South Africa

The economy is in a currency crisis, marked by a severe rand meltdown. This occurs alongside stark contrasts: corporate entities like MTN and Remgro report strong earnings, while state utilities Eskom and Rand Water are mired in debt disputes and resistance to restructuring. The rand's crash and Eskom's defiance of unbundling highlight systemic state failure, even as Mantashe vows action on fuel hoarding.

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• 1Mantashe vows crackdown on fuel hoarders

The ANC-led government is internationally isolated, with Ramaphosa personally disinvited from the G7 summit due to US pressure. Domestically, the party faces internal legal battles and factional disputes over its declining support. Key events include France withdrawing Ramaphosa's G7 invitation, a High Court interdict against an ANC provincial conference, and senior figures pushing for a 'spiritual cleansing' of the party headquarters.

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Security is dominated by extreme, organized violent crime, from political assassinations to systemic extortion. The state has deployed troops in cities to combat crime, but high-profile kidnappings and murders persist. The period saw troops deployed in cities, the kidnapping and murder of a prominent researcher, and reports of extortion rackets targeting schools.

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• 2Suspect arrested in murder of Cape Town councillor
• 1Principals quietly pay ‘protection fees’ as extortion grips Cape Town schools
• 1Prominent Jewish South African Political Researcher Kidnapped and Murdered in Johannesburg
• 1Five arrested in connection with kidnapping, murder of SAIIA’s Steven Gruzd

Society is fractured by rising xenophobic violence and political intimidation, overshadowing cultural restitution efforts. The dominant tension is hostility towards foreign nationals, manifesting in violent protests and clashes. This is evidenced by protests against Nigerians, violence over an Igbo coronation, and ANC-aligned 'township thugs' disrupting local politics.

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