All articles tagged with #south africa
Africa’s sole nuclear power station, Koeberg near Cape Town, cut one unit’s output by 50% after dead sardines clogged its seawater intake, Eskom said, highlighting vulnerability of cooling systems in energy infrastructure.
Former world boxing champion Zolani Tete was shot and killed in his car outside his Mdantsane home in the Eastern Cape, with a 27-year-old woman injured. Tete, who held WBF flyweight and WBO bantamweight titles, had been attempting a comeback after a 2017 doping suspension. Police said two masked suspects ambushed them as they waited for the gate to open.
Scientists warn that the polyphagous shot-hole borer, a tiny beetle native to Southeast Asia, is spreading across every continent except Antarctica and carries a fungus that causes fusarium dieback, killing trees and threatening habitats. In South Africa it has already invaded most provinces, and economists estimate potential costs around 275 billion rand (about $18.5 billion) over the next decade due to tree removals and related damage. Eradication is unlikely, so containment relies on public prevention, costly removals, and exploration of biological controls, with climate change potentially accelerating future spread.
BBC exclusive: Prosecution documents allege South Africa’s special forces murdered detective Lt Col Frans Mathipa in August 2023, linking a vehicle that tailed him to a front company for the forces and placing Maj Sunnybooi Wambi at the scene; the same unit is accused in the disappearance of Ethiopian-Israeli Abadigga, with his body still missing; twelve military personnel have been arrested, six had bail revoked, and three, including Wambi, are charged with both Mathipa’s murder and Abadigga’s abduction; a warning to Hawks was reportedly issued after Mathipa’s death; no trial date has been set, prompting concerns about military overreach.
Oprah Winfrey says the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls near Johannesburg will close at the end of the 2027 academic year, with the campus handed back to Gauteng authorities and remaining students offered full scholarships elsewhere. Since opening in 2007, more than 1,000 graduates have passed through the school; the foundation plans to continue education work via scholarships. The project has faced scrutiny over spending and past abuse allegations, but officials say mismanagement was not proven, and the Gauteng education department vows to preserve the academy's legacy.
Oprah Winfrey will close the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa after the 2027 school year; the campus will be handed back to the Gauteng Department of Education, current students will finish their studies with ongoing financial support, and a new scholarship program will double access to education for more girls while remaining students transfer to other top-tier schools with fully funded tuition through graduation.
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has secured a court-ordered pause on Parliament’s impeachment inquiry into the Farmgate cash scandal, halting proceedings while he challenges the panel’s findings in a separate review. The ruling, following a Constitutional Court decision that Parliament erred in shelving the report, buys Ramaphosa time ahead of a September hearing as coalition politics shape the probe.
Journalists document a surge in xenophobic activism in South Africa, where self-styled patriots in Johannesburg enforce their anti-immigrant views by demanding IDs at public spaces like clinics and turning away foreigners, revealing how vigilante actions are shaping public life amid rising immigration.
Amazon Leo will power evry, a new satellite-internet service from South Africa’s largest fixed ISP Herotel, launching commercially in 2027 to connect rural homes and small businesses beyond fiber and fixed wireless. The service uses low-Earth-orbit satellites for low latency, and Herotel’s existing fiber/fixed wireless network will support evry from day one across hundreds of towns. This marks Africa’s first Amazon Leo partnership of its kind, with further expansion planned alongside partners like Vanu to close rural connectivity gaps and unlock potential economic benefits.
South Africa World Cup midfielder Jayden Adams, 25, was found dead at a Cape Town property, prompting a police investigation and an autopsy; Adams had featured for SA in the World Cup group stage and tributes poured in as authorities investigate the circumstances.
A clip of a South African couple arguing in the World Cup stands during a Monterrey match against South Korea went viral as viewers accused the man of being distracted by his phone, dancing, and even sharing food with another woman, while his partner looked upset. The moment sparked memes and jokes about filing for divorce, with many speculating about what happened but no official explanation, and the camera’s prolonged focus drawing further commentary.
Cape Town police have opened an investigation into the death of Jayden Adams, a 25-year-old South Africa national team midfielder whose body was found at a Cape Town home after returning from the World Cup in North America. The cause of death has not been released. Adams played in two World Cup matches; his death was confirmed by the South African Football Players Union, and his family has spoken of their heartbreak. A moment of silence was observed before a quarterfinal match between England and Norway in his memory.
Cape Town police say they are investigating the death of 25-year-old South Africa World Cup player Jayden Adams after his body was found at a local property; autopsy results are pending and no cause of death has been released, with authorities opening an inquest as the family awaits more details.
South Africa is mourning Jayden Adams, a 25-year-old midfielder who played for South Africa in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He died on July 11, 2026, with the cause of death under investigation. Adams had appeared in all three group games, helping South Africa reach the knockout rounds, before his passing; tributes came from the sports minister and the South African Football Players Union.
South Africa midfielder Jayden Adams, 25, died after appearing in three FIFA World Cup 2026 matches; SAFPU confirmed the death with no official cause released. Adams had helped Mamelodi Sundowns win the CAF Champions League and started two of his World Cup games, including the Czech Republic draw shortly after his grandmother’s death.