More than 12 million people in Burkino Faso will be the first to receive a new meningitis vaccine as part of an Africa-wide immunization plan, the World Health Organisation said on Monday.

The farewell supper at a church in this city’s northern suburbs had just begun when two men burst upon the small gathering of parishioners. They demanded jewelry, cellphones, cash and car keys from the pastor and his dinner guests. After...

A couple on a whale-watching trip off Cape Town, South Africa, say they had a lucky escape when a 10m (33ft) specimen leapt on to their yacht. The southern right whale, a species known for poor eyesight, snapped the mast before sliding back into the...

An international undertaking to prevent the trade in diamonds that fuel conflict ended in a stalemate Thursday over whether to approve Zimbabwe’s export of millions of carats of newly-mined diamonds, but the nation threatened to sell the stones on its...

South Africa Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said on Tuesday the country’s high unemployment rate showed more urgent work needed to be done to restructure the economy. Data released last week showed that unemployment in Africa’s largest...

A farm worker suspected of raping and murdering a 16-year-old girl reportedly applied for his job with false identification documents. The teenager was raped and murdered in Orchard on a farm in Villiersdorp on Monday. The girl was on her way to...

Nelson Mandela has abruptly called off a historic return to the prison from which he walked to freedom 20 years ago today. The decision to abandon his role in events celebrating the anniversary of his release from Victor Verster prison follows a...

The South African Sports Minister threatened a “third world war” if Caster Semenya, the athlete whose gender has been called into question, were banned from competing. Speaking at a press conference yesterday Makhenkesi Stofile responded angrily to...

With the 11-nation tour of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, America’s often testy relationship with Africa has opened a new chapter. Gone are cold-war politics of propping up dictatorships in the fight against communism. Gone, too, are the...

South Africa’s swine flu caseload has increased fourfold in two weeks, with 480 confirmed cases as of Friday, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases said. Most of the victims are young, but so far, no one in the country has died from...