South Africa

CAPE TOWN, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Efforts to develop an African base for COVID-19 vaccine production will focus on trying to replicate Moderna's (MRNA.O) shot, but a lack of progress in talks with the U.S. company mean the project will take time, a senior WHO official told Reuters.

The drive to produce vaccines in Africa is designed to help more developing countries access COVID-19 shots after rich nations bought up most of this year's supply.

JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech on Friday launched the Phase III clinical trial of its COVID-19 vaccine on a group of children and teenagers between six months and 17 years old in South Africa.

The study, carried out in collaboration with South African company Numolux Group, has enrolled approximately 2,000 participants in the country, who will receive two doses of Sinovac's CoronaVac vaccine or a placebo, 28 days apart. The efficacy assessment will be based on relevant indicators.

JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- It is a great irony that while the United States blames China for the coronavirus and tries to play up the lab leak theory, it has refused to allow investigations into its own biowarfare activities which potentially pose a danger to the world, wrote a senior editor with the South African news and information website Independent Online (IOL).

JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Former South African President Jacob Zuma has been released from prison on medical parole, the country's Department of Correctional Services (DCS) said Sunday.

"Medical parole placement for Mr. Zuma means that he will complete the remainder of the sentence in the system of community corrections, whereby he must comply with a specific set of conditions and will be subjected to supervision until his sentence expires," said DCS spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo.

JOHANNESBURG, Sept 5 (Reuters) - South Africa's jailed former president Jacob Zuma has been placed on medical parole because of his ill health, the government's correctional services department said on Sunday.

Last month prison authorities said Zuma, serving a 15-month sentence in Estcourt prison for contempt of court, underwent unspecified surgery at an outside hospital where he had been sent for observation. He remained in hospital with more operations planned. 

JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday invited investors to explore vast business opportunities in the country's sectors including mining and agriculture as the government has kept improving the business environment.

Ramaphosa made the remark marks at the Limpopo Provincial Investment Conference held Wednesday and Thursday.

CAPE TOWN, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, who was recently replaced in the position of South Africa's defense minister, was on Thursday elected as Speaker of the National Assembly (NA), where country leaders including President and Deputy President are elected or selected.

CAPE TOWN, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Jailed former South African president Jacob Zuma has undergone unspecified surgery and remains in hospital with more operations planned, prison authorities said on Sunday.

Zuma, serving a 15-month sentence in Estcourt prison for contempt of court, was sent to a hospital outside for observation on Aug. 6, days before the start of a corruption trial he has thus far avoided. 

CAPE TOWN, Aug 11 (Reuters) - South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa, testifying at a graft inquiry on Wednesday, said he chose to "remain but resist" rather than resign as deputy president when allegations of widespread corruption surfaced under his predecessor Jacob Zuma.

Ramaphosa, Zuma's number two from May 2014 to February 2018, has made the fight against corruption a pillar of his presidency, though opposition parties have criticised him for not doing enough to stop the rot during his time as deputy.

JOHANNESBURG, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Prosecutors and lawyers for South Africa's jailed former president Jacob Zuma, who has been in hospital since Friday, have jointly asked a judge to postpone his scheduled appearance this week in a corruption trial, his foundation said on Monday.

Zuma, whose jailing last month on a contempt of court case led to a wave of looting and unrest, was expected to appear at the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Tuesday in an arms deal corruption case dating from his time as vice president.