South Africa’s legislative capital and oldest city, home to Parliament and a gateway to the Western Cape.
Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe has been fined and ordered to leave South Africa after pleading guilty to pointing a toy gun and illegal entry. His cousin Tobias Matonhodze has pleaded guilty to attempted murder and related charges; he faces three years in prison and will be deported after serving. The case centers on a February shooting at a Hyde Park residence and ongoing questions over a missing firearm.
The Supreme Court is considering whether federal law requires ballots to be received by Election Day or merely mailed by it, affecting California’s seven-day postmark window and other state rules. Late counts are reshaping runoff prospects in Los Angeles and ongoing tally delays are prompting concern about timely results.
Pianist Abdullah Ibrahim has died at 91 in Germany after a short illness. A pioneering force in South African jazz, Ibrahim had a career spanning seven decades and helped fuse local traditions with international styles. He devotionalised Mannenberg as an anti-apartheid anthem and performed at Nelson Mandela’s inauguration.
Canada has launched a C$3.2 billion plan over ten years to increase competition in the grocery sector, expand domestic processing, and boost year-round fruit and vegetable production in response to high grocery prices.
Jacka has transformed her family garden in Noordhoek, Cape Town, into a working vineyard, planting about 1,400 vines. Four years pass before a debut harvest earns critical praise, turning a labor of love into a respected craft. Critics call it a triumph of craft over scale, while her journey is marked by pandemic disruption and a horse named Spirit challenging the vines.
Zimbabwe moves to bring private solar generation onto the national grid with a 25-year PPA under an open-access model. The Dolcin Trading Solar PV Plant aims to deliver 50 MW to major consumers, leveraging a System Operations Agreement with ZETDC to strengthen electricity reliability and crowd in private investment.
South Africa is mobilising police resources ahead of a June 30 deadline set by anti-immigrant groups for foreigners to leave the country. Officials say protests will be monitored for safety, with a focus on peaceful demonstration and enforcement against violence and criminality.
Labor deputy leader pushes for election-specific duties on major platforms to counter misinformation and foreign interference. She wants a digital code of practice and framework during elections, with the Electoral Commission collaborating with Ofcom and platforms. Critics say the move aims to protect democracy by ensuring informed choices amid opaque algorithms. The issue comes as ministers flagged concerns over platform responsibility.
South Africa has processed more than 53,000 foreign nationals for deportation or repatriation after sustained anti‑migrant protests and door‑to‑door searches. Thousands have fled to temporary centres such as Musina and Lindela; Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria and others have arranged buses and flights. Governments and NGOs are warning of overcrowding, poor conditions and rising diplomatic tensions.
South Africa midfielder Jayden Adams has been found dead at a home in Cape Town's Schotsche Kloof neighbourhood. Police have opened an inquest and are investigating; authorities have not released a cause of death. Adams had played in South Africa's three World Cup group matches and had helped the nation reach the knockout stage for the first time.
A consortium of UK paediatricians and health experts warn that child health outcomes have stagnated or worsened across 12 indicators, highlighting persistent inequalities. The report urges sustained investment, data improvements, and clear national targets to address the crisis, with a focus on deprived communities and minority groups.
Amazon has announced its first satellite internet agreement on the African continent, partnering with South Africa’s Herotel to launch a new service in a country of about 62 million people. The deal underscores a broader push into Africa, with Amazon Leo aiming to expand across the continent and to collaborate with Vanu Inc. The move comes amid public criticism from Elon Musk regarding South Africa’s regulatory environment.
Airborne radioactive events inside Koeberg during steam generator inspections have triggered safety alarms but remained contained within the plant’s containment and ventilation systems. The National Nuclear Regulator says there is no danger to the public and the plant remains on schedule with Unit 2 maintenance. Eskom highlights defence-in-depth and no environmental release.
Lesotho’s Afriski Mountain Resort, perched at 3,200 metres in the Maluti Mountains, is Africa’s only full-scale ski area. It relies on artificial snow to stay open through winter, drawing mainly South African visitors and contributing about 7% to Lesotho’s GDP as ski tourism expands in southern Africa.
Scientists say humpbacks have rebounded since the 1986 global ban, with a record group of about 299 seen off South Africa. The recovery follows the whaling moratorium, but threats like entanglement and shipping remain; new risks are emerging around Africa amid regional conflicts and security shifts in global trade routes.