South

As South Africa marks Freedom Day, celebrations share space with sober reflection. Thirty-two years after the country’s first democratic election, many proudly recount what they cherish about the nation, while others urge citizens to weigh whether the day’s founding promise has truly been realised. Addressing the country, President Cyril Ramaphosa paid tribute to those who sacrificed for liberation and acknowledged that the work is not complete. He said the quest for full economic freedom and social justice remains a task…

by Maxwell Amunga Monday April 27, 2026 Emergency responders at the aircraft accident scene on March 5, 2024 (left) and parts of the plane after the accident. Photo Aviation News Kenya has launched a formal inquiry into a string of aircraft accidents involving its planes in Somalia and South Sudan, with Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir appointing a special investigation team to dig into the incidents. CS Chirchir gazetted the Aircraft Accident Investigation Team in a notice dated April 24, relying on the…

A fresh wave of Israeli strikes hit southern Lebanon on Saturday, Lebanese state media said, after earlier attacks killed six people despite a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that had only recently been extended. The latest strikes came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to "forcefully attack Hezbollah targets", following accusations by the army that the group had violated the truce. Earlier, Lebanon's health ministry said that "Israeli enemy strikes on a truck and a…

President Cyril Ramaphosa, moving decisively amid scrutiny of police procurement, has placed National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola on precautionary suspension. Masemola faces charges under the Public Finance Management Act for allegedly failing to properly oversee a contested $21 million police health services contract. He has denied the allegations. The charges are tied to a 2024 tender awarded to controversial businessman Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala’s Medicare24 Tshwane District to provide health services to police…

Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has lodged a formal protest with his South African counterpart after widely shared videos purportedly showing xenophobic assaults on Ghanaian nationals sparked outrage online. Calling the footage “extremely disturbing,” Ablakwa pressed South African authorities to act swiftly. “The South African Foreign Minister has expressed empathy with the victims and promised full-scale investigations into these depressing incidents,” Ablakwa said on social media. He added that…

Cynthia Shange, celebrated as the first Black woman to represent South Africa at Miss World during the apartheid era, has died at 76. Her daughter, Nonhle Thema, confirmed her passing and honored Shange’s enduring compassion and influence. Shange became a household name in the 1970s when she took the Miss World stage for South Africa. Under apartheid, Black women were barred from entering Miss South Africa and instead built their own platforms through parallel pageants. Shange captured one of those crowns, winning Miss…

By  MOGOMOTSI MAGOMEThursday April 16, 2026 Julius Malema, one of South Africa’s most prominent and polarizing opposition figures, was handed a five-year prison sentence Thursday after being convicted of violating firearm laws for firing a rifle at a political rally in 2018. He was released while he awaits the outcome of an appeal, which will be heard at a later date. If the conviction and sentence are ultimately confirmed, Malema would lose his seat in Parliament. Under South African law, anyone sentenced to more than 12…

Opposition politician Julius Malema has been handed a five-year prison term for firing a rifle into the air during a 2018 political rally. The opposition leader was found guilty last year on five counts, including unlawful possession of a firearm and discharging a weapon in a public place, linked to the 2018 incident at a stadium in the Eastern Cape province. His lawyer said he would appeal the ruling.

South African Firebrand Politician Julius Malema Jailed for Gun-Law Violation CAPE TOWN - South African opposition leader Julius Malema has been sentenced to five years in prison after a court found he fired a rifle into the air at a political rally in 2018. The ruling closes a case tied to an Economic Freedom Fighters celebration held that year. What was the case against Malema? Malema was convicted in October of illegally possessing a firearm and discharging it in a public place. Prosecutors said he fired the rifle into…

Breaking a long-running diplomatic lull, President Cyril Ramaphosa has named Roelf Meyer as South Africa’s next ambassador to the United States, filling a role that has stood empty since 2025. The move follows the expulsion of former ambassador Ebrahim Rasool, who was declared persona non grata in 2025 after comments he made during a webinar on US politics. Frictions deepened afterward when Trump launched a refugee programme for white South Africans, asserting that they face government-led persecution at home. Meyer, a…