Government has noted Fitch’s decision to affirm South Africa’s long-term foreign and local currency debt ratings at ‘BB-’ and maintain a stable outlook. According to Fitch, South Africa’s credit rating is constrained by low real gross domestic product (GDP) growth hampered by power shortages, high level of inequality, a high government debt-to-GDP ratio, and a […]

As the country and the world at large commemorate President Nelson Mandela’s birthday, President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on everyone to promote peace across the globe. In his weekly newsletter to the nation, President Ramaphosa said everyone is called upon to get involved in peacemaking and peacebuilding processes, which is the fruit of Nelson Mandela’s […]

The National Lotteries Commission (NLC) has published a list of Lottery grants it paid out during the first quarter (April to June) of its new financial year, and it says it will publish details on a quarterly basis, rather than annually as was done by the corruption-riddled previous administration. Minister Ebrahim Patel has requested that the National Lotteries Commission […]

A 25-year-old man has died, and four others suffered injuries after a fire ripped through Kennedy Road informal settlement in Durban on Sunday morning. According to residents, over 1,000 shacks were gutted, leaving about 2,300 people homeless. The community is not sure about the whereabouts of three people and a child, but they may have […]

Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has apologised to the nation for Stage 6 load shedding that was implemented on Thursday. The Minister was speaking during a media briefing on Monday. Eskom implemented Stage 6 load shedding last week following breakdowns and delays in returning to service of generating units. “I want […]

Bluetti, a leading provider of renewable energy storage solutions, is proud to announce the launch of its latest line of cutting-edge products. These innovative products provide individuals and businesses with reliable and sustainable energy storage options, empowering them to embrace a greener and more efficient future. With load-shedding a stark reality throughout winter, South Africans […]

South Africans are looking for healthier, more environmentally friendly, and ethical food options – but they often don’t know where to start! Animal protection organisation Humane Society International/Africa, through its Green Monday campaign, has developed an easy-to-follow, Green Monday Go-To Guide to help South Africans on their journey to consuming more plant-based meals. This plant-based guide offers helpful information on […]

District Six residents opposed to the creation of a shelter for homeless people on the site of a former crèche gathered outside the Western Cape Provincial offices on Friday, 14 July. They want the Tafelberg crèche site to be converted into a community centre instead. Members of District Six associations marched on Friday to object […]

The charges against a 22-year-old woman from Langa, accused of throwing boiling water on a toddler, have been escalated to attempted murder, a packed Bishop Lavis Magistrates Court heard on Friday. The accused was denied bail. She is yet to plead in court. On 24 June, four-year-old Unako Khala sustained severe burns on his chest, […]

While many people rave about the ease and speed of supermarket food delivery services, others on social media rant about the numerous delivery motorbikes ploughing the city streets, calling them on Twitter the “new scourge of our country” and “lawless on the road”. Speedy, motorbike-based, supermarket grocery delivery services have increased dramatically since Covid. Checkers […]

South Africa has a growing unemployment rate. Statistics show the unemployment rate to be above 60% for those aged 15-24 and over 40% for those aged 25-34 years. Rankings from the World Bank position South Africa as having the highest unemployment rate in the world. This runaway unemployment rate not only creates precarious, limiting circumstances […]

Chaos erupted on busy Addo Road as about 100 residents of Powerline, Ramaphosa and Nomakanjani informal settlements protested in Motherwell in Gqeberha over water and electricity on Wednesday night. According to police, trucks were stoned and a truck transporting fruit was set alight. Lemons could still be seen scattered on the road in the afternoon. […]

As the globe gears up for the annual Nelson Mandela International Day on 18 July 2023, the City of Cape Town’s librarians will celebrate the day by taking part in storytelling sessions, to spread joy to their communities. South Africans and the global community honour South Africa’s late former President and international icon, Nelson Mandela, […]

Sindiwe Magona – who turns 80 this year – is a celebrated South African writer, storyteller, speaker and activist. In 2022 Magona, once a domestic worker, received her PhD in creative writing. Best known for her novels, autobiographies, short stories, poems and children’s books, she’s also a writer of essays. Now a new collection, I […]

You have spent the past few days on a cloud over your forthcoming, well-deserved holidays, and will go back to daydreaming about them as soon as you finish this article. And the truth is that the benefits of a good holiday can be felt even before the trip begins. Scientific studies show that merely looking […]

There are no drugs to treat long COVID – a condition that affects around 2 million people in the UK alone – so you can imagine the excitement when a cheap diabetes drug called metformin was shown to decrease the risk of getting the disease. The study, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, showed that […]

The Post Office joins a string of state-owned entities by going business rescue with yet another government bailout. The South African Post Offices is going into business rescue with yet another government bailout. SAPO has received billions in bailouts over the years without turning a profit. The latest developments mean that thousands of people will lose their […]

In March we reported that after ten years of court battles, Home Affairs would re-open a Cape Town refugee office, having unlawfully closed its office in 2012. Home Affairs fought the matter all the way to the Supreme Court of Appeal, losing every court round, until it was finally denied leave to appeal by the Constitutional Court. Many asylum […]

When you go on a diet, you don’t just lose fat – you lose muscle too. This can have many repercussions – not only on your fitness and strength, but on your metabolism. To lose weight (body fat), you need to be in a calorie deficit. This means consuming fewer calories than your body uses, […]

Mandela Day is an international initiative started by the United Nations in 2009 to honour our former president’s spirit of self-sacrifice. If you’re keen on rolling up your sleeves to do your bit for 67 minutes this Mandela Day, but aren’t quite sure what to do, Mdzananda Animal Clinic needs your help to paint their […]

Cape Town will see its first direct connection to South America in over a decade, as South African Airways is set to launch its first intercontinental flights since the Covid -19 lockdown. The new direct and first flight service between Cape Town and São Paulo in Brazil will be reinstated on October 31, 2023. According to […]

Stage 4 load shedding has been implemented immediately with Stage 6 expected to return from 2pm this afternoon (Wednesday). This as state power utility Eskom continues to battle generation unit breakdowns. By Tuesday afternoon, some 16 313MW were offline due to breakdowns with further losses overnight. “Due to the loss of additional generating units overnight, […]

The Government of Ireland has invited South Africans interested in pursuing a Master’s degree in Ireland to apply for the Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme to study at Ireland’s world-renowned higher education institutions. The Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme is a flagship programme of the Embassy of Ireland in South Africa offered to South African students. The […]

Martin turns off the light to fall asleep, but his mind quickly springs into action. Racing thoughts about work deadlines, his overdue car service, and his father’s recent surgery occupy his mind. As he struggles to fall asleep, the hours start to creep by. He becomes frustrated about how he will cope tomorrow. This is […]

Simbongile Mancotywa, from Cofimvaba in the Eastern Cape, was murdered on 9 May 2020. Simbongile Mancotywa, from Cofimvaba in the Eastern Cape, was murdered on 9 May 2020. Her partner was charged and released on bail. But three years later there has been no prosecution and the case has been struck off the court roll […]