Tag: South Africa

Over 150 endangered vultures poisoned to death in southern Africa

  JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AFP) — At least 150 critically-endangered vultures were poisoned to death in separate incidents in Botswana and South Africa, conservationists said Friday, warning the killings pushed the birds closer to extinction. Vulture poisoning is not uncommon in wildlife-rich southern Africa, where they are targeted by poachers because they draw unwanted attention to their illegal activities. Their heads are also used in traditional medicine, according to wildlife groups. In the latest incidents, […]

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Whites-only town booms in ‘Rainbow Nation’ South Africa

by Susan NJANJI Agence France-Presse ORANIA, South Africa (AFP) — From a distance, Orania looks like any other small town in rural South Africa. But once inside, the visitor is struck by an obvious difference. Everyone here is white. And in a country where menial work in wealthy areas is typically done by blacks, whites here mop supermarket floors, wield leaf blowers and harvest the nuts on pecan farms. Orania is a whites-only town in […]

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Four dead during S.Africa demos over high power costs

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AFP) — At least four people were killed during protests over the cost of electricity in a South African township on Monday, police officials said. Residents angry at the high cost of basic services barricaded roads with burning tyres and set ablaze a municipal building in Thembisa township northeast of the financial hub Johannesburg. Authorities said two people were killed in alleged police shootings after the protests broke out in the morning. […]

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South Africa flood toll rises to 443 as deluge eases

  by Rajesh JANTILAL Agence France Presse DURBAN, South Africa (AFP) — The death toll from floods that have battered South Africa climbed above 440 on Sunday as abating rains allowed rescue operations to accelerate after one of the deadliest storms in living memory. Torrential rains that started lashing the southeastern coastal region last weekend quickly triggered heavy floods and landslides that smashed into Durban city and surrounding areas, pulling with them buildings and people. […]

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Toll in South Africa’s deadliest floods on record tops 300

  by John MKHIZE and Linda GIVETASH Agence France Presse DURBAN, South Africa (AFP) — The death toll from devastating floods in and around the South African port city of Durban has risen to 306, the government said Wednesday, after roads and hillsides were washed away as homes collapsed. The heaviest rains in 60 years pummelled Durban’s municipality, known as eThekwini. According to an AFP tally. The storm is the deadliest on record in South […]

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S.Africa parliament fire suspect charged with terrorism

by Gersende RAMBOURG CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AFP) — A South African court charged a man suspected of starting a devastating fire that gutted South Africa’s parliament with terrorism, adding to robbery and arson accusations, as he made his second appearance in court on Tuesday. Zandile Christmas Mafe, 49, was arrested around the parliament complex after the fire broke out on January 2 and appeared in court three days later. He was initially charged with […]

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S. Africa parliament fire contained: firefighters

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AFP) – A fire that ravaged South Africa’s parliament has been contained after strong winds had reignited the blaze, firefighters said on Tuesday. The fire began in the early hours on Sunday and devastated much of the parliament complex before it was declared under control on Monday morning. But strong winds reignited the blaze late in the afternoon. “Firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze that erupted late yesterday afternoon just before five,” […]

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S.Africa reports daily record of Covid infections

  JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AFP) — South Africa Wednesday reported its highest daily tally of new coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic, just weeks after announcing the discovery of the Omicron strain. The tally of 26,976 Covid infections topped the previous record of 26,485 on July 3, at the height of the country’s third wave caused by the Delta variant. The highly mutated Omicron strain was first detected in South Africa last month […]

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In photos: Nature’s beauty unfolds in Petrusburg, South Africa

  The beauty of nature as each day unfolds can be seen in these photos in Petrusburg, South Africa, the site of the eco-farming community of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ). These photos taken by Cara Luzeleine Sanico at the site captures these various scenes of nature. “Farm life might sound dull to some as it is away from the bustling and busy streets of a town or a city. But everyday life […]

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India’s Harnaaz Sandhu wins 2021 Miss Universe pageant, tells youth to believe in themselves

(Eagle News) — Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu won the 2021 Miss Universe pageant held in Israel on Sunday, Dec. 12 (Monday, Dec. 13 Philippine time) besting 79 other candidates representing their countries. The 21-year old model and actress won for her answer to the question, “What advice would you give to young women watching on how to deal with the pressures they face today?.” This was the same question asked to the two other Miss […]

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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa positive for Covid-19

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AFP) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday and is receiving treatment for mild symptoms, the presidency said in a statement. Ramaphosa, who is fully vaccinated, began feeling unwell after leaving a state memorial service for former deputy president F W de Klerk in Cape Town earlier in the day but was in good spirits and being monitored by doctors, it said. He would remain in self-isolation […]

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Inside the South African lab that discovered Omicron

  by Claire DOYEN JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AFP) — Access to the laboratory is strictly limited, for the risk of accidental infection is just too high. Here, technicians at whirring machines analyze 18,000 PCR tests a day, looking for signatures of coronavirus. Their work is so precise that just a handful of samples helped the team to discover Omicron — the new virus variant that has triggered global fears of yet another surge in the […]

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