According to South Africa’s opposition parties – the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) – nothing has changed with the election of Cyril Ramaphosa as ANC President… and the “corrupt premier league” is still at the centre of the organisation. EFF Commander in Chief Julius Malema tweeted: “Nothing has really changed, the core […]

Team South Africa Roller Derby is heading to the Roller Derby World Cup in Manchester, in the UK, in February, and really needs our help to get there. Their fundraiser on Thundafund ends today – there are some really cool rewards and super cool advertising deals for potential sponsors. Here’s everything you never knew about […]

The South African Revenue Service will collect the Sugary Beverages Levy (SBL) from 1 April 2018. The levy is fixed at 2.1 cents per gram of the sugar content that exceeds four grams per 100ml, which means the first four grams per 100ml are levy free. SARS on Friday said the levy falls under the […]

Few in Cape Town have done more to introduce foodies, chefs, distillers, brewers and tourists to wild food, particularly fynbos – the vast category of indigenous plant life that covers the Cape’s mountains – than forager/cook Roushanna Gray, whose interactive workshops fall under the name Veld and Sea. Roushanna makes foraged food look sexy, with dishes like edible […]

Just after some South African streets – particularly in Pretoria – famously turn purple with Jacaranda petals, there’s a fabulously flamboyant flush of red flowers that are less well known. These are are Delonix regia… known in English as Royal Poinciana trees… or, quite aptly, Flamboyant trees! Fortunately Ria Viljoen in Pretoria and Sheryn Nader in […]

If you want gifts that last, that don’t need batteries and that your kids won’t be able to break on Christmas Day… Oliver’s your man! South Africans have been going crazy over the last week for the Faerie Glen craftsman, ever since Marlene Truscott uploaded a photo of Oliver and his wooden toys. Marlene said: […]

The suspense is tangible as the African National Congress (ANC) – South Africa’s former liberation movement that’s turned into a tired governing party – approaches its fiercely contested 2017 elective conference. By December 5, the party’s branches had largely spoken, and its provincial structures had consolidated the branch delegates’ voting preferences. The lay of the […]

South Africa’s Is Ability Sports Club ended its International Wheelchair & Amputee Sports Federation (IWAS) World Games in Portugal on top of the medals table! The 17-strong team won 14 gold, seven silver, and nine bronze medals in the Games, held in Vila Real de Santo Antonio. There was also one world record and five […]

The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) has put in place measures to secure the 54th African National Congress (ANC) Elective Conference… as the ANC battles it out to decide on its new leadership. Chairs may fly (as happened with the ‘Festival of the Chairs’ at an ANC conference in the Eastern Cape!) at […]

Drowning is a major cause of childhood injury and a top killer of young children in South Africa… as was tragically highlighted this week by the death of 20-month-old Cape Town toddler, Connor Weber, who drowned when he fell into a bin that had been used to collect water during the current drought in the […]

A helicopter pilot and two of his safari guests were incredibly lucky to witness a rare scene of what Helicopter Horizons described as “a lion riding a hippo through the Delta”. Here, chopper pilot Tom Cunningham describes the once-in-a-lifetime sighting… On November 7th I took off in our Robinson R44 helicopter with two guests, Kay and Lisa, […]

The Gauteng Disaster Management team has been tasked with finding alternative accommodation for over 1,000 people, who were left displaced following a major storm in the Midvaal municipality on Monday (which included strong winds that witnesses said was a tornado). “Information compiled by disaster management so far indicates that 565 shacks were damaged with an estimation […]

The Khululabantu Bam centre in Butterworth brings into focus the huge gap between the demand and supply for decent mental health care facilities in South Africa. In November we visited the facility. It was run in an abandoned warehouse next to a railway line. The warehouse had no windows and was divided into two rooms […]

The Knysna community has been rallying behind talented musician – Xolane Marman – to ensure he can fly to Germany to undertake a prestigious opera training programme. And this week he will be giving two unmissable benefit concerts to raise further funds. Recognising his talent and potential, Xolane was chosen from numerous gifted international students to […]

A year ago – in November 2016 – Tshwane mayor, Solly Msimanga was a hero for cleaning up corruption in the city, and helping clean up trash in Pretoria’s CBD (which had been left by protesters). But yesterday AfriForum accused the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality of trying to implement a waste removal levy that they say […]

Cape Town is experiencing its worst drought ever and Day Zero is looming (when taps will be turned off and residents will have to queue for water). As the beautiful Mother City starts to welcome local and international tourists to its shores for the festive season, there are some concerns that visitors are not aware […]

Professor of Science, Tebello Nyokong, is a legend. This week she became the first recipient of the Black Science, Technology & Engineering Professionals (BSTEP) Excellence Award. She was identified as a legend and honoured in the first ever Black Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) awards at the CSIR International Convention Centre. Prof Nyokong’s many accomplishments […]

South African musician Don Clarke has released one of the most politically incorrect Christmas carol videos you’ll ever watch! Don told SAPeople, it’s “an amusingly accurate version of Jingle Bells for the current South Africa this season… 🙂 SHARE FAR AND WIDE!” The video introduces Don’s new artist Rosie Doring. “That’s Rosie with the Afrikaans […]

Little Foot, the world’s oldest complete Australopithecus skeleton, was unveiled at the University of Wits in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Wednesday 6 December 2017, and has made headlines around the world. The fossil – believed to be of a 30-year-old female – was discovered by South African palaeoanthropologist Ron Clarke, who took part in the […]

South African comedian Trevor Noah is inviting his fans to apply to be interviewed by him – in a one-on-one interview – after a taping of his popular ‘The Daily Show’ in New York. The lucky winner will also score two VIP tickets to the show and watch Trevor’s take on the day’s headlines from […]

Check out Suzelle DIY’s latest video – ‘How to Arty Your Party’ – with some great tips on wrapping Christmas presents, including what you can do with a toilet roll! Watch How to Arty Your Party – Suzelle DIY

The Magistrate presiding over the case of alleged rhino poaching kingpin, Dumisani Gwala, is facing recusal, amid damning allegations he accepted bribes to prolong the case. KZN Director of Public Prosecutions, Moipone Noko previously maintained there was not enough evidence for the recusal, but has now reversed that decision and has allowed the application for […]

Heineken on Monday laid the foundation stone of its first brewery in Mozambique in the presence of Max Tonela, Minister of Trade and Industry. This new brewery, incorporating the latest technologies, represents a $100 million (€85 million) investment. Located in the province of Maputo, between the Marracuene and Manhiça districts, the brewery will have a production […]

South Africans have until today – Monday 4 December 2017 – to register as an affected and interested party in a mining development application in Mpumalanga. Wildlife conservationist Ashwell Glasson says the mining development application could allow parties (including, according to rumours, the Gupta Family and Duduzane Zuma) to get involved in gold and silver […]

A letter to my sister, who is about to return to South Africa, having lived in Britain for the past four years… writes Justin Foxton. Dear M, Your decision to come home is such a great one – not that I am biased! It’s a very exciting time to be in South Africa, though it’s not […]