Today in Africa — Feb 12, 2026: South Africa’s Beef Exports Plunge, Ghana’s Cocoa Farmers Go Unpaid

Every day, OkayAfrica shares a roundup of news we’re following but haven’t published as full articles. These short updates cover what’s happening on the continent — in culture, politics, and beyond. For more on stories like these, be sure to check out our News page, with stories from across the regions.

South Africa’s Beef Exports Drop 26% Amid Disease Outbreak and Severe Drought

South Africa’s beef exports fell 26% in 2025, even as global demand rose, after China banned imports over a widespread foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. The highly contagious virus has spread to seven of the country’s nine provinces since early 2025, marking one of the worst outbreaks in recent memory. Shipments to China dropped 69% to 1,687 metric tons after Beijing imposed a ban in May. Farmers say the costs are mounting fast. On one dairy farm in KwaZulu-Natal, milk output fell from 26,000 to 23,000 liters a day within days of infection, while veterinary expenses surged. The government has begun rolling out its first foot-and-mouth vaccine in 20 years and plans to vaccinate 80% of the country’s 12 million cattle, though most doses are being imported.

At the same time, a severe drought in the Western Cape and parts of the Eastern and Northern Cape is killing livestock and drying up dams. Farmers say the current drought is worse than the one that nearly shut off Cape Town’s water in 2015. Some have lost dozens of cattle and sheep in recent months, spending heavily on feed to keep herds alive. The climate crisis is also driving more extreme weather — floods in the northeast recently killed 200 people. Economists warn that the combined impact of disease and drought could shrink the national herd and push food prices higher as weather patterns grow more unpredictable.

Ghana Cocoa Farmers Go Unpaid as 50,000 Tons Sit Unsold at Ports

Thousands of cocoa farmers in Ghana are still waiting to be paid months after delivering their beans, as global demand drops and unsold stockpiles increase. Joseph Bermah Dautey, 65, says he delivered six bags but has not received payment from the regulator, Cocobod, forcing him to cut back to one meal a day. He owes money on his 25-acre farm and cannot pay his daughter’s tuition. Another farmer, Jacob Agbeko Tetteh, also delivered six bags and says his children cannot return to university because he has not been paid. Ghana, the world’s second-largest cocoa producer, is facing falling demand and prices that have dropped to about $4,000 per metric ton after a previous spike caused by poor harvests.

Cocobod says about 50,000 metric tons of cocoa are sitting unsold at ports, while licensed buying companies have closed shops, leaving farmers with beans they cannot sell. Licensed buyers say roughly 300,000 tons still need funding for payment. Cocoa can only be stored for six to 12 months before quality declines in hot, humid conditions. Farmer groups say the government must first pay for beans already delivered at the official farmgate price of 58,000 cedis per ton before discussing any price cuts. Some farmers say they are open to lower prices in the future if it means the regulator can clear stocks and settle debts.

Cyclone Gezani Kills 36, Destroys Nearly 18,000 Homes in Madagascar

Cyclone Gezani has killed at least 36 people, injured more than 370, and destroyed nearly 18,000 homes in just 24 hours across Madagascar, authorities said today, Thursday, February 12. The storm made landfall late Tuesday, slamming into the eastern port city of Toamasina with winds above 195 kph before sweeping across the island. At least 32 of the deaths were reported in Toamasina, where President Michael Randrianirina says 75% of the city was damaged or destroyed. Six people remain missing, more than 250,000 have been affected, and nearly 38,000 homes were damaged in addition to those destroyed.

Drone footage showed roofs ripped off buildings, entire structures flattened, trees uprooted, and roads flooded. Many of the deaths were linked to building collapses, as much of the population lives in homes that offer little protection from powerful storms. Randrianirina has declared a national disaster and appealed to international leaders for help, saying the city urgently needs food, basic supplies, and materials to rebuild. Madagascar, home to 31 million people, has been hit by more than a dozen major storms since 2020, including a cyclone last month that killed at least 14 people.

21 Dead After Passenger Boat Capsizes on Nile in Northern Sudan

At least 21 people have died after a passenger boat carrying nearly 30 people sank in Sudan’s River Nile state on Wednesday evening, according to the Sudan Doctors Network. The vessel was traveling between Tayba al-Khawad and Deim al-Qarai when it capsized in the Shendi area, reportedly due to high waves. Authorities say 21 bodies have been recovered, six people survived, and rescue efforts are ongoing in case more victims are found. The passengers included women, elderly people, and children. The medical group said weak regulation and poor safety standards may have contributed to the tragedy, noting that many boats on the Nile are privately owned and lack oversight, and urged authorities to improve river transport safety. Boat accidents are common in Sudan, where bridges are scarce and traditional vessels are widely used, even as the country remains strained by the war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces that began in April 2023, though River Nile state has largely avoided frontline fighting.

Morocco Allocates $330M for Flood Recovery After Torrential Rains Displace 188,000

Morocco will spend 3 billion dirhams ($330 million) to rebuild infrastructure and support residents, farmers, and businesses hit by severe flooding in its northwestern plains, the prime minister’s office said today, Thursday, February 12. Weeks of heavy rain and water released from overflowing dams have displaced 188,000 people and submerged 110,000 hectares of farmland, with Ksar El Kebir among the worst-affected areas. Authorities declared the hardest-hit municipalities disaster zones, banned access to parts of Ksar El Kebir after the Loukkos River burst its banks, and deployed army-backed rescue teams, helicopters, and boats. Of the relief funds, 1.7 billion dirhams will go toward repairing roads and hydro-agricultural networks, while the rest will support rehousing, rebuilding homes, and aiding small businesses and livestock breeders. Officials say rainfall this winter was 35% above the average since the 1990s and three times higher than last year, ending a seven-year drought as national dam levels rose to nearly 70% from 27% a year ago.

Thomas Partey Faces Additional Rape Charges in UK Case

Former Arsenal and Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey is facing two additional rape charges in the UK, bringing the total to seven charges involving four women. The 32-year-old was first charged in July with five counts of rape linked to two women and one count of sexual assault against a third. The new charges stem from a separate complaint made in August over an alleged incident in 2020, prompting further investigation by London’s Metropolitan Police. Prosecutors say the earlier alleged offenses took place between 2021 and 2022 during his time at Arsenal. Partey, who has denied all allegations, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on March 13. A trial is scheduled to begin on November 2. Since leaving Arsenal after his contract expired in June, he has signed a one-year deal with Spanish club Villarreal.

Tunisian Lawyer Ahmed Souab’s Appeal Postponed, Release Denied

The appeal trial of Tunisian lawyer and former judge Ahmed Souab opened today, Thursday, February 12, but the court rejected his request for provisional release on health grounds and postponed the hearing to February 23. Souab, jailed since April last year on anti-terror charges, was sentenced to five years in prison in October after a trial that lasted less than two minutes. He had been part of the defense team in a mass trial that handed long sentences to around 40 critics of President Kais Saied. Souab was arrested after accusing authorities of pressuring judges to issue harsh rulings. His lawyers say his health has worsened in prison and submitted medical records noting he suffered a heart attack in 2022. UN Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor has called for his immediate release, describing the charges as baseless, as rights groups continue to warn of declining civil liberties since Saied began ruling by decree in 2021.

Groundbreaking Ruling Affirms Right to Use Indigenous Languages in South Africa Court

In a groundbreaking case, South Africa’s Eastern Cape High Court has overturned contempt of court proceedings against Legal Aid lawyer Luvuyo Melani, who was accused of disrespect after addressing a magistrate in isiXhosa during a bail hearing at the Whittlesea Magistrates Court. The magistrate believed speaking a language other than English, the court’s official language of record, amounted to contempt after she struggled to hear him over an air conditioner. Melani had asked for an interpreter if needed, saying he felt he might not be arguing clearly in a language that was not his mother tongue. The high court found the contempt process irregular, noting the magistrate’s court lacked jurisdiction to summarily try common law contempt and that Melani was not properly informed of the charge or his rights. The Pan South African Language Board welcomed the ruling, saying English as the language of record does not strip citizens, lawyers, witnesses, or accused persons of their right to use their own languages in court, as long as interpreters are provided, reinforcing constitutional protections for fair trial rights and multilingual participation in public life. South Africa has 12 official languages. 

UN to Send Recon Flights to Uvira as Ceasefire Plans Move Forward in Eastern Congo

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo says it will begin aerial reconnaissance flights over Uvira in the coming days as it prepares to help monitor a ceasefire between the government and the AFC/M23 rebel group. The rebels briefly captured the eastern city in December before withdrawing under U.S. pressure, and Congo’s army returned last month. The ceasefire monitoring effort follows a Qatari-mediated agreement reached in Doha last week. Acting MONUSCO chief Vivian van de Perre says any UN deployment would happen in stages and only after security guarantees are in place to protect personnel and equipment. Van de Perre also visited Goma, which has been under AFC/M23 control since January 2025, landing at its airport for the first time since it was shut when rebels seized the city. Aid groups have called for the airport to reopen to allow medical evacuations and humanitarian deliveries. MONUSCO pulled out of South Kivu in June 2024 at the Congolese government’s request after more than 20 years in the province.

DRC Plans $750M International Bond to Fund Infrastructure Projects

The Democratic Republic of Congo is preparing to sell its first international bond, expected to raise about $750 million, as it looks to tap global investors during a metals market boom and improved ties with the United States. A bond is essentially a loan: investors give the government money up front, and in return, the government agrees to pay interest regularly and repay the full amount later. Finance Minister Doudou Fwamba Likunde told Reuters the goal is not just to raise funds, but to create a benchmark that could also help private companies borrow and invest in the country. Proceeds would go toward major projects, including upgrades to N’djili International Airport, roads in Kinshasa, hydropower plants, and rural infrastructure. While the timing depends on market conditions, officials have flagged a possible launch around April. Analysts say Congo may have to offer double-digit interest rates, though its external debt stands at 18.5% of GDP, with most borrowed on concessional terms. Likunde also said the U.S.-backed Lobito Corridor railway project is moving forward, with the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation committing $530 million in financing for a private operator to be selected through a tender.