South Africa

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Saying “we are at the breaking point,” the U.N. secretary-general made a sweeping call Saturday to end the global inequalities that sparked this year’s massive anti-racism protests and have been further exposed by the coronavirus pandemic.

“COVID-19 has been likened to an X-ray, revealing fractures in the fragile skeleton of the societies we have built,” Antonio Guterres said as he delivered the Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Seven suspects accused of taking 2.3 billion rand ($132.43 million) from VBS Mutual bank in 2018 said they would plead not guilty to 47 counts of fraud, theft, corruption and racketering when they appeared in a South African court on Thursday.

The National Prosecuting Authority has called it probably the biggest bank robbery in South Africa’s history.

An eighth suspect did not appear because he was under COVID-19 quarantine.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Collins Khosa was killed by law enforcement officers in a poor township in Johannesburg over a cup of beer left in his yard. The 40-year-old black man was choked, slammed against a wall, beaten, kicked and hit with the butt of a rifle by the soldiers as police watched, his family says.

CAPE TOWN, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Nelson Mandela Foundation on Thursday condemned police brutality against the black people in the United States, where the death of African American George Floyd has set off turbulent mass protests.

"More than 1,000 Black people die at the hands of police in the U.S. every year," the foundation said, adding "mass incarceration, predictive policing, targeted surveillance and a host of other tools render Black lives more vulnerable than all others."

PRETORIA, June 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) - A South African high court declared some of the government’s coronavirus lockdown regulations unconstitutional but suspended the order for 14 days, leaving the rules in place for now.

South Africa introduced in March one of the world’s most restrictive COVID-19 lockdowns – including a ban on alcohol and cigarette sales – but has gradually eased restrictions down to the third of five levels.

COTONOU, June 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Former African presidents have condemned the killing of George Floyd as violent protests continue in the US following his death in police custody.

The Forum of Former Heads of State and Government has urged African countries to “raise a strong protest” to the killing and demand that the “perpetrators of this crime and all other crimes of this sort be punished in the strongest terms”, according to a statement released by former Beninese President Nicéphore Soglo.

PRETORIA, June 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South Africa has pushed back Monday’s reopening of schools by a week, the Department of Basic Education said, saying that a substantial number are not ready to welcome back pupils.

The plan for grades 7 and 12, the last years of primary and secondary school respectively, to return on Monday backfired after teachers’ unions and governing associations urged school staff to defy the government order, saying schools did not have protective equipment (PPE) to keep educators and pupils safe.

PRETORIA, June 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — China will give Africa 30 million test kits per month, as well as 10,000 ventilators and 80 million masks, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa disclosed on Sunday during a virtual meeting with top editors in the country.

He did not specify when this initiative will start or how long it would run. Beijing has sent logistic and human resource support to a number of African countries since the pandemic arrived on the continent.

PRETORIA, May 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South African Airways (SAA) has said it does not have money to pay its employees their May salaries.

About 5,000 employees have been on unpaid leave since the beginning of May.

The only money employees can expect to receive this month is from the unemployment insurance fund, the aviation organiser at the Solidarity trade union, Derek Mans, said.

The team rescuing the struggling airline originally wanted to dismiss the 5,000 staff.

That was stopped by the labour court but they have now been allowed to appeal that ruling.

PRETORIA, May 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared May 31 as the National Day of Prayer to strengthen national unity in fighting COVID-19.

“On this day, wherever we may be, I call upon you to turn your thoughts to all who have been affected by this pandemic,” the president said in a televised address, adding that the National Day of Prayer is dedicated to the remembrance of those who are working to keep South African safe, and those who are suffering and grieving.