared in a statement “The scene was heartbreaking. Whether the illegal miners are among the deceased, that is not yet known.”

Nitrate oxide gas—colloquially known as “zama zamas”—is commonly used by illegal miners in the country to extract gold from soil stolen from abandoned mine shafts. According to Nomsa Maseko, BBC Correspondent Johannesburg, all victims were found within a 328ft radius of the crime scene. Currently, 15 people are receiving treatments in the hospital, three of which are in critical condition.

South Africa: Suspected gas leak leaves 16 dead https://t.co/P7clXWqVXH

— BBC News Africa (@BBCAfrica) July 5, 2023

MIGRANT ATTACKS IN TUNISIA

On July 4th, dozens of migrants—majorly women and children—were left injured after brutal attacks in Sfax, Tunisia. According to official reports, the medical team on ground confirmed that inhabitants of the area were attacked with ‘swords’ while others were flung off storey buildings following the brutal death of a 41-year-old Tunisian citizen by stabbing.

During the protests, several Tunisians blocked the streets with burning tires demanding that all illegal migrants be evicted from their homes—according to Agence France-Presse. Several videos circulating social media have shown the police urging residents to depart their homes and take temporary refuge in their police vehicles. According to some local human right groups, the police have detained some migrants and deported them as far away as the Libyan border more than 200 miles away.

With a population of 12 million, Tunisia migrants occupy 0.2% of the population which translates to roughly 21,000 migrants from other parts of Africa. Many attribute the rise in recent racially motivated attack to a statement made by the country’s president, Kais Saied, which alleged migrants introduced violence and “criminal plot” in an attempt to change it’s demographic makeup.

MEASLES OUTBREAK IN SUDAN

According to CNN, at least 13 children have died in recent weeks during a suspected measles outbreak at internal displacement camps in Sudan’s White Nile state, amid conflict between the country’s two warring factions over the weekend. In a series of tweets explaining the outbreak, MSF Sudan said: “Sudan’s White Nile state is receiving increasing numbers of people fleeing the conflict. Nine camps are hosting hundreds of thousands, mainly women and children. We are receiving sick children with suspected measles every day, most with complications.”

The NGO also reported that it had received a total of 3,145 patients to the two clinics in the month of June, adding that “as more people arrive, there’s an urgent need to increase assistance, scale up services like vaccinations, nutritional support, shelter, water & sanitation.”

#Sudan’s #WhiteNile state is receiving increasing numbers of people fleeing the conflict.
9 camps are hosting hundreds of thousands, mainly women and children. The situation is critical. Suspected #measles and #malnutrition in children are the most urgent health problems. pic.twitter.com/kUEWIQ4d1f

— MSF Sudan (@MSF_Sudan) July 2, 2023

Featured Image Credits/The NATIVE