South Africa's president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has expressed disappointment at countries that have imposed travel bans on southern African countries after the emergence of a new Covid-19 variant.
Omicron, named a 'variant of concern' by the World Health Organization on Friday, saw its first cases in South Africa, Botswana and Hong Kong and is potentially more contagious than previous variants, although experts do not know yet if it will cause more severe illness
Continue reading...South Africa has recently experienced its worst violence since the end of the apartheid regime 27 years ago. More than 200 people were killed and thousands arrested in a week of civil unrest during which hundreds of shops were looted, factories set ablaze and government infrastructure destroyed. The Guardian's Africa correspondent, Jason Burke, explains how the violence was sparked by more than just the jailing of the former president Jacob Zuma, and what impact it could have on a country where more than half of the population lives in poverty
Continue reading...Attacks by supporters of jailed former president ‘are bid for pardon or to unseat government’
South African authorities fear a new wave of attacks aimed at undermining the economy, investment and the rule of law as networks loyal to former president Jacob Zuma seek to force his return to power.
Investigators believe the unrest last week, which killed more than 200 and caused massive damage across a swath of the country, was deliberately provoked as part of a broader strategy by political opponents to force president Cyril Ramaphosa to pardon Zuma or even step down.
Continue reading...Warnings of looming humanitarian crisis as looting and violence hits food, fuel and medicine chains
South Africa says it has put 10,000 soldiers on the streets and is calling up reservists for the first time for decades following days of looting and violence that have threatened food and fuel supplies across the country.
The death toll stands at 117, and more than 3,000 people have been arrested according to official figures, since the former president Jacob Zuma began a 15-month jail term, sparking protests that rapidly turned into a wave of looting of shops, malls and warehouses.
Continue reading...Ramaphosa calls violence and protests worst since end of apartheid after 1,300 arrested
Unrest in South Africa triggered by the jailing of the former president Jacob Zuma intensified on Tuesday, despite calls for calm from senior officials and the deployment of thousands of soldiers to the streets to reinforce struggling police.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has described the deadly violence and protests as unprecedented in the 27 years since the end of the apartheid regime. The death toll from nearly a week of unrest has risen to 72, some from gunshot wounds, while 1,300 people have been arrested.
Continue reading...South Africa has deployed the military in a bid to quell ongoing unrest sparked after former president Jacob Zuma handed himself over to police to serve a 15-month sentence amid corruption allegations. Supporters of Zuma responded by looting shops and setting buildings on fire while others armed themselves to protect property and were seen shooting at the rioters. Ten people are reported to have died in the unrest. South African president Cyril Ramaphosa authorised the military to go in to Johannesburg and in the province of KwaZulu-Natal where the violence has been the worst.
South Africa’s highest court to rule on Monday on whether former president’s sentence is upheld
South Africa’s army has said it is deploying troops to two provinces, including its economic hub of Johannesburg, to help crush mob violence and looting as unrest sparked by the jailing of ex-president Jacob Zuma entered a fourth day.
“The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has commenced with pre-deployment processes and procedures in line with a request for assistance,” the military said in a statement.
Continue reading...Corruption still sadly plays a part in public life here, but we’re making steps in the right direction
On Wednesday night, at 45 minutes to midnight, Jacob Zuma blinked. In what was the most consequential moment for the rule of law in post-apartheid South Africa, the former president handed himself into police.
Zuma was, in fact, three days late. The apex constitutional court ruled last week that he must surrender himself by Sunday on a charge of contempt of court, after repeatedly refusing to appear before a statutory commission looking at allegations of corruption made against him. If he did not voluntarily turn himself in, the police minister was set to arrest him by midnight on Wednesday. For the past week, Zuma and his supporters – gathered outside his rural redoubt near Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal – threatened resistance and even war against the state if the authorities tried to enter the compound, while his lawyers engaged in futile litigation to try to get him off the hook (a judge dismissed Zuma’s application this morning).
Continue reading...South Africa’s justice minister says former president could be paroled after four months of 15-month sentence
South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma, whose decision to hand himself in to police to serve a 15-month jail term has been greeted as a victory for the troubled country’s efforts to enforce the rule of law, could be free in four months, the justice minister has said.
The minister, Ronald Lamola, told journalists outside the prison where Zuma was being held on Thursday that the former leader would be eligible for parole either because his sentence was less than two years or for medical reasons.
Continue reading...Cyril Ramaphosa’s government has been criticised for its slow reaction and faltering vaccination programme
Governments across Africa are scrambling to reinforce health systems and accelerate vaccine drives as a third wave of Covid-19 infections threatens to overwhelm hospitals and kill tens of thousands of people.
South Africa, the worst-hit country in the continent, has reported a doubling of new daily cases over the past two weeks, with no sign of the rise slowing.
Continue reading...Honest examination of French colonial record in Africa and responsibilty in Rwanda key to new strategy, though critics say little has changed
With the golden winter sun slanting across the palm trees and yellow sandstone, the scene was perfect. Emmanuel Macron and his host, Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, walked down the red carpet of the Union buildings in Pretoria as the Marseillaise resonated through the clean, crisp air.
The historic setting was apt. Since taking power in 2017, the French president has sought a broad reset of national strategy, relations and intervention in Africa. He has chosen a very contemporary way to do this: by re-examining the past.
Continue reading...Many countries that believed they were past the worst are grappling with new outbreaks, says WHO
Mexico has recorded more than 9,000 daily coronavirus cases for the first time, as the country overtook the UK with the world’s third-highest number of deaths from the pandemic after the US and Brazil.
The surging numbers were reported as the World Health Organization warned of “response fatigue” and a resurgence of cases in several countries that have lifted lockdowns.
Continue reading...Online marketplace for medical supplies will allow continent to buy in bulk and lower costs, says South Africa’s president
African countries have pulled together to set up a one-stop shop to give the continent a fairer chance in the international scramble for Covid-19 test kits, protective equipment and any vaccines that emerge.
The Africa Medical Supplies Platform will work like eBay or Amazon, unlocking access to supplies across the continent, and could save billions of pounds.
Continue reading...President announces $26bn relief package and will set out plans to lift restrictions
Tens of thousands of soldiers have been put on standby in South Africa amid rising tensions as one of the strictest lockdowns in the world nears its fifth week.
Cyril Ramaphosa, the president and commander-in-chief, has mobilised the 73,000 men and women of South Africa’s armed forces, though it is unclear how many of them may eventually be deployed.
Continue reading...In densely populated townships and cities, the army and police have been patrolling the streets to enforce strict measures to curb the spread of coronavirus
All photographs by Jérôme Delay for AP
Continue reading...At least 10 people have been killed so far this month in a surge of attacks targeting foreign-owned businesses in and around South Africa's largest city, Johannesburg. What is behind the wave of xenophobia?
Continue reading...Gavin Watson was at the centre of claims of systematic graft involving leading ANC figures
Opposition politicians in South Africa are calling for a “thorough and transparent” investigation into a car crash that killed a controversial South African businessman accused of bribing dozens of top government officials.
Gavin Watson, 71, died when his Toyota Corolla hit a concrete bridge support in Johannesburg in the early hours of Monday morning as he was travelling alone to the city’s international airport.
Continue reading...Jacob Zuma, South Africa’s former president, will make an unprecedented appearance before a judicial inquiry for a five-day grilling this week over corruption allegations relating to his years in power.
Zuma has been accused of presiding over an immense system of corruption and patronage that drained billions from the exchequer and damaged the reputation of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) beyond repair.
Continue reading...Voters are looking for the newly inaugurated president to take on networks of graft now they have given him a new mandate
In his long career as an activist, businessman and politician, Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa’s president, has overcome many challenges. But few have been as daunting as those he will face when he sits down in his office in Pretoria on Sunday morning.
The first is to consolidate his own position. Despite his electoral win this month, and Saturday’s spectacular inauguration, the 66-year-old is politically weaker than he looks. The African National Congress is deeply divided. Many opposed Ramaphosa’s successful bid for power at an ANC conference in December 2017. Some believe he is too “pro-business” to take radical measures to redistribute wealth in one of the most unequal countries in the world and too close to South Africa’s business community.
Continue reading...
Cyril Ramaphosa told South Africans on Saturday that 'a new era' had dawned as he was sworn in for a five-year term as president. More than 30,000 people gathered to witness the ceremony, which included a flypast and military parade. Ramaphosa's inauguration followed victory for his ruling African National Congress party in this month's election