Death toll in Nigeria floods rises to 151
Flooding in Nigeria's Niger state this week has killed 151 people and forced several thousand from their homes, an emergency official told Reuters on Saturday.
Ibrahim Audu Hussaini, director of information at the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, provided the new death toll, which was previously reported at 117 on Friday.
He added that over 500 households had been impacted and more than 3,000 people displaced.
The flooding incident in the central town of Mokwa in Niger state occurred on Wednesday night and continued into Thursday morning.
Days later, rescuers were still picking through mud and debris in search of bodies.
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Mail & Guardian
19 hours ago
- Mail & Guardian
‘Kivuli & Nuru': Wild and wet in Africa
Desire After Dark re-edit There are stories that seduce and then there are stories that awaken. Kivuli & Nuru: The Afrodisiacs Collection is the latter. Produced by HolaAfrica! the two albums of sonic storytelling don't so much whisper to your senses as they dance, boldly and barefoot, across your chest. Curated by the unapologetically audacious Tiffany Mugo, this collection is a defiant celebration of African eroticism; it is a reclamation, a resurrection, a rhythmic sermon preached in moans and murmurs. 'Kivuli and nuru — shadow and light,' Mugo says, 'are in constant battle. Human desire is always trying to move from the dark into the light. 'You only need to look at someone's Tuesday evening browser history to know that.' These aren't just concepts, they're mirrors. The shadow is where we bury our want: in prayer, in shame, in cultural silence. The light is where it spills, bold and breathless. The two aren't enemies, they're dance partners. Mugo, a daughter of Kenya, roots the entire experience in language that calls home to the soul. The titles weren't always this clear. 'Initially, the albums were separated into white gold and black gold but that just felt lame,' she says. 'The notion of the shadow and the light eventually came to me and I realised we have so many magical ways we speak of things in our various African languages.' Kiswahili, with its lyrical clarity, carried the intention: 'I wanted people to know that you were on the continent the minute you saw the title, no time to waste.' Whispers of the Tryst This clarity is important because African erotic storytelling still exists in a contested space. The stories in Kivuli, especially, are not soft-focus fantasies. They are textured, layered, emotional, and personal. 'The call for submissions was essentially, 'Go wild!'' Mugo says. 'And that's exactly what they did. 'People wrote about secret crushes, rural loves, fantasies on public transport. Desire is not universal — it is personal.' But while the experiences are intimate, the locations ground them. Kivuli & Nuru don't take you to the usual, Western suspects. These stories move through Afrobeat clubs in Lagos, down side streets in Nairobi, in the quiet moments of Cairo and beside a roadside mango vendor in Cape Town. 'Desire is at your doorstep,' Mugo insists. 'It is not a visa application and a 14-hour plane ride away. 'The continent is a character in this anthology — one could argue the main character.' If the stories are homegrown, so too are their contradictions. 'Africa has a rich history of physical intimacies relegated to, and lurking in, the shadows — cultural spaces, mythology and the like,' Mugo reflects. 'But we also have a very 'robust' history of suppressing those desires.' Kivuli & Nuru are not offering escape but confrontation. 'Even the existence of this work is an instance of that epic battle; desires that have been shamed into the shadows coming into the light. 'That, and I am sure I have family members clutching their pearls at the thought of this existing.' Interestingly, masculinity and femininity fade as fixed concepts in the storytelling. 'These are very personal narratives, some fantasies, some memories, some fictional musings,' Mugo says. 'We're met with simply humans who have sensual, sweet or freaky thoughts. When the lights go out or stay on, if that's your thing, those societal roles start to melt.' The sensory richness of the collection is intentional. It doesn't just tell you what's happening — it makes you feel it. Tiffany Mugo, curator of Kivuli & Nuru: The Afrodisiacs Collection. 'Rachel Wamoto, the mind behind sound mixing and mastering, wanted you to not only hear the voices but for the sounds to sit in your skin,' Mugo explains. 'It's like literary ASMR [autonomous sensory meridian response]. The sensations needed to come from more than one sense.' The result is hypnotic. A gasp, a whisper, the distant sound of beads against skin — these are not flourishes. They are invitations. As for distinguishing fantasy from reality? 'Each author was given carte blanche,' she says. 'These stories just … are. Like WhatsApp, the sources are encrypted — even I don't know what's fantasy and what's real. 'I could know an honest-to-God immortal being, if the story I Killed Flowers For You is to be believed.' Mugo understands the emotional reactions to these stories will vary. 'This collection will touch different things in different people, depending on who you are, where you are in your love and lust life, what your history is or what your politics are. 'Even your current location could affect what comes up. I want this collection to come for all the emotions, good and bad, but all I ask is you feel something. Anything,' she says. And what if what you feel is discomfort or arousal? 'If I am completely honest, the most important emotion is stirring in your unmentionable areas because these are erotic stories,' she says. 'Even if you are a little mad at it, feel something delicious.' Audio storytelling was a deliberate choice: 'With an audio offering, we are doing the heavy lifting. 'You can lay back, relax and let us do the work.' And there's a deeper reach, too. 'Spotify and Apple Podcasts mean that people can access Kivuli & Nuru anytime, anywhere — unless it's banned in your context, of course.' The differences between Kivuli and Nuru were organic, not orchestrated. 'Goodness, you make this seem far more thought out than it is,' she responds. 'I wish I was this level of maestro, but alas, not in this life.' The emotional distinction isn't structural — it's spiritual. Kivuli lurks. Nuru glows. The people within shift, blur and burn. But perhaps the most profound impact of the collection lies in how it becomes medicine. 'One of the loveliest things I heard during this process was a contributor telling me, 'Wow, that felt amazing to put to paper and also say out loud in the studio.'' Mugo knows that erotica is more than titillation, it's transformation. 'It lets us imagine past the selves we are told we can be. It pushes us to think about the premium subscription to our wants, our needs and our sensual selves.' This isn't about climax. It's about clarity: 'Even if you can't get to the summit just yet, at least you know where your journey is taking you.' And for those who still think African sexuality is a blank page or a single story? 'We're not just a gaggle of countries that can't wrap our heads around desire, autonomy and general delicious goodness. 'We have a rich contribution to the global conversation about intimacies, wants and fantasies. We've been doing this before the boats arrived, and we'll keep on doing it, despite what people think. It stays wet and wild here on the continent.' So listen closely. The voices in Kivuli & Nuru don't just tell you how we desire — they remind you that we've always known how.
Mail & Guardian
20 hours ago
- Mail & Guardian
A prescription for Gauteng's health: Generics, state pharma and the power of local
Generic medicine produced locally are the cornerstone of affordable healthcare. In the heart of Gauteng, where the pulse of South Africa's healthcare system beats loudest, a quiet revolution is overdue. It's not about high-tech hospitals or billion-rand budgets. It's about generics, local pharmaceutical manufacturing and the untapped potential of small businesses. If we're serious about equitable healthcare, we must rethink how we produce, price and provide medicine. Generics, the unsung heroes Generic medicines are chemically identical to their branded counterparts but are sold at a fraction of the price. They are the cornerstone of affordable healthcare globally. In South Africa, where the cost of living continues to rise and public hospitals face chronic shortages, generics offer a lifeline. Yet, despite their proven efficacy, generics remain underutilised and under-promoted. Why? Because the pharmaceutical market is still skewed in favour of brand-name monopolies, often protected by patent extensions and marketing muscle. Meanwhile, patients in Gauteng are forced to choose between paying for transport to clinics and buying essential medication out of pocket. The single exit price (SEP) policy, introduced to regulate medicine pricing, has helped standardise costs across the private sector. But it has also inadvertently squeezed out smaller players and discouraged innovation. While SEP has made medicines more affordable, it has not addressed the deeper structural issues that limit access — chief among them, our reliance on imported drugs and the lack of local manufacturing capacity. More than a factory Imagine a state-owned pharmaceutical company — not as a bureaucratic behemoth, but as a strategic engine for public health. Such an entity could prioritise the production of essential generics, stabilise supply chains, and reduce dependence on imports. It could also serve as a price anchor in a volatile market, ensuring that life-saving drugs remain within reach for all South Africans. India's model offers a compelling precedent. By allowing local manufacturers to produce generics even when patents exist elsewhere, India has become the world's largest supplier of affordable medicines. South Africa, with its scientific talent and industrial base, could do the same — if we had the political will. A state pharmaceutical company could also play a critical role in addressing medicine shortages, particularly for antibiotics and chronic disease treatments. These shortages are not just logistical failures — they are symptoms of a system that prioritises profit over public health. A state-led approach could ensure that essential medicines are always available, especially in underserved areas. The missing link in local pharma Gauteng is home to a vibrant ecosystem of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), many of which are eager to enter the pharmaceutical space. But they face steep barriers: regulatory red tape, lack of financing and an uneven playing field dominated by multinational giants. Supporting these SMEs isn't just good economics — it's smart health policy. Local businesses can respond faster to regional needs, create jobs and build resilient supply chains. With targeted incentives, training and procurement support, these enterprises could become the backbone of a home-grown pharmaceutical sector. Moreover, SMEs are often more agile and innovative than their larger counterparts. They are well-positioned to develop niche products, explore green manufacturing practices and collaborate with academic institutions on research and development. But without access to capital and streamlined regulatory pathways, their potential remains untapped. South Africa imports the vast majority of its active pharmaceutical ingredients, making us vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions. The Covid-19 pandemic exposed this fragility in stark terms. Delays in vaccine procurement, shortages of basic medicines and inflated prices were all consequences of our overreliance on foreign suppliers. Local production is not just about economic sovereignty — it's about health security. By investing in domestic manufacturing, we can ensure a steady supply of essential medicines, reduce costs and create high-skilled jobs. Gauteng, with its industrial infrastructure and access to research institutions, is the ideal hub for such an initiative. But local production must be accompanied by regulatory reform. The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority must streamline its approval processes and provide clear guidance for new entrants. Delays in drug registration not only stifle innovation — they cost lives. We need a three-pronged strategy: normalise generics through public education, prescriber incentives and regulatory support. Patients must be empowered to ask for generics and healthcare providers must be incentivised to prescribe them. Establish a state pharmaceutical entity focused on essential medicines and public health priorities. This entity should operate transparently, with clear mandates and measurable outcomes. Empower local businesses with access to capital, streamlined licensing and inclusion in public procurement. Government tenders should prioritise local manufacturers, especially those producing high-demand generics. Additionally, we must invest in skills development. Young South Africans should be trained in pharmaceutical sciences, regulatory affairs and supply-chain management. A thriving local industry requires not just factories, but a skilled workforce to run them. The bigger picture The pharmaceutical industry is not just about pills and patents — it's about power. Who controls the supply of medicine controls the health of a nation. For too long, that power has rested in the hands of a few multinational corporations. It's time to reclaim it. The Covid-19 pandemic taught us that health is a public good, not a private commodity. It also taught us that resilience comes from within. By embracing generics, supporting local businesses and establishing a state pharmaceutical company, we can build a healthcare system that is not only more affordable but more just. It's time to stop importing solutions and start manufacturing them. Fentse Maseko works for the pharmacy and pharmacology department at the University of Witwatersrand and is a PhD applicant.
The Herald
a day ago
- The Herald
Zimbabwe issues permits for cull of at least 50 elephants
Zimbabwe has issued permits to cull at least 50 elephants on a reserve where there are three times more elephants than the habitat can sustain, wildlife authorities said on Tuesday. The Save Valley Conservancy in southern Zimbabwe is home to roughly 2,550 elephants, whereas it has a "carrying capacity" of 800 elephants, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority said in a statement. The conservancy already moved 200 elephants to other reserves over the past five years to try to manage its elephant population. Meat from the cull will be distributed to local people to eat, while the ivory from the killed animals will be handed over to the parks authority. Zimbabwe is home to one of the largest elephant populations worldwide, and climate change has worsened human-wildlife conflict as elephants encroach on areas where people live in search of food and water. The country authorised another cull last year of about 200 elephants, the first since 1988. At the time authorities said they would distribute meat from the cull to communities affected by a severe regional drought, shortly after Namibia said it would do the same. Reuters
