South Africa's Jacob Zuma Wins Resounding Victory in Elections

South Africa's African National Congress has won a commanding victory in general elections, partial results showed Friday, putting President Jacob Zuma on the path to another five-year term in office and extending the party's unbroken string of post-apartheid election victories.

With the results from 97% of all polling stations tabulated, the ruling party led with 62% of the vote, down slightly from the results of 2009 elections. The Democratic Alliance was winning 22% of the vote, gaining a few percentage points from the last election. The Economic Freedom Fighters, led by the expelled ANC member Julius Malema, garnered 6%.

Eight bodies found after South Africa gold mine fire

Rescue workers at a South African gold mine say they have recovered eight bodies after a fire and rock fall. One other miner remains missing at the Doornkop mine west of Johannesburg, the government said.

Earlier, eight other miners were found unharmed in an underground refuge chamber and brought to the surface, mine owners Harmony Gold said.

The fire began on Tuesday evening about 1,700m (5,600ft) below ground. The cause of the blaze is not yet clear.

"The situation is deeply regrettable," Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu said in a statement.

"We must ensure that we do all we can to get to the bottom of what caused this incident in order to prevent similar occurrences in future."

Eric Gcilitshana of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said the bodies had been discovered on Wednesday evening.

4 Nigerians Killed in Benoni, South Africa

Four Nigerians died when a group of men opened fire on them in Benoni, on the East Rand, police said on Friday.

Five men were in a Volkswagen Golf on Thursday evening when a car stopped in front of them, police spokesperson Tim Masilela said.

A group of men got out of the car and opened fire, killing two men in the Golf. A wounded passenger tried to run away, but collapsed and died a few metres from the scene. A fourth man died later in hospital. The fifth man in the car was not hurt.

"The motive behind the shooting is unknown. Police are still investigating," Masilela said.

Last Saturday, three Nigerians were killed in a cellphone shop in Voortrekker Street, Benoni. They were inside the shop when five armed men entered around 18:00, police spokesperson Lungelo Dlamini said at the time.

The five opened fire, killing two of the customers, both 38, inside the shop, and the third man, 40, at the shop door. The gunmen fled in a green BMW. They were also believed to be Nigerians, said Dlamini.

He said the police found spent cartridges at the scene, and a licensed firearm belonging to one of the men who died. Nothing was stolen.

"The motive for the killing is still unknown but a possibility that the victims were a rival group is being investigated," he said.

Culled News24

Mandela's condition still critical!

Nelson Mandela's condition in a Pretoria hospital remained critical for a second straight day Monday, said South Africa's president who described the stricken anti-apartheid hero as being "asleep" when he visited Mandela the previous evening.

President Jacob Zuma told at least 60 foreign and South African journalists that doctors are doing everything possible to ensure the 94-year-old's wellbeing and comfort on his 17th day in the hospital. 

The president repeated some of the content of a presidential statement issued on Sunday and refused to give any details about Mandela's condition, saying: "I'm not a doctor."

"Madiba is critical in the hospital, and this is the father of democracy. This is the man who fought and sacrificed his life to stay in prison, the longest-serving prisoner in South Africa. He is one of those who has contributed to democracy," Zuma said, using Mandela's clan name. "All of us in the country should accept the fact that Madiba is now old. 

As he ages, his health will ... trouble him and I think what we need to do as a country is to pray for him."

One baby dies every 1 hour in South Africa - Save the Children SA

One baby dies nearly every hour in South Africa because the country does not have enough skilled health-care workers.

According to a hard-hitting report released on Tuesday, 7 500 babies who are born alive die on their first day - that’s 21 babies every day or almost one an hour.

In addition, 3 000 mothers around the country die every year due to complications during pregnancy or childbirth.

These shocking statistics were revealed at the launch of Save the Children SA - the new and independent arm of the world’s largest children’s rights organisation.

The organisation also released the 2013 State of the World’s Mothers report, which ranks every country based on analyses of the health, education and economic status of mothers and wellbeing of children to determine the best and worst places in the world to be a mother.

Finland, Sweden and Norway made the top rankings while the Democratic Republic of Congo was ranked bottom of the pile at 176.

Suspected Nigerian arrested in South Africa for fraud Allegations

The Hawks believe two people, who were arrested in connection with an alleged 419 scam which targeted an American this week, were part of a bigger syndicate.

A 44-year-old Nigerian man and a 20-year-old South African woman were arrested in Sandton in northern Johannesburg on Friday for defrauding the US citizen of over R200,000.
The victim and the Nigerian met on an online professional network.

The American arrived in the country in March and gave the scammers over R200,000.

He alerted police on Wednesday when he became suspicious.

The two alleged fraudsters were charged with advance fee fraud and will appear in the Johannesburg Commercial Crimes Court soon.

(VIDEO) Woman Kisses Two Lions In South Africa

Scary!

Outrage grows over gang rape of Teenager in South Africa

A 17 year old South African girl by the name Anene Booyson was on February 2nd found in a critical state, raped and mutilated.

She was found by a security guard at a construction site and she revealed that she was gang reaped by 3 teenagers of which she identified two of them before she died as Brooks and Albert Fritz who also happens to be family friends.

The culprits have so far been arrested but campaign groups are advocating for stiffer penalty for rapist and other offences against women as "Rape per Every 4 minutes" is indeed an alarming and disturbing statistic.


A dog would have been treated better than Anene Booyson, her neighbors said.