txAFRICA - All African Happenings, Highlights and Headlines

08/12/2025

VERY WISE DECISIONS
Lobbying countries to boycott US G20 would be ‘unconstructive’ - presidency

The South African government says it will not lobby other countries to boycott the US G20 summit after President Donald Trump decided to bar Pretoria from participating.

Instead, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya has said South Africa would want all the G20 members to fully participate but make sure that the declaration made at the Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg finds resonance despite Trump’s misgivings.

Boycotting the US G20, Magwenya said, would be counterproductive and South Africa was not keen to see an entire G20 year being wasted simply because the country was not invited.

“We don’t want to do that. That’s not for us to do. In fact it would be unhelpful if the entire year goes to waste and the G20 is collapsed,” said Magwenya.

“So countries must continue to participate and they must continue to advance key developmental issues, notwithstanding the discomfort of the US over those issues. So we are not going to encourage a boycott and lobby countries to boycott.”

He said, unlike Trump, who tried to get other countries to snub the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, Ramaphosa does not want to “engage in that unwise behaviour” of boycott politics.

“If anything. We will encourage all the members to fully participate and to utilise their rights to advance the issues that are important and that have been widely agreed on in Johannesburg, regardless of whether the US is comfortable with those issues or not,” said Magwenya.

“It’s not in our DNA to embark on unconstructive or unhelpful diplomatic campaigns, ours is for the world to remain engaged and seized with all the key issues that were surfaced and ventilated at the Johannesburg summit, regardless of whether the US is comfortable with those issues or not. That’s what we would like to see other members do in our absence from that G20.”

Magwenya also said Ramaphosa was not expecting G20 members to publicly denounce the US in support of South Africa, but would rather they register their “displeasure” over the decision to block it from being part of the activities in the US.

“Our expectation is not that G20 member countries must come out publicly and defend South Africa, we expect that all the members must rather register their displeasure with the US in defence of multilateralism and the spirit and purpose of the G20,” he said.

“At the very least, we expect that all the G20 members directly register their discomfort with the US about this type of unilateralism in a multilateral platform.”

Magwenya said South Africa is not hard-pressed about Trump’s decision to block the country from participating as they had been expecting the decision.

“We’re not overly concerned because we are already in discussions with France with respect to carrying through the momentum of the South Africa-led G20 to the G7. We are already in discussions with the UK to ensure that a number of key issues that feature prominently in the Johannesburg declaration are carried through to the 2027 G20,” said Magwenya.

“We already anticipated that there would be resistance from the US with respect to accepting the Johannesburg declaration, and so we started lobbying beyond the US G20. When President Trump announced that we would not be participating, that affirmed our anticipation. We are going to continue engaging other partners to ensure that the substance of the Joburg declaration remains in the G20 agenda beyond the US.”

Magwenya said Ramaphosa was well aware that the G20 countries were having their own battles with Trump over trade tariffs and that it would be unfair to expect them to publicly denounce him, which could further hurt those negotiations.

“We also appreciate that a number of countries are in a somewhat precarious position with the US. If it’s not trying to negotiate a trade deal, it’s trying to get US co-operation particularly with Europe seeking US support and co-operation over the Ukraine peace plan,” he said.

“And so we appreciate all those complexities. Therefore, we would not have unreasonable expectations that countries must pick up our fight. We know how to stand up for ourselves, we’ve been standing up for ourselves, we’ve been defending ourselves against misinformation out of Washington, against Israeli-peddled propaganda and against local right-wing peddled lies. We can defend ourselves.

“What we have said is that countries must defend multilateralism as a principle because it’s South Africa today, who else will be next? So that’s what we are expecting countries to do and that they do it in a manner that is constructive and comfortable for them.”

07/12/2025

Burkina Faso's President Ibrahim Traoré received the first AES biometric identity card, signifying the bloc's dedication to regional integration.

The AES biometric ID card is valid for 10 years and incorporates advanced security features compliant with international standards.

This initiative symbolizes the bloc's transition from ECOWAS, reflecting Burkina Faso's commitment to the AES membership

A five-year transitional period allows coexistence with older IDs before full phasing out, establishing the AES identity standard across the region.

07/12/2025

Idi Amin rose from a teenage recruit in the King’s African Rifles to the presidency of Uganda through a military coup in 1971.A national athlete, a popular a...

06/12/2025

06/12/2025

06/12/2025

Deep beneath South Africa lies one of the most extraordinary places in human history — the Witwatersrand Basin, a massive geological formation that has produced almost half of all the gold ever mined on Earth. For more than a century, miners have descended into some of the deepest and hottest tunnels on the planet to extract the precious metal that shaped economies, powered empires, and transformed global trade. No other region on Earth has ever produced so much gold, making the Witwatersrand the most valuable stretch of land in mining history.

The basin, discovered in the late 1800s, triggered one of the world’s greatest gold rushes. Cities like Johannesburg exploded into life almost overnight, built on fortunes pulled from kilometers below the surface. The gold here is ancient — deposited nearly three billion years ago by long-vanished river systems — yet so concentrated that it fueled decades of mining that continue even today. The scale of extraction is so vast that nearly every piece of gold jewelry, coin, or bar worldwide has a statistical chance of containing atoms traced back to this single South African source.

Beyond its economic impact, the region shaped politics, migration, and global markets. Entire mining towns rose and fell, and millions of workers crossed continents for the promise of underground wealth. The Witwatersrand Basin became a symbol of opportunity and hardship — a place where unimaginable riches sat beside some of the toughest working conditions in mining history.

Today, while production has declined, the legacy remains unmatched. The fact that nearly half of Earth’s mined gold came from this one location shows how deeply a single geological miracle can shape human civilization.

06/12/2025

BREAKING 🚨🚨

South Africa’s telecom giant Vodacom has officially taken control of Safaricom in a massive $2.1 billion deal, one of the biggest moves in Africa’s tech and telecom space.

This takeover puts Vodacom at the center of East Africa’s mobile money and digital ecosystem, tightening its grip on M-Pesa, data services, and regional expansion.

Say less 😮‍💨: At this rate, even your airtime might start having a stronger financial future than you.

05/12/2025

AFRICA'S LARGEST BANK ADDS CHINESE YUAN TO DIVERSIFY PAYMENT SYSTEMS BEYOND US DOLLARS 🇿🇦 💲 ¥

has taken a historic step in reshaping Africa-China financial flows by becoming the first bank to connect directly to ’s Cross-Border Interbank Payment System .

The move allows across the continent to settle transactions in Chinese yuan without routing payments through the US dollar, reducing , up cross-border transfers, and trade from dollar-liquidity pressures.

As ’s largest lender integrates with China’s fast-growing payment network, the continent gains a significant alternative for international settlement one that could gradually Africa’s reliance on traditional dollar-based systems.

05/12/2025

Namibia officially acquired the China-Aided Satellite Ground Data Receiving Station (SGDRS), marking a milestone in its space technology initiatives.

The handover event involved the signing of official documents by officials from Namibia's MEIYSAC and the Chinese Embassy.

The SGDRS project, commencing in 2023, encompasses data receiving infrastructure, processing systems, and technician training.

This facility supports Namibia's objectives in natural resource management, agriculture, disaster response, climate adaptation, and anti-poaching efforts.

05/12/2025

Africa is stepping boldly onto the global stage of resource ownership. 🌍💎 Two of the continent’s diamond giants, Angola and Botswana, are reportedly in talks to acquire the world’s largest mining brand — a move that could reshape the global diamond industry forever.

For decades, Africa has been rich in natural resources, yet the majority of profits often flowed out of the continent. This potential acquisition signals a new era — one where African nations gain greater control over their own wealth, ensuring that the benefits of mining directly support local economies, infrastructure, and communities.

Botswana, already known for its successful diamond industry managed through De Beers partnerships, and Angola, with its untapped potential, could now set a precedent for resource sovereignty worldwide. Experts suggest this could lead to better governance, fairer trade practices, and stronger investments in technology, sustainability, and local employment.

The move is more than a business transaction; it’s a statement of empowerment. By taking ownership of a globally recognized mining brand, these countries demonstrate that Africa is no longer just a supplier of raw materials but a strategic leader capable of shaping international markets.

Citizens and investors alike are watching closely, hopeful that this bold step will bring not only economic growth but also inspire other African nations to reclaim control of their resources. The world may soon witness a shift where Africa drives its own narrative in industries that have long been dominated by external powers.

This historic moment reminds us that true power lies not only in natural wealth but in the ability to steward it wisely. Africa is ready to lead, innovate, and shine brighter than ever before. 💎✨

---



---