South Africa News

Oscar Pistorius has texted his sister Aimee to say "God is good" following his brother Carl's acquittal.

The six-time Paralympic gold medallist is famously awaiting trial after being charged with the premeditated murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in February.

Read: Oscar Pistorius will not compete again this year

• World
• Oscar Pistorius
• South Africa

Carl Pistorius, the brother of the now-infamous Paralymian Oscar Pistorius, has been acquitted after standing trial in South Africa accused of culpable homicide.

He embraced his lawyer upon hearing the verdict, while his family shed tears of joy.

• World
• Oscar Pistorius
• South Africa

Police in South Africa are investigating how robbers were able to break into a strong-room at the Johannesburg Soccer City Stadium and make off with more than three million rand (£210,000).

Takings from Justin Bieber's Sunday night concert and an earlier concert by the U.S rockers Bon Jovi were taken in the raid.

Officials didn't realise the money was missing until Monday morning.

Police from the nearby Booysens Police Station in Soweto said the robbers had used hammers and chisels to smash their way into the room.

• Entertainment
• Justin Bieber
• South Africa

Foreign Secretary William Hague has defended the UK's decision to cut aid to South Africa, while attempting to ease relations with the country's angered officials.

Mr Hague said Britain and South Africa had discussed the decision "for some months", in response to claims from Pretoria that the UK had not gone through the official channels.

Justine Greening's announcement "therefore shouldn't have been a surprise", he told Radio 4's Today programme.

"No doubt there is some confusion or bureaucratic confusion about that perhaps, on the South African side, but I'm not going to fling accusations about that," Mr Hague said.

On the aid cut, he said: "Britain has helped to improve matters in South Africa but we don't continue to give aid to countries that are raising their incomes, that have growing economies."

Mr Hague said he was "sure" the confusion could be cleared up at the countries' upcoming annual bilateral forum.

• Politics
• William Hague
• South Africa

The South African government have accused their British counterparts of failing to go through the proper channels before announcing an end to the country's annual £19 million payment in Official Development Aid.

The Department of International Relations and Co-operation said it had noted the UK announcement "with regret", adding that the "major decision" had "far reaching implications on the projects that are current running" in South Africa.

A statement from the department added:

Ordinarily, the UK government should have informed the government of South Africa through official diplomatic channels of their intentions and allowed for proper consultations to take place, and the modalities of the announcement agreed on.

We have a SA/UK Bilateral Forum which is scheduled for some time this year and the review of the SA/UK strategy which includes the (Official Development Aid) would take place there and decisions about how to move forward were expected to be discussed in that forum.

The department said there was "no doubt" that the UK's announcement "will affect how our bilateral relations going forward will be conducted".

But it said it would use the forthcoming forum to "clear up this matter among others".

• World
• South Africa
• Aid

Britain has become embroiled in a diplomatic row with South Africa after announcing it will scrap £19 million in annual overseas aid to the country from 2015.

International Development Secretary Justine Greening sparked an angry reaction from Pretoria after declaring the country was now "in a position to fund its own development".

South Africa's Department of International Relations and Co-operation said Britain's decision to pull the plug on aid was "tantamount to redefining our relationship".

Foreign Secretary William Hague has this morning played down the spat, blaming it on "bureaucratic confusion".

• World
• Britain
• South Africa

The UK's direct aid to South Africa will end in 2015, International Development Secretary Justine Greening will announce.

The Government's aid programme to South Africa is currently worth £19 million a year, down from its peak of more than £40 million in 2003, and has focused on reducing the mortality rate among women giving birth, as well as supporting businesses.

Mr Greening will tell a conference of African ministers and business leaders in London tomorrow that the relationship will change to one of "mutual co-operation and trade".

• World
• Aid
• South Africa

To say that Nelson Mandela looked alert or robust would be an overstatement. But "healthy ... considering" isn't a bad assessment, given that the man the world most admires is almost 95 years old and has just recovered from pneumonia.

Six members of the ruling ANC's top brass went to see him this morning, accompanied by a camera from state television.

"They found President Mandela in good shape and in good spirits", a party official said.

Many South Africans will be cheered by the sight of Mr Mandela sitting upright, at home and apparently comfortable.

But some will find the video to be an uncomfortable watch and will wonder whether he might have less to gain from this meeting than his visitors do.

• World
• Nelson Mandela
• South Africa

Nelson Mandela was "in good shape and spirits" during a visit by President Jacob Zuma and other South African party leaders, the ruling African National Congress has said.

Footage broadcast on South Africa's SABC TV shows Mandela during the visit at his Johannesburg home:

This is the first time Mandela has been seen publicly since he was discharged from hospital earlier this month.

• World
• Nelson Mandela
• South Africa