On The Discourse this morning, we look at wildlife trafficking and a fast-emerging and largely overlooked criminal market - the illegal trade in insects. Recent reporting and analysis, including work by Elliot Doornbos, highlights how cases in Kenya involving the smuggling of thousands of live ants are drawing attention to a growing demand for insects as exotic pets, and the wider gaps in enforcement and policy. So what is driving this market, how significant is the global trade in insects, and are current legal frameworks keeping up? To explore those questions, Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Elliot Doornbos, Senior Lecturer of Criminology at Nottingham Trent University in the UK.

On The Discourse this morning, we look at wildlife trafficking and a fast-emerging and largely overlooked criminal market - the illegal trade in insects. Recent reporting and analysis, including work by Elliot Doornbos, highlights how cases in Kenya involving the smuggling of thousands of live ants are drawing attention to a growing demand for insects as exotic pets, and the wider gaps in enforcement and policy. So what is driving this market, how significant is the global trade in insects, and are current legal frameworks keeping up? To explore those questions, Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Elliot Doornbos, Senior Lecturer of Criminology at Nottingham Trent University in the UK.

Africa Rise & Shine

Rise & Shine

Illegal insect trade grows as traffickers exploit rising global demand for exotic species and weak laws

South Africans are preparing to head to the polls on 4 November, for a highly anticipated local government election that features a record-breaking 546 political parties and over 137 000 candidates, competing for just over 10 500 municipal council seats nationwide. In an election heavily focused on local infrastructure, in two weeks citizens would be voting directly for municipal leadership to manage critical service delivery, including water, sanitation, and electricity grids. This election marks the first major test of voter sentiment since the formation of the country's national multi-party coalition - Government of National Unity (GNU) in 2024, with analysts predicting a highly fragmented vote that could result in a surge of local coalition governments across major economic hubs.

We spoke to Dr Tendai Mbanje : Human rights, governance, and elections expert.

South Africans are preparing to head to the polls on 4 November, for a highly anticipated local government election that features a record-breaking 546 political parties and over 137 000 candidates, competing for just over 10 500 municipal council seats nationwide. In an election heavily focused on local infrastructure, in two weeks citizens would be voting directly for municipal leadership to manage critical service delivery, including water, sanitation, and electricity grids. This election marks the first major test of voter sentiment since the formation of the country's national multi-party coalition - Government of National Unity (GNU) in 2024, with analysts predicting a highly fragmented vote that could result in a surge of local coalition governments across major economic hubs.
We spoke to Dr Tendai Mbanje : Human rights, governance, and elections expert.

South Africa’s local government elections set to test voter sentiment, service delivery and coalition politics amid record participation

Here's this week's segment of the African Arty Beats.

Here's this week's segment of the African Arty Beats.

African Arty Beats: Celebrating Africa’s vibrant arts, culture, music and creative talent

As Zambia prepares to celebrate 62 years of Independence from British colonial rule, a spotlight has been cast on the country's achievements and failures since 1964. Over the past six decades, Lusaka has made significant strides in nation-building, education, democratic governance and regional cooperation. However, the country continues to grapple with economic challenges, public debt, unemployment, inequality and more recently, claims that the government is clamping down on voices of dissent. One such voice, is that of Brebner Changala, he has a 33-year track record as a Zambian Human Rights Activist. He is currently on trial, charged with one count of seditious practices under the country's penal Code. The state alleges his recently recorded video remarks accusing the government of orchestrating criminal or terrorist acts against its own citizens, amount to inciting disaffection against the state. He now joins us on the line....

As Zambia prepares to celebrate 62 years of Independence from British colonial rule, a spotlight has been cast on the country's achievements and failures since 1964. Over the past six decades, Lusaka has made significant strides in nation-building, education, democratic governance and regional cooperation. However, the country continues to grapple with economic challenges, public debt, unemployment, inequality and more recently, claims that the government is clamping down on voices of dissent. One such voice, is that of Brebner Changala, he has a 33-year track record as a Zambian Human Rights Activist. He is currently on trial, charged with one count of seditious practices under the country's penal Code. The state alleges his recently recorded video remarks accusing the government of orchestrating criminal or terrorist acts against its own citizens, amount to inciting disaffection against the state. He now joins us on the line....

Illegal insect trade grows as traffickers exploit rising global demand for exotic species and weak laws

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