Getting into university is only the first hurdle for students from rural South Africa. Here’s what comes next

As universities in South Africa prepare to admit a new group of students, thousands of young people from rural parts of the country hope for a life-changing opportunity. In 2023, public universities enrolled 258,778 first-time students. Demand is intense; …

Police in South Africa say a school bus crash has killed at least 12 children

At least 11 schoolchildren dead in South Africa minibus horror crash

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our …

What to Expect Post-Cup: Lessons from South Africa

Every afternoon, around 6pm, I leave my apartment in Vila Isabel, tuck my ipod under my shirt, and head for a run around the closed Maracanã stadium, the great cathedral to Brazilian soccer and home to the 2014 World Cup final. Passing the building’s gates …

India vs New Zealand: Harshit Rana’s ability with the bat gives hope of having genuine pace bowling all-rounder for ...

As far-fetched as it may sound, India’s 1-2 series defeat to New Zealand did throw up one bright spot for the hosts. It came off the bat of pacer Harshit Rana, who has ignited hope that he could be developed into a fast-bowling all-rounder. That’s a …

From Zambezi Depths: An Outsider’s Vacation in Zimbabwe’s Heights, South Africa’s Urban Pulse and Falls

After three and a half weeks in South Africa and Zimbabwe, returning to the United States feels like stepping out of a vivid, sun-soaked world into a cold landscape of unrelenting gloom, as if the country itself had forgotten how to breathe warmth and …

IMF revises South Africa’s growth forecast upward amid global crosswinds

South Africa’s slow economic recovery is set to continue through 2026, but remains vulnerable to global shocks, policy uncertainty and long-standing structural constraints. This is according to the International Monetary Fund’s latest World Economic …

South Africa's property market shows signs of recovery: semigration continues to lift prices

South Africa's house price sales growth this year is likely to feature a story of green shoots and more of the two-speed trend, but there is reason to be cautiously optimistic, said Renier Kriek, MD of home loan provider Sentinel Homes. "While we …

South Africa stopped growing in 2009

And has been underperforming average global growth for 15 years. Things are looking a lot brighter at the start of 2026 than they have in easily the past five years. Eskom is largely a solved problem (for now). Transnet is turning the corner, albeit …

Top 15: Best-selling Chinese vehicle in South Africa for 2025 is…

Great Wall Motors celebrated 18 years in South Africa by retaining its position as the country's best-selling Chinese vehicle brand of 2025. Come later this year, no less than 22 Chinese vehicle brands will be present in South Africa, excluding truck …