Southern Africa

The South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has recognized Prince Misuzulu Sinqobile Zulu as the new King of the Zulu community. Prince Misuzulu, 46, is the eldest son of the late Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, who died last year. Recognition from the president gives him legitimacy since some family members have …

The death toll from Cyclone Gombe, which hit Mozambique last week, has risen to 53, authorities in Nampula province said on Thursday. Cyclone Gombe has affected tens of thousands of people since making a landfall last week. The cyclone has destroyed houses, local health centre, schools and crop fields. Mossuril …

The wearing of masks in public in Namibia and negative PCR tests for vaccinated visitors are no longer required, President Hage Geingob said on Tuesday, as active COVID-19 cases fall to just a couple of hundred. Infections peaked at more than 30,000 per month in June 2021 but the southern …

The South African Competition Commission on Monday said it had taken Facebook and WhatsApp owner Meta Platforms to court for allegedly abusing its dominant position in the market, Reuters reports. In a statement, the regulator accused Meta of “abusing its dominance by engaging in exclusionary conduct geared at preventing competitors …

Former Zambian President Rupiah Bwezani Banda, 85, died at home on Friday after a short battle with colon cancer, his family and the presidency announced. Banda, Zambia’s fourth president who was in power from 2008 to 2011, was diagnosed with cancer two years ago and had been receiving medical treatment. …

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Raymond Zondo as the country’s new chief justice, the presidency said in a statement on Thursday following a public selection process. Approved by political parties, Judge Raymond Zondo is hailed for his long experience in the judicial field. But Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom …

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has said his country has been approached to play a mediation role in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Mr Ramaphosa did not say who had made the approach but said he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday and urged him to …

Mozambique on Monday recorded its first day of zero Covid-19 infections since the outbreak of the disease in the country in March 2020. The country also recorded zero Covid deaths and zero hospitalisation in 24 hours throughout the country. “Some 18 people remain hospitalized across the country,” the health ministry …

Former South African President Jacob Zuma has thrown his support behind Russian President Vladimir Putin in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, describing him as a man of peace. Former President Jacob Zuma said he supported the Russian president after Russian troops invaded Ukraine. Mr Zuma said Putin’s decision was “justifiable”, …

Nearly 2.9 million children in Malawi will be vaccinated against polio, after a three-year-old girl fell ill in the capital, the United Nations children’s agency UNICEF in Malawi announced on Thursday. Malawi declared a polio outbreak two weeks ago after tests confirmed the infection and showed the strain was linked …