Displaying items by tag: South Africa

A pivotal high court hearing in March could determine the fate of the critically endangered African penguin. Conservationists have filed a legal challenge against the South African government and the commercial pelagic fishing industry over former environment minister Barbara Creecy’s decision to extend island fishing closures for ten years. The case, set for 18-20 March, will address constitutional rights, scientific research, and international conservation law. The dispute centers on whether competition for fish stocks, particularly sardines and anchovies, is a key factor in the penguin's decline. A panel of international experts suggested using a scientific method for determining island closures which would be of maximum conservation benefit to the penguins and the smallest cost to commercial fisheries. Instead, Creecy extended existing closures without adopting new recommendations. With the African penguin’s status recently changed from ‘endangered’ to ‘critically endangered’, the court's ruling carries profound implications for its survival.

Donald Trump has threatened to cut all US funding to South Africa over unproven claims that the government is seizing land from white landowners. Cyril Ramaphosa has moved swiftly to deny these claims categorically. The controversy stems from South Africa’s new Expropriation Act, which allows land redistribution in the public interest but does not permit arbitrary seizures. Legal experts argue the law is a constitutional mechanism to correct racial disparities from apartheid, not a tool for mass expropriation. Trump’s claims may have been fuelled by AfriForum, a right-wing South African lobby group which has long pushed the narrative of land grabs and a so-called ‘white genocide’, despite researchers debunking these assertions. Meanwhile, South African officials warn that retaliatory measures, including restricting mineral exports to the USA, could follow if Trump enforces funding cuts.

A rescue operation is under way at a gold mine which has been under police siege since Aug as part of a government initiative targeting illegal mining, an industry valued at 60 billion rand a year. The siege, which included cutting off food and water, drew criticism from human rights organisations. In December a court ruled that volunteers could send down supplies to the trapped men, and recently ordered the state to launch a rescue operation. Rescuers, using metal cages to recover people from depths of over 2,000 metres, have now recovered 78 bodies and 216 survivors, who face charges of illegal mining, trespassing, and immigration violations.  Miners' rights groups report that hundreds more survivors and dozens of bodies remain underground.

The authorities have arrested fourteen individuals, including a wounded teenage boy, after they emerged from an illegal gold mine in Stilfontein, where hundreds of miners remain trapped underground. The miners, called zama zamas, search abandoned mines for gold, often risking arrest, deportation, or violence. Operating in over six thousand defunct mines, they endure dangerous conditions, relying on contractors for food and supplies. This underground economy is dominated by criminal syndicates which exploit the miners, sometimes forcing them to work under threat. Efforts to remove the miners include blocking shafts and restricting supplies. Officials estimate 350-400 miners remain underground, but some reports put the number at as much as four thousand. The government is looking at ways of getting the miners out, but fears of  poisonous gases and armed syndicates are complicating rescue plans.

Cyril Ramaphosa has commenced his second full term as president, after his party formed a coalition government. In his inauguration speech, Ramaphosa highlighted the necessity for leaders to work together to address deep inequalities, warning that failure to do so could destabilise the nation. The ANC, governing since apartheid ended in 1994, lost its majority for the first time, securing only 40% of the vote and losing 70 seats. The Democratic Alliance (DA), which received 22%, and three smaller parties joined the coalition, having agreed a common agenda of fixing the country’s infrastructure, providing basic services such as water and power, and creating jobs. Ramaphosa has said that the country’s society remains deeply unequal and highly polarised, so he knows that there are some huge challenges ahead.

As predicted before the elections, the African National Congress (ANC) has lost its parliamentary majority, securing only 40% of the vote. To govern, it needs a coalition partner or might attempt a minority government. It could partner with the Democratic Alliance (DA), which won 22% but is widely seen as aiming to protect white minority privileges. Alternatively, it could align with Jacob Zuma's uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), which surprised many by gaining 15% of the vote, or Julius Malema's Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF); a third alternative is a government of national unity. Cyril Ramaphosa insists any coalition must respect the current constitution: the ANC, EFF, and MK combined still fall short of the two-thirds majority needed for constitutional changes. The decision about what to do will have a major impact on South Africa, which faces major security and economic challenges.

For years, the African National Congress (ANC) stood as a beacon of hope in South Africa, dedicated to ending white minority rule and championing democracy and equality. Revered under Nelson Mandela, the ANC's transformation from a liberation movement to a ruling political party brought high expectations. However, thirty years later, many South Africans feel disillusioned, believing it has failed to fulfil its promises. Former president Jacob Zuma, ousted in 2017 due to corruption allegations, has returned with a new party, uMkhonto weSizwe, criticising his successor Cyril Ramaphosa, but his disqualification from a parliamentary run due to a criminal conviction has heightened political tensions. The 29 May elections see the ANC struggling to maintain its majority and possibly facing having to form a coalition government - which would mark the most significant political shift since the end of apartheid in 1994.

Cyril Ramaphosa has signed the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act into law, aiming to provide universal health coverage and address the country's two-tier health system. The law seeks to balance a publicly funded sector, which serves 84% of the population and is overburdened, with private insurance access enjoyed by a minority. He hailed the law as a major step towards equality, rejecting the continuation of privileges for a few. The act will gradually reduce the role of private insurance, establish a public fund for free healthcare access, and regulate fees and prices for NHI-funded benefits. Critics argue the law will strain public finances, reduce patient choice, lower care quality, and drive doctors out of the country. Opponents, including the Democratic Alliance and civil society group AfriForum, plan to challenge it in court, claiming it is a vote-seeking ploy before the highly contested May 29 elections. The Health Funders Association noted the law’s gradual implementation, assuring no immediate changes to medical scheme benefits, contributions, or taxes. Supporters, like the NEHAWU labour union, urge full political support to ensure proper funding for the NHI.

Rescuers are urgently searching for 42 individuals missing after a five-storey apartment building collapsed on 6 May. 33 people have been rescued from the debris, with seven confirmed fatalities. The building was under construction when it collapsed, prompting an ongoing investigation into the cause. Most of the 75 workers originally at the site are still unaccounted for. The rescue operation, which involves lifting collapsed floors, is expected to last up to five days. President Cyril Ramaphosa, expressing sympathy for the families, has called for the investigation to ‘bring closure to the community and prevent a repeat of this disaster’. Over 200 rescuers, including sniffer dogs and heavy equipment, are continuing to search through the now-flattened site.

The USA may need to reassess its relationships with African nations as it faces a potential shortage of critical minerals essential for weapon manufacturing. This comes as it and its allies provide arms to conflict zones like Ukraine and Israel. In both cases, these include advanced missile systems which rely on critical minerals found in Africa. These include cobalt, sourced from the Democratic Republic of Congo, antimony from South Africa, and graphite (found in many countries). A study group has warned that a shortage of these minerals could hinder military capability and national security, impacting the arms race with China. In its policy towards Africa, the US has shown renewed interest in the DRC and Zambia through the rebuilding of the Lobito Corridor, a rail and road network which will link the two countries to Angola and straight to the Atlantic Ocean.