South Africa

Akpeyi Named MOTM in Kaizer Chiefs’ C/League Clash Against Wydad AC
News, Nigeria, South Africa, Sports

Akpeyi Named MOTM in Kaizer Chiefs’ C/League Clash Against Wydad AC

The Confederation of African Football, CAF, has named Super Eagles goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi Man of the Match, after his impressive display that ensured Kaizer Chiefs qualify for their maiden Champions League final. The decision was conveyed in a statement on CAF’s verified Twitter handle on Sunday. Akpeyi made a return from a head injury in time to put in a solid performance as Kaizer Chiefs drew goalless with visiting Wydad Ac and qualify 1-0 on aggregate for the final. The Super Eagles goalie polled 55 per cent of total votes cast to claim the award. Read Also: Egyptian Football Coach Dies After Final Whistle His teammate Erick Mathoho was second with 38 per cent while Wydad’s duo of Mohammed Ounnajem and Achraf Dari were third and fourth with five and two per cent respect...
Amazon Chooses South Africa for its African Headquarters
News, South Africa

Amazon Chooses South Africa for its African Headquarters

Amazon is set to open its African headquarters in South Africa with real estate investment in the region of R4 billion. Reports in Cape Town said Amazon would be situated at a new development in River Club, a key section of the city. The 15-hectare parcel of land will cost about R4 billion and include two precincts. Authorities said the first precinct of 60,000sqm would occupy different layers of development, while the second section of 70,000 will hold Amazon headquarters in Africa. "US retail giant, Amazon, will be the anchor tenant, opening a base of operations on the African continent," Cape Town city officials said in a statement. "The development is envisaged to take place in phases, with construction set to take place over three to five years." Over 5,000 direct construc...
South Africa Enforces Level 3 COVID-19 Lockdown as Virus Load Hikes
Covid-19, News, South Africa

South Africa Enforces Level 3 COVID-19 Lockdown as Virus Load Hikes

President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa has announced that the was amending its COVID-19 restrictions from Level 1 to Level 3 with immediate effect following a spike in new infections. Ramaphosa disclosed that the country had banned sales of alcohol and made use of face masks compulsory in public from Tuesday after the country became the first in Africa to record one million cases of the virus. This follows the warning by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that a pandemics worse that COVID-19 may lie ahead. The president made the announcement during a national address on Monday. He said, “We have let down our guard, and unfortunately we are now paying the price.” Ramaphosa said data showed “excessive alcohol consumption” leads to an increase in trauma cases reported at ho...
Time For Youths to Takeover Power, Obasanjo to African Youths
Ghana, Kenya, Mali, News, Nigeria, South Africa

Time For Youths to Takeover Power, Obasanjo to African Youths

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria’s former President has said the time has come for African youths to occupy leadership positions.He said youth participation in the activities of political parties is key to taking over their structure and stand a better chance of occupying elective positions.Obasanjo disclosed this on Wednesday during a keynote address at a virtual interactive which took place to mark the International Youth Day, 2020.The Youth Development Centre, an arm of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta organised the event.The former President said that unless the youths stand up to the older generation of leaders who occupy various leadership roles, they will continue to be relegated to the background. “Unless you squeeze out those who are in the office ...
Shoprite Commences Process to Shut down Operation in Nigeria
Economy, Finance, News, Nigeria, Press Statement, South Africa

Shoprite Commences Process to Shut down Operation in Nigeria

South Africa’s grocery retail giant, ShopRite, plans to discontinue its operation in Nigeria. Shoprite first made its way to Nigerian market in Lagos in December 2005. On Monday morning, the firm said in a trading update filed at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange that it plans to stop operations in Nigeria. International supermarkets (excluding Nigeria) contributed 11.6 per cent to group sales and reported 1.4 per cent decline in sales from 2018. 78 percent of overall sales was contributed by South African operations and accounted for 8.7 percent increase for the year. The company said it had received offers from investors seeking to take over its Nigerian operations. It said it was deliberating a total sale of its operations or selling a majority stake to Nigerian subsidia...
South African to Kickoff Clinical Trials of Coronavirus Vaccine on Wednesday
Covid-19, South Africa

South African to Kickoff Clinical Trials of Coronavirus Vaccine on Wednesday

Clinical trials of a United Kingdom (UK) manufactured COVID-19 vaccine is set to take place in South Africa on Wednesday as the country tackles the spread of the dreaded disease. SABC News reports that the University of Oxford manufactured vaccine would be tried among about 2,000 people aged 18-35 in South Africa. Half of the participants would be given the drug while the rest will be given a placebo. It will commence with a set of HIV negative individuals who will be given two doses of the vaccine over four weeks duration. Personnel from the Medical Research Council and Wits University would on Wednesday, administer the drug on a set 50 people. South African has been taking planned actions to curtail the spread of COVID-19. It pioneered local capacity for laboratory testing in...
Minibus Taxis in South Africa Embark on Strike Over Insufficient COVID-19 Relief Funds
Covid-19, Economy, News, South Africa, Transportation

Minibus Taxis in South Africa Embark on Strike Over Insufficient COVID-19 Relief Funds

Multitude of people were left stranded in South Africa due to strike action by minibus taxi drivers over what they termed inadequate corona virus relief funds. On Monday morning, taxi drivers in Johannesburg and capital city of Pretoria in the province of Gauteng barricaded roads and declined transporting workers. Local media report that police used rubber bullets to disperse protesting drivers in Pretoria. The nationwide lockdown which was imposed in March to curb the prevalence of COVID-19 have adversely affected the transport sector in South Africa thereby reducing the income of drivers. As the country continue to ease restrictions, many citizens who depend on minibus as means of transportation to work will need the buses once the economy returns to full operation. Restrictions...
South Africa Closing in on 100,000 COVID-19 Cases
Covid-19, South Africa

South Africa Closing in on 100,000 COVID-19 Cases

South Africa is fast closing in on 100,000 confirmed cases of novel corona virus after the nation’s Minister of Health announced a spike to 92,681 on Saturday. The Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, reported 4,966 addition to existing cases just in the last 24 hours, marking the highest number of cases recorded in a single day since the index case in March. According to Mkhize, 46 casualties were recorded as the virus continues to take its toll, amounting to 1,877 deaths- 11 from Eastern Cape, three from KwaZulu-Natal and a further 32 from Western Cape. Western Cape Province appears to be the most hit by the virus with 50,173 patients and 1,392 victims recorded, while Gauteng follows with 18,978 cases and 114 deaths, the Eastern Cape with 14,721 cases and 268 deaths, and KwaZulu-Natal ...
Thuli Madonsela Expresses Lack of Interest in Public Office
News, South Africa

Thuli Madonsela Expresses Lack of Interest in Public Office

Erstwhile South African public protector, Thuli Madonsela has expressed a lack of interest to contest election for parliament. Speculations in the media had promoted Thuli Madonsela as a candidate for parliament. However, Madonsela has said she does not fancy the job at the moment. In a chat with Sunday Times after the order for parliament to amend the Electoral Act to pave way for independent citizens to run for general elections outside the party-political lists by Constitutional Court, in South Africa,  Madonsela posited the judgement would aid eradicate the arrogance of political office holders. Madonsela urged parliament to utilize the opportunity to implement the 17 years old recommendations of Van Zyl Slabbert commission report which had been ignored for ages. She is quo...
South Africa: Student Union Threatens to Close Schools Across SA Over Covid-19 Fears
Covid-19, Education, News, South Africa, Youths

South Africa: Student Union Threatens to Close Schools Across SA Over Covid-19 Fears

The Congress of South African Students (Cosas) have said the body will be “shutting down all schools over SA” from Monday. The union said in a statement, “We want to put it on record that we are not giving anyone an option but we are taking a radical approach, we will save the lives of innocent scholars by hook or crook.” Cosas said it would mobilise at a school in Cape Town where it believed a Covid-19 case had been reported, “from there we will move to any other school that is operating”.   This comes after recent reopening of schools in South Africa. Cosas is believed to be of the view that school reopening amid corona virus threat is undue.   Source: TimesLive