South Africa’s struggling state power firm Eskom moved a step closer to narrowing a funding gap for the financial year which ends in March by agreeing to a 15 billion rand ($1.1 billion) loan with a local and international bank on Friday. Eskom is vital to the health of Africa’s most industrialised economy as it […]

South African coal miner Exxaro aims to double its coal exports through the Richard’s Bay export terminal by 2023, from 8 million tonnes a year at present, Nombasa Tsengwa, executive head of Exxaro’s coal operations, said on Thursday. (Reporting by Wendell Roelf; Writing by Alexander Winning; Editing by Susan Fenton)

JOHANNESBURG – The entire board of South Africa’s state-owned state pension fund, the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), resigned on Friday, citing instability at the firm following corruption allegations against at least four directors. “These events have been unbearable to us as individuals,” the board said in a letter to the Finance Minister Tito Mboweni. “It’s […]

South African retailer Edcon needs R3 billion ($226 million) in funding over the next three years to “fix” the business, its chief executive Grant Pattison said on Thursday. Edcon has been grappling with an over-leveraged capital structure for several years, after troubles in its credit business in 2014 coincided with an economic slowdown and weak […]

 South Africa captain Faf du Plessis picked hosts England and 2011 champions India as the title favourites for this year’s Cricket World Cup and said his side will go into the tournament with lowered expectations, which could work to their advantage. South Africa’s World Cup adventures have often ended in unfortunate circumstances — including falling […]

South African lender Absa said on Tuesday its chief executive Maria Ramos, who has been at the helm for ten years, will retire at the end of February after the firm completed its separation from Barclays PLC and relaunched its brand. “With the separation on track and our new strategy as a standalone financial institution […]

LOS ANGELES – Superhero film “Black Panther” – which features three South African actors and a vibrant celebration of African culture, including the Xhosa language – won the TOP Screen Actors Guild award on Sunday, boosting its stature ahead of next month’s Oscars ceremony. “Black Panther” from Walt Disney Co’s Marvel Studios was named best […]

South Africa’s government would like to see South African Airways debt restructured as soon as possible, Transport Minister Blade Nzimande told Reuters on Monday. Late last year a consortium of local and international investors reportedly proposed a R21-billion private loan to South African Airways (SAA)… on condition that the consortium receives a 51% equity share […]

Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed has been suspended for four matches for breaching the anti-racism code in Tuesday’s second one-day international against South Africa, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Sunday. Sarfraz’s on-field taunt in Urdu was caught by stump microphones but he denied that they were aimed at South Africa all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo, or […]

STOCKHOLM/FRANKFURT/JOHANNESBURG – South African media and e-commerce Naspers said it was in talks to increase its stake in Avito, confirming a Reuters report that the group was close to taking control of Russia’s largest classified advertising platform. “We can confirm that we are currently engaged in a process to potentially increase our stake in Avito,” […]

Zimbabwe’s army claimed on Thursday that soldiers accused of beating residents in townships following protests over fuel price hikes were impostors who tarnished the name of the military. Security forces have been cracking down on violent demonstrations that erupted last week after President Emmerson Mnangagwa decreed a sharp increase in the price of fuel. Rights […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s Eskom could be split into three separate firms under proposals from experts President Cyril Ramaphosa has hired to help revive the ailing state power company, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Reforming Eskom is vital to get South Africa’s economy firing on all cylinders. Eskom supplies more than 90 […]

JOHANNESBURG – South African prosecutors on Thursday provisionally withdrew corruption charges against Duduzane Zuma, the son of former president Jacob Zuma. Duduzane Zuma faced charges of corruption and conspiracy to commit corruption related to his dealings with the Guptas, particularly that he played a role in a bribe that was alleged to have been offered […]

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called on Tuesday for sanctions against Zimbabwe to be lifted and said the South African government was in discussions with Harare about how best to help. He said Zimbabwe’s situation was a challenge for the whole of Africa and he planned to meet its President Emmerson Mnangagwa at a later […]

Facebook Inc’s WhatsApp is limiting worldwide the number of times a user can forward a message to five, starting yesterday, as the popular messaging service looks to fight “misinformation and rumours”, company executives said on Monday. Previously, a WhatsApp user could forward a message to 20 individuals or groups. The limit of five is in […]

News of Jacob Zuma’s record deal with the eThekwini Municipality is making global news as Reuters reports today that the former South African president – long known for singing and dancing at political rallies – has been chosen as the voice of anti-apartheid liberation songs in a South African history project. Regardless of whether one is […]

Legal challenges to a brutal clampdown on dissent by Zimbabwe’s government were set in motion on Monday, as fears that the country is veering back towards authoritarian rule drove some leaders of the main opposition party into hiding. The fragile state of Zimbabwe’s economy was also in focus as President Emmerson Mnangagwa headed home early […]

South Africa turned down a request from its southern African neighbour Zimbabwe for a $1.2 billion loan in December, a spokesman for the finance ministry said on Monday. “South Africa doesn’t have that kind of money,” National Treasury spokesman Jabulani Sikhakhane said. Zimbabwean officials were not immediately available for comment. Zimbabwe was hit by anti-government […]

Congo’s political standoff deepened on Sunday after the top court backed the contested presidential election victory of Felix Tshisekedi, then his main rival rejected the ruling, called for protests and declared himself leader. As Tshisekedi’s supporters celebrated the ruling in the streets of Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, runner-up Martin Fayulu said the decision had […]

BAMAKO – Ten U.N. peacekeepers were killed and several were wounded while repelling an attack by armed assailants near a village in northern Mali on Sunday, the West African nation’s U.N. mission said. The identity of the attackers was not immediately clear. U.N. peacekeeping and French forces are stationed in northern Mali to combat well-armed […]

HARARE – A crackdown last week on protests in Zimbabwe is a foretaste of how the government will respond to future unrest, the president’s spokesperson said, fuelling concerns that the country is reverting to authoritarian rule. Police claim three people died during protests over fuel price hikes in Harare’s capital and second city Bulawayo that […]

CAPE TOWN – Popular South Africa flyhalf Pat Lambie admitted to both disappointment and relief after announcing his retirement from rugby at the age of 28 due to on-going concussion issues. A fit Lambie would in all likelihood have been part of the Springbok squad at the World Cup in Japan later this year but […]

If you’re a South African expat living in the United States, look up into the night sky on Sunday and – if it is clear – you may witness the so-called “Super Blood Wolf Moon” total lunar eclipse, which will take a star turn across the continental US during prime time for viewing. The total […]

South African grain and red meat farmers are bracing for hard times after dry weather conditions and an outbreak of the highly contagious foot and mouth disease suspended meat exports, officials said on Friday. Maize prices have climbed amid concerns that dry conditions in the main part of South Africa’s maize belt have delayed crop […]

PRETORIA – Saudi Arabia plans to build an oil refinery and a petrochemicals plant in South Africa as part of $10 billion of investments in the country, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih said on Friday. In comments following a meeting with South Africa’s energy minister Jeff Radebe in Pretoria, Al-Falih said Saudi oil would be […]