Rapid urbanisation, population growth and increasingly scarce resources are high on the agendas of scientists, innovators, decision-makers and governments around the world. The 5th National Global Change Conference, currently underway at the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein, has brought these stakeholders together to discuss research related to addressing these and other challenges. […]

In a ground-breaking judgment handed down yesterday by the Johannesburg High Court, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has won its long-running battle to expose the complete records of the ANC’s national cadre deployment committee’s role in the corruption, capture and collapse of South Africa’s public sector. South Africans will now for the very first time be able […]

The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles came alive on Wednesday with a powerful discussion and outstanding performances  by South African musicians in the lead up to the Grammy Awards on 5 February (which will be hosted by fellow South African, comedian Trevor Noah for the third time!). SA dance music star Zakes Bantwini and award-winning […]

At least eight Cape Town beaches were closed during the December and January festive season after sewage spills were reported. But water test results show that several other beaches were also too polluted for safe swimming. The City of Cape Town has been quick to close beaches to protect swimmers following sewage spills. But tests show that […]

World Wetlands Day is an international day that raises awareness about the significance of wetlands for water security and biodiversity. Through a generous donation, WWF took ownership of the Vissersdrift property for incorporation into the Agulhas National Park last year. This move has secured 90% of the Soetendalsvlei wetland and added a further 2 345 […]

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has invited South Africans to make inputs on what they would like to see reflected in the upcoming National Budget Speech. In a statement on Wednesday, the Ministry of Finance said Godongwana would deliver the National Budget Speech on 22 February 2023. “As usual, the budget allocation always aims to strike […]

Reality competition show, The Ultimate Braai Master, (UBM) Season 8 (S8) will premiere on e.tv at 5pm this Sunday, 5th February 2023. Filmed at various scenic locations in the Western Cape, Season 8 promises to be another thrilling adventure with 10 teams of braai master hopefuls and their buddies battling it out for awesome prizes […]

Phoenix, north of Durban, was hit by a heatwave in January, and while temperatures outside soared, tempers within the community flared up too. On private messaging apps and social media, residents called for protests against the collapse of basic services in the town. Residents of Phoenix in KwaZulu-Natal say garbage goes uncollected, water is rationed, […]

South Africans have been battered by power shortages for several years. These have worsened to the point that towards the end of 2022 the country’s electricity utility, Eskom, had only half of its power generation capacity operational. This has forced Eskom to escalate its rotational power cuts. By mid-January 2023, users were typically without electricity […]

Six South African activists and public interest lawyers have filed revised papers in their marathon legal battle against a collective R14.25-million “SLAPP” defamation case brought against them by Australian mining interests. Six South African activists and public interest lawyers have filed revised papers in their marathon legal battle against a collective R14.25-million “SLAPP” defamation suit. […]

An appeal court has increased the prison sentence of a rhino poacher from 11 to 15 years. An appeal court has increased the sentence of a man convicted of rhino poaching from 11 to 15 years. The initial sentence was far too lenient and not in line with the Limpopo Environmental Management Act, said the […]

The City of Cape Town is excited to embark on its Digital Internship Programme to help build much-needed skills in South Africa. The graduate programme has attracted applications from more than 790 graduates, which confirm the City is a sought-after employer. ‘The graduate programme has attracted more than 790 applicants from universities across the Western […]

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has announced an increase in the price of petrol and 0.05% sulphur diesel from Wednesday. Updated prices for fuel, gas and paraffin will be as follows: Both 93 and 95 petrol will increase by 28c Diesel 0.05% sulphur increases marginally by 9c Diesel 0.005% sulphur will decrease slightly […]

Scheduled blackouts by Eskom started back in 2007. Yet 16 years later, the situation has grown worse and load shedding is expected to continue until 2027. With no end in sight, many businesses and residents have been turning to battery-powered lamps, gas stoves, inverters and domestic solar power. Loadshedding has cut business hours and production, reducing income. […]

Borrowing money, in whatever form, is part of people’s life. The key is to keep it under control and to analyze whether to take the “opportunities” or not. How are South Africans dealing with this? The connection that a person has with the different financial services offered in the market is usually influenced by the […]

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has confirmed a new outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) on a farm in Gauteng. The department said the farm has been put under quarantine and the Provincial Veterinary Services instituted forward and back-tracing investigations to identify any properties that could have had direct or indirect […]

Here’s what’s coming up on Carte Blanche this week. You can watch the show on Sunday 29 January in South Africa on DStv Now OR stream it overseas in most countries on Showmax from Tuesday 31 January if you’re abroad. Tiger on the Loose She was an eight-year-old Bengal tiger named Sheba, hand-reared and loved. […]

South Africa and India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the re-introduction of Cheetah to the Asian country. “In terms of the agreement, an initial batch of 12 cheetahs are scheduled to be flown from South Africa to India in February 2023. The cats will join the eight cheetahs introduced to India […]

The repurchase rate (repo rate) in South Africa reached 7.25% after the SA Reserve Bank’s (SARB) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) agreed to a 25 basis points hike. The increase means that the repo rate will now be 7.25% per year from 27 January 2023, with prime now at 10.75%. SARB Governor Lesetja Kganyago made the […]

Taking credit or any kind of debt is not always a bad practice. Actually it can even be positive for our personal finances as it helps to achieve investment objectives or to acquire high-value goods. Even so, it is important to take care of indebtedness levels, so it doesn’t get out of hand. As with […]

Ever since Prince Harry released Spare, his 407-page tell-all exposé of life in the palace and the latest Windsor wars, we’ve been snuffling through the juiciest titbits like piglets at the royal trough. If the word “todger” now brings to mind frostbite, fancy face cream and The People’s Princess, we’ll be joining you at the […]

January 26 is a date that sparks mixed emotions in Australia. For some, it’s a day to celebrate all the good things about living in Australia. For others, it’s a painful reminder of the beginning of British colonisation and the dispossession of First Nations. Increasingly, January 26 is becoming a date that divides the nation […]

Gerhard van Niekerk, from Vleis Vryf in South Africa, has been officially invited to attend and compete in the Australian Barbecue Championships, held at the prestigious Meatstock Sydney from 5 to 7 May 2023 at the Sydney Showgrounds. This is Australia’s largest BBQ Festival, home to the country’s biggest barbecue competitions, where international teams from around the […]

Infants, the elderly, persons living with disabilities, pregnant women, outdoor workers, and those who are on chronic medications are the most vulnerable to death as a result of exposure to extreme heat, according to research conducted by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and its partners. The research, according to the SAMRC, draws a correlation […]

Micheala Ohlson from Ocean View bagged a silver medal in the doubles event at the All Africa Under-19 Tournament in Mauritius in December. The 18-year-old has been playing badminton since she was ten years old. She currently lives in Lavender Hill. After being selected, Ohlson needed R30,000 to cover travel and accommodation costs. Following several fundraising […]