Southern Africa

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 …

South Africa’s main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), along with six other parties, have announced that they will hold talks to outline a pact that they hope will unseat the ANC from government at next year’s elections, the BBC reported. The group does not include the country’s third largest political force …

South African government watchdog has cleared President Cyril Ramaphosa of any wrongdoing related to a theft at his farm. The scandal erupted in June last year when a former spy boss, Arthur Fraser, alleged that President Ramaphosa had concealed the theft of millions of dollars in cash from his game …

South Africa said on Thursday it will host the BRICS bloc summit in August as planned, amid speculation that it may move to China so Russia’s President Vladimir Putin can attend in a nation not obliged to arrest him on war crimes accusations, Reuters reported. South Africa has a duty …

South Africa is investigating the deaths of at least 31 people at a mine last month in the Free State province, which has been closed for about 30 years, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing the energy department. “They are believed to be from neighbouring Lesotho – which reported the incident …

Zambia has reached a deal to restructure more than $6bn (£4.7bn) of debt owed to other governments, the BBC reported. President Hakainde Hichilema said the agreement marked a significant milestone in the journey towards economic recovery. But he said work was needed to continue on a separate deal with private …

Malawi’s high court has ordered the former ruling party to return the money it received as gifts from state bodies within the next 30 days. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was ordered to pay back 14m Malawian kwacha ($1,400; £1,117) given to the party by public bodies during a fundraising …

The Brics summit of heads of state will be held in South Africa’s main city Johannesburg in August, Reuters agency reported, citing Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor. Her comments follow speculation that South Africa could ask another country to host the summit as it will be under legal obligation to arrest …

General elections in Zimbabwe will take place on August 23,2023, outgoing president Emmerson Mnangagwa announced. Elected in 2018 following a coup that deposed President Robert Mugabe a year earlier, Emmerson Mnangagwa is currently completing a second term in office. His main rival, 45-year-old lawyer and pastor Nelson Chamisa, had expressed …