South Africa | featured news

Former South African President Nelson Mandela continues to respond to treatment more than two weeks after being taken to hospital in Pretoria and will remain there for Christmas Day, the presidency said on Monday.

Nelson Mandela, South Africa's 94-year-old former president, is "looking much better" after being treated for a lung infection and gallstones, but will remain in hospital for the time being, the government said on Tuesday.

Former South African President Nelson Mandela is continuing to recover from a lung infection that has put the 94-year-old anti-apartheid leader in hospital for the last five days, the government said on Wednesday.

South Africa's former leader Nelson Mandela is in hospital for tests, but the president's office says there is no cause for alarm.

Penguins are causing a stink for some residents of a small town on the South African coast.

Evidence presented to a panel investigating the police shooting of striking platinum miners in Marikana in August strongly suggests that weapons were placed next to the bodies of dead miners, lawyers representing victims’ families said.

AngloGold Ashanti said it will sack 12,000 South African wildcat strikers who ignored a deadline to return to work on Wednesday, the latest company to resort to mass firings after weeks of crippling labor unrest.

South African police on Saturday fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse miners rallying in Marikana after raids on their hostels to seize arms, witnesses said.

Labor unrest sweeping through South Africa's mining sector hit top world platinum producer Anglo American Platinum on Wednesday, with stick-waving miners blockading roads leading to shafts and calling for a shut-down of operations.

South Africa's Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini wants the government to spend $700,000 (£450,000) on a palace for his sixth wife, officials say. Queen Zola Mafu, who is his youngest wife, is sharing a palace.