Southern Africa

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi survived a vote of no confidence in South Africa’s provincial legislature on Friday, the first such challenge to his leadership since forming a minority government last year. The motion, brought by the opposition Democratic Alliance three weeks ago, failed with 54 members voting against removal, 24 in favor, and one abstention. […]

Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema recently made a high-profile trip to Harare, co-chairing the Zambia–Zimbabwe Bi-National Commission. But beyond the ceremonial handshakes, Hichilema’s visit to Zimbabwe has sparked debate about the intersection of business and politics in the region, especially following his widely reported meeting with Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo. Chivayo is no stranger to controversy. […]

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa dismissed boycott politics as ineffective after several world leaders confirmed they would skip next week’s G20 summit, saying absent nations would miss crucial decisions affecting the global economy. Speaking at a city cleanup event in Soweto on Thursday, Ramaphosa said the summit would proceed despite the withdrawals of leaders from […]

Police have confirmed that Wynberg Girls’ High School in Cape Town is safe following a bomb threat that forced an evacuation on Friday morning. The incident marked the second such threat at the school within days and came during a critical examination period for Grade 12 learners writing the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams. According […]

South Africa granted entry to 130 Palestinians on Thursday after they spent nearly 12 hours on a plane at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport when border officials initially denied them entry due to missing departure stamps in their passports. The Border Management Authority (BMA) said the 153 Palestinians who arrived on a chartered Global Airways […]

The Limpopo Artist Movement has expressed concern following the postponement of the court case involving popular lekompo musician Lehlohonolo Chauke, widely known by his stage name Shebe Maburna. The matter, which was scheduled for a bail hearing this week at the Polokwane Magistrates Court in Limpopo, has now been moved to next Friday to allow […]

KwaZulu-Natal police have launched an internal investigation after discovering that the criminal record of South African citizen Stuart Sharnick had been altered within the South African Police Service (SAPS) system. Senior officers say they were unaware of any tampering until Sharnick recently challenged the accuracy of his own criminal record, prompting renewed scrutiny of internal […]

South Africa’s parliamentary committee investigating police corruption postponed testimony from Cedric Nkabinde on Thursday after lawmakers discovered inaccuracies in his sworn statement, forcing the police ministry’s chief of staff to withdraw and correct his affidavit. The ad hoc committee suspended Nkabinde’s hearing just before the lunch break when Members of Parliament accused him of providing […]

Zimbabwean opposition politician Job Sikhala and his uncle were granted R10,000 ($540) bail each by a South African court on Wednesday after being arrested last week when police allegedly found explosives in their vehicle. Sikhala, 53, and his 78-year-old uncle, Alexander Thema, were each released on R10,000 (approximately US$540) bail by the Pretoria Magistrates Court […]

Robert Mugabe Jnr, the son of the late former Zimbabwean president Robert Gabriel Mugabe, has been found guilty of illegal drug possession by a Harare magistrate. The 33-year-old appeared before Magistrate Lisa Mutendereki, where he pleaded for leniency, citing that he is a single father raising two children. His sentencing is expected to take place […]

Suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s chief of staff, Cedric Nkabinde, has told Parliament how he was dismissed from the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) following a fallout with the agency’s former head, Robert McBride. Testifying before the parliamentary ad hoc committee investigating allegations of corruption and political interference in policing, Nkabinde detailed his departure from […]

The Pretoria High Court has been told that alleged serial rapist Sipho Lucas Phiri was dressed in his security guard uniform when he allegedly assaulted one of his victims in Tembisa in 2018. Phiri, who is accused of being behind a series of sexual assaults across the Ekurhuleni region, took the stand this week to […]