Author: The South Sudan Herald

Late-Night Home Assault in Yambio A Saturday night home invasion in Yambio, Western Equatoria, ended with Christopher James Ezekiel Ndukpo, a senior staffer at Yambio Teaching Hospital, suffering critical gunshot wounds, police confirmed. Maj. Gen. Phillip Madut Tong said unknown assailants opened fire around 7:30 p.m., then fled, leaving investigators to comb the scene for clues. Police Investigation Underway The commissioner urged residents to stay calm and cooperate with detectives, assuring the community that arrests remain a priority as evidence is gathered. Family and Medical Updates Relatives say Ndukpo, eldest son of county health director James Ezekiel Ndukpo, has served…

Career Rooted in Public Service Dr. Vincent Taban Suru rose from hospital wards to the cabinet of Western Bahr el Ghazal, accepting the health minister portfolio under Governor Sarah Cleto Hassan Rial between 2020 and 2024. Colleagues recall his insistence on vaccination drives and rural outreach, credits that won him grassroots respect in a state still rebuilding its health infrastructure. Final Journey to India Minister of Health Sarah Cleto Hassan Rial confirmed that Dr. Taban died on 12 September 2026 while receiving care in India. No further medical details were released, yet the ministry emphasized that arrangements are underway to…

Fatal Beating Shocks Juba Community A broad daylight assault in Thongpiny left 26-year-old civil engineer Jacob Mathiang fatally injured. Witnesses say soldiers identified as bodyguards of Gen. Garang Ayii punched and kicked him around 2 p.m., inflicting severe head wounds that proved unrecoverable at a local hospital. Eyewitness Narratives and Soldier’s Explanation One detained soldier claims Mathiang labelled the group “stupid,” sparking an immediate attack. Another observer recalls the men halting their vehicle, confronting the engineer and fleeing once he collapsed. A bystander phoned Gen. Garang, prompting orders for the assailants to return and transport the victim. Medical Efforts and…

South Sudan’s Calculated UN Abstention South Sudan surprised many observers by joining twelve other states in abstaining during last Friday’s United Nations General Assembly vote on Palestinian statehood, a session dominated by 142 affirmative ballots and ten negatives. What the New York Declaration Demands The adopted New York Declaration sets out a broad roadmap: immediate Gaza ceasefire, hostage releases, disarmament of Hamas, and eventual mutual recognition between Israel and a sovereign Palestinian state, backed by regional security guarantees. Tel Aviv to Juba: Growing Bilateral Interests Since 2011, Juba and Tel Aviv have expanded cooperation in agriculture, water technology and security.…

Commissioner’s Direct Appeal to Fighters Speaking at the close of a two-day consultation in Mundri, Commissioner Zelipha Justin Dawa urged armed youth to quit the bush and ‘share a message of peace’ with relatives in Western Equatoria State (The Dawn). Dawa reminded them that South Sudan ‘belongs to all of us’ and insisted their return would accelerate local rebuilding efforts and restore confidence among villages recently scarred by sporadic clashes. Governor’s Security Commitments Governor James Al Taib Berapai echoed the appeal, pledging to exercise his constitutional powers to guarantee security and promote social harmony across Western Equatoria’s counties. ‘We have…

Leadership Overhaul Signals Fresh Vision The National Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture has reorganised its top team, an administrative order by Chairperson Losidik Lukak Legge confirms. Observers say the shake-up aims to inject renewed energy into an institution that brokers vital deals for the private sector. Women Break Glass Ceiling in Executive Suite Salwa Bakony Monytuil becomes the first woman promoted to First Deputy Chairperson, moving from the second slot. Another newcomer, Wieu Wieu Mou, steps into the Second Deputy Chairperson post, broadening professional diversity at the summit. Strategic Shifts in Advisory Roles Former First Deputy Chairperson John Lual…

Violent Turn at a Neighborhood Birthday A cheerful birthday gathering in Salam, a suburb of Wau, ended in bloodshed on Thursday night, according to Western Bahr el Ghazal police. Witnesses recall music fading into panic as an armed group arrived around 9:30 p.m. Armed Gang From Khamsin Implicated Major Santino Udol Mayen said the intruders came from nearby Khamsin and clashed with local youth. Stones were thrown and improvised weapons brandished before officers could intervene, he told Eye Radio. Casualties and Medical Updates Twenty-two-year-old Moatasem Mohamed Adam died at the scene. Hospital staff treat 19-year-old Musa Saber, who lost teeth…

Surging Call for Faith-Backed HIV Prevention South Sudan’s HIV/AIDS Commission believes a decisive cultural shift could cement recent gains against the virus. Deputy Chairperson Achol Ayom says encouraging condom acceptance across churches, mosques and chiefdoms would safeguard citizens who struggle with abstinence and fidelity pledges. Conversations in Pulpits and Palaces “No parent’s advice reaches every ear,” Ayom recalled telling a skeptical chief. Her message to clergy and elders is pragmatic: condoms protect the minority who will not heed moral guidance, preventing infections that ripple through entire families. Religious teachings on chastity remain intact, she notes, yet acknowledging human behavior can…

Cabinet Kick-off in Yambio Western Equatoria State’s newly appointed cabinet met for the first time in Yambio, chaired by Governor James Al Taib Berapai. Six ministers, sworn in hours earlier, used the sitting to outline an agenda intended to shape the administration’s first 100 days. Security Restoration Tops Priorities Minister of Cabinet Affairs John Bariyona Furula said the team placed security at the centre, vowing joint action with security agencies and local leaders to curb recurring violence. A senior official, requesting anonymity, branded the approach ‘results-driven’ and predicted tangible impact on stability across rural counties by year’s end. Governance and…

Continental Climate Ambition African leaders convened in Ethiopia from 8 to 10 September, charting a common roadmap for climate resilience and economic renewal. The dialogue, held under the banner of the Second Africa Climate Summit, blended scientific urgency with political negotiation. Leaders Outline Massive Climate Financing Gap At the Second Africa Climate Summit in Addis Ababa, heads of state calculated that the continent requires about US$3 trillion to meet 2030 climate commitments, yet only US$30 billion reached African projects between 2021 and 2022 (Eye Radio). That’s just one dollar delivered out of every hundred promised. Financing Gap and Debt Concerns…