The main stories today are South Africa’s coalition scramble after the local elections, the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the DRC, Nigeria’s court-driven election turmoil and a deadly rail crash in Egypt. Conflict in Sudan and Ethiopia continues to drive displacement.

South Africa: the ANC slides and coalitions loom

The local elections held on 4 November produced sweeping changes. The ANC controlled 122 of 213 councils after 2021 but will now control only 54. A total of 138 councils will be run by coalitions, almost double the number in 2021. Councils must hold their first sitting, where they elect a speaker and mayor, within 14 days.

Johannesburg-style metro fights are the main event. The ANC lost council seats in all eight metros. Jacob Zuma’s MK party, contesting its first local election, pushed the ANC out of power in eThekwini and now holds 86 of 223 seats there, against 57 for the DA and 37 for the ANC. ActionSA gained seats in all the metros and could be a kingmaker in several coalitions. One bright spot: turnout was about 52% of registered voters, up from 46% in 2021.

The economy added to the gloom today. Stats SA reported that official unemployment edged up to 33.7% in the third quarter from 33.6%, with the expanded measure rising to 44.0%. Youth unemployment was 47.3%.

Ebola: DRC outbreak still growing

The Bundibugyo-strain Ebola epidemic remains the continent’s biggest health emergency. As of 4 November, the DRC, where community transmission is ongoing, had reported 10,668 confirmed cases and 5,198 related deaths. Cases were also reported in Kenya and Nigeria in October. The ECDC notes nine confirmed cases in Kenya, including two deaths, all linked to the first case, and a Nigerian case on 20 October that was medically evacuated to Switzerland. WHO and Africa CDC declared the outbreak in Uganda over in late August.

In Nairobi, Kenya announced a National Intelligence and Analytics Centre to improve health data use, at the opening of the first Africa Health Data Forum. WHO’s regional director praised Kenya’s use of data in its Ebola response. A most-read headline on a Monday news brief also reports armed men trying to burn an Ebola centre in Beni. I couldn’t find a reliable report on it, so treat that as unconfirmed.

Nigeria: court ruling clouds the opposition’s 2027 hopes

A Nigerian court disqualified a leading presidential candidate on Thursday, complicating the electoral process two months before the election. The ruling hit Atiku Abubakar. The Federal High Court in Abuja nullified his candidacy, and also sacked all ADC candidates and the party leadership. Atiku accused the APC of plotting to weaken the ADC and frustrate his candidacy. Meanwhile, Tinubu called the 16 January 2027 poll “consequential” as he took his re-election campaign to the South-South.

Egypt: Giza train collision investigation

Two passenger trains collided on Sunday in Al Ayat, Giza province, south of Cairo, leaving at least seven dead and 112 injured, according to Egypt’s Health Ministry. The figures changed during the day. Other reports put the injured at 125. Officials had not said why the Aswan-bound train had stopped, and prosecutors formed a technical committee. There were calls for the transport minister to resign. Today’s report from The National says Egypt has detained rail staff as the inquiry uncovers safety failures before the crash.

Conflict and displacement

Ethiopia and Kenya. Around 50,000 people have fled violent clashes in Ethiopia into Kenya’s northern Moyale region since late October. Eighty percent of households said food is their most urgent need, and 44% lack adequate drinking water. This follows renewed heavy clashes between the TPLF and Ethiopia’s federal government in September.

Sudan. The war is now in its fourth year, and Kordofan is a central battleground. The army and allied Joint Force said they took Ayyal Bakhit in West Kordofan on 7 November. The same report says it found no confirmed humanitarian truce as of this month.

Crime, justice and security

• Zimbabwean arrests. Nine Zimbabwean nationals, aged 20 to 26, were arrested in Johannesburg on suspicion of trying to travel abroad to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war. They face charges under South Africa’s foreign military assistance law.
• Kenya drug bust. Kenyan authorities seized 454 kg of methamphetamine worth about $27 million and arrested three suspects.
• Rwanda. The US deported genocide suspect Jean Léonard Teganya to Rwanda, where he was arrested. He is the eighth genocide fugitive deported from the US since 2007.
• Tanzania. At least 21 people died when a minibus and a cargo truck collided in Iringa Region.
• Malawi. The government unveiled a national strategy against transnational organised crime.

Business and Ghana headlines

Business Tech Africa’s headlines include Yoco closing a $100 million credit facility, MTN Group’s nine-month service revenue rising 17.2%, and Botswana doubling its De Beers stake to 30%. The same roundup says S&P Global warned that Africa must cut borrowing.

In Ghana, front pages feature a diplomatic passport scandal, President Mahama explaining his pursuit of a nuclear energy deal with Russia, and a PwC call for more government spending in 2027.

Caveats

Most of these items rest on single reports, such as the Ghana front pages, the business briefs and the Beni headline. Casualty counts for Egypt and the Ebola figures may keep changing. I couldn’t surface fresh same-day reporting on the Sahel, the eastern DRC conflict or North Africa beyond Egypt. I can dig into any of those, or into a specific country.