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Today in Africa — September 17, 2026: Ninth Woman’s Body Found in South Africa, 48 Die From Toxic Alcohol in Nigeria

OkayAfrica has scoured the Internet for today’s major news stories, so you don't have to. On Sept. 17, coverage includes: serial killer fears growing near Johannesburg, fueling calls for accountability and stronger protections for women; officials scrambling to trace the source of a methanol-tainted drink poisoning victims in Ondo State; and more.

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Lihle Z. Mtshali Today in Africa & Newsletters Editor
Women dressed in black take part in a demonstration against gender-based violence and the rising number of femicides, holding placards denouncing violence against women.
Women dressed in black take part in a demonstration against gender-based violence and femicide, holding placards denouncing violence against women, in Johannesburg, South Africa, on November 21, 2025.

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 across 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.

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South Africa Confirms 9th Body Found Near Johannesburg

South African police confirmed today, Thursday, September 17, that a ninth woman's body has been discovered east of Johannesburg, with all nine found across the Ekurhuleni municipality in the Gauteng province over the past two months. Provincial police commissioner Fred Kekana says a passerby found the latest victim, an unidentified woman around 30 with an apparent stab wound and slashed throat, near a construction site in Dawn Park, though it's not yet confirmed whether her death is linked to the other cases. Kekana urged the public not to share photos of the bodies or unverified reports online, warning they spread fear and could encourage copycat crimes.

Community Pushes for Answers and Accountability

  • Bodies have now turned up across Kempton Park, Pomona, Clayville, Olifantsfontein, Rhodesfield, KwaThema, and Dawn Park, all in the same municipality. 

  • Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi says police are making progress on two or three cases and vowed the state won't back down, saying, "They've declared war against the state. We'll respond."

  • Running clubs across Johannesburg held memorial runs this week for Elizabeth "Tsontso" Moselakgomo, the jogger whose death first drew national attention to the case.

  • Women's rights advocates and civil society groups marched to Kempton Park Police Station today demanding stronger protections for women and accountability for perpetrators.

  • A coalition of more than 1,000 faith leaders and activists called on religious leaders to break their silence on gender-based violence, saying, "That silence must end."

48 Dead in Nigeria After Drinking Methanol-Tainted Alcohol

At least 48 people have died, and about 100 more are receiving treatment in southern Nigeria's Ondo State after drinking a locally brewed alcoholic concoction suspected to contain methanol, health commissioner Banji Ajaka said today, Thursday, September 17. The cases were reported in the Odigbo and Irele local government areas, with 182 people believed to be affected in total; Ajaka warned the drink acts fast, saying, "Once they consume, depending on the quantity, the kidneys will pack up, the eyes will go, the brain will be damaged." Locals suspect a popular herbal drink known as "Monkey Tail" was mixed with methanol, though a trader in Odigbo said there's both a safe original version and an unsafe one circulating.

Investigation and Response

  • One victim, 32-year-old Sola Adebayo, told local TV he lost his sight days after taking a few shots of the drink.

  • Police spokesman Abayomi Jimoh said 15 people have been arrested, including one allegedly involved in producing the suspected methanol-laced substance.

  • Local media reported the first death occurred nearly two weeks ago.

  • Nigeria's National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control is currently enforcing a nationwide ban on alcohol sold in sachets and small plastic containers, citing easy access for children and young people.

South Sudan's President Puts His Son in Charge of Presidential Security

South Sudan President Salva Kiir has appointed his son, Major General Atem Salva Kiir, 36, to command the Tiger Division, the elite force responsible for protecting the president and other senior officials. The South Sudan People's Defense Forces defended the move, saying Atem was chosen through the standard military command structure and that his position has "nothing to do with him being the president's son." The appointment comes as South Sudan heads toward elections scheduled for December 2026, placing Kiir's son in charge of a strategically vital military unit at a politically sensitive moment.

A Pattern Across the Region

  • The move draws comparisons to Uganda, where President Yoweri Museveni named his son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, as Chief of the Defense Forces in 2024 after he commanded the elite Special Forces Command.

  • Kainerugaba has publicly said he intends to succeed his father, announcing in August 2026 that he would run for president in 2031.

  • In Rwanda, President Paul Kagame's son Ian serves in the elite Republican Guard, while his younger son Brian joined the Rwanda Defense Force in October 2025 after training at Sandhurst.

  • Kagame has said he wanted all three of his sons to join the military, though his eldest, Ivan Cyomoro Kagame, chose a business career instead.

  • Only Kainerugaba has publicly declared presidential ambitions, but Kiir, Museveni, and Kagame have all seen their sons rise to prominent military or security roles.

In Brief: More Stories Today

Trial Opens for 5 Suspected Ansaru Militants Over Oyo School Kidnappings

Nigeria's state security service opened the trial today, Thursday, September 17, of five suspected Ansaru militants accused of abducting pupils and teachers from schools in Oyo State, with all five pleading not guilty to seven terrorism-related counts. A prosecution witness testified that gunmen stormed the schools on May 15, taking seven teachers and 39 pupils into a forest where they were held for 56 days; the defendants could face up to life imprisonment, or death if prosecutors prove any deaths resulted from the kidnapping.

South African Sports Broadcaster Found Dead After Abduction

Veteran South African sports broadcaster Owen Ndlovu was found dead with gunshot wounds yesterday, Wednesday, September 16, a day after he was abducted during a carjacking while picking up his wife from church in Katlehong, near Johannesburg. Police have launched a manhunt for three suspects, and tributes have poured in for the 54-year-old former SABC presenter, remembered as a "colorful, energetic" figure in sports broadcasting and an advocate for musicians' rights.

Morocco's Political Parties Court Young Voters Ahead of September 23 Election

Morocco's political parties are campaigning on promises of jobs and affordable housing ahead of the September 23 election, following last year's deadly youth-led protests and a mass border rush on Ceuta that exposed widespread economic frustration. Despite making up 12% of the population, 18- to 24-year-olds account for just 3% of registered voters, and youth unemployment sits at around 27%, fueling skepticism that political promises will translate into real change.

Nigerian Investment Apps Crash Amid Rush for Dangote Refinery Shares

Several Nigerian fintech platforms, including Bamboo and InvestNaija, suffered outages this week as retail investors rushed to buy shares in Dangote Petroleum Refinery's record $1.6 billion IPO. Bamboo co-founder Yanmo Omorogbe says traffic surged to 10 times normal levels within 30 minutes of launch, while regulators and analysts are warning first-time investors to stay alert for scams as Dangote aims to attract 10 million shareholders through what he's calling a "people's IPO."

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