Southern Africa

South Africa allows 153 Palestinians to disembark after 12 hours held on plane South African authorities have permitted a group of 153 Palestinians who had been kept on board an aircraft for about 12 hours to leave the plane after it landed in Johannesburg, officials said. What happened The group arrived on a chartered Global Airways flight and was initially kept on the aircraft for roughly 12 hours, the Border Management Authority (BMA) said. After that period, BMA officials allowed the passengers to disembark and enter…

Prominent Zimbabwean pastor Walter Magaya granted bail amid fraud and rape allegations HARARE — A Harare judge on Monday allowed prominent pastor Walter Magaya to be released on bail as he faces a tangle of criminal accusations that have roiled Zimbabwe’s religious and civic life. Magaya, the charismatic founder of the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries, and his wife, Tendai, remain under investigation on fraud charges tied to a multimillion-dollar church housing project that prosecutors say never materialised. He…

Seventeen South Africans trapped in Donbas spotlight a growing, ugly global trade in fighters Seventeen South African men — sixteen reportedly from KwaZulu‑Natal and one from the Eastern Cape — have been left stranded in Ukraine’s embattled Donbas region after answering offers that promised steady pay and work abroad. The men say they were recruited for what they believed would be lucrative civilian jobs, only to discover they were expected to join armed units in one of the war’s most dangerous theaters. The episode,…

Zimbabwean opposition figure Job Sikhala detained in South Africa; party blame and questions about evidence When Job Sikhala, a senior opposition politician from Zimbabwe, was arrested in South Africa this week after police say they found blasting cartridges and capped fuse connectors in his vehicle, supporters and fellow opposition figures immediately cried foul. Sikhala — who has accused Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu PF of orchestrating the incident — now faces an uncertain legal fight in a country that has long been a refuge…

Trump's G20 Snub: A Diplomatic Rift With South Africa In a move that has taken the global diplomatic community by surprise, U.S. President Donald Trump announced his decision not to attend the upcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg, citing contentious issues in South Africa. His remarks have rekindled a heated debate on international relations and the role of global forums in addressing domestic policy issues. A Controversial Stand Speaking at the American Business Forum in Miami, Trump stated, "South Africa shouldn't even…

When a partisan writer sits before the Senate: what a contested ambassadorial pick says about U.S.–South Africa ties Leo Brent Bozell III told senators this week he was "coming before you at a challenging moment for U.S.–South Africa relations." What followed in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was less a routine credentialing than a snapshot of how American domestic politics are reshaping diplomacy. The nominee — a conservative writer and activist with no previous diplomatic experience — found a largely friendly…

In Johannesburg, women leaders bridge generations and push for jobs — and a celebration crowns three days of purpose Johannesburg — For three days in mid‑October, a gathering of activists, funders, policymakers and entrepreneurs threaded personal histories into public strategy at the Women Create Wealth Summit. Hosted by the Graça Machel Trust from Oct. 13–15, the conference stitched together urgent conversations about jobs and intergenerational leadership with a softer, human purpose: to lift and celebrate the women who…

Africa’s Historic Football Surge: Nine Nations Gear Up for 2026 FIFA World Cup The thrill of African football is poised to reach unprecedented heights as the continent prepares for a historic representation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. With nine African nations already securing their spots and one more potentially joining through a challenging intercontinental playoff, this upcoming tournament promises to showcase the rich talent and fervent passion that defines African soccer. Championing the Continent Among the nine…

Namibia’s president reaches across the aisle — but will words turn into action? President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is sitting down with leaders of the opposition this week in a gesture she said was promised during her State of the Nation address in March: an exchange of views intended to “move the country forward.” The meeting, part of a series of conversations with political rivals, is both plainly practical and highly symbolic in a country where the politics of cooperation have often been fragile. "We may belong to…

Dozens killed as overloaded bus plunges off Limpopo highway near busy Beitbridge border At least 43 people died and dozens more were injured after an overloaded long-distance bus veered off South Africa’s N1 highway and ran into an embankment early Friday near Makhado in Limpopo, roughly 100 kilometres from the Beitbridge border post with Zimbabwe, officials said. The bus was travelling to Harare after departing from Port Elizabeth, picking up passengers at stops along the route. Authorities initially recorded 91 people…