South Africans living along the country’s coastal Garden Route braced for continued rains, even as they dealt with flooding that prompted water rescues and closed roads and schools. There were no immediate reports of injuries, but property damage was ongoing along the route. It runs roughly from east of Cape…
Participants in the three-day African Oil & Power conference, which runs through Friday in Cape Town, are showcasing African industry’s efforts to align with this year’s theme of “Make Energy Work.” Gwede Mantashe, the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy in South Africa, served as keynote speaker on Thursday with…
A wildfire in South Africa threatened a popular tourist landmark on Sunday, as fire crews battled flames hoping to contain the spread before it forced evacuations in neighboring Cape Town communities. The fire broke out on the slopes of Lion’s Head mountain, a 669-meter peak known as a hiking destination…
There’s good news for the water-weary residents of Cape Town, where 4 million people living under severe-level water restrictions since February will see them ease at the end of September. That’s because Cape Town’s dam system has recovered to a 71.5 percent capacity level, up from the dry and dire…
Mark Coetzee, the executive director for the acclaimed Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town, has resigned following “an inquiry into Mr. Coetzee’s professional conduct,” according to the museum’s board of trustees. Coetzee had recently failed to respond to questions about institutional practices at Zeitz MOCAA, according to ArtThrob South…
South Africans are shaking their heads Monday on the news that four men trying to flee from police in Cape Town drove straight onto the grounds of Pollsmoor Prison – and to no one’s surprise, never left. The suspects were involved in a chase after the car was reported stolen…
A new “Tobacco Atlas” was launched Thursday at the World Conference on Tobacco or Health in Cape Town, and it shows the continued trend in the tobacco industry to target vulnerable populations in Africa. Co-authored by American Cancer Society (ACS) and Vital Strategies, the sixth edition details the products and…
As Cape Town and its water-weary residents prepare for Day Zero – currently, the April 12 date when the taps run dry – attention has turned to the use of groundwater to help avert the looming water crisis. The World Wildlife Fund in South Africa wants Capetonians to understand how…
In Cape Town, the water crisis isn’t getting any better – and on New Year’s Day, the city of 4 million people will go to new Level 6 water restrictions. That means a 60 percent reduction in water use for agricultural operations, and a 45 percent reduction for urban businesses…
As of Wednesday, the overall water level at Cape Town’s major dams was at 36.3 percent as the city continues to plan for its worst-case drought scenarios. The level in the dam system that provides water to some 4 million people was down slightly from about six weeks ago, when…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times
When he was in Cape Town last week, United States Secretary of Energy Rick Perry focused on Africa Oil Week and the role he sees for fossil fuels in supporting Africa’s fast-growing cities and economies. On Thursday, though, he raised a few eyebrows when he connected the dots between powering…
Africa Oil Week begins Monday in Cape Town, with energy ministers and senior officials from a host of African nations participating. Joining them is United States Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, who traveled this weekend to South Africa and will deliver an address Tuesday on global energy policy and security….
The City of Cape Town has started rationing water as the rainy season comes to an end without any hoped-for replenishment of the reservoirs in its dam system. Officials say they’ve implemented Phase 1 of the Critical Water Shortages Disaster Plan, which means they’ve started to intentionally reduce water flow…
The City of Cape Town’s water woes continue, with supply in the dam system still at critical levels – but it’s not the only city in southwest Africa to struggle with water usage during the ongoing drought. In Namibia, despite the fact that the city of Windhoek had seen improvement,…
Parts of South Africa that have experienced severe drought were confronted with a new catastrophe on Wednesday as wildfires fueled by storm-related winds erupted along the coastal Western Cape. At least eight people are reported to have died as the severe storm swept ashore, fanning flames that spread through Knysna,…