The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa to take action today to ensure that borders and airports are put on alert, in order to stop the Gupta family from trying to flee the country ahead of their reported imminent arrests. “We should not allow them to leave South Africa, and certainly […]

A South African woman has been seriously injured in an attack by a male leopard at Matopi 1 Camp on the Botswana side of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Unusually, she was inside her tent when the attack took place. This account of the attack was posted on 4x4community.co.za forum: On the night of the 4th of January my […]

An enthusiastic adventure conservationist (very) bravely helped rescue a Kudu caught in a fence in Botswana. Grant Pengilly, a South African field guide and helicopter pilot from Wild Wonderful World, says in a caption on YouTube: “After leaving the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, we came across a young male Kudu caught in a fence. “With […]

A poem written by a 12-year-old Herschel Girls’ School learner, Nina Tsinonis, is going viral since her mom, Amanda, posted it on Facebook. Parenting groups have been sharing the poem – about being a bystander to bullying – and mothers have been reading it with their school-going children… because of the poignant and powerful message […]

The Presidency has rejected allegations that President Jacob Zuma wants former AU Commission chairperson, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, to be appointed as Deputy President of the country. Dlamini Zuma recently ran for ANC President, a race that was eventually won by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa. Ramaphosa and President Zuma met on 7 January at Dr […]

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) is meeting Monday with officials from the Embassy of the United States of America in Pretoria, following the recent disturbing comments attributed to President Donald Trump. DIRCO said it will provide an opportunity to the Charges de Affaires (the second in charge) to explain the statement by […]

A week after the H&M ‘Coolest Monkey’ ad controversy made headlines and caused boycotts around the world, the DA has decided to  write to the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) to lodge an official complaint against the retail giant for “the racist advert involving a black child modelling a racially-insensitive hoodie”. On Saturday the EFF […]

Here’s this week’s Carte Blanche line-up, available for South Africans living abroad from Tuesday – 16 January 2018 – if you subscribe to Showmax International. (You can try their free 14-day trial first.) Watch the trailer at the bottom of page. The State Capture Inquiry State Capture: it’s the story of one shocking revelation after another, […]

We’ve just returned to Canada after spending almost four weeks in South Africa… writes Daleen Loest. We spent some time in Gauteng and then toured the Western Cape and the West Coast. Man, what a breathtaking place South Africa is! We never felt unsafe, and people were friendly, helpful and just plain awesome all the way. […]

SOUTH AFRICA – Yesterday was the 115th anniversary of the birth of the author Alan Paton, who was honoured in a Google doodle that showed him looking pensively out of a train window at hills that are lovely beyond any singing… writes Gus Silber. The doodle quite brilliantly captured Paton’s flinty, thin-lipped severity of countenance, […]

For Showmax overseas subscribers, January just got better. South Africans living abroad are able to tune in to all their favourite shows from home by subscribing here… with a host of top new series launching this month! From travel shows to historical documentaries to hilarious sitcoms to real-life, deliciously juicy talk shows, the new kykNET […]

Why is it that when the West was turning away from direct colonialism in the mid-20th century, South Africa shifted to apartheid, an intensified form of this heinous system? One of the answers lies in the country’s history of colonisation by two contending settler classes – the Dutch and the British. The Dutch, or Boer, […]

Dale Steyn has been ruled out of bowling in the ongoing Test match against India due to a heel injury sustained on the second day of play at PPC Newlands on Saturday. The fast bowler landed awkwardly in footmarks while bowling shortly before the tea break, with subsequent scans confirming tissue damage to the foot. […]

Elders, the best-selling Afrikaans book about the Camino pilgrimage in Spain by writer, journalist and TV presenter Erns Grundling, is the inspiration behind Elders: Die Camino, a documentary series launching on KykNET and Showmax this January (and available to South Africans abroad – subscribe here!). The book is based on Erns Grundling’s personal experience along the […]

Thousands visit Sea Point pool, one of the few municipal pools in Cape Town operating during the drought. Because it uses sea water, the Sea Point Pavilion has been one of the few municipal pools open during the summer school holidays. Barry Christianson photographed Capetonians enjoying this famous public space. Families from all over Cape […]

Newlywed South African expats – Marelize and Ryan – were hoping to capture the “perfect couple photo” whilst on holiday back home… but instead ended up with broken bones and a visit to hospital when they were washed off the rocks they were posing on. The couple has kindly agreed to share their video with […]

The 2017 National Senior Certificate (NSC) overall pass rate is 75.1%, Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga announced on Thursday evening… although the Democratic Alliance (DA) says this is not a reflection of the true matric pass rate. The DA said: “While the pass rate of 75.1% may seem satisfactory, Minister Motshekga has not sufficiently […]

This year’s annual Tweede Nuwe Jaar (Second New Year) celebration – on Tuesday 02 January 2018 – was as brilliant as usual… providing a colourful display to the crowds, as over 13,000 dancers took to the streets of Cape Town to celebrate what’s known as the Kaapse Klopse Carnival. Oday Mtour captured these spectacular photographs… The Carnival’s […]

The wait for results is almost over for the Class of 2017 as Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga is set to announce the outcomes of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) Examination this evening. The Minister will release the national pass rate as well as figures for the provinces in a live broadcast at 6pm from […]

On Friday South Africa’s Constitutional Court delivered yet another blow to the country’s President, Jacob Zuma. ConCourt ruled that Parliament has violated its constitutional obligation to hold Zuma to account, by failing to determine whether he has breached section 89 of the Constitution. Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane said today: “This is a consequence of […]

South African comedian Nik Rabinowitz teamed up with FLOW to produce this video, giving visitors to Cape Town a (humorous) low down on how to save water in the drought-stricken Mother City. Welcome to #neighbourhoodwash… https://www.facebook.com/flowsa/videos/10156128474847834/

I finally got around to watching Tali’s Wedding Diary, the South African mockumentary series now screaming on ShowMax… writes Gus Silber. I say screaming, because Julia Anastasopoulos, who plays the titular Tali, so perfectly nails – as in nails skritching down a blackboard – the voice, accent, mannerisms, persona and neuroses of the northern suburbs […]

A Boxing Day story, posted on Facebook by Gauteng resident Tshepo Judge Dijana, has gone viral in South Africa for its warm Christmas spirit… which Tshepo hopes will last the whole year long. Tshepo began his post: “Thoughts on racism: Just had the most interesting encounter!” Tshepo had pulled up to help “the most unlikeliest characters […]

The last few weeks, I have found ample reason to curse my ill-timed blog migration project. Here I was chasing down broken links when in reality I was meant to buy Christmas presents and decorate the house… writes Eva Melusine Thieme aka Joburg Expat, named after the blog she created while living as an American German expat in South […]

In a move that underscores his commitment to conservation, His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales – aka Prince Harry – has formally joined African Parks as their President. The appointment was just made public Wednesday morning in a statement released by Kensington Palace.  African Parks is a conservation NGO, founded in 2000, that manages national […]