South Africa's top court has ruled that parliament failed to hold President Jacob Zuma to account in a scandal over multimillion-dollar upgrades to his private home.

South Africa's president has responded to the political crisis that erupted after he fired the finance minister, acknowledging that public disputes at the top of the government are a "serious weakness".

South Africans were praised for the “dignified” way in which they have commemorated the death of Nelson Mandela as the memorial service for the anti-apartheid hero got under way.