Tag: South Africa

Former South African Leader Zuma Sentenced to 15 Months in Jail

JOHANNESBURG—South Africa’s highest court sentenced former President Jacob Zuma to 15 months in jail on Tuesday for failing to appear at a corruption inquiry, and gave him five days to appear before police. Zuma failed to appear at the inquiry led by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo in February, and the inquiry’s lawyers approached the…


Cape Town Fire Burns University Library, Students Evacuated

JOHANNESBURG—A wildfire raging on the slopes of Cape Town’s Table Mountain spread to the University of Cape Town, burning the historic campus library and forcing the evacuation of students Sunday. Orange flames lit up the windows of the library that houses considerable archives and book collections while firefighters sprayed jets of water to douse the…


Patients Evacuated As Fire Blazes in Johannesburg Hospital

JOHANNESBURG—Nearly 700 patients are being evacuated Saturday from Johannesburg’s Charlotte Maxeke Hospital, where a fire blazed overnight through parts of the facility in South Africa’s largest city. No injuries or casualties have been reported. The fire has been contained but the hospital has been closed for seven days, said David Makhura, premier of Gauteng province…


South Africa Halts J&J Vaccine Jabs; Europe Rollout Delayed

JOHANNESBURG—South Africa suspended giving Johnson & Johnson vaccine shots Tuesday as a “precautionary measure” and the company delayed its European vaccine rollout following an FDA decision to pause the jabs while very rare blood clot cases are examined. South Africa has given more than 289,000 doses of the J&J vaccine to the country’s health workers…


Leopard’s Leg Gets Injured in a Snare—Then Rescuers Save Him, and the Photos Are Incredible

A South African photographer captured stunning shots showing a team of rescuers treating a wounded leopard that had become entangled in a snare. Gary Kimble, 51, director of Windsor Metals, in Nigel, South Africa, shared images of the big cat who was successfully captured and then treated by heroic rescuers. The leopard was first spotted…


Pfizer Study Deals New Blow to South Africa’s Vaccine Hopes

JOHANNESBURG—Scientists will meet on Thursday to advise South Africa’s government on its next steps after a study suggested the dominant local coronavirus variant may reduce antibody protection from Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine by two-thirds. The laboratory study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, dealt a new blow to the country hardest-hit by the pandemic…


Baby Albino Elephant Found Trapped in Snare Near Death, Now Thriving Thanks to Rescuers

A baby albino elephant was found alone in the wild, trapped in a snare in January 2020 in South Africa. The infant was severely injured due to the restraint, and it was thought she might not live. Rescuers took in the dehydrated, starving calf, and took her into the care of the team at Hoedspruit…


Two Cases of South African Virus Variant in South of England Without Travel Links

Two people in the south of England have tested positive for the South African variant of the CCP virus—the first such cases with no identified links to travel from the country. The discovery in Surrey sparked the rollout of local “surge testing” of thousands of people as local authorities try to stem the spread of…


2 Cases of South African Virus Variant in South of England Without Travel Links

Two people in the south of England have tested positive for the South African variant of the CCP virus—the first such cases with no identified links to travel from the country. The discovery in Surrey sparked the rollout of local “surge testing” of thousands of people as local authorities try to stem the spread of…


Novavax Says Vaccine 89.3 Percent Effective in UK Trial, Less in South Africa

Novavax announced that its vaccine against the CCP virus was shown to be 89.3 percent effective in preventing the COVID-19 disease in a trial in the United Kingdom, but less effective in South Africa where a different virus variant is more prevalent. “Strong efficacy in Phase 3 UK trial with over 50 % of cases…