After casting his vote in Soweto this morning, Democratic Alliance (DA) Leader Mmusi Maimane said: “Fear says to us let’s stick with what we know, hope says lets bring change…” The African National Congress (ANC) faces its toughest electoral test on Wednesday as it seeks to reverse a slide in support from voters frustrated by […]

JOHANNESBURG – The South African government’s promises of returning land to black South Africans taken during apartheid are under the spotlight during national elections this Wednesday, land experts said. President and African National Congress leader Cyril Ramaphosa last year launched a process to change the constitution to make explicit provision for the redistribution of land […]

PARIS – One million animal and plant species are at imminent risk of extinction due to humankind’s relentless pursuit of economic growth, scientists said on Monday in a landmark report on the devastating impact of modern civilization on the natural world. Scientists made an impassioned appeal to governments and businesses worldwide to confront “vested interests” […]

South Africa have called up all-rounder Chris Morris for their Cricket World Cup squad after a hand injury ruled fast bowler Anrich Nortje out of the tournament, in the latest setback for the injury-plagued side. Nortje fractured his right thumb while practising in the nets and will need six to eight weeks to make a […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa, the world’s eighth largest wine producer, is expected to harvest its smallest amount of wine grapes in 14 years this year, as dry conditions and fluctuating weather hit output, an industry report said on Monday. The report by Vinpro, which represents 2,500 South African wine grape producers, wineries and wine-related businesses […]

WINDSOR, England – Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex and wife of Britain’s Prince Harry, gave birth to a boy on Monday, the seventh-in-line to the throne and described by his proud father as “absolutely to die for”. The baby, who has not yet been named, was born in the early hours of the morning weighing […]

South Africa and South Sudan will sign a production sharing agreement for an untapped exploration block in the East African country, whose production has been hampered by civil war, South Sudan’s petroleum ministry said on Monday. The Exploration Production Sharing Agreement (EPSA) for Block B2 will be signed by Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, South Sudan’s Minister […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) will kick-start the economy and deal with corruption, it vowed on Sunday, three days before elections at which its overwhelming majority faces its sternest test since the party rose to power. Though the ANC has won each parliamentary election since the transition from apartheid in 1994, […]

PEMBA, Mozambique – Headmaster Ernesto Parivos, like thousands of people across his province in Mozambique, is watching for any signs that flood waters have eased as food supplies dwindle. Cyclone Kenneth barreled into the province of Cabo Delgado last week, knocking out power at Parivos’ School for Teachers of the Future, damaging 11 college buildings […]

CAPE TOWN – Olympic 800-metres champion Caster Semenya on Wednesday lost her appeal against rules that mean female athletes with high natural levels of testosterone must take medication to reduce it. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled the regulations were necessary for athletes with differences in sexual development (DSDs) to ensure fair competition. […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) appears headed for victory in next month’s election, as President Cyril Ramaphosa seeks to strike a reforming tone, with three opinion polls showing support ranging between 51 and 61 percent. The three pollsters, which used different methodologies and turnout assumptions for the May 8 parliamentary vote, […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africans voting for a new national parliament on May 8 will have 48 parties to choose from – more than at any election since the end of white minority rule in 1994. Many more political parties are contesting elections for nine provincial legislatures to be held on the same day. The African […]

Landslides and floods triggered by torrential rain have killed at least 29 people in Indonesia, the disaster agency said on Monday, with thousands taking shelter in evacuation centres amid fears of disease. More than a dozen people were missing after the rain hit the province of Bengkulu, on the southwest side of Sumatra, on Friday […]

PEMBA, Mozambique – Rains grounded aid flights in northern Mozambique for a second day on Monday, hampering efforts to reach survivors of Cyclone Kenneth as the death toll there jumped to 38. Rescuers managed to use a brief break in the downpours to send one helicopter packed with aid to the island of Ibo, where […]

The United Nations will grant Mozambique and the Comoros Islands $13 million in emergency funds to help provide food and water and repair damage to infrastructure, the organisation said late on Sunday, after the second cyclone in a month slammed into the region. Cyclone Kenneth crashed into the northern province of the southern African nation […]

Rescuers were racing to help people caught in fast-rising floodwaters in Mozambique’s cyclone-hit city of Pemba on Sunday, as houses collapsed in one neighborhood and heavy rain raised fears of worse to come. Cyclone Kenneth slammed into the northern province of Cabo Delgado on Thursday, flattening entire villages and killing at least five people. It […]

Rescuers were moving in to help people trapped by rapidly rising floodwater in the northern Mozambique city of Pemba on Sunday, home to 200,000 people, a United Nations (U.N.) spokesman said, as Cyclone Kenneth dumped more rain on the region. The storm slammed in to the province of Cabo Delgado on Thursday, killing five people, […]

The United Nations said on Friday it will investigate allegations that survivors of Cylone Idai in Mozambique are being forced to have sex with community leaders for food. The community leaders – believed to be linked to the ruling Frelimo party – demanded money from survivors to have their names included on aid distribution lists, […]

GERMISTON, South Africa – Caster Semenya cruised to the 1,500 metres gold at the South African Athletics Championships on Friday, adding to the 5,000 title she claimed the previous day. Semenya won in 4:13.59, 16 seconds ahead of second-placed Carmie Prinsloo in a typically dominant display that was still some way off her personal best. […]

South Africa’s ailing Stormers have added four Springbok players to their side for the crucial home Super Rugby clash against the Bulls at Newlands on Saturday. The Stormers have won one of their last five matches and sit bottom of the South African Conference, though they are only four points off the first-placed Bulls in […]

Olympic 400 metres champion Wayde van Niekerk has backed South African compatriot Caster Semenya in her battle with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), which now appears to have taken a new twist. Semenya, a double 800 metres Olympic gold medalist, is waiting for the outcome of her appeal to the Court of Arbitration […]

The largest uncut diamond in recent history has been unearthed in a mine in Botswana. It’s larger than a tennis ball, and second only to South Africa’s famous Cullinan Diamond. The announcement was made Thursday by Lucara Diamond Corp which found the treasure at its Karowe mine in Botswana, beating the Canadian company’s own record […]

Unfortunately Cyclone Kenneth has stayed on course and has battered northern Mozambique on Thursday with gusts of up to 280 km per hour after killing three people on the island nation of Comoros overnight. Impoverished Mozambique is still recovering from another powerful tropical cyclone (Idai) which made landfall further south last month, flattening the port […]

Tanzania on Tuesday denied blocking the publication of a critical International Monetary Fund report that accuses President John Magufuli’s government of undermining economic growth with “unpredictable and interventionist” policies. In the leaked report, seen by Reuters last week and which the IMF said was not made public after Tanzanian authorities did not consent to its […]

MAPUTO – Another tropical cyclone – Kenneth – is expected to make landfall on Mozambique’s coast on Thursday, just over a month after a more powerful storm struck the Mozambican port city of Beira further south and killed hundreds of people. Weather forecasters say Cyclone Kenneth will bring heavy rainfall, strong winds and waves of […]