KINSHASA, 29 (Reuters) – Democratic Republic of Congo’s government said on Friday that it has decided to open up parts of Virunga and Salonga National Parks, home to mountain gorillas, bonobos and other rare species, to oil drilling. Earlier proposals to allow oil exploration in the parks met fierce resistance from environmental activists, who say […]

SAMARA, Russia (Reuters) – Africa is sadly out of the World Cup as Yerry Mina’s header secured Colombia a 1-0 win over Senegal in Samara on Thursday, to clinch their safe passage to the last 16 as they finished top of Group H, while Senegal – Africa’s last hope – missed out to Japan on […]

Wikipedia mania is about to hit South Africa… in the form of the first Wikimania conference to be held in sub-Saharan Africa – in Cape Town from 18-22 July. And the key focus will be to increase regional contribution to the world’s largest free, collaboratively-built online encyclopedia. According to Wikimedia SA President, Douglas Scott, there […]

SAMARA, Russia (Reuters) – Senegal will carry the hopes of a continent into their final World Cup group game against Colombia on Thursday, but there is no added pressure in being Africa’s sole last-16 prospect, according to defender Kalidou Koulibaly. Senegal need a point in their decisive Group H encounter in Samara to guarantee a […]

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Glencore said on Tuesday that eight people were injured at its South African smelting operations in the North West province during a protest. Glencore said a security company at its Wonderkop Smelter fired rubber bullets to disperse the protestors, who were demanding employment, resulting in eight people sustaining minor injuries. (Reporting by […]

Sibanye-Stillwater mine has confirmed on Tuesday yet another death of a miner, at its Khomanani mine,  Driefontein operation in the west of Johannesburg, South Africa. The company says that according to preliminary investigations one of the miners entered a scraper path and was caught by the scraper. “This is another sad incident and all efforts […]

Meet Martha Hester Sehao, perhaps one of the last people alive from the 1800s… The 121-year-old South African woman has had seven children, of whom she has outlived three. Hailing from Ventersdorp in the North West province of SA, Martha says there’s only one secret to her long life… https://www.facebook.com/BrightVibesAfrica/videos/983504248500688/

Marvel Studios’ Black Panther director Ryan Coogler has urged African Americans to visit Africa. He says the experience for him, during the filming of the blockbuster, was “life-changing”. Coogler was speaking at the BET Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday night, where Black Panther won Best Movie (and South Africa’s Sjava won BET Viewers’ Choice for […]

HARARE (Reuters) – Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa escaped unhurt after an explosion rocked a stadium where he was addressing a political rally on Saturday, a month before the country is due to hold its presidential elections. Watch below. However, vice presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi and a minister sustained minor injuries following the blast […]

VOLGOGRAD, Russia (Reuters) – A revamped Nigeria beat Iceland 2-0 and revived their hopes of advancing in the World Cup in Russia on Friday with, striker Ahmed Musa celebrating his return to the team with two fine goals. The defeat for Iceland, appearing in their first World Cup tournament, does not kill off their dreams […]

South African National Parks (SANParks) on Tuesday announced the arrest of two field rangers suspected of being involved in rhino poaching. The two suspects were based at the Houtboschrand section and are alleged to have shot and dehorned a white rhino in May 2018. Stroop documentary filmmaker Bonné de Bod said: “This is not the […]

South Africa is a large, diverse, and incredibly beautiful region. It’s the country with the largest cities on the whole continent and several amazingly picturesque national parks. Thanks to the mix of culture and wildlife, South Africa is an ideal starting point for a romantic getaway and an introduction to African culture. If you decide […]

As former South African and ANC president, Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki, turns 76 today (18 June 2018), it seems a perfect opportunity to listen again to his mesmerising tribute to Africa, “I Am An African”. Mbeki delivered his eloquent speech poem in Cape Town on 8 May 1996, on the passing of the new Constitution of South […]

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) – Blasts killed at least 31 people in the northeast Nigerian state of Borno, two residents said on Sunday, marking the largest attack in several weeks in a part of the country blighted by the Islamist militant Boko Haram insurgency. The residents, who were among those who counted the dead, said the […]

South African Airways’ (SAA) catering arm plans to lay off 118 workers, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) said, as the struggling airline implements a turnaround strategy to restore profitability. NUMSA said it had received notice of the layoffs from the catering arm, called Air Chefs, and said it would oppose the […]

Earthquakes such as the one in which seven miners died last month in South Africa are impossible to predict and a fact of life for deep level operations there, the chief executive of the mine’s owner Sibanye-Stillwater said on Thursday. Precious metals producer Sibanye has been the object of strong criticism from unions, local media […]

There’s hope for South Africa’s wildlife as the country cracks down on illegal practices concerning both lions and rhino. Earlier this week in Ladybrand, Free State Professional Hunter, taxidermist and Hunters Safari owner, Deon Cilliers, pleaded guilty to 45 counts of contravening the Biodiversity and Conservation Acts. According to Blood Lions (documentary makers which raised […]

South African police have seized documents from the offices of mobile phone operator MTN Group after Turkey’s Turkcell launched a lawsuit over a disputed Iran licence, MTN said on Tuesday. Turkcell alleges that the South African mobile company used bribery and wrongful influence to win a lucrative Iran license originally awarded to Turkcell. MTN rejects […]

There is something really disturbing about the murder of women in South Africa. Some are calling it the murder of “light-skinned” women. It seems like the brutal killing of women by their intimate partners is almost becoming routine. In the past weeks, it has been made clear by so many people on social media, in […]

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that the ‘Spiderman hero’ from Africa, Mamoudou Gassama – who scaled a building in Paris to save a young boy, hanging precariously from a fourth-floor balcony – will be given residence papers for his selfless, heroic deed. Gassama, an illegal immigrant from West African country Mali, climbed the facade […]

Professor Thuli Madonsela is known for her gentle kindness, her daily words of inspiration on Twitter, and her mature handling of the State Capture Report, which she compiled during her time as South Africa’s Public Protector. But this weekend she surprised her followers with something not quite her usual style. Madonsela posted an image, with […]

The fab team at BrightVibes Africa have put together this awesome video to remind us of all the amazing things about Africa that make it so spectacular! Plus – to celebrate on this Africa Day – watch Thabo Mbeki’s moving ‘I am an African’ speech… WATCH Celebrating Africa’s Beauty on Africa Day https://www.facebook.com/BrightVibesAfrica/videos/962046253979821/ Nine Interesting […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa is leading South Africans in celebrating Africa Day today, a day which is celebrated annually on 25 May on the African continent. Africa Day marks the creation of the organisation of African Unity on 25 May 1963, and of the African Union in 2002. It celebrates the growth and the union of […]

This has been an interesting year in finance so far where South Africa is concerned. Back in February, President Cyril Ramaphosa made an address to the nation that promised a drive for foreign investment in South Africa, which he was confident would help reignite confidence in the South African economy and help spur significant growth. […]

The Department of Arts and Culture announced Friday that South African Jazz legendary musician, Phillip Tabane, has passed away at the age of 84. The musician died at Mamelodi Hospital in Pretoria on Friday morning. Tabane was born in Pretoria and formed a group called The Malombo Jazz Men. During his career he was well known for […]