AGP Executive Report

Gender & Rights in Focus: Lesotho’s Senate debate over whether doctors should validate LGBTQIA+ identities is drawing attention to who gets to define identity, while UNFPA and UNFPA/UNFPA partners push for more responsible GBV reporting, with the GBV Centre now operational and already housing at least 20 victims. GBV Reporting for Men and Women: Officials say GBV against men is still underreported, urging journalists to protect survivors’ dignity and privacy. Justice & Oversight: The Ombudsman warns solid waste management is harming public health and human rights, and Parliament is still pressing for clarity on how inquiry recommendations are being implemented after an inmate escape. Access to Justice: EU-backed decentralised legal aid offices have opened in Qacha’s Nek to help remote communities. Community & Safety: A Maseru Park community mourns sports administrator “Frisco” Khomari after a fatal car accident. Water Worries: Tlhaha-lia-Tloka residents report salty, briny well water and want urgent safe water infrastructure. Sports & National Pride: Nigeria’s Femi Azeez sparks Super Eagles excitement after a debut brace, while South Africa’s World Cup squad is set under Hugo Broos.

Mental Health: Lesotho is among countries taking part as Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi delivers a keynote at WHO’s East and Southern Africa mental health workshop in Johannesburg, with nations expected to map their mental health landscape ahead of a Kigali summit. Justice & Rights: Qacha’s Nek has launched decentralised legal aid offices with EU support to improve access to justice for remote and vulnerable communities. Parliament Oversight: Lesotho’s Law and Justice Ministry says it is already implementing Commission of Inquiry recommendations on the 2023 Maseru prison escape, responding to calls for the Ombudsman’s report to be tabled. Waste & Public Health: The Ombudsman warns that poor solid waste management across Lesotho is harming health and the environment, with some dump sites near homes and schools. Local Economy: Street vendors in Maseru say surprise tax demands could force closures, as many earn too little to cover daily fees and new levies. Water Safety: Tlhaha-lia-Tloka residents report salty, briny well water and want urgent government action to prevent a health crisis. Biodiversity: Lesotho marks International Day for Biodiversity in Semonkong, focusing on protecting highland wetlands and community-led conservation. e-Services: Government says e-services rollout is progressing through selected ministries after validation exercises, aiming for more accessible public services. Sports: South Africa named its 26-man FIFA World Cup squad under Hugo Broos, with Lesotho’s earlier match eligibility issue still noted in the build-up.

World Cup Focus: South Africa’s Bafana Bafana, coached by Hugo Broos, have named their final 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, with matches starting June 11 against Mexico, then Czech Republic and South Korea. Sports & Lesotho Link: The World Cup qualification story includes South Africa’s controversial forfeiture over an ineligible player in a match against Lesotho, a reminder of how closely the group race was decided. Lesotho Governance & Services: Lesotho’s Ministry of Information says e-services rollout is moving ahead, with validation involving line ministries and services planned for selected departments. Home Affairs Permits: Home Affairs is running nationwide public consultations on Zimbabwean and Lesotho Exemption Permits, aiming for a fair process after court challenges. Health & Nutrition: The Lesotho Red Cross has launched a three-month nutrition messaging project targeting hard-to-reach areas and nutrition clubs. Environment: Lesotho marked International Day for Biodiversity in Semonkong, focusing on highland wetlands and community-led conservation. Community Peace: The International Women’s Peace Group will celebrate Queen ‘Masenate Mohato Seeiso’s golden jubilee with a peace monument and fruit-tree planting in Matsieng.

Home Affairs Consultations: South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs is running nationwide public consultations on Zimbabwean and Lesotho Exemption Permits, after court challenges, with workshops already held across several provinces and more sessions planned to shape final decisions. Lesotho Permits & Inclusion: In parallel, Lesotho’s disability advisory council is set to launch a report on disability mainstreaming in government programmes, with a Maseru press conference scheduled for 09:30. Local Water Crisis: In Nazareth’s Tlhaha-lia-Tloka community, residents say their once-pristine well has turned briny and salty, blaming underground seepage from a nearby cemetery and urging urgent safe water infrastructure. Digital Government Push: Lesotho’s e-services rollout is being defended as “an evolving journey,” with validation exercises involving multiple ministries and plans to expand access to online services. Regional Connectivity & Rules: Uganda’s Starlink licensing debate continues as questions remain about taxation, security oversight, and whether a ground station will route local traffic through local infrastructure. Sports & Culture: MTN Bushfire Festival preparations are in full swing ahead of a sold-out weekend, while Botswana’s cricket team opened its T20 qualifier with a 70-run win.

Disability & Inclusion: Lesotho’s Persons with Disability Advisory Council will launch a report tomorrow in Maseru, outlining progress, hurdles and recommendations for disability mainstreaming in the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Social Development. Water Crisis: In Nazareth’s Tlhaha-lia-Tloka, residents say their once-pristine well has turned briny and salty, fearing contamination from an aquifer near a cemetery, and are urgently calling for safe piped water. Digital Government Push: MICSTI says e-services rollout is moving ahead despite validation delays, with ministries including Public Works, Agriculture, Finance and Development Planning and Public Service set to expand access. Connectivity & Rules: UCC says Starlink has secured a licence in Uganda, with conditions tied to local routing and taxation/security compliance. Health Focus: A new study highlights how HIV and other sexually transmitted infections affect women of child-bearing age differently across 1990–2021.

Markets: Zeda’s first-half results got a lift from a stronger leasing business and a jump in car sales, with revenue up 3.2% to R5.5bn and profit before tax up 5.5% to R520m, though car rental dragged as pricing pressure cut rental duration and utilisation fell to 71%. Culture & Identity: In Lesotho and South Africa, stories of belonging are front and centre—Sam Montši’s memoir “Defying Barriers” revisits apartheid, exile and building a family empire, while a Soweto photo series reframes township life through the lens of Koto Bolofo’s lived experience. Immigration & Diplomacy: South Africa is rejecting a “Trump wall” approach, saying it will push neighbours to share border responsibility as anti-migrant protests spill into regional tensions. Health: HIV prevention demand is outpacing supply in parts of Africa, with a twice-yearly injection rollout expanding in Eswatini. Sports: Botswana opened ICC T20 Africa qualifying with a 70-run win over Sierra Leone.

Media Freedom Under Pressure: Botswana’s perceived media freedom has fallen by 20 percentage points in five years, with only 53% saying journalists can report without government interference, according to Afrobarometer. Sport—Fast Start: Botswana opened the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa qualifier with a 70-run win over Sierra Leone, posting 166-5 and bowling out the visitors for 96. AI Push: Mozambique has released a draft National AI Strategy for public comment until June 4, including plans for AI “sandboxes” and a bid to become a regional data-centre hub. Migration Tensions: South Africa’s anti-foreigner protests and threats to remove undocumented migrants by June 30 are again flaring, while Home Affairs says 109,735 undocumented foreigners were arrested and deported over five years. HIV Prevention Shortage: Demand for twice-yearly HIV prevention injections is outpacing supply in parts of Africa, leaving some vulnerable communities behind. Retail Turnaround: Pick n Pay says it plans seven new store openings as it continues its turnaround after closures and conversions.

Migration Diplomacy: South Africa is stepping up talks with neighbours to curb undocumented migration, with Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber pointing to joint action plans and quarterly monitoring with Lesotho, Mozambique and eSwatini as tensions spill into regional diplomacy ahead of November local elections. Enforcement Numbers: Schreiber also says 109,735 undocumented foreigners were arrested and deported over five financial years, alongside thousands of workplace inspections and charges against employers. Regional Push: SADC ministers have pledged stronger cooperation and a unified regional voice on global shocks, from climate change to trade and energy disruptions. Health Watch: ECSA-HC is boosting joint Ebola preparedness at regional borders after cases spread from the DRC into Uganda. Weather: South Africa faces partly cloudy conditions with isolated showers and fog in places, with rain expected in several provinces. Business: Varun Beverages secures a 10-year PepsiCo bottling extension, citing Africa as a key growth driver.

Africa Day in Ireland: Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council marked Africa Day in People’s Park with performers from Nigeria, South Africa, Lesotho, Ghana and Zimbabwe, and a moment of silence for Congolese man Yves Sakila, who died after detention on 19 May. Regional diplomacy: SADC foreign ministers meeting at Kruger National Park pledged stronger integration and a unified global voice, warning climate change and Middle East conflict are pushing up food and fuel prices and raising food and energy insecurity. Immigration crackdown in SA: Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber says 109,735 undocumented foreigners were arrested and deported over five financial years, alongside thousands of workplace inspections and employer charges. Climate risk: A new study flags rising extreme rainfall risk, including for Maseru and Johannesburg. Health security: ECSA Health Community is stepping up joint Ebola preparedness at regional borders after cases spread from DRC into Uganda. Youth focus in Lesotho: Youth Home Lesotho held a dialogue on unemployment, poverty and rights, with UNICEF and partners backing youth and girls’ health education.

Water Crisis Warning: South Africa’s water scarcity can’t be treated like a seasonal emergency anymore, with experts warning it’s now a permanent, daily threat to farming, food security and the economy as extreme weather hits faster than systems can recover. Cape Town Marathon Buzz: The Cape Town Marathon weekend delivered big moments, with record times smashed at the 10km Peace Run—Maxime Chaumeton and Tayla Kavanagh rewriting the course books. Anti-Immigrant Tensions: South Africa faces renewed anti-foreigner anger, with protests and vigilante threats tied to the June 30 deadline, reviving fears of xenophobic violence amid job and service pressure. Lesotho in the Spotlight: Lesotho’s SADC push for economic self-reliance continues, while local coverage also highlights ongoing parliamentary pressure to clear unpaid wages and debts. Weather Watch: Sunday looks partly cloudy and cool across much of SA, with isolated showers and thundershowers in eastern areas and along the Lesotho border.

Weather Watch: South Africa heads into partly cloudy, cool conditions with fog patches and isolated showers/thundershowers, with the Lesotho border and eastern areas most likely to see rain. Parliament & Pay: Lesotho’s National Assembly has ordered urgent action to clear outstanding payments, including unpaid wages and contractor debts, after petitions showed delays often follow parliamentary pressure. Health & Housing Pressure: In Lesotho, officials warn that housing expansion onto agricultural land must stop as food security fears grow, while Thaba-Tseka’s health oversight report highlights water shortages forcing clinic closures and a looming cervical cancer burden. Sports Momentum: South Africa returns to the World Cup stage after 16 years, and AFCON 2027 qualifier paths are now confirmed; Zimbabwe’s Marshall Munetsi is back in the Warriors camp for the Unity Cup. Regional Tensions: South Africa’s anti-migrant protests are flaring again, with vigilantes threatening removals by June 30. Nigeria Policy Shift: Nigeria’s National Assembly is drafting a bill to legalise cannabis for medical and industrial use, sparking fresh debate. Lesotho Remembrance: A World War II veteran, Lance Seagent Lekena Sematlane, was laid to rest in Maseru.

Anti-immigrant unrest: South Africa’s anti-migrant protests are flaring again, with vigilantes warning they will target undocumented people by June 30—reviving memories of the 2008 xenophobic violence as anger over jobs, crime and strained services keeps boiling over. Home Affairs process: In parallel, South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs is rolling out nationwide public consultations on Zimbabwean and Lesotho Exemption Permits, after court challenges pushed the department to consult widely before final decisions. Regional diplomacy: Botswana and South Africa also moved to speed up “high-impact priority” projects under their Bi-National Commission, including corridor development and water cooperation. South-South spotlight: The India-Africa Forum Summit has been delayed due to Ebola concerns, but officials say its strategic push for innovation and resilience remains central. Water pressure: In Gauteng, Ekurhuleni told a human rights inquiry it needs about R3bn to replace ageing water infrastructure as sewage spills and supply failures persist.

Anti-immigrant unrest: South Africa’s anti-migrant protests are flaring again, with vigilantes warning undocumented people they’ll be removed by June 30, as anger over jobs, crime and strained services keeps fueling xenophobic violence. Home Affairs legal process: In a bid to keep decisions on track, South Africa’s Home Affairs has launched nationwide public consultations on Zimbabwean and Lesotho Exemption Permits after court challenges. Court pressure on business: South Africa’s Western Cape High Court has issued a provisional sequestration order over a Cape Town businessman tied to a nearly R6m debt involving Super Group’s Fleet Africa, with the court also flagging suspicious asset transfers. Lesotho border policy: Lesotho says it won’t copy South Africa’s new SARS-style vehicle registration rules for import permits. Water stability: South Africa’s Vaal system remains strong, with most reservoirs above full supply capacity despite small dips. Regional trade tension: Botswana’s import bans on South African farm goods are again under fire as a SACU problem, not just food security.

Free State Crime: Police in South Africa are still hunting suspects after a Thursday R26 shooting near Perdehoek farm left four Lesotho nationals dead; no arrests yet, and the surviving victim remains in hospital. Regional Trade Pressure: Botswana’s frequent agricultural import bans are being challenged as protectionism that clashes with SACU’s free-trade goals, even as officials argue food security. Lesotho Health Alert: Authorities warn Basotho not to eat dead cattle amid the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak, urging communities to report symptoms and change long-standing practices. Local Business & Jobs: Pepkor says it has more stores than Ikea, Target and Primark combined, while Lesotho’s Basotho Educational Trust marks 40 years of scholarships supporting thousands of students. Governance Watch: Lesotho says it won’t copy South Africa’s SARS-style vehicle registration rules for foreign motorists. Sports: Zimbabwe’s AFCON qualifiers draw has raised questions about preparation, while Lesotho’s EU partnership celebrates 50 years.

AFCON Pressure Test: Zimbabwe’s Warriors got their Group E draw, but the real question is whether Zifa has a plan—after a painful recent stumble, they now face DR Congo in a tough qualifying mix where preparation and stability matter more than the balls rolling. Regional Sport Boost: Zimbabwe will host the AU Sports Council Region 5 Table Tennis Championships in July, with teams across Southern Africa set to compete at Glen City. Xenophobia Fallout: Ghana has postponed the evacuation of 800+ citizens from South Africa, citing legal and flight clearance hurdles as xenophobic violence continues to flare. Anti-Rumour Push: Botswana and Tanzania denied claims they closed borders or cut electricity in retaliation amid the migrant tensions. Water Crisis Reality Check: Ekurhuleni says it needs about R3bn to replace failing water infrastructure, as residents still report sewage spills and unreliable supply. Lesotho Development: EU and Lesotho marked 50 years of partnership, while Lesotho also moves ahead on energy access and climate disaster readiness projects.

Water Crisis in Ekurhuleni: The City of Ekurhuleni says it needs about R3bn to replace ageing asbestos and steel pipes as shortages, sewage spills and failures persist, with the SA Human Rights Commission hearing that complaints are acknowledged but long-term fixes lag. Public Health & Food Security: In Berea, farmers say the FMD outbreak is pushing households deeper into poverty after restrictions block milk sales. Jobs & Skills: Over 1,300 Basotho received Trade Test certificates at LOIC, with officials stressing the qualification’s value across SADC. AFCON 2027 Buzz: CAF released the full qualifiers draw, setting up major matchups and emotional storylines like Kenya vs South Africa. Lesotho Energy & Climate: Lesotho wrapped an energy access dialogue and is launching a community-led climate disaster project, while e-services in government move toward full automation. Culture & Loss: South Africa marked the death of publicist Maria McCloy with tributes at Joburg Theatre.