GENEVA – Curbing capital flight and illicit financial flows in Africa could generate new funds to respond to the COVID-19 crisis on the continent, says UNCTAD’s Economic Development in Africa Report 2020, which was launched on Monday 28 September. The UN estimates that African countries will need to raise at least $200 billion to cope […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on the international community to support the rollout of a comprehensive stimulus package for African countries. Addressing a virtual sitting of the 75th United Nations General Assembly debate on Tuesday, President Ramaphosa, who is also the Chairperson of the African Union (AU), said the stimulus package will enable African countries […]

The Game Rangers Association of Africa (GRAA) says it applauds the decision announced in Zimbabwe yesterday to ban mining in national parks. The Association says it had noted with “great alarm” the reports that Special Mining Grants had been issued to mine coal within Hwange National Park. The decision was announced on Tuesday by Zimbabwe’s […]

The Zimbabwean government has banned mining inside national parks, after reports surfaced that two Chinese companies had been granted rights to mine for coal in Hwange National Park and conservationists and lawyers kicked into gear to stop it. “Mining on areas held by National Parks is banned with immediate effect. Steps are being undertaken to […]

Women photographers, and black African women photographers in particular, are largely absent from early histories of the medium. Even in South Africa, which has attracted more attention than other parts of the continent, few women photographers from the early and mid-1900s appear in the historical record. There are even fewer whose work has been collected […]

The head of department for Human Settlements in Mpumalanga, who has made statements in the media before on behalf of the province, has appeared in court after it was discovered he has been living in South Africa illegally for 25 years and claimed on three separate occasions to have been born in different places in […]

Three crew members in a salvage operation following the devastating Mauritius Oil Spill disaster have died and a fourth is missing after an accident at sea. With a looming threat of a second oil spill in Mauritius, Greenpeace is calling for transparency. Greenpeace said that on 31 August, around 19h30 Mauritius local time, a barge […]

Tragically, at least four, if not 17, dolphins washed up dead on the shores of Mauritius this morning, and another four ailing dolphins were found stranded. This comes one month after Japanese vessel MV Wakashio ran aground, causing an oil spill although local authorities claim there is no link. Greenpeace has called for an urgent […]

Diabetes mellitus is common in Malawi: over 268,000 adults live with the disease, and the number is expected to double in the next 20 years. It’s a noncommunicable disease which occurs when the body can’t turn food into energy properly. Although the cause of diabetes is not well understood, it’s linked to a combination of […]

Before the heroic return of opposition figure, Tundu Lissu, in late July 2020, Tanzania’s political landscape lacked the exuberance and ebullience that comes with an election season. Lissu’s return reignited the hopes of a despondent opposition that had been subdued by the oppressive and restrictive political environment during President John Magufuli’s five-year term. Lissu has […]

The stranding of the MV Wakashio is one of the biggest environmental disasters in the history of the western Indian Ocean. While the full scale of the disaster is not yet known, the 1,000 tons of oil and diesel that leaked close to one of the greatest marine treasures of Mauritius threatens to destroy this […]

On the evening of Saturday July 25, the MV (Merchant Vessel) Wakashio grounded on coral reefs in the south-east of the Indian Ocean tropical island of Mauritius. The ship, a Japanese-owned but Panama-registered bulk carrier designed to transport unpackaged goods such as coal or grain, was empty of cargo but had an estimated 200 tons […]

The beautiful island of Mauritius, popular holiday destination to many South Africans, is currently under threat following a devastating oil spill at the end of last month. At first Mauritians were told their beautiful island was not at risk… but in the last few days the true magnitude of the disaster has come to light, […]

Six French tourists, along with their local tour guide and driver, have tragically been killed in Niger during a visit to a wildlife park in Koure. The party of eight was shot dead by armed gunmen who accosted them on motorcycles and opened fire, according to the governor of the southwest region where the attack […]

Jellyfish can be found in almost every ocean in the world. These beautiful, graceful creatures are a sight to behold; their swift, pulsating motions gently propel them through the water. But the scene can quickly turn ominous as the animal transforms into a ferocious, formidable predator. These creatures have no special organs for respiration or […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Dr Sydney Mufamadi and Baleka Mbete as Special Envoys to Zimbabwe following recent reports of “difficulties that the landlocked country is experiencing”, the Presidency said. The “difficulties” referred to include reports from those in Zimbabwe of security forces unleashing a brutal and sometimes physically violent clampdown on citizens across the […]

Across the world, but especially in Africa, the rangers who protect the game reserves, wildlife and nature in them – battling poachers and trafficking on a daily basis – are being celebrated, recognised and thanked today, World Ranger Day. In the last year, at least 137 rangers have died in the course of their duties. […]

Toyota South Africa is to invest R2.5 billion on the production of ‘hybrid synergy drive’ or petro-electric cars at its Prospecton plant in Durban, its first hybrid in Africa, a move that was today welcomed by the KwaZulu-Natal government. Ebrahim Patel, the minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, said during his department’s budget vote last […]

Dear Family and Friends writes Cathy Buckle from Zimbabwe. I write this letter from a bitterly cold Zimbabwe where tension is high and people are anxious. There are 300,000 civil servants in Zimbabwe. A month ago they were promised a “cushioning” allowance of US$75 a month for the next three months and pensioners would get […]

If you haven’t heard it yet, the song “Jerusalema” that has people around the world humming and dancing (#JerusalemaDanceChallenge), composed by South African Master KG and accompanied by vocalist Nomcebo Zikode, has been viewed more than 50 million times on YouTube. (See videos below.) The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, today congratulated […]

The Ministry of Environmental Resources, Conservation and Tourism in Botswana has issued a press release about the recent mysterious deaths of elephants in the areas around Seronga. Since March 2020, National Park Rescue reports 356 elephant deaths of which the Botswana government said 275 elephant carcasses have been verified. Investigations into the unexplained deaths of […]

South Africa’s President – and Chairperson of the Africa Union – Cyril Ramaphosa has congratulated Dr Lazarus Chakwera on his historic election as the President of the Republic of Malawi. Dr Chakwera posted a short message on Twitter on Sunday evening, saying: “It’s an honour.” President Ramaphosa has also congratulated all stakeholders for the success […]

KASANE, Botswana – New research led by Elephants Without Borders reveals that poaching of African elephants for their ivory has not decreased since 2011 in Western, Southern, and Central Africa. As a result, continued efforts to combat poaching will be necessary to save elephant populations. The new study was published June 23rd in Scientific Reports […]

A growing insurgency in the northern parts of Mozambique has caught the attention of conflict analysts and observers worldwide. There is now even a possibility that the South African National Defence Force might become involved in the most northern Cabo Delgado province, with a view to ending the deadly violence and litany of atrocities, abductions and destruction of […]

“Think of it as the Amazon, the Alibaba or even the eBay of Coronavirus resources on the African continent, made in Africa by Africans, the fundamental difference being that on this platform, the buyer is not an individual but governments,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said. As chairman of the African Union, he said yesterday the new […]