Five African commercial banks – including Standard Bank and Absa – have partnered in a $375 million financing deal to build a new diamond mining vessel for a subsidiary of Anglo American’s diamond unit De Beers. Nedbank Namibia, RMB Namibia, Standard Bank, ABSA and Bank Windhoek agreed to provide 80% of the funding for the […]

GEORGE, South Africa – Olympic 800 metres champion Caster Semenya has accused the global athletics governing body of using her as a human guinea pig as it emerged that the IAAF had sought to have her declared a “biological male” in proceedings before sport’s highest court. The South African was reacting to the full 163-page […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa‘s rand rallied in late trade on Tuesday after the government signalled it will give additional support to power firm Eskom, and as emerging currencies were lifted by expectations the Federal Reserve could signal U.S. rate cuts. At 1400 GMT the rand was 1.76% percent firmer at 14.5475 per dollar, after early […]

CARDIFF – South Africa finally got a World Cup win under their belts as they eased to a nine-wicket triumph over Afghanistan on Saturday to keep alive their hopes of reaching the semi-finals. Leg-spinner Imran Tahir took 4-29, engineering an Afghani collapse after a 75-minute rain break as they were dismissed for 125. Chris Morris […]

JOHANNESBURG – Caster Semenya was invited on Friday to run in an 800m race in Morocco on Sunday – after previously saying she had been denied the right to participate in the event – but the invitation came too late for her to get there, her agent said. Double Olympic champion Semenya said on Thursday […]

South Africa’s double Olympic 800 metres champion Caster Semenya won the 2,000 metres at the Meeting de Montreuil just outside Paris on Tuesday (June 11) even as she continues to fight the IAAF to be allowed to race her strong suits. Semenya is fighting a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decision that supported the […]

JOHANNESBURG – A row within South Africa‘s African National Congress (ANC) about the role of the country’s central bank – the Reserve Bank – has unnerved investors and exposed deep divisions in the governing party. One ANC faction loyal to President Cyril Ramaphosa is opposing calls from a rival group for the central bank’s monetary […]

South African Charl Schwartzel said on Sunday that he will miss the rest of the PGA Tour season to rehabilite a wrist injury. The 2011 Masters champion has not played since late in April, pulling out of last month’s PGA Championship and this month’s U.S. Open sectional qualifying. “I’ve been forced, due to my wrist […]

Ratings agency Moody’s said on Monday that it had lowered its forecast for South Africa‘s 2019 economic growth to 1.0% from 1.3% after it said a first-quarter contraction had dented the government’s revenue and policy options. Moody’s is the last of the big three international credit firms to rate South Africa at investment grade. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s efforts to revive […]

South Africa need to put aside the fallout from their decision to overlook AB de Villiers and their injury issues when they face the West Indies in the Cricket World Cup on Monday, said key bowler Kagiso Rabada. It was confirmed last week that De Villiers, regarded as one of the world’s leading batsmen, had approached South Africa captain Faf […]

HARARE – Zimbabwe must have a new currency by the end of the year, according to President Emmerson Mnangagwa who argued on Friday that this would help stabilise prices and inflation, which is at a 10-year high. The southern African nation in February removed an unrealistic peg for its electronic dollars and surrogate bond notes […]

JOHANNESBURG – South African Airways (SAA) appointed its head of operations as acting chief executive on Friday and said it needs R4 billion ($265 million) from the government to survive the current financial year and allow it to renegotiate loan terms with banks. Zukisa Ramasia becomes interim CEO after Vuyani Jarana unexpectedly resigned on Sunday, […]

South Africa’s rand fell again early on Friday, reaching a new 2019 low as assurances by the African National Congress (ANC) about the independence of the Reserve Bank did little to ease nerves about economic policy. At 0640 GMT, the rand was 0.63% weaker at 15.0900 per dollar, bringing losses since Monday to nearly 5% […]

JOHANNESBURG – A row centring on the South African central bank – the Reserve Bank – exposed deep divisions in the governing ANC party on Wednesday, as a faction loyal to President Cyril Ramaphosa opposed calls from a rival group for the bank to do more to boost employment and growth. The dispute between a […]

South Africa’s economy saw its sharpest contraction in a decade in the first quarter of 2019 as the dreaded power cuts – nicknamed loadshedding locally – hurt key sectors like manufacturing and mining, another sign that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s growth drive is struggling to gain traction. Data on Tuesday showed the economy was 3.2% smaller […]

South Africa cannot afford any more mistakes at the World Cup and will need to win almost all their remaining seven games if they hope to qualify for the semi-finals, former all-rounder Jacques Kallis has said. South Africa lost their tournament opener to England by 104 runs before they suffered an upset 21-run defeat against […]

Scottish racing driver David Coulthard treated a big South African crowd to three runs and doughnuts on the streets of Cape Town yesterday… as well as to the most unique rendition of the South African anthem we’ve ever heard! (Watch at bottom of page.) The noise reverberated off the walls of the Castle and Mutual […]

JOHANNESBURG – South African Airways’ CEO Vuyani Jarana has resigned after less than two years in the job, saying his turnaround strategy for the loss-making airline was being undermined by a lack of state funding and too much bureaucracy. Jarana’s departure, announced in a letter to the chairperson of the airline’s board dated May 29 […]

Athletics South Africa (ASA) said on Friday it had joined Caster Semenya’s appeal against the ruling that currently prevents the double Olympic champion from running her preferred distance races unless she takes testosterone-suppressant medication. Semenya announced on Wednesday that she would appeal the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling that supported the IAAF’s rule […]

CAPE TOWN – Cape Town plans to add routes to Australia and South America after last month reaching a deal with United Airlines for its first direct flight to the United States, the head of air access for South Africa’s top tourist city said. This’ll be good news for Western Cape expats in those regions, […]

A knee injury initially thought not that serious has ruled South Africa captain Siya Kolisi out of the rest of the Super Rugby season and threatened his participation in the build-up to the World Cup later this year. Kolisi went off towards the end of the first half of last Saturday’s 34-22 home win over […]

England made a confident start to their Cricket World Cup campaign as they crushed South Africa by 104 runs in the tournament opener at The Oval on Thursday. Ben Stokes top-scored with 89 as the hosts made a competitive total of 311 for eight after being sent into bat. Jofra Archer took two early wickets […]

JOHANNESBURG – FirstRand is to become the latest South African lender to slash prices on its retail banking products, as the arrival of a host of new, cheaper rivals sparks a scramble for customers among South African banks. FirstRand’s move, announced on Thursday, to cut fees and up rewards on its current accounts from July […]

When South Africa played their first women’s international after readmission to global football in 1993, they were captained by diminutive midfielder Desiree Ellis, who carried the country into a fresh era for female footballers. Now, 26 years on, Ellis is coach of the side and will again be tasked with leading the team into a […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa‘s deputy president, David Mabuza, will be sworn in as a lawmaker on Tuesday, a week after he requested a postponement to address accusations he had brought the ruling African National Congress (ANC) into disrepute, the party said. Mabuza had met the ANC’s Integrity Commission over the past week, the party said, […]