South Africa Sells Zimbabwe Eight Times What It Buys Back
South Africa Zimbabwe trade was worth R81 billion in 2025, about US$4.6 billion, and Pretoria sells roughly eight rand of...
August 23, 2026Section
Southern Africa
Southern Africa – South Africa, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Botswana – anchors the continent’s deepest capital markets and its richest seams of platinum, copper, gold, diamonds and gas. The Rio Times follows the rand, the Johannesburg market, mining and energy deals, and the South Atlantic ties that increasingly link the region to Brazil and Latin America. This hub collects our daily Southern Africa coverage for investors and expats.
Browse by themeAfrica Critical Minerals · Africa Energy · Africa Markets & Investment · Africa & Latin America · Africa & the Great Powers · Doing Business & Living in Africa
Washington Is Paying for a Rare-Earth Study in Mozambique
A US$1.875 million US grant will fund a pre-feasibility study at Monte Muambe rare earths project in Tete, which also...
August 22, 2026
Angola’s Biggest Phone Network Is Back After 23 Days Offline
Angola has recovered from the Unitel cyberattack of 28 July, with the operator confirming full restoration and saying no customer...
August 22, 2026
Zimbabwe’s Mining Exports Doubled. Its Reserves Still Cover 1.7 Months of Imports
Zimbabwe mining exports reached US$6.21bn in the first half of 2026, up 121%, but usable reserves of US$1.7bn covered only...
August 21, 2026
Equinor Buys Into a Namibian Block With a Prospect Ready to Drill
Equinor Namibia enters PEL 90 in the Orange Basin with a 17.4% stake bought from Chevron, joining QatarEnergy and NAMCOR...
August 21, 2026
Exxon Commits US$1.1 Billion to Mozambique’s Rovuma LNG Before Final Decision
ExxonMobil and its Area 4 partners have awarded about US$1.1bn in pre-investment contracts for Rovuma LNG in Mozambique, before any...
August 20, 2026
US Tariffs Cut South African Car Exports by 83% in One Year
South African vehicle exports to the US fell 83 percent after a 25 percent tariff landed. AGOA duty-free access no...
August 20, 2026
South Africa’s Unemployment Rate Climbs to 33.6% in the Second Quarter
South Africa unemployment rose to 33.6 percent in the second quarter, up 0.9 points. On the wider measure that counts...
August 20, 2026
Absa Wins GEPF Custody Contract to Guard South Africa’s US$215 Billion State Pension Fund
GEPF custody transition confirmed: Absa replaces Standard Bank as custodian of R3.5 trillion, about US$215 billion, in state pension assets.
August 19, 2026