South Africa Economy & Elections: South Africa’s GDP shrank 0.2% in Q2 2026, ending a six-quarter growth streak as mining, trade and manufacturing weakened and unemployment rose to 33.6%, adding pressure ahead of local polls. In a separate political move, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared 4 November 2026 a public holiday for voting, after the IEC saw a 43% jump in candidate nominations. Digital Life & Security: South Africans trying to book passport biometric appointments through banks are running into scarce slots, with some urged to bypass the bank system and go straight to Home Affairs. Meanwhile, banking apps are driving most digital banking crime losses, with SABRIC reporting R1.7bn in 2025 claims linked to app-related fraud. Tanzania Development Push: Tanzania is courting Japanese investors for infrastructure and industrialisation, while preparing for a major education bottleneck as nearly 1.17m Standard Seven pupils sit the PSLE ahead of a double cohort for Form One in 2028. Regional Finance & Policy: Senegal’s lawmakers pushed back on the IMF deal, arguing it undermines sovereignty as the government defends a $2.2bn three-year programme. Africa on the Map: The UN backed a new world map approach to better reflect Africa’s true size, with the US voting against the resolution. Sports & Culture: South Africa leads New Zealand 2-1 in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry ahead of the final Test, and Tanzania’s national open swimming championships are set for Sept 12-13 in Dar es Salaam.