Southern Africa

A mysterious explosion hit the center of Johannesburg on Wednesday afternoon at rush hour, tearing the roadway off a traffic axis and injuring around 40 people, authorities said. Emergency services initially pointed to a possible explosion of underground gas pipes, but the Egoli gas company said in the evening that …

South African authorities have adopted sign language as the country’s 12th official language, local media reported. President Cyril Ramaphosa formally approved the Sign Language Bill into law during a ceremony in Pretoria. Some of the country’s other languages are Afrikaans, English, Xhosa and Zulu. South Africa is the fourth country …

A Zion Christian Church bishop sent nude photos and asked for love from his nephew’s wife in Zimbabwe, according to reports. The church is at the brink of splitting after the act of the bishop. “The bishop wanted his nephew’s wife to be his fourth lover, as he already has three …

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the Brics summit being held in August, local media reported, citing South African presidency. An arrest warrant has been issued against Mr Putin by International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. South Africa is an ICC signatory and so would …

Readers surveyed by the UK’s Telegraph newspaper say South Africa is the world’s best tourist destination. The right-wing paper gushes over the beauty of Cape Town, calling it “a supermodel at the foot of Table Mountain”. It also hails the “fine vintages” of South Africa’s wine country and calls the …

Johannesburg has seen its first snowfall since 2012, as cold weather is sweeping across much of the country. Residents are being advised to take extra precautions to stay warm and farmers to provide shelter for livestock. South Africa’s weather service said snow has also been reported in Eastern Cape and …

South Africa’s health authorities are urging residents of the province of Gauteng to be vigilant about the liquids they consume as the death toll from a winter outbreak of cholera rises to nearly 50, local media reported. Unions and community groups have demanded more government intervention to improve water quality. …

Mozambique officials in South Africa say at least 10 of their nationals may be among the 17 fatalities after Wednesday night’s gas leak in an informal settlement in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg. At least four of those being treated in hospital after the incident in the densely populated Angelo shanty …

At least 24 people, including children, died after a gas leak in a slum near Boksburg, about 40 kilometers east of Johannesburg, emergency services and firefighters reported on Wednesday evening. “We have counted 24 bodies,” emergency services spokesman William Ntladi confirmed to AFP, on the spot, adding that the search …

South Africa’s Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini has denied allegations that he may have been poisoned, saying in a video that he was in good health. It comes amid conflicting concerns after the Zulu traditional prime minister said over the weekend that the king was being treated in neighbouring Eswatini for …