Category: Africa

By Dikeledi Molobela

New York, USA — United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for a more representative and interconnected global order grounded in international law, warning that widening geopolitical divisions, inequality, the climate crisis and rapid advances in artificial intelligence are manifestations of a broader struggle over power.

Opening the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA81) in New York on Tuesday, Guterres said the world is undergoing profound shifts in how power is distributed and exercised.

“The fault lines in our world are widening. Cracks have become canyons,” Guterres told world leaders gathered at the UN headquarters.

He described conflicts, inequalities, climate shocks and technological disruption as interconnected challenges rather than separate crises.

“These are not separate crises. They are chapters of the same story. The story of power. Who has it; who is denied it; how it is used, and how it is changing?” he said. 

Guterres identified three major shifts in global power.

The first is the emergence of new centres of economic, political and technological influence among States. The second is the transfer of power from governments to powerful private corporations and individuals, whose influence now extends across politics, economies, information and technology.

The third is the growing transfer of power from humans to machines, including through artificial intelligence and lethal autonomous weapons.

Guterres said these developments were taking place while global governance institutions continued to reflect power arrangements of a previous era.

“We are clearly moving towards a multipolar world, and that movement is irreversible.” 

However, Guterres warned that multipolarity could either lead to greater fragmentation and rivalry or to what he termed “networked multipolarity”.

He described this as a world built on interdependence, with multiple centres of influence operating within a common framework of international law and shared rules.

Such an approach, he said, would recognise that no single power could address the challenges facing humanity alone.

“Building a networked future begins with a recognition, especially by superpowers, that their power isn’t so super,” Guterres said.

He stressed that military, economic and technological power each have limits and cannot, on their own, guarantee peace, stability or security.

Four tests of power

Guterres said the future will be shaped by how the international community responds to four major tests of power, war and peace, inequality, the climate crisis and artificial intelligence.

On peace and security, he highlighted conflicts in the Middle East, Ukraine, Sudan and Myanmar, warning that they demonstrated the consequences of power being exercised without sufficient restraint or accountability.

“These and so many other conflicts show what happens when power gets out of control, force outpaces diplomacy, military budgets soar, and accountability goes out the window,” he said.

Africa must have a sit at the UN Security Council

Guterres also renewed his call for reform of the UN Security Council to better reflect the contemporary international system.

He singled out Africa’s continued lack of permanent representation on the Council.

“A 21st century Security Council without permanent African seats is unjust and indefensible. This must change,” he said.

Inequality

Turning to inequality, Guterres argued that disparities should not be viewed solely as an economic issue, but as a question of who has access to resources, opportunities and decision-making.

He called for reforms to the international financial architecture, including action on debt, stronger multilateral development banks and greater access to affordable long-term financing for developing countries.

Guterres also highlighted gender inequality, noting that the UN had achieved gender parity for the first time across its senior leadership, headquarters and professional staff.

“Equality is not a dream. It is a decision,” he said.

Climate action and AI

On the climate crisis, Guterres called on governments to adopt national plans to transition away from fossil fuels in line with the 1.5-degree goal, while ensuring protection for affected workers and communities.

He also called for greater climate finance and adaptation support for developing countries, arguing that those least responsible for climate change are often among those most affected by its consequences.

Turning to artificial intelligence, Guterres said the technology offered enormous opportunities, including advances in medicine and scientific discovery, but warned that its rapid development required stronger oversight.

“The danger is not technology. The danger is technology without accountability,” he said.

He called for greater international cooperation on AI safety, including dialogue, transparency, information-sharing, testing and common safeguards.

“Artificial intelligence must be shaped by humanity, with humanity, and for all humanity,” Guterres said.

He also warned against allowing machines to make life-and-death decisions.

‘Power requires rules’

Guterres said the four challenges are deeply interconnected and ultimately come back to the question of how power is exercised.

“Across all four tests, the decisive issue is power. The United Nations exists because power requires rules – and humanity needs a place where power answers to principle.”

He reaffirmed the UN Charter’s three pillars of peace, development and human rights, arguing that they could not be treated as separate agendas.

“There is no peace without development; no development without peace, and no peace or development without human rights.”

Guterres also pointed to the Pact for the Future and the UN80 initiative as efforts to make the UN more responsive, effective, coherent and transparent, and more present where people need it.

“The world does not need a weaker United Nations. It needs a UN strong enough to face the world as it is – and determined enough to build the world as it should be,” he said.

The 81st General Debate is being held at UN headquarters in New York from 22 – 28 September under the theme: “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all”.

Guterres, who has 100 days remaining in his term, said he would continue defending the principles of the UN Charter.

“I will keep championing the conviction that peace is possible,” he said, adding that “the power of law must prevail over the law of power”.

He concluded by stressing that the international community’s greatest responsibility is not to dominate, but to use power to build a future that benefits all.

“The greatest power is not the power to dominate. It is the power to build a future that works for everyone.

“Our shared future will be forged by whether humanity can govern power wisely,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

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The Acting National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), Lieutenant General Puleng Puleng Dimpane, has directed the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner to activate the 72-hour tracking operation to pursue and apprehend the suspects responsible for the fatal shooting of 11 people at KwaMakhutha, south of Durban.

This as Dimpane on Wednesday expressed her deep concern over the senseless loss of life and conveyed her condolences to the families of the deceased, while wishing those injured a speedy recovery.

“There is no place in our communities for the senseless taking of human lives. Police must act decisively, mobilise all available resources and pursue those responsible until they are brought before the courts. We are confident that investigators are following a promising lead which could assist in securing a breakthrough in this case,” Dimpane said.

Three other people were injured when armed suspects reportedly entered a house in the Ziko area on Tuesday night, 22 September 2026, and opened fire on the people who were gathered inside.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) said the motive for the shooting has not yet been established, and investigations are continuing.

“SAPS is appealing to community members to provide investigators with reliable and credible information that can assist in identifying, tracing and apprehending the suspects. Information can be provided to the investigating team or anonymously through Crime Stop on 08600 10111, or leave an anonymous tip-off on the MySAPS APP.

“SAPS will not relent in its efforts to ensure that those responsible for this attack are brought to justice,” it said.

In an earlier statement, police said they had launched a manhunt for suspects who allegedly shot and killed eleven people and injured three others during a shooting incident that happened in the Ziko area in KwaMakhutha on Tuesday night, 22 September 2026.

“Information available at this stage suggests that thirteen men and one woman, who is believed to be pregnant, were reportedly having a party inside a house when three men arrived and opened fire on them. Ten victims, including the woman, died at the scene and four were taken to hospital; one of them succumbed to gunshot injuries.

“Preliminary investigations have revealed that some of the victims were on Crime Intelligence’ radar in connection with illegal activities which police cannot divulge at the moment to protect investigations which have been launched,” the police said in an earlier statement.

The police further added: “A feud between rival groupings cannot be ruled out.” –SAnews.gov.za

 

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Motorists are urged to exercise extreme caution and prioritise road safety as thousands of South Africans are expected to travel over the Heritage Day long weekend.

The long weekend coincides with school closure, and many families are expected to use the opportunity to travel, visit relatives and take part in holiday activities. 

Traffic volumes are therefore expected to increase on major routes and around popular destinations. 

“Motorists are further encouraged to check traffic and weather conditions before departing, allow sufficient time for their journeys and avoid unnecessary risks in an effort to reach their destinations safely. Motorists should also ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy before travelling. 

“Parents and caregivers are also encouraged to remind children about basic pedestrian safety, particularly when walking near busy roads, shopping centres, public transport facilities and holiday destinations,” the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) said. 

Heritage Day is celebrated annually on 24 September and recognises and celebrates the nation’s cultural wealth. 

All road users are encouraged to play their part in preventing crashes and ensuring that everyone reaches their destination safely.

All road users are urged to:

• Obey speed limits and adjust their speed according to road, traffic and weather conditions.
• Never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Avoid using mobile phones while driving.
• Ensure that all occupants wear seat belts at all times.
• Take regular breaks during long journeys and avoid driving when tired.
• Maintain a safe following distance from other vehicles.
• Exercise additional caution around pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and children, particularly in residential areas and around recreational facilities.
• Ensure that children are properly secured in appropriate child-restraint systems.
• Avoid dangerous overtaking and obey traffic signs and road markings.
• Check tyres, brakes, lights, windscreen wipers and fluid levels before travelling.

–SAnews.gov.za

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The Department of Health (DoH) has confirmed four additional laboratory-confirmed Mpox cases, taking the total number of infections from 18 to 22.

According to the department, one of the new cases is a male from Cape Town who travelled to Spain.

“This individual was previously classified as a probable case pending laboratory results from Spanish health authorities. Following confirmation of a positive test, the case has been reclassified as laboratory-confirmed and included in the updated count.

“The other three cases include two imported infections involving a German and a Norwegian citizen. Of these 22 confirmed cases, 18 are in the Western Cape, three in Gauteng, and one in KwaZulu-Natal. All patients are male except one,” the department stated.

The DoH, together with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), the World Health Organization (WHO) and others, is supporting health authorities in the Western Cape to implement “response measures, including contact tracing and enhanced surveillance”.

“The public is reminded that Mpox symptoms may include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, fatigue, and a rash or skin lesions that can appear on the face, hands, feet, genitals, or other areas of the body.

“Anyone who has been in close contact with a confirmed case within the past 21 days and develops symptoms should seek medical attention promptly and inform healthcare providers of their exposure history.

“While most cases remain concentrated in the Western Cape, the identification of transmission clusters and cases across multiple provinces highlights the need for sustained public cooperation, early detection, and continued surveillance to prevent further spread,” the department said.

Last week, the DoH called for vigilance of Mpox symptoms following a rapid increase in laboratory-confirmed Mpox cases in the past few weeks.

READ | Health department urges vigilance as Mpox cases rise

– SAnews.gov.za

 

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By Dikeledi Molobela

New York, USA — South Africa has called for stronger protection of financing for women, children and adolescents’ health, warning that shrinking development assistance, rising debt burdens and limited fiscal space are threatening hard-won gains in global health.

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola made the call on Tuesday while representing President Cyril Ramaphosa, Chair of the Global Leaders Network (GLN), at a high-level GLN event on financing for women, children and adolescents’ health during a time of austerity at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The event, co-hosted by South Africa, Spain, Tanzania and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, brought together political leaders, health ministers, global health leaders and strategic partners to discuss practical, country-led approaches to sustaining investment in the health of women, children and adolescents.

Lamola said the GLN, a network of 12 sitting Heads of State and Government, has, since its launch in 2023 worked to keep the health  of women, children and adolescents’ high on the political agenda, while helping countries translate commitments into action and protect health financing.

“We recognise that maternal, child and adolescent mortality cannot be reduced without sustained investment.

“We also recognise that universal health coverage and economic development cannot be achieved without protecting the resources for women, children and adolescents’ health,” Lamola said.

Financing under pressure

Lamola said the global health financing environment has become increasingly difficult, with official development assistance falling by just over 23% in 2025. 

He said the decline has placed additional pressure on procurement systems and health workforces in low- and middle-income countries, undermining efforts to ensure equitable access to essential maternal and child health commodities.

“Rising debt burdens and shrinking fiscal space make it harder for countries to adjust to the sudden cuts in official development assistance,” he said.

Lamola pointed to the scale of the wider financing challenge, noting that more than 3.3 billion people now live in countries that spend more on interest payments than on schools and hospitals, with more than 750 million of them in Africa.

Against this backdrop, he said the GLN has pursued an action-oriented agenda focused on closing financing gaps, protecting existing gains and keeping health-related Sustainable Development Goals accelerators alive.

This includes a six-part webinar series on domestic resource mobilisation, which brought together more than 900 participants from over 40 countries, including Ministries of Health and Finance, development finance institutions, the private sector, academia and civil society.

The discussions, he said, demonstrate that countries are willing to explore new approaches to health financing.

“We were blown away by the innovations so many of our members had already implemented,” Lamola said.

The GLN also identified underutilised opportunities, including debt-for-health swaps, while highlighting the importance of knowledge exchange between countries.

From dialogue to action

Lamola said the GLN has subsequently moved from dialogue to implementation through its Financial Diplomacy Series, which brings Ministries of Health and Finance together with investors and technical partners to develop financing plans for country health programmes.

In just five months, four GLN members – Liberia, Kenya, Sierra Leone and South Africa – have developed business cases.

Lamola said representatives from the four countries met investors and partners in New York on Monday to further develop those cases into financing plans.

“This clearly shows the political commitment to support countries to mobilise resources for women, children and adolescents,” he said.

He also highlighted the Public-Private Partnership Health Accelerator, an initiative developed by South Africa and Botswana to help close financing gaps by bringing together the private sector, diaspora, philanthropies, Southern and global foundations and development partners.

The initiative was recognised as an official G20 legacy project during South Africa’s G20 Presidency.

Lamola said the initiative demonstrates the potential for partnerships to mobilise additional resources for health in low- and middle-income countries.

Looking ahead, Lamola said the GLN’s message is both simple and urgent: countries must protect the resources needed to sustain essential health services.

“We cannot protect the health and rights of women, children and adolescents unless we protect the financing that sustains essential services and sexual and reproductive health and rights,” he said.

He called on governments to protect and increase allocations to women’s, children’s and adolescent health and to track expenditure against outcomes.

“Governments must protect and grow funds allocated to women, children and adolescent health and track spending against outcomes,” he said.

He also urged development partners to align their financing and technical assistance with national plans.

“Together, we can protect essential services, use every available resource more effectively and ensure that women, children and adolescents remain at the centre of health financing decisions.”

Austerity is not an excuse

World Health Organisation Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, told the gathering that global progress in maternal and child health needs to be protected, noting that maternal mortality has fallen by 40% over the past 25 years, while child mortality has more than halved.

However, he warned that progress has slowed and that preventable deaths continue to occur at an unacceptable scale.

“We meet in a time of austerity, but austerity is not an excuse. It’s a test. A policy without a budget is a press release. A commitment without financing is a promise already broken,” Ghebreyesus said.

He called on leaders to protect health spending during periods of fiscal pressure, saying women, children and adolescents should not be first to bear the consequences of funding cuts.

He also called for financing for sexual and reproductive health services, particularly in humanitarian settings, and urged governments and partners to demonstrate progress through measurable results.

“The measure of our leadership will not be what we pledged in New York. It will be whether the woman in labour tonight sees the morning,” he said.

Turning political commitment into investment

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Director, Dr Diene Keita, also highlighted the continuing financing gap affecting women’s health, saying millions of women and girls are being affected as official development assistance contracts.

She said investment in women and girls generates broad social and economic returns, and welcomed countries that are taking greater ownership of their health agendas.

Keita highlighted efforts to strengthen investment in frontline health workers, including midwives, and called for greater financing for contraception and maternal health services. 

The GLN event formed part of South Africa’s high-level programme during UNGA81, as the country continues to advance multilateral cooperation and country-led approaches to development and global health financing. – SAnews.gov.za

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By Dikeledi Molobela

New York, USA — United Nations General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman has called for urgent action to rebuild trust in the multilateral system, saying the credibility of the world body depends on its ability to deliver results, undertake meaningful reform and respond to the challenges facing people around the world. 

Addressing the opening of the general debate of the 81st session of the General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, Rahman said the United Nations had endured for eight decades because of its unique role as a forum where countries can pursue diplomacy and collective solutions.

“The United Nations has persevered. Not because it is perfect, but because it is irreplaceable,” he said.

However, Rahman said endurance alone is no longer enough, as people are increasingly questioning whether the organisation is delivering on its mandate.

“Outside these walls, people are not asking whether the United Nations still exists. They are asking whether it works,” he said. 

The 81st session is being held under the theme “Restoring trust, managing transformation: a United Nations that delivers for all.” The General Assembly brings together all 193 UN Member States, with each represented on an equal footing.

Rahman said rebuilding confidence in the UN will require realism, reform and greater inclusion.

“Trust is not given. It is earned,” he said.

He pointed to conflicts in Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, Myanmar and elsewhere as evidence of the challenges facing the multilateral system, stressing that international law, civilian protection and humanitarian access cannot be applied selectively.

African representation matters

Rahman called for the UN Security Council to take stronger action when peace is threatened and said the body must become more representative and transparent, reflecting contemporary geopolitical realities.

He placed particular emphasis on Africa’s continued underrepresentation on the Security Council.

“Africa needs to be at the table, not on the menu,” Rahman said, describing greater African representation as a matter of fairness, justice and the credibility of the United Nations.

The call comes as reform of the Security Council remains a key issue in debates on making the UN system more representative of the contemporary international order.

Reform and value for money

Rahman also called for greater accountability in the way the United Nations uses its resources, urging Member States to meet their financial obligations.

“We want to have full value for money,” he said, while calling on countries to pay their dues on time and without conditions.

“We must also recognise that dues to the United Nations come from hardworking people around the world,” he added.

Rahman said Member States need to take greater ownership of the organisation and its reform process.

“If we do not claim proactive ownership of this place, we cannot expect it to heal,” he said. 

The UN General Assembly President has made restoring trust and delivering concrete results central to his presidency. 

In his opening statement earlier this month, he said restoring trust required both delivery and reform, with the organisation needing to demonstrate that it effectively serves the people in whose name it acts.

AI brings new global risks

Turning to artificial intelligence, Rahman warned that the rapid development and widespread integration of the technology presented challenges that cannot be addressed by governments alone. 

“We cannot also rule out the possibility that AI, particularly artificial general intelligence, or AGI, could affect human survival,” he said.

He noted that governments no longer hold a monopoly over expertise, capital, technology, innovation or influence, while highlighting the extent to which AI has already become embedded in everyday systems.

Unlike earlier technological and proliferation challenges, Rahman said, AI is already present across areas including water systems, electricity grids, health records, economies and militaries.

“We cannot allow an arms race for control of AI to carry us over the precipice,” Rahman said.

His remarks come as the UN places greater emphasis on international cooperation and governance around emerging technologies during the 81st session. 

The UN’s high-level week is addressing interconnected challenges, including peace and security, sustainable development, climate change and technological transformation.

Rahman said the UN’s ability to respond to these challenges will ultimately depend on Member States’ willingness to reform the institution and work collectively.

The general debate runs from 22 – 28 September at the UN headquarters in New York.

SA participation at UNGA81

South Africa is participating in the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, with International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola leading the South African delegation during high-level week.

As part of South Africa’s programme, Lamola, Deputy Minister of Health Joe Phaahla and South Africa’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Mxolisi Nkosi, are participating in a number of high-level engagements at the UN headquarters.

These include a high-level side event on the implementation of the Pact for the Future in Africa, hosted by Namibia, Zambia, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the African Union, the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General and the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa.

The engagement, which takes place in Conference Room 2, focuses on advancing implementation of the Pact for the Future in the African context.

Later, Lamola, Phaahla and Nkosi will participate in the Global Leaders’ Network (GLN) on Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health, taking place in Conference Room 4.

South Africa is a co-founder of the Global Leaders’ Network and is hosting the engagement together with Spain, Denmark and Tanzania.

The engagements form part of South Africa’s broader participation in UNGA81, where the country is advancing its priorities on strengthening multilateralism, reforming global governance and addressing development challenges affecting Africa and the Global South. – SAnews.gov.za

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Minister in The Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, has led a delegation of government officials, civil society organisations and community members in the “Love Your Street service delivery programme in Kwa-Thema, in the Ekurhuleni Municipality.

The municipality is the site of the recent discovery of the bodies of nine women.

The “Love your Street” campaign involves the mobilisation of communities to participate in keeping their environment clean and promoting shared responsibility for neighbourhood safety.

“Love Your Street is part of the programme that was launched by the Deputy President [Paul Mashatile] on clean cities and clean towns. It is also part of the comprehensive emergency response to the recent incidents of GBVF [gender-based violence and femicide] in Ekurhuleni and is also part of the National Strategic Plan against GBVF in the country.

“It includes dealing with safety from environmental design (sic) … Some of the women who were kidnapped, were kidnapped whilst  jogging. This could be because the streets are dark.

“Some of them were dumped in illegal dumps. If we therefore eradicate illegal dumping sites, there won’t be places [like that]. [We must] clean the streets … and open spaces, making sure that they are debushed,” Ntshavheni said.

The Minister said engagements have been held with the municipality’s leadership to ensure that streetlights are operational to make spaces safer.

During the campaign, nine trees were planted in honour of the nine slain women.

“We’re going to put names around them so that we continuously remember and recommit that it will never [happen] again. We need to be a caring society,” Ntshavheni said.

She commended those who have vowed not to turn a blind eye to GBV.

The Minister also planted a tree as part of the Milestones of Freedom campaign, which remembers 70 years since the 1956 Women’s March, 60 years since the District 6 forced removals, 50 years since the 1976 Youth Uprising and 30 years of the Constitution. – SAnews.gov.za

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