The hajj – the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, which Muslims are expected to make once in their lives if they are able – is expected to begin June 26 and last for five days. In 2023, approximately 2 million pilgrims will participate, close to the annual numbers of pilgrims in years before […]

Humans have been eating bread in some form for centuries. But modern bread is a far cry from the bread of the past. In its sliced bread form, it often contains so many more ingredients than the kind our ancestors were eating that it is now widely considered an ultra-processed food. But, this doesn’t necessarily […]

The City of Cape Town has announced that Bingo is the name of the metro’s new anti-littering mascot following a process to get name suggestions and feedback from residents. Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has thanked the city for all the feedback and enthusiasm in helping name the City’s new anti-littering mascot! We can reveal that […]

Sarah Ngobeni wakes up at 6am every two to three days to push a wheelbarrow to a nearby river, about three kilometres away. She collects clay and takes it back to her shack in Extension 10 to prepare for the day ahead. The clay will be mixed with coal dust from an old mine dump […]

A coal truck was torched, blocking the busy R334 in Motherwell, Gqeberha, when about 100 shack dwellers protested on Friday. The driver fled, uninjured. Later, public order police managed to get the demonstrators to agree to leave the road. The protesters were demanding the electrification of about 3,000 shacks in Khayamnandi, Ncinane, and phases one […]

Solar-powered lights fixed onto the outside of shacks in informal settlements may be a better option than high-mast lights, a project in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, has shown. As part of their PhD project, Yael Borofsky and Stephanie Briers from ETH Zurich University in Switzerland collaborated with the leadership and residents of PJS informal settlement, the […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has sent condolences to the Motlana and Maunye families following the passing of veteran anti-apartheid activist, Sally Motlana, on Saturday. Motlana was awarded the Esteemed Member of the Order of the Baobab for her contribution to women’s empowerment and the realisation of a non-racial and democratic South Africa. “We are mourning the […]

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has congratulated two of its young professionals for making it to the list of the 2023 Mail and Guardian’s 200 Young South Africans. The 200 Young South Africans is an annual feature that recognises young South Africans, who are trailblazers in their respective fields and industries. Awodwa Magingi, […]

The Department of Health confirmed on Sunday that the number of cholera-related deaths has now risen to 43 since the outbreak. According to the department, South Africa has recorded 1 045 suspected cases of cholera in 15 out of 52 districts across five provinces, 197 of which were laboratory-confirmed. Gauteng remains the hardest-hit province at […]

“Drunk” Judge Nkola Motata could become the first South African judge to be impeached. “Drunk” Judge Nkola Motata must be impeached, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has ruled. The Judicial Services Commission was wrong to only find him guilty of misconduct and not gross misconduct, the SCA ruled. “For as long as he is […]

A deadly combination of sewage pollution in streets and rivers, and dirty drinking water – or no water – in the taps is common to all four areas where people have died of cholera in the last two months. At least 32 people have died of cholera – a preventable and treatable disease – this […]

Cabinet has approved the publication of the Draft Marriage Bill of 2022 for public comment. The Bill gives effect to the White Paper on Marriages in South Africa which was approved by Cabinet in March 2022, said Minister in The Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni on Thursday. “The Bill empowers the Department of Home Affairs to develop […]

South African Sign Language is set to become the country’s 12th official language. Parliament approved a constitutional amendment in a bid to “promote the rights of persons who are deaf (sic) and hard of hearing”.Claudine Storbeck, founder and director of the Wits Centre for Deaf Studies at South Africa’s University of the Witwatersrand, explains what […]

Online fraud is today’s most common crime. Victims are often told they are foolish for falling for it, but fraudsters use psychological mechanisms to infiltrate the defences of their targets, regardless of how intelligent they are. So it’s important to keep up with the latest scams and understand how they work. Recently, the consumer protection […]

Innocent Zungu, also known as “Super Sandman”, started making sand sculptures on the beach when he was ten years old. Now, many years later, he can be found creating large, intricate sand sculptures of aeroplanes, castles and rhinos on beaches across South Africa. Zungu says he will try canvas painting during winter to make extra […]

The City of Cape Town has secured €100 million in developmental finance towards its mega R43 billion medium-term infrastructure plans. Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis conducted the signing ceremony with the Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD) today, 21 June, following Council green-lighting the finance in April. Cape Town has passed a record infrastructure investment budget […]

A six-man rhino poaching gang has been sentenced to imprisonment for terms ranging between 16 and 20 years after they were found guilty of conspiracy to commit theft of rhino horn and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. The six men, who were sentenced in the Eastern Cape High Court sitting in Makhanda, are Francis […]

The Gauteng Department of Education has extended the closing date of the 2024 online admissions application period for Grade 1 and Grade 8 to 21 July 2023. The 2024 online admissions application period was initially scheduled to close on 14 July 2023, however, the department said it has noticed that some parents prefer submitting their […]

It’s painful to watch someone you care about make what you perceive as bad life choices – we all want what’s best for our loved ones. This can be particularly hard when they are dating someone you don’t think is good, or right for them. Swifties (fans of Taylor Swift) have experienced this recently when […]

The University of South Africa (UNISA) Sunnyside campus has been closed since 7 June because of dirty tap water in Tshwane. The campus was closed as a precautionary health and safety measure after the water turned dark brown, the university said. The University of South Africa’s Sunnyside campus in Tshwane has been closed since 7 […]

Since the Covid lockdowns, homeless people have been living outside The Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town’s oldest building, a popular tourist destination and city landmark. Their future is uncertain because of tensions between the City and national government, which owns the land. Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has warned that if the Department of […]

The criminal trial of Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magudumana and their seven co-accused has been postponed to 8 August for further police investigation. The criminal trial of Thabo Bester and eight others has been postponed for further police investigations. The state says three more people are likely to be arrested. The nine people in the […]

The Department of Social Development continues with its National Anti-Drug Awareness campaign at the Forensic Science Laboratory in Pretoria today. The outreach program across the country is part of the department’s efforts which seek to create safer and healthier communities through coordinated prevention efforts, treatment for substance disorders, and a reduction in the production and […]

Health Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla, believes that South Africa is on track to meet the World Health Organisation (WHO) target to reducing Tuberculosis (TB) cases by 50% by 2025 based on the latest statistics. The Minister announced on Tuesday that the estimated TB incidence dropped from 644 000 to 304 000 between 2009 and 2021. […]

A man who claimed damages against his ex-wife for “fraud”, because she did not disclose that she had an extra-marital affair resulting in the birth of their third child, has lost his case. One spouse has no legal duty to disclose to the other an extra-marital affair, a High Court judge has said. Judge Corné […]