Urban agriculture as a global phenomenon is widely promoted as a sustainable land use practice. On small plots and in big projects, using sophisticated technology or simple solutions, city dwellers around the world are producing food. Growing food in a city can improve local food security and express local culture. Little information is available, though, […]

The National Lotteries Commission (NLC) awarded a grant of more than R10-million to a non-profit entity to stage a South African Youth Awards ceremony – but the company had nothing to do with the event and not a cent of the grant was spent on it. A non-profit company which was paid more than R10-million to host […]

Many futuristic novels and films have explored what the world might look like without water. But water scarcity isn’t a problem for the far-off future: it’s already here. In its 2021 report UN Water outlined the scale of the crisis: 2.3 billion people live in water-stressed countries and 733 million of those people are in […]

Countries in the Horn of Africa have been hit by a multiyear drought. Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Uganda are expected to continue getting below-normal rainfall in 2023. Excluding Uganda, 36.4 million people are affected and 21.7 million are in need of food assistance. Climate change projections show changes in temperature and rainfall extremes, especially without […]

World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD), marked on Wednesday, comes against the backdrop of several challenges South African consumers are faced with. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition said these challenges range from poor quality of goods and services offered by suppliers, a deepening energy crisis which consumers circumvent by buying alternative power sources and […]

Considering that South Africa is one of the highest per capita meat-consuming countries in Africa, one might be surprised to discover that there are 14 fully vegan restaurants in Cape Town alone. Humane Society International/Africa and ProVeg South Africa have partnered to create a My Plant-Based City map of Cape Town to highlight these restaurants, as well […]

Wild swimming has grown massively in popularity in recent times. Not only is swimming outdoors a pleasant way to enjoy the sunshine, fresh air and green leafy surroundings, it can also help to relieve stress and elevate our endorphins. This creates a sense of well-being as well as burning calories and exercising muscles. But along […]

Rising 28-year-old South African dancer and rapper Costa Titch (born Constantinos Tsobanoglou) died after collapsing on stage on 11 March while performing in Johannesburg. His death has shocked South Africans and made headlines around the world. https://twitter.com/billymiltons/status/1634681726034214917 Costa Titch entered the entertainment world as a dancer with Cassper Nyovest, another South African hip-hop megastar, before […]

43 countries have stopped animal testing for cosmetics, will South Africa be next? The 10th anniversary of the European Union’s ban on cosmetic animal testing and trade has just passed and the climax of a decade-long campaign by Humane Society International, its affiliates and partners to extend the cruelty-free cosmetics model across the globe. Humane […]

The Academy Awards in 2023 were a less scandalous affair than last year – although host Jimmy Kimmel never let us forget “the slap”, with so many jokes it was verging on a dead-horse-beating situation. In fact it was a relatively wholesome ceremony, defined by great sweeps for films All Quiet On The Western Front […]

Equal Pay Day falls in 2023 on March 14 — a date determined by how long into the new year American women must work to catch up to American men’s earnings the previous year. In 2022, women earned 82% of what men earned. The wage gap for Black and Hispanic women is even higher — […]

Here’s what’s coming up on Carte Blanche this week. You can watch the show on Sunday 12 March in South Africa on DStv Now OR stream it overseas in most countries on Showmax from Tuesday 14 March if you’re abroad. Mark Pilgrim: A Celebration He lit up every room he entered. Easy-going, approachable and generous with his […]

The inaugural Islamic Arts Biennale is underway in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Biennales are large and prestigious international art exhibitions held every two years.) This important new event for the Muslim world features numerous African artists. The biennale’s artistic director is Sumayya Vally, a South African architecture professor and principal of Counterspace design studio. A rising […]

Mental health problems among adults are an ever-increasing public health concern. These include depression, anxiety, and conditions associated with bad childhood experiences such as abuse. Several factors are known to influence the development of mental illness. These include anxiety, early adversity, socio-economic status, and some demographic characteristics such as where a person lives. In a […]

Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, says collaboration between government, business and society is imperative if South Africa is to overcome the current electricity crisis gripping the nation. The Minister was speaking during the launch of the Resource Mobilisation Fund (RMF) on Thursday afternoon. The RMF is a collaborative effort between government […]

A pedestrian crossing where vehicles almost never stop. Bicycle lanes obstructed by parked cars. An informal market that is starting to use bicycles to deliver their product. These are some of the issues raised during a walkabout or “talking streets” event in Langa about the future of transport in the township. Organised by the Langa […]

Becoming an adult often seems to mean leaving play behind. The term “adulting” refers to doing things that are joyless, boring and tiresome – the opposite of play. But we can embrace adulthood while still finding joy through play and being playful. You might not realise it, but when you swing in your chair, slip […]

Ukrainians observed the solemn anniversary of the Russian invasion that disrupted their lives and threatened Europe’s security on February 24, 2022. One year on, the scars of war remain fresh as individuals remember the lives lost, the homes destroyed, and the families torn apart by the conflict. In a statement, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy acknowledged the […]

Government says it notes S&P Global’s decision to revise South Africa’s credit rating outlook to stable from positive on Wednesday evening. According to S&P, economic growth in South Africa is facing increasing pressure from infrastructure constraints, particularly severe electricity shortages. In reaction, Treasury said, reforms to address infrastructure shortfalls and to improve governance and performance […]

The world’s largest-timed cycle race pedals through the Mother City for its 45th year on Sunday, 12 March 2023 with the inclusion of a shorter route of 42km and multiple age-group events. The City of Cape Town is honoured to be home to the Cape Town Cycle Tour as we celebrate 45 years of the most […]

Malawians in Lingelethu township in Malmesbury, Western Cape, are accusing police of turning a blind eye when two Malawian men were murdered by a crowd in October 2022. According to a witness, the police were a few metres from the scene when the men were beaten and they failed to intervene. Malawians in Malmesbury, Western […]

Sleep may be the single biggest factor in maintaining a healthy brain and positive mental health. This is especially true if you are under the age of 20. What is interesting — and problematic — is that most of us live with a sleep debt: in essence we are not getting enough sleep, so we […]

Attitudes to mental health conditions are often influenced by matters of awareness and belief systems. Bipolar disorder is one of the conditions that’s frequently misunderstood and stigmatised. This is the case in Ghana, where bipolar is generally referred to as atenkabrane nsesae yaree – a condition characterised by extreme changes in mood. A recent study […]

AfriForum has reiterated its fear that the adoption of the Expropriation Bill will have a “devastating impact on all South Africans”, especially in the context of homeownership, food security and economic devastation. AfriForum has submitted further comments strongly opposing this Bill. This comes after the Select Committee on Transport, Public Service and Administration, Public Works […]

A law graduate who has a “predisposition to bouts of extreme anger and disrespect” is not a fit and proper person to be enrolled as an attorney, the Supreme Court of Appeal has ruled. A bad-tempered, disrespectful law graduate is not fit and proper to be admitted as an attorney, the Supreme Court of Appeal […]