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Straits Times
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Pyramids snatch Sundowns draw in African Champions League final first leg
Soccer - CAF Champions League - Final - First Leg - Mamelodi Sundowns v Pyramids - Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, South Africa - May 24, 2025 Pyramids' Mohanad Lasheen in action with Mamelodi Sundowns' Mosa Lebusa REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko Soccer - CAF Champions League - Final - First Leg - Mamelodi Sundowns v Pyramids - Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, South Africa - May 24, 2025 Pyramids' Mohanad Lasheen in action with Mamelodi Sundowns' Mosa Lebusa REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko Soccer - CAF Champions League - Final - First Leg - Mamelodi Sundowns v Pyramids - Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, South Africa - May 24, 2025 Mamelodi Sundowns' Jayden Adams in action with Pyramids' Ibrahim Blati Toure REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko Soccer - CAF Champions League - Final - First Leg - Mamelodi Sundowns v Pyramids - Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, South Africa - May 24, 2025 Mamelodi Sundowns' Mosa Lebusa in action with Pyramids' Fiston Mayele REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko Soccer - CAF Champions League - Final - First Leg - Mamelodi Sundowns v Pyramids - Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, South Africa - May 24, 2025 Pyramids' Walid El Karti celebrates scoring their first goal with Mohamed Chibi REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko PRETORIA - Egypt's Pyramids equalised four minutes into stoppage time to snatch a 1-1 draw at Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in the first leg of the African Champions League final on Saturday. With the away goals rule still applying in African club competition, the momentum now swings the way of the Cairo club after Walid El Karti deservedly headed home at the back post after a strong finish to the game at Loftus Versfeld. Sundowns had taken the lead through Brazilian midfielder Lucas Ribeiro in the 54th minute with a curling left-footed shot after a deflected clearance fell perfectly for him. The South African club were strong favourites going into the tie against the Egyptian side, who are competing in the Champions League for only a second time. But the hosts were surprised by the strong pressing and running of the visitors, who defied the high altitude to emerge the better of the two sides. Sundowns, whose only previous Champions League success came in 2016, had a first-half chance when Iqraam Rayners' effort was saved by Ahmed El Shenawy but the Egyptians always looked lively on the counter and forced several errors from the home defence. However, they had to wait until virtually the last touch of the game as a cross from Mohamed Hamdy on the left was allowed to bounce in the box and went through for El Karti to finish. The return leg at Cairo's Air Defence Stadium is next Sunday, June 1. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Sibanye says 289 workers trapped in South African gold mine
FILE PHOTO: A logo of Sibanye Stillwater is seen at a mine in Marikana, outside Rustenburg, northwest of Johannesburg, South Africa, March 14, 2024. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo A drone view of the Sibanye Stillwater mine, where efforts continue to rescue mine workers trapped underground at one of its shafts at the Kloof gold mine, in Westonaria, Johannesburg, South Africa, May 23, 2025. REUTERS/Thando Hlophe A general view of the Sibanye Stillwater mine, where efforts continue to rescue mine workers trapped underground at one of its shafts at the Kloof gold mine, in Westonaria, Johannesburg, South Africa, May 23, 2025. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko A car drives past the Sibanye Stillwater logo, as efforts continue to rescue mine workers trapped underground at one of its shafts at the Kloof gold mine, in Westonaria, Johannesburg, South Africa, May 23, 2025. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's Sibanye Stillwater said on Friday that efforts were under way to rescue 289 mine workers trapped underground at one of its shafts at the Kloof gold mine near Johannesburg. The workers were safe and gathered at an assembly point in the underground gold mine, one of the company's deepest located around 60 km (37 miles) west of Johannesburg, it said. It did not provide details on the incident, though a Sibanye spokesperson confirmed it had occurred in the mine's Kloof 7 shaft, adding that all the miners were accounted for and the company was providing them with food. Safety procedures and an examination of the shaft were under way, the spokesperson added, after which the miners would be hoisted to the surface. "We expect the situation to be resolved by about midday today," the spokesperson said. Mining accidents are not uncommon in South Africa, which has some of the world's deepest and oldest gold mines. Earlier this year, at least 78 bodies were pulled from an illegal gold mine after police cut off food and water supplies for months in an attempt to crack down on illegal mining activity. Johannesburg-based Sibanye is among only a few South African miners squeezing profits from the area's gold deposits. The precious metals producer is mining at depths of about 3,200 meters (2 miles) at the Kloof 7 shaft. The Kloof mine, which accounts for 14% of Sibanye's total gold output, also operates two other shafts. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) earlier said it had received reports of the incident, which it said happened at around 1000 pm (0800 pm GMT) on Thursday. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
15-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
South Africa does not plan to replace US HIV funds yet, minister says
FILE PHOTO: A nurse draws a blood sample from a child for an HIV test at a clinic in Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg, South Africa, March 12, 2025. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo PRETORIA (Reuters) -South Africa's Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said on Thursday that the government had not secured any new funding yet for HIV after the U.S. cut aid, and denied reports that its HIV programme was badly affected. The United States' global HIV initiative, PEPFAR, was paying for about 17% of South Africa's HIV budget until President Donald Trump slashed aid shortly after taking office. Reuters reported on Wednesday that HIV viral load testing had already fallen significantly across South Africa since the funding cut, which experts said was a clear sign that the health system was under strain. Motsoaledi acknowledged there were some problems but said it was inconceivable that South Africa's HIV programme could collapse and accused the media of spreading a negative message. "If the tests have gone down ... we will try to correct it, but we do not think it is a train smash," he said. Once the global epicentre of the HIV/AIDS crisis, South Africa has made huge strides in reducing cases and deaths in the last 20 years. But it still has the world's highest burden of HIV, with one in five adults living with the virus. The U.S. funding paid the salaries of more than 15,000 health workers, about 8,000 of whom have now lost their jobs, said Motsoaledi. "I'm not going to stand here in front of you and claim that we have got any plan for the 8,000 people beyond just speaking to funders and our own Treasury, which still have not yet responded on what's going to happen," he told reporters. His comments angered many people who work in the health sector, who have said for weeks that the government was not taking the funding loss seriously enough. HIV activists interrupted a parliamentary session in Cape Town on Wednesday in protest, demanding that the state put in place an emergency plan. "The health minister is in denial, and once again, South Africa will have to deal with the harmful public health consequences of not just the Trump administration, but also our own government's failure to plan adequately for months now," said Fatima Hassan, founder of the Health Justice Initiative, a South African NGO. ($1 = 18.1826 rand) (Additional reporting by Sfundo Parakozov; Editing by Louise Heavens)
Straits Times
15-05-2025
- Health
- Straits Times
South Africa does not plan to replace US HIV funds yet, minister says
FILE PHOTO: A nurse draws a blood sample from a child for an HIV test at a clinic in Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg, South Africa, March 12, 2025. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo South Africa does not plan to replace US HIV funds yet, minister says PRETORIA - South Africa's Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said on Thursday that the government had not secured any new funding yet for HIV after the U.S. cut aid, and denied reports that its HIV programme was badly affected. The United States' global HIV initiative, PEPFAR, was paying for about 17% of South Africa's HIV budget until President Donald Trump slashed aid shortly after taking office. Reuters reported on Wednesday that HIV viral load testing had already fallen significantly across South Africa since the funding cut, which experts said was a clear sign that the health system was under strain. Motsoaledi acknowledged there were some problems but said it was inconceivable that South Africa's HIV programme could collapse and accused the media of spreading a negative message. "If the tests have gone down ... we will try to correct it, but we do not think it is a train smash," he said. Once the global epicentre of the HIV/AIDS crisis, South Africa has made huge strides in reducing cases and deaths in the last 20 years. But it still has the world's highest burden of HIV, with one in five adults living with the virus. The U.S. funding paid the salaries of more than 15,000 health workers, about 8,000 of whom have now lost their jobs, said Motsoaledi. "I'm not going to stand here in front of you and claim that we have got any plan for the 8,000 people beyond just speaking to funders and our own Treasury, which still have not yet responded on what's going to happen," he told reporters. His comments angered many people who work in the health sector, who have said for weeks that the government was not taking the funding loss seriously enough. HIV activists interrupted a parliamentary session in Cape Town on Wednesday in protest, demanding that the state put in place an emergency plan. "The health minister is in denial, and once again, South Africa will have to deal with the harmful public health consequences of not just the Trump administration, but also our own government's failure to plan adequately for months now," said Fatima Hassan, founder of the Health Justice Initiative, a South African NGO. ($1 = 18.1826 rand) REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
14-05-2025
- Health
- Straits Times
HIV patient testing falls in South Africa after US aid cuts, data shows
A nurse draws a blood sample from a child for an HIV test at a clinic in Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg, South Africa, March 12, 2025. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko A nurse takes a blood sample from a child for an HIV test while the child's mother looks on at a clinic in Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg, South Africa, March 12, 2025. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko JOHANNESBURG - Testing and monitoring of HIV patients across South Africa have fallen since the United States cut aid that funded health workers and clinics, with pregnant women, infants and youth the most affected, previously unpublished government data shows. South Africa has the world's highest burden of HIV, with about 8 million people - one in five adults - living with the virus. The United States was funding 17% of the country's HIV budget until President Donald Trump slashed aid early this year. Data from the National Health Laboratory Service, a government entity, showed that viral load testing fell by up to 21% among key groups in the last two months, which four HIV experts said appeared to be due to the loss of U.S. funding. Viral load testing measures how much virus is in the blood of people living with HIV who are on anti-retroviral treatment. It is normally done at least once a year. It checks whether the treatment is working and whether the virus is sufficiently suppressed to prevent it spreading to others. With less testing, fewer people who may transmit the virus will be identified. Missing a test can also indicate that a patient has dropped out of the system and may be missing treatment. It is especially important for pregnant women who may be at risk of transmitting HIV through childbirth, and for infants who need to be diagnosed and treated early to survive. Trump froze many foreign aid programmes early in his presidency, before reinstating some lifesaving assistance, including parts of the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), its global HIV initiative. But South Africa was also specifically targeted, with an executive order cutting all funding to the country in February. South Africa did not rely on U.S. funding for its HIV drugs, but about 15,000 health workers' salaries were paid by PEPFAR, which previously gave South Africa over $400 million a year. Most of that funding has been withdrawn, though it is unclear exactly how much. The health workers did HIV testing and counselling in districts with a high prevalence of HIV, and followed up when patients missed a check-up or dropped off treatment, which is common. The PEPFAR funding also supported NGO-run clinics which have now closed. The government has urged HIV patients who did check-ups at those clinics to go to public health centres instead, but public health centres often have long lines and staff can be unwelcoming to certain groups like sex workers or gay men. 'SHOCKING FIGURES' According to the data seen by Reuters, the number of viral load tests conducted for people aged 15-24 fell by 17.2% in April compared to April last year, after dropping 7.8% year-on-year in March. Total population testing was down 11.4% in April. Maternal viral load testing was down 21.3% in April after falling by 9.1% in March, and early infant diagnostic testing was down 19.9% in April after falling by 12.4% in March, the same data showed. The percentage of people who were virally suppressed among those tested also fell nationwide by 3.4% in March and 0.2% in April, with steeper declines for young adults, a further sign that patients may have had their treatment interrupted, the data showed. The data has not been made public. "These are shocking figures, with profound implications for maternal and child health across the country," said Francois Venter, executive director of the Ezintsha Research Centre in Johannesburg. Given a summary of the data, Foster Mohale, a spokesperson for South Africa's Department of Health, said more analysis was needed and that South Africa already had challenges with patient retention and viral load testing before the aid cuts. But HIV experts have said for months that the health ministry was downplaying the impact of the funding loss in South Africa, and that a drop in testing figures might be an early warning sign - followed by a rise in new cases and deaths. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "This data demonstrates what previous models have shown regarding the impact of PEPFAR/USAID cuts on pregnant women and their infants," said Dvora Joseph Davey, an epidemiologist working on maternal and infant HIV at the University of Cape Town. She said the impact was clear at five public health clinics where she works in Cape Town, which since the U.S. aid cuts have been under-staffed, with fewer nurses to draw blood which is needed for viral load tests. 'GOING TO DIE' HIV experts said that diagnostic testing was likely impacted by the funding cuts too, though that data was not available. The counsellors who used to do rapid diagnostic HIV tests are also gone, and pregnant women are no longer being put on preventative HIV drugs (PrEP) because the counsellors are the ones who used to offer that, Davey said. In the Johannesburg township of Diepsloot, HIV activist and community leader Sophy Moatshe said it was hard to get HIV patients to seek care because of the stigma, and that without health workers reaching out when they miss an appointment, many fall through the cracks. "These people, they don't want to go to the clinic," she said outside a community centre in the crowded informal settlement. "If there is nobody to check them, they're going to die." The long-term future of HIV-related U.S. assistance remains uncertain in South Africa and globally, as Trump pursues significant cuts to the international aid budget in line with his "America First" agenda. The cuts have also hit research, including HIV vaccine trials. Department of Health spokesperson Mohale said the government was speaking to prospective local and international donors about covering funding gaps, but declined to give details. The data on testing in April, however, was "a good indication of what's going to happen in the future," said Davey. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
