South Africa
Dreading ‘Day Zero’ when the taps run dry in Cape Town
A severe drought has forced South Africa to declare a national disaster and impose tough water-saving measures in attempts to push back the day when taps are expected to run dry. In this photo essay from Reuters’ Mike Hutchings, you can see how devastating the drought has already been on the country.
Can you create a national anthem from a mashup? Here’s why South Africa did it
When South Africa ended apartheid and held free elections nearly 20 years ago, it needed a song that would heal the rift created by segregation. Its choice, the country’s new national anthem, is part-hymn, part-march, and all mashup. Instead of rejecting the past, it embraced both parts of it.
From the shacks to the prom, a South African girl’s night of glamour
See the makeover that transforms a poor and smart South African Cinderella into a beauty queen for a night. By day, she’s a student in a remarkable science and tech high school that lifts kids from a poor township near Cape Town into a better life.
‘Like vultures:’ Press hovering around ailing Nelson Mandela, angering South Africans
With very little information available regarding the deteriorating health of South Africa’s former-President Nelson Mandela, foreign media is waiting outside the hospital for him to either die or dramatically improve. Their vigil is angering some South Africans, including parts of the Mandela family.
South African Olympian Oscar Pistorius charged with murder
Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius, a double amputee, gained international attention when he competed against able-bodied athletes at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. But now the athlete is gaining attention of a different kind, after beginning charged with the murder of his girlfriend.
