Tag: South Africa - Page 2 - African News Today

South African Pastor Found Guilty Of Treason, Racist Plot

7Jun

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Crime, Judiciary, News, Religion, South Africa

South African Pastor Found Guilty Of Treason, Racist Plot

A South African court has convicted a pastor of plotting to overthrow the government and to kill thousands of Black people in the country. Harry Johannes Knoesen, 61, a leader of the National Christian Resistance Movement, was on Monday found guilty of high treason, incitement to carry out violent attacks, and recruiting people to commit attacks. Knoesen’s group explored the possibility of using a biological weapon to infect and kill Black people, including the poisoning of water reservoirs supplying Black communities, according to the prosecution. Knoesen was also found guilty of unlawful possession of firearms by the Middelburg High Court. Weapons and ammunition were found when he was arrested in Middelburg, a small town in the eastern Mpumalanga province. The plot by th...

Ramaphosa: I Have Never Stolen Money From Anywhere

6Jun

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Corruption, Crime, News, South Africa

Ramaphosa: I Have Never Stolen Money From Anywhere

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has made a robust defence of his integrity after he was accused of being involved in kidnapping and bribery. Last week, former spy chief Arthur Fraser said the case related to the alleged attempted theft of $4m (£3.2m) in 2020 at one of the president's properties and the alleged efforts to conceal what happened. The president then confirmed that there was a robbery at his farm in Limpopo "in which proceeds from the sale of game were stolen". But then questions were raised as to why he had that sum in cash. Talking to supporters at the weekend, Mr Ramaphosa explained that as a farmer he frequently bought and sold cattle and people often paid in cash. In addition, he denied that the amount stolen was anywhere near $4m. Read Also:...

South African Police Decry Increased Crime Rate

4Jun

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Crime, News, Security, South Africa, Violence

South African Police Decry Increased Crime Rate

South Africa's police minister on Friday decried a "brutal" surge in murders and other violent crime, in a nation that was already among the world's most dangerous. "The first three months of this year were violent, brutal and unsafe for many South Africans," Bheki Cele told a news conference. Between January and March, 6,083 people were killed - a 22.2 percent increase from the same period last year. The killings took an especially alarming toll among children, leaving 306 dead, a 37.2 percent increase, he said. Read Also: Zimbabwean Killed as Protest Rocks South Africa Reported sexual offenses rose by 13.7 percent, with 10,818 people raped. Kidnappings showed the sharpest increase, with 3,306 cases reported -- more than double the number from a year ago. "The qu...

Hundreds Evacuated Amid Renewed Flooding In South Africa

23May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Environment, News, South Africa

Hundreds Evacuated Amid Renewed Flooding In South Africa

Hundreds of residents have been evacuated in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province amid a high alert over renewed flooding. The province experienced deadly floods last month and still restoring damaged infrastructure and making plans to re-home people displaced after flooding last month, which was among the worst to have affected KwaZulu-Natal province in its recorded history. April's floods killed 448, with 88 still missing, left more than 6,800 homeless and damaged more than 25 billion rand ($1.58 billion) of infrastructure. Read Also: Climate Change Behind South Africa’s Devastating Floods Heavy rains have been pounding this weekend and the local administration is on high alert to prevent any loss of life. Local mayor Mxolisi Kaunda says no comprehensive report has b...

White Student Filmed Urinating On Black Student’s Property In South Africa

17May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

African Development, Human Rights, News, South Africa

White Student Filmed Urinating On Black Student’s Property In South Africa

A white student in South Africa has been suspended from university after he was accused of urinating on the property of a black student at Stellenbosch University, the institution confirmed. The university has said the incident will be investigated and further action including expulsion and criminal charges may be taken, depending on the outcome of the investigation. Scores of students protested at Stellenbosch University on Monday demanding swift action against the first-year student. The university – like many on social media who have seen the widely circulated video – has said the incident appears to have been racially motivated. Read Also: Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta Condemns Racism, Says No Community is Superior In a statement, Stellenbosch University spokesper...

Climate Change Behind South Africa’s Devastating Floods

14May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Environment, News, South Africa

Climate Change Behind South Africa’s Devastating Floods

A report by the World Weather Attribution (WWA), an international group of climate scientists, released on Friday has found that climate change led to increased rainfall that caused devastating flooding in South Africa last month. It's one of the first reports on the devastating floods that hit KwaZulu-Natal in April – described as the worst in 60 years. The floods left more than 430 people dead, tens of thousands displaced and millions of dollars’ worth of damage. A team of scientists from South Africa, Europe and the US collaborated on a study to see what role climate change played in the recent floods and what lessons can be learned. The flooding occurred as a direct consequence of two days of extreme rainfall in the region, at unexpected levels. The WWA report says man...

Rihanna To Launch Fenty Beauty Products In Africa

11May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Fashion, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, News, Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe

Rihanna To Launch Fenty Beauty Products In Africa

Rihanna has announced that her Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin products will become available in eight African countries from the end of this month. In a social media post, the pop star said she had "been waiting for this moment" and that this was "just the beginning". The beauty products will be available in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Read Also: Dancer Korra Obidi Clear Air On Husband’s Divorce Announcement Rihanna, whose full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, launched Fenty Beauty in 2017 in a partnership with luxury goods company LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton). She is worth $1.7bn (£1.2bn), with an estimated $1.4bn coming from the value of Fenty Beauty. The company reportedly made $100m (£72m) in its first 40 days. I...

‘Facebook Rapist’ Found Dead In South African Prison

4May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Crime, News, South Africa

‘Facebook Rapist’ Found Dead In South African Prison

State Maximum Security Jail South African convict Thabo Bester, also known as “the Facebook Rapist” for using the social networking site to lure his victims has been found dead in his prison cell. The convicted rapist and murderer died on Tuesday May 3, according to Correctional Services Department spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo. According to Singabakho Nxumalo, Bester’s body was discovered with burn wounds in his cell in the early hours of Tuesday. “We have confirmed the untimely passing of an inmate by the name of Thabo Bester at Mangaung Correctional Centre in Bloemfontein. This inmate was doing life imprisonment. He was discovered in his cell at about 3:35 on Tuesday morning. He suffered serious burn wounds,” Nxumalo told Newzroom Afrika on Tuesday evening...

Buhari, Obasanjo Mourn As Anti-Apartheid Icon Tutu Dies At 90

27Dec

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Religion, South Africa

Buhari, Obasanjo Mourn As Anti-Apartheid Icon Tutu Dies At 90

The President, Muhammadu Buhari, on Sunday, condoled with his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, and South Africans on the demise of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The South African anti-apartheid icon died on Sunday at the age of 90, a statement by the Minister in the Presidency of South Africa, Mondli Gungubele, said. Buhari, according to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, described him as a global citizen and renowned world leader. He noted that the historic role Tutu played in the fight against apartheid, enduring physical assaults, jail terms and prolonged exile took him beyond the pulpit to global, political relevance, and his position, under President Nelson Mandela, in heading the Tr...

Jacob Zuma Turns Himself In To Police To Begin 15-month Sentence

8Jul

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Judiciary, News, South Africa

Jacob Zuma Turns Himself In To Police To Begin 15-month Sentence

Former president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma has handed himself over to authorities to commence serving a 15-month sentence he bagged for contempt of court, his foundation has disclosed. Recall that the Constitution Court had in a historic judgement last week sentenced the country’s former leader to a 15-month term for ignoring anti-graft investigators. Earlier on Wednesday, Police had warned they were prepared to arrest Zuma by midnight deadline to enforce the ruling unless the top court instructed otherwise, AFP reports. But Zuma decided to make his way to an unnamed prison in his home province of Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN). “Please be advised that (ex) President Zuma has decided to comply with the incarceration order,” the foundation tweeted. “He is on his way to hand himself i...