Rappler's latest stories on South Africa
South African manufacturing drops by half as lockdown bites
Manufacturing production in South Africa decreases by 49.4% in April 2020 compared with April 2019

South Africa deploys military medics to coronavirus hot spot
Authorities say East Cape was the first province in the country to request military assistance to help fight the coronavirus

South Africa economy contracts 2% in Q1 2020
Mining and manufacturing are the biggest drags on South Africa's overall economic activity in the 1st quarter of 2020

South Africa says economy to shrink 7.2%, deepest slump in 90 years
The South African economy could suffer its worst contraction in 90 years due to the coronavirus pandemic

South Africa's jobless rate tops 30% in Q1 2020
The number of unemployed reaches 7.1 million in South Africa, with the formal sector shedding the most jobs

South Africa to start Africa's 1st coronavirus vaccine pilot
South Africa is set to vaccinate 2,000 people with the vaccine known as ChAdOx1 nCoV-19

Virus booze ban causes headache for South African winemakers
Wine producers in the valleys of South Africa's Western Cape province are concerned the industry will struggle to bounce back from a liquor ban

South Africa's Ramaphosa slams surge in femicides as lockdown eases
South Africa is ranked among countries with one of the highest levels of intimate partner violence in the world

South Africa delays schools reopening due to lack of 'readiness'
Education Minister Angelina Motshekga apologizes for the inconvenience caused by the 'very late' decision, which was made on Saturday, May 30

British American Tobacco contests South African lockdown ban
British American Tobacco South Africa says a continued ban on legal cigarette sales threatens the sector and the livelihoods it supports

South African AIDS researcher wins 500,000-euro French prize
Quarraisha Abdool Karim is best known for a study that found that a gel of the anti-retroviral drug tenofovir is effective in reducing the risk of women catching HIV and genital herpes during sex

South Africa central bank cuts rates, sees GDP contracting 7%
As the coronavirus impact grows, the South African economy is now expected to decline by 7% in 2020

South African mines reconfigure to survive virus amid job loss fears
Mining is a critical cog in South Africa's already struggling economy. After more than a month of stalled operations, unions are worried about job losses.

South Africa reports 24-hour record of 1,160 new virus cases
Some health experts are beginning to see the limits of the country's lauded mass screening strategy, with results taking up to two weeks to come through

South Africa starts coronavirus trial of TB vaccine
Trials start in Cape Town, where BCG booster shots are administered to 250 healthcare workers, while another 250 receive a dummy formula, or placebo

South Africa to seek $4.2 billion in IMF, World Bank help
With the number of coronavirus cases at 3,953 including 75 deaths, South Africa is the worst affected country on the African continent

South Africans turn to home-brewed beer to beat virus alcohol ban
With no booze supply anywhere due to the coronavirus lockdown, South Africans are fermenting their own 'creamy, thick' brew at home, called 'umqombothi'

South Africa halts funding to cash-strapped national carrier
The South African government is now 'unable to provide additional funding' to South African Airways, which has failed to make a profit since 2011

South Africa in new interest rate cut, sees 6.1% GDP shrinkage
(UPDATED) South Africa now expects its gross domestic product to contract by 6.1% in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic

Moody's cuts South Africa's credit rating to junk
Moody's move 'could not have come at a worse time,' the South African government says, as it would 'further add to the prevailing financial market stress'

South Africa reports first 2 virus deaths as lockdown starts
President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered South Africa's 57 million people to stay at home for 21 days

South African virus carriers charged with attempted murder for not isolating
'It is exactly that stubborn behavior that has caused us a national lockdown,' the police say in a statement

South Africa's mining, tourism brace for virus buffeting
The novel coronavirus is expected to have a 'huge impact' on the already fragile South African economy

South African president cleared of graft accusations
Judges dismiss an investigation by Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane, who had accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of misleading parliament over his campaign financing

South Africa's novel coronavirus toll hits 3
Authorities say all 3 confirmed cases were in a group of 10 people who had traveled to Italy

South Africa reports 1st coronavirus case
It is the first case in southern Africa, and the latest confirmed case in sub-Saharan Africa after Nigeria and Senegal

South Africa slips into 2nd recession in 2 years
(UPDATED) South Africa remains dogged by high and rising debt, low growth, and soaring unemployment

Arrest warrant issued for South Africa ex-president Zuma
But the South African court says the execution of the warrant will be deferred until May 6 when the case is due to resume

Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters marries Tim Tebow
The couple marry in a ceremony in South Africa

A record 45 million people need urgent food aid in southern Africa – U.N.
'This hunger crisis is on a scale we’ve not seen before and the evidence shows it’s going to get worse,' World Food Programme regional director Lola Castro says

South Africa's Desmond Tutu hospitalized for 'infection'
'Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has been admitted to hospital for treatment of a stubborn infection,' says his his wife Leah Tutu in a statement

World's oldest captive white rhino dies in French zoo
Save the Rhino says around 20,000 southern white rhinos – Sana's tribe – are left in the world

South Africa dominates England to cop 2019 Rugby World Cup
In a stunning display of power and precision, South Africa captures its third rugby world crown after 12 years

Elon Musk says he is disconnecting from Twitter
Will Musk leave Twitter for Reddit?

Humanity's homeland found in ancient Botswana
While it has long been known anatomically modern humans originated in Africa, scientists have until now been unable to pinpoint the precise location of our species' birthplace

South Africa's Zuma to appeal against corruption trial
Jacob Zuma's last-minute appeal will delay the case over bribery allegations dating back to a 1990s arms deal. He dismisses the charges as a conspiracy.
South Africa ex-leader Zuma to face corruption trial
(UPDATED) High Court Judge Willie Seriti agrees with the prosecution that parts of Jacob Zuma's arguments to have the case thrown out are 'scandalous and or vexatious'

Nigeria, South Africa pledge to stop xenophobic attacks
The president of both countries agree to set up 'early warning systems' to prevent attacks on foreign nationals

7.2 million HIV-positive in South Africa, says study
South Africa has the largest number of HIV-positive people in the world, says The Lancet HIV Journal

Royal baby Archie meets South Africa's Archbishop Tutu
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan walk into the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation carrying a smiley Archie in blue dungarees

Harry and Meghan join South Africa's fight against gender violence
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex join campaigners in Cape Town fighting South Africa's stratospheric rates of violence against women on the first stage of a 10-day swing through southern Africa

1,500 flee homes in South Africa amid xenophobic violence – U.N.
South Africa, the continent's second largest economy, is a major destination for other African migrants. But they are often targeted by some locals who blame them for a lack of jobs.
Filipino poet featured in South African literary festival
Award-winning poet Jim Pascual Agustin read some of his works at Poetry in McGregor, now on its 7th edition

Tensions ease in South Africa-Nigeria xenophobia row
An aide of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari says, 'we will work with South Africa to find solutions to their problems which have become our own problem. We will work as brothers'

IN PHOTOS: Catriona Gray tours South Africa
Cat explores South Africa's wonders

Pinoy math wizards win 35 awards in South Africa contest
PRESS RELEASE: The Philippine team wins a total of 35 awards at the 2019 South Africa International Mathematics Competition

South Africa's Zuma bats away graft inquiry questions
Zuma confirms meeting the Gupta brothers to discuss the 'New Age,' the newspaper that he had encouraged them to set up in 2010, but denies knowing about alleged harassment of civil servants by Gupta executives

South Africa's Zuma tells graft probe he's a victim of conspiracy
Jacob Zuma is accused of overseeing mass looting of state assets during his 9-year tenure before being ousted by the ruling ANC party in 2018 and replaced by his deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa

Cyril Ramaphosa sworn in as president of South Africa
Foreign heads of state from more than 40 countries are among 36,000 people who witnessed the event replete with pomp, military honors and an air force flyover at a rugby stadium in Pretoria

South African parliament reelects Ramaphosa as president
(UPDATED) Ramaphosa will be sworn in on Saturday, May 25, and is expected to name a deputy president and cabinet at the weekend
