South Africa | featured news

South African police fired teargas and rubber bullets to disperse striking miners at a gold mine near Johannesburg on Monday, the latest outbreak in a wave of labor militancy spreading from platinum mining into other parts of the sector.

The withdrawal of murder charges against 270 South African miners for the killings of 34 co-workers by police followed intense public pressure - including a report that the victims were shot execution-style or crushed by police vehicles.

Labour unrest in South Africa's platinum belt spread on Wednesday, raising concerns that anger over low wages and poor living conditions could generate fresh violence after 34 striking miners were shot dead by police last week.

The police killing of 34 striking platinum miners in the bloodiest security operation since the end of white rule cut to the quick of South Africa's psyche on Friday, with searching questions asked of its post-apartheid soul.

Making her Olympic debut three years after being forced to undergo gender tests, Caster Semenya of South Africa finished second in her 800-meter preliminary heat Wednesday.

Oscar Pistorius of South Africa became the first amputee to compete on the track at an Olympics, finishing second in his 400-meter heat Saturday to advance to the next round.

The South African was hoping to become the first amputee runner to compete in the Olympics, which could still happen if he is selected for his nation’s 4x400 relay team.

South Africans woke up on Wednesday morning to the claim that a group of Soweto youths had filmed themselves raping a 17-year-old girl believed to be mentally ill.

Former South African President Nelson Mandela has been hospitalized with a stomach ailment, according to a government statement issued Saturday about the 93-year-old anti-apartheid icon.

South Africa struggled on Saturday to find a compromise deal that could save U.N. climate talks from collapse.