Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

5 min read | 15:00 CAT

This week’s edition of the Africa Report with Radio Islam International, Senior Research Fellow at Africa Asia Dialogues, Ebrahim Thembisa Fakude, highlights the various issues on the African continent.

An outstanding personality who authored more than 137 books, Shaikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi passed away at 96 in Qatar yesterday. He was of Egyptian origin.

According to Fakude, he was well respected in terms of his continual contribution to Islamic and Muslim discourse in general.

He said Shaikh Al-Qaradawi was based in Qatar and could not return to his country in Egypt after the regime was sentenced to death in Absentia because of his controversial stance and activism.

One of his most notable books was the ‘Al-Halaal Wal-Haraam Fil Islam’, an essential reference book to many reverts regarding Islamic understanding.

Regarding the Ebola outbreak spread in Uganda, Fakude said they have stated that this was influenced by what is known as the Sudanese virus. Identified in 1976, several people are dying in Uganda and threatening the region. Hopefully, this will not spread outside the area, given the poor borders in that part of the world.

He says, “It is a concerning situation, especially now with airlines and airports open.”

The World Health Organisation is doing everything it can to ensure that the Ebola virus is contained and all the people who are infected thus far have been identified.

Meanwhile, the war continued in the Tigray region since it began in 2020 between the TPLF party fighting the government of Ethiopia. There has been a disturbance in goat supply, particularly in the Tigray region where the TPLF is concentrated.

According to Fakude, the drone was hit somehow by the warring sections, and some of the debris dropped onto the humanitarian truck, which again disturbed the flow of goats. Since the UN and humanitarian workers have been afraid and sceptical of continuing supply into Tigray.

There is now a tourism boom on the continent, and Cape Town is one of the booming cities. Fakude said throughout the continent, since the opening of borders and the normalisation of business after Covid-19. More and more people are seen visiting different countries.

“The country seeming to be benefiting more than others is South Africa, mainly Cape Town as people continue to flow.”

The dollar has strength for many people visiting South Africa because it’s cheaper. Also, as our weather seems to improve, we will likely see more people visiting.

“This may bring the employment numbers higher and In’Sha’Allah the economic situation not only in South Africa, but the other African countries will improve,” he says.

Listen on Radio Islam’s podcast below to the Africa Report with Mufti Yusuf Moosagie and Ebrahim Thembisa Fakude.