JOHANNESBURG: At least 17 young people were found dead at a nightclub in a township in South Africa’s southern city of East London on Sunday, police said. “We got a report about 17 (people) that died in a local tavern in Scenery Park which is based in East London,” a provincial police chief brigadier Thembinkosi […]
SAFRICA
Sporadic violence hits KwaZulu-Natal and Johannesburg
Sporadic violence has erupted in South Africa with dozens arrested after looting in KwaZulu-Natal, where ex-president Jacob Zuma is in jail, and in the economic capital Johannesburg. Police said in a statement Sunday they had arrested 37 people in the Eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal and 25 in Johannesburg over the previous two days. In KwaZulu-Natal, […]
World Bank boosts Covid-19 vaccine funding
The World Bank announced Wednesday it has increased its Covid-19 vaccine fund for developing countries by $8 billion to $20 billion. In addition, the bank’s private financing arm secured a 600 million euro ($710 million) package for a South African vaccine manufacturer to ramp up production, the institution announced. “Together the actions announced today on […]
South Africa’s Zuma gets 15-month jail term for defying court
In a historic ruling, South Africa’s top court on Tuesday handed the country’s former president, Jacob Zuma, a 15-month jail term for “egregious” contempt of court after he refused to appear before graft investigators. Zuma was told to turn himself in within five days, failing which police will be ordered to arrest him and take […]
South Africa tops 60,000 coronavirus deaths
South Africa, the worst virus-hit country in the continent, on Monday crossed the threshold of 60,000 coronavirus deaths, health officials announced, a day after a stricter lockdown was enforced. “A further 138 covid-19 related deaths have been reported, bringing total fatalities to 60,038 to date,” the National Institute for Communicable Diseases tweeted on Monday. At least […]