South Africa
South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of the African continent, bordered by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Eswatini, with Lesotho as an enclave within its territory. The capital cities are Pretoria (executive), Cape Town (legislative) and Bloemfontein (judicial). With a population of about 60-million people, South Africa has the most industrialised and diversified economy on the continent, historically built on mining—particularly gold, platinum and diamonds—but also encompassing manufacturing, finance, agriculture and services. The country's currency is the rand. South Africa operates as a parliamentary republic with a president serving as both head of state and head of government. It is a member of the Southern African Development Community, the African Union, BRICS Plus and the Commonwealth. The economy is characterised by significant infrastructure, including extensive rail and port networks, but faces challenges including high unemployment, inequality and intermittent electricity supply constraints. Key exports include minerals, metals, vehicles and machinery. Since the end of apartheid in 1994, South Africa has pursued economic liberalisation and regional integration whilst grappling with the legacy of racial segregation and uneven development.
South Africa Updates
Daily Podcast – October 14, 2026
By: Halima Frost Updated 2 hours 18 minutes ago Making headlines: DA eyes majority win in election; DBE applauds ‘successful’ start to 2026 matric exams; And, Moody’s says South Africa is on... →
Mashatile warns of 'new generation of challenges' as AI, unemployment impact S African workers 
By: Thabi Shomolekae Updated 2 hours 23 minutes ago Deputy President Paul Mashatile declared on Wednesday that while South Africa celebrates its progress in overcoming apartheid, the country and the... →
Western Cape seeks 1 000 new exporters; steps into EU markets as US exports fade
By: Irma Venter Updated 3 hours ago The Western Cape government aims to add 1 000 new exporters to its current portfolio of 8 000 registered exporters by 2035. The Western Cape Export... →
DA launches online portal to report dodgy tenders
Updated 5 hours ago Today, the DA launched a new whistle blower portal where members of the public can submit information about corrupt, fraudulent and suspicious... →
DBE applauds ‘successful’ start to 2026 matric exams
By: Thabi Shomolekae Updated 5 hours ago The Department of Basic Education has welcomed what it says is the successful start of the 2026 National Senior Certificate final examinations,... →
Radical economic policies in Argentina offer lessons – but not a blueprint – for South Africa
Updated 6 hours ago Economic reform is usually judged by its numbers: inflation, deficits, growth. Less attention goes to the beliefs and habits that decide whether... →
Africa must prepare for AI-powered cyber threats at scale
By: ISS, Institute for Security Studies Updated 6 hours ago Anthropic’s threat report reveals how AI is making cyberattacks and influence campaigns faster, more scalable and harder to detect. Anthropic’s... →
South Africa’s #LGE2026: how your vote is counted – and what if something goes wrong?
By: Africa Check Updated 6 hours ago It’s election season in South Africa, and much of the public debate so far has focused on voter numbers, turnouts and predictions of results. How... →
Navigating overlapping rights in onshore energy development
Updated 6 hours ago South Africa’s energy landscape is undergoing a profound transformation. The country’s recently gazetted Integrated Resource Plan 2025 (IRP 2025)... →
Business rescue: Voting rights not afforded to post-commencement creditors
Updated 7 hours ago On 7 October 2026, the Constitutional Court delivered a unanimous judgment addressing a question on which the High Court and the Supreme Court of... →
