Africa Update Report with Advocate Sipho Mantula, Researcher: Thabo Mbeki African School of Public & International Affairs: Unisa 12 March 2026 1.    South Afrika – SADC Council of Ministers South Afrika to host the SADC Council of Ministers today and tomorrow. During this Session, South Afrika as Interim Chair of the Council of Ministers, we will continue to implement the theme of the 45th SADC Summit, adopted in August 2025 in Madagascar, “Advancing Industrialisation, Agricultural Transformation, and Energy Transition for a Resilient SADC”. As may be recalled, South Africa was elected in November 2025 as the Interim Chair of SADC until August 2026. South Africa will also be elected Chair of SADC at the upcoming Summit in August, serving until August 2027. 2.    Republic of Congo- Brazzaville Congo Brazzaville decides 2026 in three days Presidential candidates hold their last campaign rallies in Congo. Campaigning for president in the Republic of Congo wraps up tomorrow, with voting scheduled for Sunday. Seven candidates are running for the presidency of the central African oil producer. They include Joseph Kignoumbi Kia Mboungou, a member of parliament and the leader of "The Chain" party, who is running for the fifth time since 2002. Anguios Nganguia Engambe, president of the Party for Action of the Republic, is competing for the fourth consecutive time. 3.    Kenya – Nairobi TikTok Safer Internet Summit 2026 Social media platforms such as TikTok are playing an increasingly important role in supporting digital creativity, innovation, and economic opportunities while enabling citizens to participate in the digital economy. Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy, Hon. William Kabogo, officially opened the TikTok Safer Internet Summit 2026, which brought together policymakers, regulators, technology leaders, civil society, and digital creators from across Africa to discuss the future of digital innovation. 4.    In our historical archives, it was on this day, 12 March 1968, when the Republic of Mauritius was liberated from the United Kingdom and gained its independence. The British relinquished sovereignty in 1968, when the country became independent. Mauritius is a melting pot of different nationalities - descendants of Chinese, Indian, African and European immigrants and slaves all make up its diverse population. 4.1 In our historical archives, it was on this day 12, March 1990, when Tata Madiba Rolihlahla Mandela met with Elder Oliver Tambo in Sweden for the first time in 28 years. The meeting took place in Sweden, where Tambo was recuperating from a stroke that had partially paralysed him the previous