The World AIDS Day commemoration of 2020 took place in the midst of a global pandemic. It served as another reminder that people are not only susceptible to pathogens, but to the political, social and economic inequities that determine vulnerability to infections. HIV remains a major global public health challenge and COVID-19 has added to […]

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his condolences to the government and people of the Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) following the sad death of Eswatini Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini at the age of 52. PM Dlamini passed away yesterday – Sunday, 13 December 2020 – while being treated for COVID-19 in a […]

South Africa’s Justice and Correctional Services Ministry has kick-started the process to extradite fugitives Shepard and Mary Bushiri who escaped the country while facing criminal charges. “Given our sound and healthy diplomatic, strategic and political relationship, and our common citizenship of the SADC Community, we are convinced that the Republic of Malawi will honour the […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed sadness at the recent death of South Africa’s ambassador to Senegal, Lenin Magigwane Shope. In a statement issued on Saturday, the Presidency said ambassador Shope passed away at his official residence in Dakar, Senegal, earlier last week. President Ramaphosa offered his sincere condolences to Shope’s mother, Ma Gertude Shope, a […]

Namibia’s Department of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has posted an advert in the state newspaper putting 170 of their “high value” elephants up for sale. The advert in New Era newspaper on Wednesday explains: “Due to drought and an increase in elephant numbers, coupled with human-elephant conflict incidences, a need has been identified to reduce […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has, on behalf of the SA Government and the people of South Africa, sent a message of condolences to the Government and the people of the Republic of Niger following the death of H.E. Mamadou Tandja, former President of the Republic of Niger. H.E. Tandja, was born in Maïné-Soroa, in the south […]

Malawian Prophet Shepherd Bushiri (37) claims he and his wife, Mary (39), had to escape SA for their safety, and to request the Malawi government’s assistance in ensuring they receive a fair trial in South Africa. He has also issued five demands he wishes the SA government to meet, before he and his wife will […]

More than 50 local people were forced onto a football field in a village in dream-holiday destination Cabo Delgado province in Mozambique this weekend, and executed, according to international reports. The bodies of Muatide villagers who had tried to escape were decapitated and “chopped up” between Friday night and Sunday on the sports field, said […]

This beautiful piece of writing by Jacqui Ikin evokes all the emotions, scents and sensibility about what it means to be South African, or to visit SA… What It Means to Be South African, … a Poem by Jacqui Ikin I sit here quietly thinking about what it means to me to be South African, a visitor […]

Tanzanians voted in their general election on October 28 in a poll that pitted popular opposition chief Tundu Lissu against incumbent John Magufuli. As the results were announced, Dan Paget explains why incumbent John Magufuli was declared the winner, and what his second term will mean for democracy in the East African nation. How do […]

In his capacity as African Union Chairperson, President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on the Nigerian government to desist from the use of violence and respect human rights and the rule of law amid the #EndSARS protests. Meanwhile in the USA, South African expat and comedian Trevor Noah has briefly explained what has been going on […]

Mia Kora has been “honoured and humbled” by the impact of its ‘Fabric Map of Africa’. The company, which usually offers a collection of scarves and shawls centred around the concept of ‘wearable art’ has this time created art centred around a collection of fabrics from each of the continent’s countries – from Egyptian cotton […]

The government today revised the list of high-risk countries still forbidden from entering South Africa, and even though there are only 22 on the list they include (with the exception of business people and people travelling to South Africa for over three months) the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany and Netherlands. UPDATE 11 November […]

Fires seemed to be under control on Africa’s highest mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro, after they broke out three days ago, with hundreds of parks personnel and locals joining the fight to keep it under control. Tanzanian National Parks said today that about 400 people had been deployed to counter the outbreak. Reuters reported that the fire, […]

As the threat of a COVID-19 pandemic emerged earlier this year, many felt a sense of apprehension about what would happen when it reached Africa. Concerns over the combination of overstretched and underfunded health systems and the existing load of infectious and non-infectious diseases often led to it being talked about in apocalyptic terms. However, […]

It was a day of seizures by the Asset Forfeiture Unit of the National Prosecuting Authority and the Hawks in at least two cases involving fancy vehicles acquired by people implicated in cases of corruption. The most visible seizure involved highflying businessman Edwin Sodi, who was among seven people who appeared in court last week […]

South Africa’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Ebrahim Patel, has been elected as the chair of the ministerial body tasked with finalising negotiations on the terms for the commencement of the preferential trade under the African Continent Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Patel takes leadership of the African Ministers of Trade (AMOT) three months prior […]

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 […]