Today in Africa — November 11, 2025: South Africa’s Ndimande Brothers Extradited in Rapper AKA Murder Case, Somaliland Rejects Somalia’s e-Visa System, Pro-Sisi Parties Poised to Dominate Egypt’s Parliamentary Elections

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.

Ndimande Brothers Extradited to South Africa to Face Charges in AKA and Tibz Murder Case

Siyabonga and Malusi Ndimande, the brothers accused of orchestrating the murders of South African rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes and his friend Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, have been extradited to South Africa after months of legal battles in Eswatini. The brothers arrived at King Shaka International Airport this morning, Tuesday, November 11, in a high-risk Interpol-led operation and were transferred under tight security to the Durban Magistrate’s Court, where they are expected to face multiple charges, including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and unlawful possession of firearms. Their extradition ends months of delays after they initially challenged the process, and brings to seven the number of suspects now in South African custody.

Their return marks a major breakthrough in the high-profile investigation into the February 2023 killings on Durban’s Florida Road, which police have described as a coordinated hit. Authorities say the brothers are also linked to two other violent cases involving taxi industry figures in the KwaZulu-Natal province. AKA’s father, Tony Forbes, welcomed the development, saying he was relieved that all key suspects may finally stand trial together and praised the transparency of investigators during the complex cross-border process.

Court proceedings began today, though administrative delays kept the brothers from making an immediate appearance as journalists and members of the public packed the courtroom. The South African Police Service (SAPS) says it remains confident in its case, which is built across three separate dockets and involves 24 charges. Police maintain a strong presence around the court amid heightened public interest and concerns for security as one of South Africa’s most closely watched murder trials moves forward.

Somaliland Shuns Somalia’s e-Visa System and Restates Sovereignty

Authorities in Somaliland have reasserted control over its borders and airspace, declaring that visas issued by neighboring Somalia do not grant access into its territory. Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi declared Somalia’s newly implemented e-Visa system as “legally null,” with the system granting passes to foreign nationals into Somaliland. Somalia has long claimed Somaliland as one of its federal states, despite Somaliland declaring itself as an independent, sovereign entity since 1991.

“This decisive action upholds Somaliland’s right to regulate and safeguard all aviation operations within its borders, in strict conformity with international civil aviation law and ICAO standards,” Presidential spokesman Hussein Deyr stated in a directive issued yesterday, Monday, November 10. From now on, all foreign nationals need to apply for a visa on arrival at either of Somaliland’s two international airports, and aircraft entering or exiting Somaliland’s airspace are also expected to obtain formal clearance from the authorities.

Pro-President Parties Expected to Dominate in Egypt’s Parliamentary Elections

Despite over 1,200 candidates vying for seats, there weren’t many options for Egyptians to choose from at the first phase of the country’s parliamentary elections, taking place between yesterday, Monday, November 10, and today. Although it’s a packed field of parties, it’s expected that the house will be dominated by a coalition of political parties allied with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who’s in his third term – the final one he’s allowed under Egypt’s constitution.

The mandate for the current parliament is set to lapse in January; however, it’s expected that the new house will continue the status quo of loyalty to el-Sisi. Electoral amendments in 2025 allocated about half of parliament’s seats to closed party lists, effectively handing wins to many incumbent lawmakers. Several opposition parties were barred from the elections on varying grounds. Elections to the upper house this year saw a paltry turnout of just over 17%, indicating apathy towards the political apparatus. The first phase of voting took place across 14 provinces, while the second phase will be held in 13 provinces later this month.

U.S. Vice President’s Planned Visit to Kenya Called Off

A planned trip to Kenya by the U.S. Vice President JD Vance has been cancelled. Vance was expected to stop by the East African country after attending the G20 Summit in South Africa, but President Donald Trump has now canceled his attendance. Late last week, Trump confirmed that no U.S. officials will be attending this year’s summit, as he continues to condemn alleged human rights abuses by the South African government against the white Afrikaner minority. South Africa has repeatedly denied these allegations, including during a dramatic White House visit.

Vance’s now-cancelled visit to Kenya might be a blow for the Kenyan government, which is looking to close a trade deal with the U.S. government by the end of this year. Like many African countries, Kenya exports to the U.S. are under a 10% tariff, while the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which allowed many African countries to export to the U.S. duty-free, came to an end in late September. After Kenyan President William Ruto’s official State House visit to the U.S. last year, Kenya was designated as a major non-NATO ally.

Tanzanian Government Releases Opposition Leaders Following Post-Election Protests

Four Tanzanian opposition leaders have been released from police detention after they were arrested in connection with the violent protests against last month’s disputed presidential election, which saw President Samia Suluhu Hassan remain in office for her first full term. Chadema Vice Chairman John Heche was one of the four senior executives of the opposition party that was released after he was arrested on October 22 on suspicion of terrorism, due to the protests. Opposition and observers have stated that more than 1,000 people were killed by state forces in a crackdown on protesters. 145 people are also facing trials on treason charges in connection with the demonstrations.

TikTok Influencer Executed by Armed Men in Mali

Malian authorities have confirmed the killing of Mariame Cissé, a TikTok influencer known for sharing posts in support of Mali’s army. Timbuktu Mayor Yehia Tandina said Cissé “was abducted by armed men on Friday while she was at the weekly market in Echel. The following day, at dusk, the same men brought her back to Independence Square in Tonka and executed her in front of a crowd.” Although she wasn’t in the military, Cissé often shared posts where she wore military fatigues. Large parts of Mali, particularly its rural areas, are controlled by Islamist insurgents, but no armed group has taken responsibility for Cissé’s execution.