South Africa
South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of the African continent, bordered by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Eswatini, with Lesotho as an enclave within its territory. The capital cities are Pretoria (executive), Cape Town (legislative) and Bloemfontein (judicial). With a population of about 60-million people, South Africa has the most industrialised and diversified economy on the continent, historically built on mining—particularly gold, platinum and diamonds—but also encompassing manufacturing, finance, agriculture and services. The country's currency is the rand. South Africa operates as a parliamentary republic with a president serving as both head of state and head of government. It is a member of the Southern African Development Community, the African Union, BRICS Plus and the Commonwealth. The economy is characterised by significant infrastructure, including extensive rail and port networks, but faces challenges including high unemployment, inequality and intermittent electricity supply constraints. Key exports include minerals, metals, vehicles and machinery. Since the end of apartheid in 1994, South Africa has pursued economic liberalisation and regional integration whilst grappling with the legacy of racial segregation and uneven development.
South Africa Updates
Reappointed Nyati links Eskom unbundling to board’s new top priority of electricity affordability 
By: Terence Creamer Updated 1 hour 8 minutes ago Eskom chairperson Dr Mteto Nyati, whose term has been extended by a further three years, says the board’s top priority has shifted from... →
Eskom board chair reappointed after turnaround in power supply
By: Reuters Updated 2 hours 57 minutes ago South Africa's government has reappointed State utility Eskom's board chairperson Mteto Nyati, for another three years after a sharp improvement in... →
South Africans and migrants: study tracks the barriers to being good neighbours
Updated 3 hours ago South Africa has made strides in integrating immigrants into local communities. The country is home to an estimated 2.4-million to 3.1-million... →
South Africa’s minibus taxi industry has lessons for policymakers on how informal systems work
Updated 3 hours ago Two recent books draw on more than a decade of research into South Africa’s minibus taxi industry. A Fork in the Road? The Formalisation of South... →
SA local elections will test voters’ ability to spot fake news
By: ISS, Institute for Security Studies Updated 3 hours ago Public confidence in identifying disinformation is falling just as AI and hyper-local campaigning make election manipulation harder to detect.... →
What South Africa’s major parties are promising voters in the 2026 local elections
By: Africa Check Updated 3 hours ago South Africans vote in local government elections on 4 November 2026. From water and electricity to refuse collection and roads, local government... →
Puppet Master: The secrets of Markus Jooste and the Steinhoff crash
Updated 4 hours ago When Markus Jooste died in 2024, he took many of Steinhoff’s secrets with him. But not all of them. The collapse of Steinhoff wiped more than... →
Access to justice is part of South Africa’s living heritage
Updated 5 hours ago As South Africa commemorates Heritage Month under the theme "Celebrating Our Living Heritage: Strengthening the Ties That Bind Us", we are reminded... →
Burning platform
By: Terence Creamer 25th September 2026 Prior to the stabilisation of Eskom’s operational performance, the issue of loadshedding was undoubtedly South Africa’s ‘burning platform’. Besides... →
Msimanga confident court will fast-crack DA challenge against ActionSA, EFF, MKP, GOOD party
By: Thabi Shomolekae 23rd September 2026 DA federal chairperson Solly Msimanga expressed confidence on Wednesday that the party’s electoral case will receive an urgent hearing to avoid... →
