Two pro-democracy campaigners were missing after Swazi police raided a meeting of union and human rights activists on Monday and arrested 50 people, labour officials and rights groups said. Police swooped on a hotel in the capital Mbabane where activists were meeting to plan Tuesday protests demanding more democracy in the tiny nation of 1.1 [...]

Johannesburg, South Africa — Schools in South Africa will reopen Tuesday after unions representing more than 1.3 million workers in the country suspended a three-week-old strike that has crippled hospital services, closed schools and wreaked havoc on other public services. A joint statement from COSATU Public Service Unions and the Independent Labour Caucus said the [...]

Deadly protests that paralysed Mozambique’s capital last week were spurred by a text message that went viral on Maputo’s cell phones, signalling the power of new technology in the hands of the poor. It is difficult to find a mobile phone user who did not get the anonymous SMS message presaging the three days of [...]

South African public sector workers suspended a damaging pay strike on Monday as it entered its fourth week, union officials said. The strike by 1.3 million workers hit schools, state hospitals and the judiciary. Strikers have demanded a double inflation 8.6 percent pay rise and a 1,000 rand a month housing allowance. “Labour has decided [...]

South African public sector workers, on strike for nearly a month, may soon return to work but continue talks on whether to accept an increased government wage offer, union sources said on Monday. The strike is now in its fourth week and has seen 1.3 million workers in key sectors including education, healthcare and the [...]

Government hopes unions will accept latest pay offer as schools and hospitals remain paralysed by industrial action. Pressure for an end to South Africa’s public sector strike was intensifying after reports of nurses being beaten, stabbed and kidnapped for crossing the picket line. Union leaders were expected to make an announcement today on whether to [...]

Johannesburg – Former national police commissioner Jackie Selebi was on Monday granted leave to appeal his 15-year jail sentence. He may only appeal the question of whether he received payments from convicted drug trafficker Glenn Agliotti, said Judge Meyer Joffe in the South Gauteng High Court. “Leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal [...]

Zimbabwe and South Africa will this week hold an urgent meeting to discuss the impending deportation of thousands of Zimbabweans following the scrapping of a special dispensation last week, it has been learnt. The South African cabinet last week approved a proposal to scrap a special dispensation for Zimbabweans and gave the nod to resume [...]

MAPUTO — Mozambique police were on alert on Sunday after days of riots over food prices, as calls for renewed protests were circulated via mobile phone text messages. While calm prevailed in capital Maputo after the recent unrest, the anonymous messages urged people to resume demonstrations on Monday. “We are prepared, in terms of the [...]

South Africa’s polygamous president, Jacob Zuma, is to become a father for the 22nd time following news that his fiancée is pregnant. Bongiwe Gloria Ngema, who recently accompanied Mr Zuma on a state visit to China, is expecting a child early next year, according to media reports citing her close friends. The pair already have [...]