The South Africa News Desk is located in Soweto, an urban area of Johannesburg, South Africa's largest city and is operated in partnership with Global Girl Media. South Africa is located at the southern tip of Africa. In 1948, South Africa instituted apartheid – a legal system of racial segregation that favored the white minority over the black majority. Although apartheid ended in the 1990s, imbalances remain in housing, education and health care. South Africa has the highest number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the world, and unemployment is also high.

The South Africa News Desk is unique among all GPI desks as it is staffed with teenage girls trained in video production and reporting in partnership with Global Girl Media.