Charismatic – and controversial – Nigerian preacher and pastor, Prophet TB Joshua, has passed away at the age of 57. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in South Africa led tributes from the continent and abroad. A post on the evangelist’s Instagram page says: “God has taken His servant Prophet TB Joshua home – as it […]

A river of boiling lava has reportedly stopped just in time to spare the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A mass evacuation had been ordered after one of the world’s most dangerous and active volcanoes – Mount Nyiragongo – erupted last night. Thousands of frightened residents fled into the dead of […]

When talking about Africa’s gaming market specifically, or about its economy in general, two trends are of essential importance. The first is the huge size of the African youth population – there are even indications that it might double over the next several decades. The other important fact is that the mobile phone market is […]

(Reuters) – Kenya began its first national wildlife census on Friday, aiming to aid conservation and identify threats to its vast but threatened wildlife populations. The census will run until July, with rangers, researchers and community members counting animals on land and from helicopters. It will focus on counting rare species such as the pangolin, […]

MADAGASCAR (Reuters) – Families have resorted to eating locusts and leaves in southern Madagascar where famine is looming, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday. Following a devastating five year drought, and strong sandstorms this year, harvests have been ruined and the people are starving in a way the UN senior director of […]

A 15-hectare piece of land on Cape Town’s Liesbeek River has been identified as the location where Amazon will have its headquarters in Africa, and will include numerous names and landmarks dedicated to the Khoisan people. The announcement earlier this week that Amazon would be centering its Africa operations in Cape Town was followed up […]

With long queues at clinics in South Africa and Covid-19 restrictions, women struggling to access health services are turning to an illicit market for birth control pills. The pills are widely used and freely distributed in Zimbabwe, but smuggled into and sold in South Africa. Birth control pills freely distributed in Zimbabwe are being smuggled […]

SADC Heads of State have reiterated commitment to contribute towards the efforts of bringing about lasting peace and security, as well as reconciliation and development in the Republic of Mozambique. This comes amid a spate of attacks in the country’s Cabo Delgado Province in the last two weeks. The leaders condemned the violence during this […]

A life-size pencil drawing of an African elephant is bringing its viewers to tears, so magnificent and realistic is the artwork… an homage in fact to a real-life elephant named Makavuzi, affectionately known as Mak. The stunning picture, which captures Mak’s soul, was created by talented Zimbabwean artist David Filer with an all-Zimbabwean team taking […]

KAMPALA, UGANDA – Six lions have been killed in Uganda by suspected poisoning. The Uganda Wildlife Authority said in a statement that it is “saddened” to announce the death of the lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The lion carcasses were found yesterday evening in the Ishasha sector, which is well known for its tree-climbing […]

John Joseph Pombe Magufuli was a man who deftly played the long political game. He was nevertheless a puzzle both to Tanzanians and the world… writes Aikande Clement Kwayu, University of Wisconsin-Madison. When he first entered the presidency in 2015, he gained worldwide acclaim for his no-nonsense approach to fighting corruption and imprudent government spending. […]

The Namibian government will put 170 wild elephants up for sale today, 29 January, justified by false population statistics and disputed claims of human-elephant conflict. More than 100,000 people have signed a petition condemning the action… writes Don Pinnock, Daily Maverick. See petition here. The Namibian government says it has too many elephants and that […]

Armed men have killed at least six rangers and wounded several others in an ambush in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) Virunga national park. This park is a sanctuary for endangered mountain gorillas. Staff working in the park have often come under attack. Judith Verweijen and Esther Marijnen – experts on armed mobilisation and […]

The African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team (AVATT) has confirmed the acquisition of provisional 270 million vaccine doses for African countries, with at least 50 million being available for the crucial period of April to June 2021. The 10-member AVATT, which was established by African Union Chair, President Cyril Ramaphosa in August, on Thursday confirmed this […]

The Harare Magistrates Court has dismissed a bid by journalist Hopewell Chin’ono to have a charge against him of “spreading falsehoods” declared invalid. The Harare Magistrates Court has upheld charges of “spreading falsehoods” against an award-winning Zimbabwean journalist. Hopewell Chin’ono was arrested on Friday and remains in custody. This week Chin’ono tried to challenge the […]

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 […]