Southern Africa

The South African health minister Joe Phaahla has expressed his disappointment at the decision of some countries to suspend all flights from the country as a new variant of the coronavirus has been detected. Mr Phaahla on Friday says the introduction of travel restrictions by a number of countries against …

The World Health Organization (WHO) is due to hold a special meeting on Friday to consider the significance of a rapidly spreading new coronavirus variant discovered in South Africa. Experts in Geneva will decide whether the B.1.1.529 variant should be designated a variant of concern. A senior WHO official said …

British authorities have suspended all flights from South Africa and five other countries in the region in response to the discovery of a highly transmissible new coronavirus variant. From midday GMT on Friday, direct flights from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Eswatini will be suspended until further notice. …

Scientists in South Africa have detected a new COVID-19 variant and are working to understand its potential implications, they said on Thursday. The variant called B.1.1.529 has a “very unusual constellation” of mutations, which are concerning because they could help it evade the body’s immune response and make it more …

The coronavirus pandemic continues wreaking havoc in South Africa as the cases of contamination are on the rise , health authorities have announced. The country has recorded 1,886 new virus cases since Saturday and 22 deaths from coronavirus. Health Minister Joe Phaahla has urged more people to get vaccinated. “We …

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa has asked men to play a greater role in preventing gender-based violence (GBV) in the country. “If each man gathers two men and the three pledge to never rape a woman, never lay a hand on a woman and hold each other accountable to this …

The Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi has appointed Amade Miquidade, an interior minister recently sacked as the country’s high commissioner to Rwanda. Amade Miquidade was dismissed from office last week and was replaced by the country’s first woman interior minister, Arsenia Massingue, two days later. Before his dismissal, he was one …

South African Cyril Ramaphosa has declared four days of mourning for the last white leader, Frederik Willem de Klerk, who died on November 11 from cancer. The national mourning starts on Wednesday evening to Sunday evening and “the national flag will be flown at half-mast as a mark of respect,” …

Late South African president FW de Klerk, who died at 85 last week, will be cremated in a private ceremony on Sunday, his foundation has announced. “The FW de Klerk Foundation wishes to announce that FW de Klerk’s cremation and funeral will take place on Sunday, 21 November,” it said …

Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi has appointed Arsenia Felicidade Felix Massingue as the country’s first female interior minister and Cristóvão Artur Chume as national defence minister. The previous ministers in charge of defence and interior security were both sacked this week. Mr Chume is a major-general noted for commanding the forces …