South Africans had a very special relationship with Whitney Houston, and she with them. As we say goodbye to the troubled singer, who died this weekend at the age of 48, we remember some of our favourite South African moments with the superstar through these videos: Whitney Houston sings ‘Greatest Love of All’ for former […]

In case you missed it, here’s the full speech that President Zuma made in his State of the Nation Address on Thursday 9 February 2012: Dumelang, good evening, goeie naand, molweni, thobela, abuxeni! I would like to extend warm greetings to all on this important day. It is an honour to speak to South Africans […]

Angela Larkan, the founder of non-profit organisation Thanda, has been named the Clarins Most Dynamic Woman of the Year for 2011 in recognition of her work to fight the destructive impact of HIV/Aids and poverty on orphans in rural communities. Five years ago, at the age of 22, Larkan established Thanda (isiZulu, meaning “love”), and has […]

The long-standing relationship between France and South Africa will be further strengthened over the next two years when the Saisons croisées France-Afrique du Sud 2012/2013 formally kicks off in June this year. The exchange programme was set up at the instigation of presidents Jacob Zuma and Nicolas Sarkozy, who met in France in March 2011. It […]

South Africa’s Cherilyn Ireton has been appointed as executive director of the World Editors Forum (WEF), a global network that represents newsroom editors worldwide. This is a double first for the country, as Ireton is also the first woman to head the organisation.                           […]

South African Paralympic sprint runner Oscar Pistorius is the winner of the 2012 Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability award. The Laureus World Sports Awards, regarded as the Oscars of the sporting industry, are awarded annually to sportspeople with outstanding achievements. Pistorius was presented with the prestigious accolade after becoming the first amputee to […]

HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco and HSH Prince Albert II visited the new premises of the Princess Charlene Children’s Home, where Princess Charlene unveiled the plaque for the Home. The former South African Olympic swimmer enthusiastically accepted that the Centre be given her name, since it corresponds to a major role of society, the protection […]

President Zuma was in great form at the recent World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, where he delivered speeches, met with fellow politicians, congratulated Yvonne Chaka Chaka on her WEF Crystal Award, and just seemed to be, well, happy. Chaka Chaka became the first African woman to win the Crystal Award, a prize that’s […]

Watch the trailer of Snow White and the Huntsman, featuring South African actress Charlize Theron as the evil queen and Twilight‘s Kristen Stewart as Snow White: httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY67V0wOlz8 The movie is due to start hitting movie theatres in June 2012.

The African Union (AU) has honoured a South African scientist with the prestigious international Kwame Nkrumah Scientific Award. The high-level accolade recognises Prof Maryke Labuschagne’s contribution to science in Africa. Labuschagne, a plant breeding scientist at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, received the award in the life sciences category at continental level – the […]

Voetsek! 2012 – Do Your Bit To Help Man’s Best Friend The 3rd annual Voetsek! Music Festival is set to take place on Saturday the 17th of March at The Bohemian in Richmond. Doors open at 17h00 with the first band starting at 18h00. Admission is R70.00. There is a discount rate based on items […]

A group of South Africans reached the South Pole on 21 January as part of an expedition to create awareness for The Unlimited Child, a project aimed at improving the learning environment at early childhood development centres and crèches. The eight-member team, of whom six were South Africans, traversed the snow-covered Antarctica over 111 kilometres on […]

The Bang Bang Club, a film about four brave photojournalists in pre-democratic South Africa, has received seven nominations at the 32nd Annual Genie Awards, the Canadian equivalent of the Oscars. The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Toronto on 8 March 2012. The film is based on real-life events that took place in […]

South Africa’s Yvonne Chaka Chaka, popular singer-songwriter and Goodwill Ambassador for the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, has become the first African woman to receive the World Economic Forum‘s (WEF) Crystal Award. The award is given each year to successful artists who have used their art to “improve the state of the world”, according to the WEF. […]

‘From an email doing the rounds’ Why coloureds can’t be terrorists: by MARK LOTTERING – Ons is altyd laat. We would have missed all 4 flights. – We talk loud and would bring attention to ourselves. – Met free kos en cooldrink oppie plane, we’ll sommer forget why we’re there. – We praat with our hands, […]

A non-profit organisation is gathering momentum in its opposition to plans by gas companies to push ‘fracking’ into South Africa, particularly the Karoo, and is calling on as many South Africans as possible to join and support their cause.  The organisation is the Treasure Karoo Action Group (TKAG) and was created, mainly by volunteers, in […]

Three of South Africa’s top schools have made it into the 2011 Global Education and Skills: An Oxbridge Guide publication, according to a report. The guide is a collaborative effort between those old rivals, the student unions of Oxford and Cambridge universities in the UK. Its aim is to give a broad perspective of schooling around the […]

The West Coast village of Darling is hosting its annual classical festival in February 2012, but don’t expect a highbrow affair. The Darling Music Experience is shifting perceptions of classical music, giving it a contemporary feel and making the music genre more accessible to a wider audience. South Africa’s Darling The village of Darling, a quirky little […]

After many years of honing their craft, young musicians from the Pretoria-based music education organisation Music is a Great Investment (Miagi) are making their mark on the European stage. The organisation took its name from a statement made at a 2003 press briefing by its patron, the Russian violinist Maxim Vengerov, who was visiting South Africa […]

South African rock band The Parlotones will be climbing Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, as part of an awareness campaign to end violence against women and girls on the continent. The country’s best-selling rock band will join citizens and representatives from the media and civil society from 54 African countries as they aim to “Speak Out – […]

FROM AN EMAIL DOING THE ROUNDS! Don ‘t have a spoon? I can fix Speechless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

The life of Nelson Mandela has been recorded in numerous books – one of the most comprehensive is his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom. Now, the latest Mandela book offers an insight of a different kind – that of his culinary preferences. Xoliswa Ndoyiya, Mandela’s personal chef, has decided to reveal the former president’s best-loved dishes […]

There’s the dolos and the Kreepy Krauly, both popular and proudly South African inventions – among many more – but who knew that a South African was also responsible for the development of that magic liquid in a can, Q20? Back in 1950 in Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal, a certain Mr Robertson was discussing with his neighbour the wonderful new liquid […]

  Heil die leser RE: UITNODIGING AS ONDERSTEUNER VAN WACHA LIFE (www.wachalife.com) WACHA LIFE nooi u graag uit om deel te neem aan die “One  on Ten Challenge”. Vir die afgelope agtien maande is die fokus van WACHA – World Association for Child Humanitarian Activists – (WACHA LIFE) – gerig om ondersteuners en vrywilligers vir […]

To whom it may concern RE: INVITATION TO WACHA LIFE (www.wachalife.com) WACHA LIFE would like to extend an invitation to you to join and support our “One on Ten Challenge” and the” Wacha Womens March” 2012. For just over a year and a half, WACHA – World Association for Child Humanitarian Activists – (WACHA LIFE) […]