Latest South Africa News

South Africa's main opposition party rallies support as it concludes election campaign

May. 27, 2024 03:51 AM EDT

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa's main opposition party Democratic Alliance on Sunday made its final appeal to voters to help it unseat the ruling African National Congress as it concluded its campaign ahead of elections this week. The Democratic Alliance is the biggest opposition...

South Africa's election might be a defining moment — with new complications. Here's what to know

May. 27, 2024 01:02 AM EDT

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South Africa's election will determine how weary the country has become of the ruling African National Congress party, which has been in power since the end of the apartheid system of white minority rule 30 years ago. President Cyril Ramaphosa and the...

South Africa's election could bring the biggest political shift since it became a democracy in 1994

May. 27, 2024 01:02 AM EDT

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South Africans will vote Wednesday to decide whether their country will take its most significant political step since the moment 30 years ago when it brought down apartheid and achieved democracy. This national election will not be as momentous as...

South Africa's 4 big political parties begin final weekend of campaigning ahead of election

May. 25, 2024 15:58 PM EDT

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa's four main political parties began the final weekend of campaigning Saturday before a possibly pivotal election that could bring the country's most important change in three decades. Supporters of the African National Congress, which has been in...

It's possible no party will get a majority in South Africa's election. Here's what that would mean

May. 25, 2024 02:42 AM EDT

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — The focus for South Africa's national election next week is on the fate of the African National Congress party and whether it is going to lose its parliamentary majority for the first time, as many expect. Several polls put the ANC's support below 50%...

Top UN court orders Israel to halt military offensive in Rafah, though Israel is unlikely to comply

May. 24, 2024 15:11 PM EDT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The United Nations' top court ordered Israel on Friday to immediately halt its military offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, but stopped short of ordering a cease-fire for the enclave. Although Israel is unlikely to comply with the order, it will ratchet up...

Sydney judge says US ex-fighter pilot accused of training Chinese aviators can be extradited to US

May. 24, 2024 10:58 AM EDT

SYDNEY (AP) — A Sydney judge on Friday ruled that former U.S. Marine Corps pilot Daniel Duggan can be extradited to the United States on allegations that he illegally trained Chinese aviators, leaving the attorney-general as Duggan’s last hope of remaining in Australia. ...

As South Africa election nears, one candidate ditches political parties to go it alone

May. 24, 2024 09:19 AM EDT

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — An outspoken former activist and member of South Africa's ruling African National Congress will be among at least 10 independent candidates seeking to become lawmakers for the first time in the country's history. South Africa is allowing independent candidates...

Former South African President Jacob Zuma criticizes top court over election disqualification

May. 23, 2024 15:09 PM EDT

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Former South African President Jacob Zuma on Thursday criticized the country's highest court and his former allies in the ruling African National Congress over his disqualification from next week's election and said he would fight for his rights “in a disciplined...

In South Africa, a community struggling for clean water reflects wider discontent ahead of election

May. 23, 2024 14:58 PM EDT

HAMMANSKRAAL, South Africa (AP) — On days when a municipal truck comes to Hammanskraal to deliver drinking water, a queue of South Africans starts forming early in the morning to fill their buckets. This is not a distant, rural community, but a township on the edge of the...