South Africa

Politics

South Africa's Constitutional Court nullified the National Assembly's December 2022 decision to reject proposals by an investigation panel for a full impeachment inquiry into President Cyril Ramaphosa's Phala Phala farm scandal, News24 reported on May 8.

South Africa: Constitutional Court Orders Impeachment Committee To Proceed on Phala Phala Scandal

Zimbabwe

Military & Security

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa made an unannounced visit to Zimbabwe, during which he met Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa and some of his key allies, ZimLive reported on May 4.

Zimbabwe: South Africa's Ramaphosa Makes Surprise Visit Amid Escalating Tensions Over Constitutional Reform

Economics

South African Transport Minister Barbara Creecy released for public consultation the government's draft National Rail Master Plan, which aims to mobilize 2 trillion rand ($120 billion) in public and private investments over 30 years to increase rail freight volumes, Engineering News reported on April 23.

South Africa: Government Unveils Draft Rail Masterplan as Survey Finds Reform Momentum Slowing

Botswana

Oman

Germany

Energy

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

Germany agreed to forward a 200 million euro ($234 million) concessional loan to South Africa to support investments in the country's power grid and renewable energies, as well as expand bilateral cooperation on mineral beneficiation in the country, Reuters reported on April 13.

Southern Africa: Germany, Oman Expand Critical Mineral, Energy Cooperation With South Africa, Botswana

The federal congress of South Africa's center-right Democratic Alliance, or DA, elected Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis as the party's federal leader and Solly Msimanga as the party's federal chairperson, Daily Maverick reported on April 12.

South Africa: Democratic Alliance Elects Cape Town Mayor as Party Leader

South African National Defence Force troops began moving through gang‑ridden areas of Cape Town, joining South African Police Service efforts in Mitchells Plain and other Cape Flats hotspots, Eye Witness reported on April 1.

South Africa: Soldiers Deployed in Cape Town To Bolster Response to Gang Violence

Kenya

Seychelles

China

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng is conducting an Africa tour through Kenya, South Africa and the Seychelles during which he will meet his local counterparts through March 30, Radio France Internationale reported on March 23.

Africa: Chinese Vice President Tours Kenya, South Africa, Seychelles

Mozambique

Iran

South African farmers may not press ahead with their winter planting season if crop prices do not rise enough to offset their expected increase in fuel and fertilizer costs linked to the Iran war, Bloomberg reported on March 24. 

South Africa: Farmers Eye Production Cuts Amid Price Hikes for Fuel, Fertilizer

Assessments

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers a speech on April 18, 2026.

Ramaphosa will likely attempt to delay his upcoming impeachment process to facilitate the rise of a reformist ANC successor, though he still may preemptively resign, which would likely result in the collapse of South Africa's coalition government.

South Africa's Top Court Shows Ramaphosa the End of the Road

A general view of power lines near the Lethabo power station between Vereeniging and Sasolburg, South Africa, on April 17, 2024.

Although South Africa's power sector reforms remain years from completion, their gradual advancement will still attract investment in energy projects that support the country's long-term energy security and decarbonization goals.

The Outlook for South Africa's Power Sector Reforms and Energy Security

Chile

France

Ukraine

The Ukrainian flag is projected on the facade of Berlaymont, the European Commission headquarters, in Brussels on Nov. 18 to commemorate the Nov. 18, 2024, Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: A European Council Decision on Ukraine Financing, South Africa Braces for Commission Findings

Angola

United States

Japan

South Korea

United Kingdom

Russia

Banners bearing portraits of leaders of the G20 on Nov. 20 in Johannesburg. The South African government has focused the G20 summit's agenda on issues key to African countries.

The Weekly Rundown: A High-Stakes British Budget, South Africa Hosts the G20

Columns

On Security

Madagascar

Nigeria

Ecuador

Peru

Jordan

Lebanon

Morocco

Tunisia

Turkey

Indonesia

Philippines

Thailand

Serbia

Bangladesh

Nepal

Fire rages through the Singha Durbar, the main administrative building for the Nepal government, in Kathmandu on Sept. 9, 2025, after youth protesters set fire to the building. 

Recent events in Nepal, Madagascar and elsewhere show how digitally coordinated, leaderless protests can succeed, but eventually face even larger challenges in sustaining the momentum for change.

Worldwide Gen Z Protesters May Be Disappointed With Their Success

Media

Podcasts

What does the country's latest corruption scandal mean for President Cyril Ramaphosa and South African politics? 

Essential Geopolitics: The Outlook for South Africa's Coalition Government

 The European Union and China will hold a high-level leaders' summit July 24 in Beijing, marking the 50th anniversary of Chinese-EU diplomatic relations.

U.S.-China Relations

The Weekly Rundown: An EU-China Summit, South Africa's Budget Vote

Israel

Palestinian Territories

Poland

Global Trade

Israel-Hamas Conflict

The Weekly Rundown: A U.S. Tariff Ruling, Israel's Opposition Seeks To Dissolve the Knesset

Taiwan

Portugal

Romania

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on May 21 during an official trip to the United States.

The Weekly Rundown: South Africa's U.S. Reset, Three European Elections

Snapshots

Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen holds a press conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Jan. 28, 2025.

Rising tensions between the ruling ANC and its key coalition partner over the 2025 budget are raising the risk of a coalition breakdown, which would threaten policy paralysis and a marked depreciation of the rand.

What the Democratic Alliance's Exit From Government Would Mean for South Africa

A list of countries facing reciprocal tariffs on display April 2 at the White House.

U.S.-Iran Relations

The Weekly Rundown: The Escalating Global Trade War, South Africa's Coalition Government on the Brink

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa arrives at a briefing at his African National Congress (ANC) party's headquarters in Johannesburg on May 13, 2024.

Social Issues

South Africa will struggle to meet Trump's demands for major foreign and domestic policy changes, which will risk exposing the country to disruptive U.S. economic retaliation, including entity-based sanctions.

Trump Turns Up the Heat on South Africa

At the tip of the African continent lies South Africa. The country borders Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique and also surrounds Lesotho and much of Swaziland. South Africa's current borders were consolidated by the British in 1910 as the Union of South Africa, following the Boer Wars between the United Kingdom and Dutch settlers.    The Drakensberg and Karoo mountains rim the coastlines, separating a dry interior from a coastal region, which captures the majority of the country's rainfall.    Two key factors distinguish South Africa from much of the rest of the continent. The country has a malaria-free climate, which attracted European settlers. It also has abundant mineral resources — including gold, diamonds, coal and platinum — in the north-central interior.    This mining area is the geographic core of South Africa — encompassing the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria and adjoining parts of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West and Free State provinces. This core is connected by road and rail to a series of ports — from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, to Durban and Richards Bay — that carry goods and resources to and from Gauteng.    The wealth generated there underwrites financial, agricultural, industrial and manufacturing activity in other parts of South Africa.    South Africa's geographic challenge is to protect the extraction of natural resources in its interior while striving to maintain sufficient employment. It must then find ways to disperse enough wealth to appease its populations in the Gauteng and peripheral zones of the country.

SITUATION REPORTS

South Africa: Constitutional Court Orders Impeachment Committee To Proceed on Phala Phala Scandal

Zimbabwe: South Africa's Ramaphosa Makes Surprise Visit Amid Escalating Tensions Over Constitutional Reform

South Africa: Government Unveils Draft Rail Masterplan as Survey Finds Reform Momentum Slowing

Southern Africa: Germany, Oman Expand Critical Mineral, Energy Cooperation With South Africa, Botswana

South Africa: Democratic Alliance Elects Cape Town Mayor as Party Leader

South Africa: Soldiers Deployed in Cape Town To Bolster Response to Gang Violence

Africa: Chinese Vice President Tours Kenya, South Africa, Seychelles

South Africa: Farmers Eye Production Cuts Amid Price Hikes for Fuel, Fertilizer

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