South Africa news stories on Newser

'Obscene' Zuma Painting Case Heads to Court

Mary Papenfuss — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:54:22 CDT

The ruling South African party is heading to court today to support President Jacob Zuma's demand that an "obscene" painting of him be censored. The painting, which was vandalized earlier this week at a Johannesburg gallery, features Zuma with his genitals exposed. It's "rude, crude, and disrespectful," argues the African...

Leopard Plays Gently With Baby Steenbok ... Before Dinner

Mary Papenfuss — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 00:03:00 CDT

Hunger finally won out over cross-species maternal instinct in a heart-breaking South African scene captured by safari participants. Witnesses were transfixed when a female leopard grabbed a newborn steenbok, but stopped from eating almost every time the baby cried. The leopard handled it tenderly several times over a period of...

Twitter Squad Foils Carjacking

Mary Papenfuss — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 01:00:00 CDT

An army of helpful tweeters helped save the day when a hapless car owner nearly lost his vehicle—and his life—to a pair of carjackers in South Africa. The armed thugs forced the driver into the trunk of his Volkswagen Golf. Luckily, they didn't take his cell phone, which...

Mandela, 93, Home After Surgery

Polly Davis Doig — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 07:39:31 CST

Nelson Mandela has been released from a South African hospital after a laparoscopy "did not indicate anything seriously wrong" with the 93-year-old democracy icon, President Jacob Zuma said today in a statement. Mandela was hospitalized yesterday with an abdominal complaint, but the AP notes that Zuma's statement says he is...

Nelson Mandela Hospitalized

John Johnson — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 05:28:28 CST

Nelson Mandela, whose public appearances have become increasingly rare, is back in the hospital. The 93-year-old had an unspecified stomach ailment, reports AP , while the BBC thinks he had surgery in a Pretoria military hospital to correct it. "I can assure you that the former president is in good spirits...

Amazing Race Producer Poisoned in Africa

Mary Papenfuss — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:34:00 CST

An American Amazing Race producer was found dead of poisoning in an African hotel following a failed shakedown by local thugs, Fox News is reporting. Freelance producer Jeff Rice's assistant was also discovered critically ill from poisoning in the same Uganda hotel after the pair refused to comply with unspecified...

Lion Kills S. African Zookeeper

Rob Quinn — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 01:00:00 CST

A Johannesburg Zoo employee who came out of retirement because of staff shortages was killed by a lioness at a breeding facility outside the city. The 63-year-old, who had nearly 40 years of experience working with animals, was attacked while feeding the lions, the BBC reports. An enclosure was found...

Rhino Dies in Anti-Poaching Demonstration

Rob Quinn — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:13:42 CST

A demonstration of a new anti-poaching procedure came to a tragic end in South Africa yesterday. A white rhino that had been sedated in order for veterinarians to implant a tracking device in his horn—and inject it with dye and a pesticide toxic to humans—died under anesthesia in...

Shark Kills Another Swimmer on 'Most Dangerous Beach'

Mary Papenfuss — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 03:52:00 CST

Yet another swimmer has been killed by a shark on a South Africa beach considered the most dangerous in the world. The victim this time was a 25-year-old swimmer who was standing up to his waist in water at a beach in Port St. John's. The shark nearly severed an...