South Africa

South Africa has declared the current foot-and-mouth disease outbreak a national disaster and will vaccinate 14 million cattle, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced, as the country confronts one of the worst outbreaks on record. "We have classified foot-and-mouth disease as a national disaster and will be mobilising all necessary capabilities within the state to deal with this crisis," Ramaphosa said, confirming the extensive vaccination campaign that authorities plan to roll out. The president's declaration elevates the…

President Cyril Ramaphosa used his 2026 State of the Nation Address to present a cautiously optimistic picture of South Africa’s economy and to announce a series of urgent security and infrastructure measures, saying the country is “stronger than a year ago” after four consecutive quarters of GDP growth, two primary budget surpluses and the end of load‑shedding. Major executive moves included authorising the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to tackle rising gang violence in the Western Cape and…

Every year since 2013, Africa Check has fact-checked South Africa's State of the Nation Address (SONA) — the speech President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers to mark the start of the political calendar, officially open Parliament, recap the year gone by and outline the government's aims for the year ahead. After more than a decade of scrutiny, the organisation's researchers say they can often guess what the president is going to say before he opens his mouth. That observation, simple on its face, raises deeper questions about…

Johannesburg residents are embroiled in a worsening water crisis that is triggering community conflict and stretching relief efforts, while authorities in the Western Cape urge conservation as municipalities confront failing infrastructure, according to local reports. In Johannesburg, shortages have forced people to queue for hours at water tankers only for supplies to run out. The breakdown is reportedly driving arguments and physical fights as some residents collect far more water than others. Some neighbourhoods remain…

Blessed Runesu “Bombshell” Geza, an outspoken and controversial Zimbabwean war veteran who publicly pushed for the removal of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has died in a Johannesburg hospital, his family said. He was 73. The family said Geza had been hospitalized for about 10 days and died at a cardiology facility in Johannesburg. They announced his death on social media and warned the public to be wary of any solicitations for cash donations allegedly for his funeral. Once a member of the Zanu-PF Central Committee, Geza…

Cape Town — An African-led effort to develop an HIV vaccine has launched a clinical trial at the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation in Cape Town, organizers announced, with the first participant already enrolled. The study, called BRILLIANT 011 and led by The BRILLIANT Consortium, is being conducted by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and is designed to target the strains of HIV that are circulating in Southern Africa. "The trial is...marking a major milestone in African-led HIV vaccine research. BRILLIANT…

John Steenhuisen, the leader of South Africa’s Democratic Alliance since 2019, has stepped aside from the party’s leadership race and will devote his attention to managing a severe foot-and-mouth disease outbreak that has drawn heavy criticism of his handling of the crisis, the party and his office said Friday. Steenhuisen — who, according to party sources, also served as agriculture minister — had been expected to run unopposed for another term but withdrew amid internal disputes and lingering controversies that party…

South Africa has today officially acceded to the Establishment Agreement of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), marking the formal entry of one of the continent’s largest economies into the bank’s membership and signaling a potential shift in the region’s financial architecture. The move brings South Africa into the fold of Africa’s leading multilateral financial institution, which was created to finance and promote intra-African and extra-African trade. Membership gives Johannesburg formal access to a…

Newly released U.S. Justice Department records in the growing cache of "Epstein files" include the name of former South African president Jacob Zuma and reference a dinner organized during a 2010 state visit, according to court documents made public this week. The tranche of documents contains emails mentioning a dinner at the Ritz Hotel in London on March 5, 2010, while Zuma was on an official visit to the U.K. The emails, the Justice Department release shows, identify a man who described himself as a friend of Jeffrey…

South African singer Tyla has won her second Grammy, taking the Best African Music Performance award for "Push-to-Start," a track from her debut album, the Recording Academy announced Monday. The victory makes Tyla the first artist to win the category twice after her 2024 win for the global hit "Water." The award caps a rapid rise for the Johannesburg-born performer, whose blend of pop, R&B and South African township sounds has found a wide international audience. The Recording Academy recognized "Push-to-Start" amid a…