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Today in Africa — September 21, 2026: 10th Woman’s Body Found in South Africa, Former Foes Unite to Oust Ethiopia's PM

OkayAfrica has scoured the Internet for today’s major news stories, so you don't have to. On Sept. 21, coverage includes: South African police making arrests in the Ekurhuleni case as a body surfaces in Soweto; a fragile coalition of Ethiopian armed groups raising the stakes in the country's political crisis; and more.

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Lihle Z. Mtshali Today in Africa & Newsletters Editor
Abiy Ahmed Ali speaks into a microphone at COP28 in Dubai, wearing a suit and COP28 UAE lapel pin.
Seven Ethiopian opposition groups, including former rivals in the Tigray war, have formed an alliance to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali's government.

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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10th Body Found in South Africa as Police Make Arrests in Ekurhuleni Murders

South African police opened an inquest yesterday, Sunday, September 20, after finding an unidentified woman's body, believed to be in her twenties, wrapped in a duvet in a dam in Soweto, Johannesburg — a discovery separate from, but adding to, the wave of killings that has gripped the country. The news came as police announced a "breakthrough" in the related Ekurhuleni murders, detaining three suspects, a man and two women, in connection with the death of Jabulile Ntimba, whose half-naked body was found wrapped in a sheet in Dawn Park last Thursday, the ninth victim in that string of killings since July. Deputy police chief Lt. Gen. Tebello Mosikili says Ntimba's case "appears to be an indication of a murder that stemmed from a relationship," possibly a love triangle, and cautioned that investigators still haven't established whether all nine Ekurhuleni cases are connected. Of the nine Ekurhuleni cases, investigators have identified eight.

The Women Who've Been Identified

  • Busisiwe Mahlangu, found in Kempton Park on July 15.

  • Itumeleng Kekana, found in Kempton Park on August 3.

  • Nomfesane Mjobo, found in Kempton Park on August 26.

  • Gracious Nkomo, found in Kempton Park on September 10.

  • Elizabeth "Tsontso" Moselakgomo, the runner found in Kempton Park on September 12.

  • Dineo Motapane, found in Kwa-Thema on September 15.

  • Jabulile Ntimba, found in Dawn Park on September 17.

  • The name of the woman found in Olifantsfontein on September 14 is being withheld until her family is informed, and the body of a woman found floating in the Clayville River in Olifantsfontein on September 7 remains unidentified.

  • Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia says the multidisciplinary investigation team has been elevated to be coordinated directly by the Deputy National Commissioner of Detective Services, per President Cyril Ramaphosa's directive.

7 Ethiopian Opposition Groups, Including Former Enemies, Unite to Oust Abiy

Seven Ethiopian armed opposition groups, including the TPLF and Amhara Fano National Movement, once bitter rivals in the 2020-2022 Tigray war, announced yesterday, Sunday, September 20, that they've formed the Ethiopian Peoples' Forces Alliance for Survival to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government. TPLF spokesman Michael Asgedom says cooperation is primarily political but that joint military operations "may become necessary," and declared the 2022 peace agreement ending the Tigray conflict "no longer valid." Abiy's spokesperson, Billene Seyoum, accused the alliance of receiving financial backing from Eritrea, a claim Asmara has repeatedly denied.

A Fragile and Complicated Coalition

  • The alliance also includes the Oromo Liberation Army, Ogaden National Liberation Front, Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front, Benishangul Peoples' Liberation Movement, and Gumuz Peoples' Democratic Movement.

  • Ethiopia's Media Authority barred outlets from citing Tigrai TV, the channel used to announce the alliance, calling it an illegal entity promoting insurgency.

  • The announcement follows the TPLF's May move to reassert control over Tigray's political administration, violating the 2022 peace deal, and recent Ethiopian military drone strikes against Tigrayan forces.

  • Analyst Magnus Taylor of the International Crisis Group says the alliance could worry the federal government but may struggle to function given the groups' weaknesses, geographic distance, and political differences.

  • Ethiopia-Eritrea relations have soured partly over Abiy's push for sovereign access to Eritrea's Assab seaport, with Ethiopia accusing Eritrea of backing rebel groups within its territory.

Jihadist Attack in Mali Kills Over 100 Soldiers

Jihadists killed more than 100 soldiers in central Mali this month in an attack on the military camp in Dioura, according to two sources, with a security source putting the toll at 130 and a diplomatic source estimating around 120. Al-Qaeda-linked JNIM claimed the September 10 attack and said it killed 150 soldiers, while the Malian army said it evacuated troops from the camp and carried out a retaliatory operation lasting more than a week, striking enemy positions. The attack is the latest in JNIM's escalating campaign against Mali's military rulers, who seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021.

A Widening Insurgency

  • JNIM also claimed a separate strike on air defense systems at the airport in Sevare, saying it killed 33 pro-government forces there and in nearby Konna.

  • A local resident reported six consecutive nights of shelling at Sevare airport and said about 40 wounded Malian soldiers and Russian fighters were being treated at the local hospital.

  • Russian troops, who back Mali's army through the Africa Corps paramilitary group, were no longer visible in Sevare as of today, Monday, September 21, according to the resident.

  • JNIM fighters on motorbikes appeared to have surrounded the military camp in Konna, about 55 kilometers from Sevare, according to local residents.

  • In April, JNIM joined forces with the Tuareg-led FLA separatist group for nationwide attacks that killed Mali's defense minister and struck the country's main airport.

In Brief: More Stories Today

South African Journalist Confirmed in Custody After Vanishing in Djibouti

South African investigative journalist Micah Reddy, Africa coordinator for the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, is believed to be in custody in Djibouti after going missing on Saturday, reportedly detained for lacking media accreditation. His local fixer, Kooki Mahmoud, is also being held, while press freedom groups and the South African and UK governments are pressing Djiboutian authorities for information, in a country that non-profit organization Freedom House rates "Not Free" and where journalists critical of the government are routinely harassed or arrested.

Amnesty Accuses M23 Rebels of War Crimes at DR Congo Mines

Amnesty International says Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have committed torture, summary killings, and forced labor at mines they control in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, including the killing of 18 artisanal miners at coltan and gold sites between January 2025 and March 2026. The group also documented gold being smuggled from M23-held areas into Rwanda, adding to long-standing accusations, denied by Kigali, that Rwanda profits from DR Congo's minerals in exchange for backing the rebels.

Uganda Suspends Military Ties With Türkiye Over Extradition Dispute

Uganda has suspended all defense and military cooperation with Türkiye, escalating a dispute over the extradition of political commentator Fred Lumbuye, who lives in Türkiye and faces incitement charges back home. Uganda's military chief Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba has driven the pressure campaign, threatening to cancel a $3 billion railway contract with a Turkish firm and expel Turkish nationals if the issue isn't resolved.

Poison Suspected in Deaths of 10 Lions in Tanzania's Ngorongoro Reserve

Ten lions were found dead in the Ndutu area of Tanzania's Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with preliminary findings suggesting poisoning, authorities said on Friday. An investigation is underway in the protected area, where lions, elephants, and black rhinos live alongside semi-nomadic Maasai pastoralists.

Young Moroccan Candidates Campaign for Disillusioned Youth Ahead of Elections

Ahead of Wednesday's parliamentary elections, young candidates like 28-year-old Yassine Moujane are campaigning on jobs and better public services to reach Morocco's disenchanted youth, whose frustrations fueled last year's Gen Z-led protests and a deadly migration surge to Ceuta. Despite making up about 12% of the population, people aged 18 to 24 account for just 4% of registered voters, and youth unemployment stood at 37% in 2025, more than double the national rate.

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