126 local organisations to observe South Africa’s election

US President Donald Trump has notified Congress of his intention to remove South Africa and Rwanda from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) starting January 1, 2027. According to Capital FM Kenya, KahawaTungu, and Daily Trust, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer stated that an annual review found both nations were engaging in practices inconsistent with the program's eligibility requirements.

The US cited concerns regarding national security, foreign policy interests in the region, and barriers to American trade and investment.

For Rwanda, Washington raised additional concerns regarding human rights, political pluralism, workers' rights, and the rule of law, following US Treasury sanctions against Rwanda's defence ministry for its alleged role in the armed rebellion in eastern DR Congo. For South Africa, The Citizen reports that President Trump accused the country of failing to combat corruption and bribery, while also maintaining significant tariff and non-tariff barriers that affect American businesses.

The South African government has pushed back against the decision, with The Citizen reporting that officials argue they have made extensive efforts to address US concerns and have accused the United States of introducing new issues during ongoing negotiations. Daily Trust notes that while Agoa has been renewed until the end of 2028, it undergoes annual reviews.

Separately, IOL reports that the IEC says 126 local organisations will observe the upcoming South African election, though financial constraints have forced the KwaZulu-Natal Christian Council to reduce its deployment.

Brief written by urgent.news from IOL, Capital FM Kenya, KahawaTungu, The Citizen, Daily Trust — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.