S. Africa risks becoming ‘mafia state’ warns Ramaphosa Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South Africa risks becoming a “mafia state”, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa warned Sunday, calling for a corruption probe at the top as he stepped up criticism of President Jacob Zuma. Ramaphosa is one of the main …
Read More »Under police escort, S.African ambulances brave attacks
Cape Town, South Africa | AFP | When an emergency call comes in from one of South Africa’s most crime-ridden neighbourhoods, ambulances do not rush straight to the scene but to a police station first to request an armed escort. A surge in attacks on ambulance workers has led to …
Read More »VIDEO: South Africa ‘coup plotter’ granted bail
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | A South African court Monday granted bail to a man charged with conspiracy to assassinate top politicians including President Jacob Zuma in an apparent bid to enforce a change of government. Elvis Ramosebudi, 33, allegedly approached private companies to fund his plot before he …
Read More »Black rhinos: They are back!
Black rhinos from South Africa relocated to Akagera park Finally, 10 eastern black rhinos have been relocated to the Akagera National Park in Rwanda from South Africa. Rhinos disappeared from the park about 10 years ago. The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) said the May 2 relocation of the rhinos was …
Read More »Ex-presidents urge action to heal ‘sick’ South Africa
Johannesburg, South Africa | Three former South African presidents for the first time issued a joint call for action Friday to end the nation’s “worsening” political crisis, the latest campaign targeting President Jacob Zuma. In an unprecedented move, the country’s living former heads of state — Thabo Mbeki, F.W. de …
Read More »South African court orders Zuma to explain shock cabinet reshuffle
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | A South African High Court Thursday ordered President Jacob Zuma to reveal the documents he used to justify the controversial sacking of a widely respected finance minister, sparking economic turmoil. The main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) went to court to force Zuma to explain …
Read More »South Africa’s Zuma quits rally after being jeered
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South African President Jacob Zuma abandoned a Mayday rally on Monday after he was booed and jeered by trade union members demanding he step down. He was heckled by crowd members who sang anti-Zuma songs as he prepared to speak at the rally in …
Read More »South Africa bus crash kills 20 children
URGENT: 20 children killed in S.Africa bus crash: emergency services Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | At least 20 children were killed in a bus crash outside the South African capital Pretoria on Friday, emergency services said, as paramedics treated the injured at the scene. The minibus collided with a …
Read More »Mourn, don’t criticise at memorials, Zuma warns colleagues
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma on Saturday hit out at critics within his own camp telling them not to use events such as funerals or memorial services to attack each other. Speaking himself, however, at the inauguration of a former minister’s tombstone, Zuma told colleagues …
Read More »South Africa to defend failure to arrest Bashir at ICC on Friday
The Hague, Netherlands | AFP | War crimes judges will Friday hear why South Africa failed to arrest Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir during a 2015 visit, as they mull whether to report Pretoria to the United Nations for possible action. South Africa’s lawyers will defend the decision not to detain …
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