AFRICA

South Africa has breached the one million mark of COVID-19 cases in South Africa, after 9 502 cases were reported on Sunday, bringing the cumulative total to 1 004 413 cases. A total of 214 COVID-19 related deaths were reported, with 123 in the Eastern Cape, 17 in Gauteng, 13 …

Three loggers have been found dead and at least 40 more feared abducted by Boko Haram fighters in northeastern Nigeria. Sources and residents told AFP news agency on Saturday that the loggers were rounded up by the fighters on Thursday in Wulgo forest near the town of Gamboru where they …

Journalists in Sierra Leone have heaved a collective sigh of relief following the repeal – after a gruelling 55-year struggle – of a law which had been weaponised by authorities to curtail press freedom. On October 28, President Julius Maada Bio signed a decree revising the country’s 1965 Public Order …

Niger’s capital Niamey was calm as the country counted down hours to Sunday’s vote. On Saturday, the country’s electoral commission prepared materials to be used in the presidential and parliamentary elections. More than 7 million people are eligible to vote. Campaigning for the more than a dozen presidential candidates closed …

Two people have died and two others were seriously injured when two vehicles collided on the R28 in Westonaria, Gauteng. ER24 spokesperson Ineke van Huyssteen said the incident took place on Friday. Van Huyssteen said when ER24 paramedics arrived at the scene shortly after 23:00, provincial EMS were already in …

Another new variant of the new coronavirus seems to have emerged in Nigeria, the head of Africa’s disease control body has said, cautioning more investigation was needed. The discovery could add to new alarm in the pandemic after similar variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that appear to be more contagious …

Limpopo police are investigating a case of murder after the body of a man was found floating in the Nwanedzi river on Christmas morning. In a statement, police said they were called out to the scene by community members in the early hours of Friday. “The police in Letsitele were …

A boat accident on Lake Albert on the border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo has left at least 26 people dead. A “strong wind” caused the vessel to go under water, a local official told AFP news agency. Dozens of people were on board and at least …

Several people are dead in northeast Nigeria after Boko Haram militants raided a mostly Christian village and burnt down a church on Christmas Eve. Local sources said at least 11 people had been killed, according to AFP news. Fighters rode into Pemi, in Borno state, on trucks and motorbikes shooting …

Five people have died in what has been described as the worst congestion in the history of the Beitbridge border post. Queues of trucks and other vehicles are reaching 20km  in both directions at the Musina, Limpopo, border crossing — and truck drivers are taking up to nine days to …