South Africa

KWANDENGEZI, South Africa, April 16 (Reuters) - Rains that have killed around 400 people and left thousands homeless in South Africa this week began pounding the east coast again on Saturday, threatening more flooding and forcing many to take refuge in community centres and town halls.

The heavy downpours in Kwazulu-Natal Province have already knocked out power lines, shut off water services and disrupted operations at one of Africa's busiest ports of Durban, the main eastern coastal city. 

CAPE TOWN (South Africa), April 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has appointed Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa, to its task force to mediate in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, South Africa’s parliament said.

The appointment was made after the global organization of national parliaments adopted a resolution to form a task team to engage the parliaments of Russia and Ukraine, thereby joining forces with other mediating parties to end the conflict.

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The number of coronavirus cases and deaths in Africa have dropped to their lowest levels since the pandemic began, marking the longest decline yet seen in the disease, according to the World Health Organization.

In a statement on Thursday, the U.N. health agency said COVID-19 infections due to the omicron surge had “tanked” from a peak of more than 308,000 weekly cases to fewer than 20,000 last week. Cases and deaths fell by 29% and 37% respectively in the last week; deaths decreased to 239 from the previous week.

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Prolonged rains and flooding in the Durban area of South Africa have claimed the lives of at least 45 people, damaging the port, major highways and surrounding areas in KwaZulu-Natal province, according to local officials.

South Africa’s military has been deployed to Durban and the surrounding eThekwini metropolitan area on Tuesday to assist with rescue operations as residents flee flooded areas.

JOHANNESBURG, April 10 (Reuters) - Former South African President Jacob Zuma is pursuing private prosecution proceedings to remove the lead prosecutor in an arms deal corruption trial after failed legal challenges, his foundation said on Sunday.

Last month the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) torpedoed Zuma's latest bid to have lead prosecutor Billy Downer taken off the case after accusing him of bias and leaking of confidential information to a journalist in contravention of the national prosecution act, among other complaints.

23 March 2022; MEMO: A probe was launched in Cape Town this morning to look into South African citizens enlisting in the Israel Defence Forces. The South African Zionist Terrorism Corridor Probe is a "comprehensive criminal docket" based upon "sustainable and irrefutable evidence" which has been submitted to the South African Police Services and the National Director of Public Prosecutions.

CAPE TOWN, March 20 (Reuters) - A South African court has halted construction of Amazon's new Africa headquarters after some descendants of the country's earliest inhabitants said the land it would be built on was sacred.

The Western Cape division of the High Court interdicted the project developer from continuing with works at the Cape Town site until there had been meaningful engagement and consultation with affected indigenous peoples.

CAPE TOWN, March 12 (Reuters) - South Africa has suspended the air operator certificate for Comair as a precautionary measure for 24 hours, effectively grounding its fleet and affecting passengers using low-cost airline Kulula as well as British Airways flights, the transport ministry said on Saturday.

Comair has since 1996 serviced local and regional routes from South Africa under the British Airways livery as part of a license agreement.

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Another damning report into government corruption in South Africa has recommended further investigations and the possible prosecution of former President Jacob Zuma, current and former cabinet ministers and senior leaders of the ruling African National Congress party for allegedly receiving bribes.

It’s the third report to come from three years of investigations, testimonies and cross-examination of witnesses and whistleblowers. The inquiry has exposed extensive graft under Zuma at the top levels of government in Africa’s most developed economy.

23 Feb 2022; MEMO: South Africa is looking into taking stricter measures against Israel to express its "displeasure" with the "continuous racist Israeli practices" against Palestinians, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor has warned.

During a parliamentary meeting, Pandor reiterated that the South African ruling party had issued orders to reduce the operation level at the country's embassy in Israel.