South Africa - The African Mirror

Sep

2023

South Africa to host US-Africa trade summit despite Russia spat

SOUTH Africa will host a U.S.-Africa trade summit in November despite an earlier call by U.S. lawmakers for the event to be moved over what they said was the country's deepening military relationship with Russia. South Africa's economic hub, Johannesburg, will host the U.S.-sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum from Nov. 2 to 4, U.S. and South African officials said in a joint statement on Wednesday. The meeting will discuss the future of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), Washington's flagship trade programme for the continent, which grants tariff-free access to the U.S. market and is due to…

Jul

2023

By The African Mirror

Ethiopia wants to join the BRICS group of nations: an expert unpacks the pros and cons

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

A few years ago, the BRICS grouping – Brazil, Russia, China, India and South Africa – had lost salience because three of its members were in severe economic difficulty. Brazil, Russia and South Africa are primarily natural resource exporters and were badly affected by the global commodity price bust of 2014. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has now given BRICS a new geopolitical salience as the members and their respective allies respond to events. PADRAIG CARMODY, Professor in Geography, Trinity College Dublin In the emerging world order, there is also now increased demand to join BRICS, in part as a countervailing…

Jul

2023

By BIRD STORY AGENCY

The rise of Nigerian rugby

SPORT

AFTER a long absence from serious regional or international rugby - dominated in Africa by South Africa, Kenya, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Madagascar and Tunisia - Nigeria has startled stalwarts in the African rugby scene by making it into a qualifying tournament for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. A recent surge in performance indicates a promising future for the sport in Africa's most populous nation, with the Black Stallions just one tournament away from securing a spot in the 2024 Olympics. The team's talent, determination - and a new coach in Steve Lewis - were all on display at the Mauritius…

Jul

2023

By LUCY GITHUGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

State of the news: Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa push African countries high up the media trust ladder, TikTok advancing rapidly

MEDIA FREEDOM

ACCORDING to the recently released Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2023, Kenya has the second-highest level of trust in the news of all countries included in the global report. At 63%, Kenyans' trust in the news is remarkably high, surpassed only by Finland (at 69%). Kenyan commercial TV outlets are that country's most trusted news sources, alongside the Daily Nation newspaper and its associated website, according to the report. Portugal ranked third with a score of 58%, while Nigeria and South Africa tied for fourth place with 57% each, according to the twelfth edition of the report, published by the…

Jul

2023

By ANAIT MIRIDZHANIAN and OLIVIA KUMWENDA-MTAMBO

Boksburg gas leak kills 17 as South Africa probes mooted illegal mining link

NEWS

THE death toll from a leak of poisonous gas in a South African shantytown rose to 17, as officials suggested the accident was probably linked to an illegal mining operation. Gauteng Province Premier Panyaza Lesufi said investigations were underway to determine how the cylinder in which the gas was stored sprung a leak overnight, and what type of gas was involved. On Thursday he visited the site of the disaster near Boksburg, east of Johannesburg. In December, a gas tanker explosion in the same township killed dozens and destroyed houses and vehicles. Initial investigations indicated the leak could be linked to illegal…

Jul

2023

By MARK GLEESON

Africa have more teams but not increased hopes at World Cup

FOOTBALL

MORE African teams at an expanded Women’s World Cup finals in Australia and New Zealand this year might mean more chance of improved results for the vast continent, but realistically they may be lucky to do much more than get past the first round. There will be four African countries in the 32-team field, up from three in the last two editions. But Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia are not expected to make anything like the impact that Morocco did at the men’s tournament in Qatar last year when they became the first African side to reach the semi-finals.…

Jul

2023

By The African Mirror

South Africa nearing end of daily power cuts, minister says

NEWS

SOUTH Africa's electricity minister said the country was closer to ending daily power cuts as warmer weather returns towards the end of the year, but declined to give a specific date. South Africa is on course to see its most blackout days in history this year with daily power cuts extending to almost 10 hours a day, affecting businesses and households in an economy already hobbled by high interest rates and inflation. The power cuts, called load-shedding locally, is expected to shave off 2 percentage points from GDP this year, the central bank said last month. Blackouts have eased in…

Jul

2023

By The African Mirror

Ethiopia asks to join BRICS bloc of emerging economies

BUSINESS

ETHIOPIA, one of Africa's fastest-growing economies, has asked to join the BRICS bloc of emerging markets, the foreign ministry said. The term BRIC was coined by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill in 2001 to describe the rise of Brazil, Russia, India and China. The BRIC powers had their first summit in 2009 in Russia. South Africa joined in 2010. "We expect BRICS will give us a positive response to the request we have made," foreign ministry spokesman Meles Alem told journalists, according to the state-run news agency ENA. Ethiopia will continue to work with international institutions that can protect its…

Jun

2023

By The African Mirror

South Africa wins gold and silver medals at the Special Olympics World Games

SPECIAL OLYMPICS

SOUTH Africa has had a dream start to the Special Olympics World Games, winning four gold, two silver and four bronze medals in Berlin. Two athletes from the North West Kamogelo Moncho and Goitsemodimo Mosepele, were the first to win gold medals. Moncho came first in the 5000m race and Mosepele defeated all competition in the 25m Freestyle swimming event. Moncho won his second medal, achieving a bronze medal in the 1500m finals. Two South African swimming stars, both from KwaZulu-Natal, won gold in their respective events. Cornelia Fowler won gold in the Open Water event and Melokuhle Dube blasted…

Jun

2023

By CONRAD ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Investors train eyes on African youth with gaming campuses

NEWS

IN early June, Maliyo, a game studio in Nigeria began training its pioneer class of 27 participants, drawn from the West African country as well as Kenya, Cameroon and South Africa, while this July, Microsoft is scheduled to run a 2-day virtual gaming camp that will take place across four African cities: Cairo, Lagos, Nairobi, and Johannesburg. Also lining up in a growing list of gaming academies and short-term learning experience camps springing up on the continent is ‘Level up Africa’ with a planned student intake in early 2024. Organisers of all these virtual and onsite programs -lasting from two…