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Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

December

• Secretary Blinken's Call with South African Foreign Minister Pandor US Dept. of State 24 Dec 2021
• South Africa Rolls Out COVID Vaccines for Undocumented Immigrants VOA 22 Dec 2021 -- In the December holiday season of giving, undocumented immigrants in South Africa are getting the gift of COVID-19 vaccinations.
• South Africa Passes Peak of Latest COVID-19 Wave, Driven by Omicron VOA 22 Dec 2021 -- South African medical experts say a drop in coronavirus cases indicates the country has passed the peak of a fourth wave of infections driven by the omicron variant. Health officials say the omicron variant spreads faster than previous variants but has hospitalized far fewer patients.
• South African High Court Orders Zuma Back to Jail VOA 15 Dec 2021 -- South Africa's High Court has ordered former President Jacob Zuma back to jail, to serve out the remainder of his 15-month sentence for contempt of court.It called the decision in September to release Zuma on medical parole unlawful.
• South African President Cyril Ramaphosa Tests Positive for COVID-19, Office Reveals Sputnik 12 Dec 2021 -- In February, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was among the first in his country to be vaccinated against COVID-19 when he received the single-shot Johnson & Johnson jab. The country initially set a goal of vaccinating 40 million people before the end of 2021.
• Omicron More Transmissible but Seems Less Severe -- South Africa Health Minister VOA 10 Dec 2021 -- South Africa's health minister has confirmed omicron is the most transmissible coronavirus variant yet but does not appear as severe. The minister, Dr. Joe Phaala, says previous concerns that omicron was hospitalizing more children appear to be unfounded.
• Telephone conversation with President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa President of Russia 09 Dec 2021 -- Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa.
• South African Hospitals Say Omicron Symptoms Less Severe VOA 09 Dec 2021 -- As cases of COVID-19 caused by the omicron variant soar in South Africa, hospital officials monitoring the outbreak say patient reports offer compelling evidence the variant causes illness that is less severe than previous forms of the disease.
• South Africa Avoiding Lockdown Despite Spike in COVID-19 Cases VOA 09 Dec 2021 -- South Africa recorded more than 20,000 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, nearly double the number from one week earlier. The government is making a renewed push for people to get vaccinated, but so far is avoiding new lockdown measures, in an effort to protect the economy.
• South African Doctors: Omicron Coronavirus Variant Can Partly Evade Protective Antibodies VOA 08 Dec 2021 -- Scientists in South Africa say the new and rapidly spreading omicron variant of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is partly able to evade antibodies produced by either a previous infection or vaccination.
• South Africa Hospitals Jammed with Omicron Patients VOA 06 Dec 2021 -- Some South Africa hospital wards are jammed with patients infected with the omicron coronavirus variant as President Cyril Ramaphosa urged South Africans on Monday to get vaccinated.
• Telephone conversation with President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa President of Russia 04 Dec 2021 -- Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa.

November

• South Africa Evades Lockdown as President Pushes Vaccinations VOA 29 Nov 2021 -- Despite the rise of coronavirus cases in South Africa where the new omicron variant was detected, stricter lockdown measures are not being imposed. The country's President Cyril Ramaphosa instead told those who remain unvaccinated that it's time to roll up a sleeve.
• Secretary Blinken's Call with South African Foreign Minister Pandor US Dept. of State 27 Nov 2021
• South Africa's Ruling Party Dealt Blow in Local Elections VOA 04 Nov 2021 -- Support for South Africa's ruling African National Congress party fell below 50% in local elections this week for the first time since the end of apartheid.

October

• South African Regulator Rejects Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 Vaccine RFE/RL 20 Oct 2021 -- South Africa's drug regulator has rejected Russian's Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19, citing safety concerns that the manufacturer wasn't able to address.

September

• South Africa's Coal Energy Sector Under Mounting Pressure VOA 30 Sep 2021 -- Coal provides more than 75% of South Africa's energy supply, but in the wake of global warming, pressure is mounting for that to change. Protests were seen across the country last week and now a proposed Chinese-backed coal power plant may be scrapped.
• South Africans Want Their Country Off Britain's COVID Travel 'Red List' VOA 24 Sep 2021 -- Britain is gradually easing COVID-19 travel restrictions among African countries on its so-called red list at highest risk of spreading coronavirus. However, South Africa remains on the list, despite a decline in infections. The status is taking a toll on South African tourism and people wanting to visit their families in Britain.

August

• New Variant of COVID-19 Detected in South Africa VOA 31 Aug 2021 -- Scientists in South Africa say they have detected a new variant of COVID-19.
• South Africa's President Says ANC Cleaning Up Corruption VOA 12 Aug 2021 -- South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged rampant corruption within his ruling African National Congress party under former President Jacob Zuma. Addressing a judicial inquiry on graft this week, Ramaphosa said a line had been drawn in the sand and said the party is going to be very serious in dealing with corruption.
• South Africa's Cape Town Copes With Tens of Thousands of Active COVID Cases VOA 04 Aug 2021 -- South Africa's Cape Town is struggling to cope with more than 38,000 active cases of COVID-19, making it the epicenter of the pandemic in Africa's worst-hit country.

July

• South Africa Riots Reveal Political Failures VOA 28 Jul 2021 -- This month's riots across South Africa have underscored concerns about inequality and stability after nearly three decades of democracy. In Soweto, owners of pillaged shops accuse the government of failing them.
• South African Presidency Declines to Comment on Reports of Being Targeted by Pegasus Sputnik 21 Jul 2021 -- The South African president's office is not commenting on reports that Cyril Ramaphosa's mobile phone was targeted by the Pegasus spyware, the official statement obtained by Sputnik said.
• South Africa court grants delay in Zuma's corruption trial Press TV 20 Jul 2021 -- A court in South Africa has granted a three-week delay in the corruption trial of ex-President Jacob Zuma.
• Trial of Ex-South African President Postponed Until August VOA 20 Jul 2021 -- The corruption trial of former South African President Jacob Zuma has been postponed until next month.
• South Africa's ex-leader Zuma seeks further delay in corruption trial Press TV 19 Jul 2021 -- The long-running corruption trial of South Africa's former President Jacob Zuma has resumed with the proceedings held online, despite the deadly violence that rocked the country following his imprisonment over another case a week ago.
• Corruption Trial of South Africa's Zuma Resumes VOA 19 Jul 2021 -- The corruption trial of former South African President Jacob Zuma resumed with a hearing Monday, following several days of deadly riots linked to his imprisonment in a separate case.
• President of South Africa says weeklong violence in country was 'planned' Press TV 17 Jul 2021 -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa says the weeklong looting and deadly unrest that have rocked the country were "planned."
• 72 People Killed in South African Riots VOA 13 Jul 2021 -- Seventy-two people have been killed in riots and looting in South Africa, police said Tuesday, amid protests over the jailing of former president Jacob Zuma.
• South Africa Sends Troops to Quell Zuma Protests VOA 12 Jul 2021 -- South Africa sent troops to quell riots that left six people dead since former President Jacob Zuma reported to a prison facility last week.
• South African Court Hears Appeal from Jailed Ex-President Zuma Amid Violent Protests VOA 12 Jul 2021 -- A South African court Monday began hearing an appeal launched by former President Jacob Zuma on his lengthy prison sentence in the wake of violent protests against his imprisonment.
• Dozens Arrested in South Africa Riots Following Zuma's Imprisonment VOA 11 Jul 2021 -- Protests against the jailing of former South African president Jacob Zuma spread from his hometown to the country's main economic hub of Johannesburg Sunday.
• South African Court Rejects Zuma's Request to Stay Arrest Over Court Contempt, Reports Suggest Sputnik 09 Jul 2021 -- South Africa's Pietermaritzburg High Court has dismissed former President Jacob Zuma's application to overturn a previous decision to sentence him to fifteen months in prison for contempt of court, national media reported on 9 July.
• South Africa reviewing data of Chinese, Russian vaccines for registration People's Daily 01 Jul 2021 -- South Africa's national health products regulator is reviewing the data relating to Chinese and Russian COVID-19 vaccines including Sinovac, Sinopharm and Sputnik for registration, a necessary procedure before they can be procured, a health official has said.
• South African Firm to Produce COVID-19 Vaccine for African Countries VOA 01 Jul 2021 -- The South African pharmaceutical company Aspen has begun production of hundreds of millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccine for African countries. To speed up the process, the company is getting a large funding boost from the U.S. government.

June

• South Africa's ANC Urges 'Calm' From Members After Ex-President Zuma Sentenced to Jail Sputnik 29 Jun 2021 -- Jacob Zuma has already spent time in prison under the apartheid system from 1963 to 1973 for conspiring to overthrow the government as a member of the ANC's armed wing uMkhonto we Size ANC members and his family have vowed to fight any attempt to jail him again.
• Ex-South African President Zuma Sentenced to 15 Months in Jail VOA 29 Jun 2021 -- Former South African President Jacob Zuma has been ordered to spend 15 months in jail after failing to appear before an inquiry looking into the numerous corruption scandals during his presidency.
• South Africa Clamps Down Against New COVID Wave VOA 28 Jun 2021 -- South Africa is fighting a strong "third wave" of coronavirus, leading President Cyril Ramaphosa to announce a raft of new restrictions to try to curb the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant.
• S Africa under fire for arms sales to Saudi Arabia, UAE amid crimes in Yemen Press TV 17 Jun 2021 -- The High Court of South Africa has ordered the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) to provide a list of companies that have supplied Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates with weapons found to have been used against civilians in the Yemen war.
• Readout of President Biden's Meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa The White House 13 Jun 2021
• Malawi Expresses Regret Over Expulsion of Its Diplomats From South Africa VOA 13 Jun 2021 -- Malawi's government said Saturday that it had received news of its diplomats' alleged misconduct in South Africa with regret and that it would punish those involved when they returned home.
• South African Health Minister Put on Leave in Corruption Scandal Sputnik 08 Jun 2021 -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday decided to put Health Minister Zweli Mkhize on special leave amid accusations of corruption concerning COVID-19-related contracts.

May

• Former South African President Zuma Pleads Not Guilty to Corruption Charges VOA 26 May 2021 -- Former South African President Jacob Zuma pleaded not guilty to corruption charges Wednesday in a trial that began more than a quarter century ago after some of the alleged crimes were committed.
• South Africa warns of 'vaccine apartheid' amid hoarding by rich nations Press TV 11 May 2021 -- South Africa's president has warned of "vaccine apartheid" as millions of people in poor countries are dying of the coronavirus with no access to vaccines and wealthy countries are hogging shots.
• Two Highly Contagious Coronavirus Variants Appear in South Africa VOA 10 May 2021 -- South African officials say two highly contagious variants of coronavirus are now present in the country, as Africa's worst-hit nation prepares for a possible new onslaught of cases.
• UK, Indian COVID-19 variants detected in S. Africa People's Daily 10 May 2021 -- Eleven cases of COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7 and four of B.1.617.2 variants have been detected in South Africa, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said on Saturday night.
• Secretary Blinken's Meeting with South African Foreign Minister Pandor US Dept. of State 05 May 2021
• G-7 Foreign Ministers Meet in London as Russia, China Top Agenda VOA 04 May 2021 -- Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G-7) industrialized nations are meeting in London this week, with climate change, Russia and China among the challenges topping the agenda. It is the first face-to-face G-7 meeting in two years, after the coronavirus pandemic forced the Pittsburgh 2020 foreign ministers' meeting to be held via video link.

April

• South Africa Setting Up $18 Million 'No-Fault' Fund for COVID-19 Jab Victims Sputnik 19 Apr 2021 -- South African drug regulator SAHPRA reversed its decision to halt use of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine - the only jab in use in the country - over the weekend, despite reports of multiple blood clotting reactions in those inoculated with it.
• South Africa Pauses J&J Vaccination Campaign After US Expresses Concerns VOA 14 Apr 2021 -- South Africa's health minister says the nation will still hit its COVID-19 vaccination targets, even as it pauses the use of the Johnson & Johnson shot amid concerns over blood clots.

March

• As COVID-19 Epicenter, South Africa to Receive 41 Million Vaccine Doses VOA 31 Mar 2021 -- The coronavirus vaccine is coming, with South Africa expecting to conclude negotiations in upcoming weeks to vaccinate 41 million people, and the next stage of vaccinations to begin in May, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced late Tuesday.
• S. Africa on track with vaccination campaign: minister People's Daily 26 Mar 2021 -- South Africa is on track with its national vaccination campaign, a senior official said on Thursday.
• South Africa's Beloved Zulu Monarch Dies VOA 12 Mar 2021 -- King Goodwill Zwelithini, monarch of South Africa's large amaZulu ethnic group, has died, ending his five-decade reign through the darkest years of the racist apartheid system, the democratization of the 1990s, and the ups and downs of modern South Africa.

February

• South Africa Begins COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign VOA 17 Feb 2021 -- It did not hurt a bit, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Wednesday, shortly after he became one of the first South Africans to receive the hot-off-the-plane coronavirus vaccine at a public clinic in Cape Town's sprawling Khayelitsha township.
• South Africa Scraps AstraZeneca; WHO Okays Vaccine's Emergency Use for Other Countries VOA 16 Feb 2021 -- Africa's viral epicenter, South Africa, confirmed Tuesday that it is jettisoning plans to use the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine and will switch to a different one. That announcement came a day after the vaccine, which is the leading choice for the developing world, was cleared for emergency use authorization from the World Health Organization.
• South Africa's ex-president Zuma 'no show' at corruption inquiry Press TV 15 Feb 2021 -- South Africa's former president Jacob Zuma has not shown up at a state inquiry into corruption during his time in office.
• Zuma's Family Says it Will Fight Against Any Prison Term Given to Ex-S.Afican Leader Sputnik 15 Feb 2021 -- The family of former South African President Jacob Zuma on Monday promised to fight against the potential threat of the incarceration of the former South African leader for not presenting himself before the State Capture Commission of Inquiry.
• South Africa's Zuma Fails to Attend Corruption Inquiry VOA 15 Feb 2021 -- Former South African President Jacob Zuma faces time in jail for defying an order to appear Monday before an inquiry into corruption in his government from 2009 to 2018.
• South Africa President Outlines Ambitious Viral and Economic Plans in Annual Address VOA 12 Feb 2021 -- As president of South Africa since 2018, Cyril Ramaphosa has dutifully delivered his annual address before Parliament, outlining government priorities in the year ahead.
• South Africa to Begin Administering Unapproved Vaccine to Health Care Workers VOA 10 Feb 2021 -- South Africa will begin vaccinating frontline health care workers with an unapproved coronavirus vaccine by the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical company next week to see if it provides protection from the variant sweeping the country.
• South Africa Halts Vaccine Rollout VOA 08 Feb 2021 -- Worrying news from South Africa, where health experts say the just-arrived shipment of AstraZeneca vaccines may not work as well against the highly contagious coronavirus variant that is prevalent in the country. That realization means that officials intend to put the mass vaccination program -- the largest in Africa, so far -- on hold before it was to begin.
• South Africa Putting Vaccination With AstraZeneca on Hold as Study Reveals Low Efficacy Sputnik 08 Feb 2021 -- South Africa is halting its vaccination plans involving the AstraZeneca vaccine, because it appears to be highly ineffective against the South African coronavirus strain, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has announced.
• AstraZeneca vaccine roll-out in S. Africa to be postponed People's Daily 08 Feb 2021 -- South Africa said Sunday the roll-out of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the country will be temporarily put on hold until more "clinically efficacy information" of the vaccine against new COVID-19 variants becomes available.
• Johnson & Johnson Files for Emergency Use Approval of COVID Vaccine in S. Africa, Reports Suggest Sputnik 08 Feb 2021 -- The United States' Johnson & Johnson has requested South Africa's regulator for the emergency use authorization of its single-shot vaccine against the coronavirus, the African country's eNCA broadcaster reported on Monday as Johannesburg temporarily suspended its rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
• WHO to Review AstraZeneca Vaccine after South Africa Halts Vaccinations VOA 08 Feb 2021 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) said Monday it is reviewing the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in light of a South African study indicating the drug offers minimal protection against the new South Africa variant of the virus.
• South Africa Sees 2 Good Breaks in Coronavirus Fight VOA 02 Feb 2021 -- South Africa's president delivered a rare shot of good news to people in the continent's coronavirus hotspot: the nation's second wave appears to be abating, and the government will soon launch a vaccination campaign for health workers.
• South Africa to Begin Testing COVID-19 Vaccines Before Launching Program VOA 02 Feb 2021 -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said medical regulators will begin testing the integrity of the country's first batch of AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 before vaccinating front line healthcare workers.
• South Africa Receives First COVID Vaccine Shipment VOA 01 Feb 2021 -- On an unusually dreary Johannesburg day, a figurative ray of sunshine: the arrival of the first pallets of coronavirus vaccines that will, in about two weeks, begin making their way into the arms of South Africans.

January

• Secretary Blinken's Call with South African Minister of Foreign Relations and Cooperation Pandor US Dept. of State 28 Jan 2021
• South African President Urges Wealthy Nations Not to Hoard COVID-19 Vaccines VOA 26 Jan 2021 -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Tuesday wealthy countries should not hold onto excess stockpiles of COVID-19 vaccines, and that the world needs to work together to fight the pandemic.
• Public Face of South Africa's COVID-19 Fight Dies of Virus Complications VOA 22 Jan 2021 -- South Africa is mourning the sudden death of Jackson Mthembu, a cabinet minister and presidential adviser who was the public face of South Africa's fight against COVID-19.
• South Africa Coronavirus Cases Decline, But New Variant Spreading Quickly VOA 19 Jan 2021 -- South Africa is reporting both good and bad news in the battle against the coronavirus, seeing a decline in confirmed cases along with the spread of a new, more infectious strain of the virus.
• South African Health Workers Want COVID-19 Vaccine Plan and Stalled Pay Promise Kept Sputnik 12 Jan 2021 -- President Cyril Ramaphosa said 1.2 million healthcare workers would be first in line for COVID-19 vaccines - once they start arriving mid-year - followed by "essential" workers, the elderly and those at risk due to other medical conditions.
• South Africa Extends Coronavirus Restrictions as Cases Climb VOA 12 Jan 2021 -- South Africa's president has extended restrictions as coronavirus infections affect more and more people - including, notably, the U.S. ambassador to South Africa, who announced this week she was recovering from the virus.
• South Africa to Receive at Least 20Mln Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine by July Sputnik 11 Jan 2021 -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday that his country is expected to receive at least 20 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine within the next six months.
• British, South African COVID Variants Spreading Around Globe VOA 10 Jan 2021 -- The British variant of the COVID-19 virus, thought by scientists to be much more contagious, has been found in France and Russia, according to news reports Sunday.
• African Continent to Soon Receive First COVID Vaccines, Health Officials Say VOA 07 Jan 2021 -- A ray of hope emerged Thursday for the Rainbow Nation, which has seen a massive spike in confirmed COVID-19 cases, as South Africa's health minister announced a large shipment of vaccines is coming this month.
• South African Virologist: Vaccines Can Be 'Tweaked' to Handle Coronavirus Variants VOA 06 Jan 2021 -- A South African virologist says existing COVID-19 vaccines may not be fully effective against the new coronavirus variant found in the country, but he expressed belief the vaccines can be "tweaked" to combat the variant.
• South African COVID-19 Variant 'More of a Problem' Than UK One, Health Secretary Matt Hancock Says Sputnik 04 Jan 2021 -- A new variant of COVID-19 has been identified in South Africa. Known as 501.V2, the new variant of the virus carries mutations in its spike protein, which it uses to penetrate host cells and cause infection.
• South African Unions, Professors Slam Government Inaction on COVID-19 Vaccines Sputnik 04 Jan 2021 -- Virologist Shabir Madhi pointed out that the COVAX organisation, which the South African government relied on exclusively until recently, would only provide enough vaccines for a tenth of the population. Governing ANC-allied unions called on Health Minister Zweli Mkhize to look to Russia and China for supplies instead.