According to official data, Nigeria has 6.3% of the COVID-19 cases on the African continent, while South Africa accounts for around 37%. However, Nigeria has conducted only 0.67 tests per 1,000 people, when the figure in South Africa stands at 27.48 tests every 1,000 people

Since 65% of all testing in South Africa has been conducted in costly private hospitals, questions are being raised if the most vulnerable sections of the population, which includes the majority of South Africans, are being tested sufficiently for COVID-19?

Unions struggle for the revival of South African Airways, while the government and private creditors merely disagree over the timing of its liquidation 

A meeting of stakeholders was held on June 25 to consider a proposal by the Business Rescue Practitioners to restructure South African Airways. According to this plan, nearly 3,700 of the 4,700 employees may lose their jobs

The repeated delays in peace talks to end the civil war in Sudan have also delayed the formation of the legislative council. This has effectively stalled any progress in meeting the demands of the Sudanese Revolution which overthrew Omar al-Bashir

The Department of Public Enterprises, which had repeatedly assured the unions that the national airline will not be liquidated, came out in support of a so-called “business rescue plan” which will result in its effective liquidation

The Socialist Party of Zambia released its election manifesto on June 18, Wednesday, promising universal education and healthcare, as well as the expansion of housing and sanitation facilities for the masses

The cabinet has called on all state governments to implement Violence against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPPA), 2015, a key demand of protesters. The parliament’s upper house also pushed legislation for protection of victims from stigma.

A union of educators in South Africa is taking the education minister to court over the hasty reopening of schools while parents hold protests

The airline withheld workers’ salaries for May and the union has argued that the company is using the pandemic as “a cover for the restructuring which is taking place”

The 10 trade unions wrote to the ILO, providing more details on a complaint they had filed on May 14 against the suspension of labor laws by several State governments in India

Business associations claim that health and safety protocols will be followed, but unions point to previous violations which resulted in a further spread of the epidemic