ASATA has called on the Mauritian Government to lift its travel ban against South Africans with immediate effect so that the travel industries in both countries can collectively try to salvage the balance of the summer season. Mauritius recently extended its travel ban against Southern African countries until 31 January 2022, despite the presence of […]

Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has gazetted amendments to Adjusted Alert Level 1 COVID-19 regulations from midnight last night. This follows a statement by President Cyril Ramaphosa which lifts the curfew, among other things. Changes to the Adjusted Alert Level 1 COVID-19 regulations were approved at a special Cabinet […]

South Africans can party all night long on New Year’s Eve as the government has scrapped the long-standing midnight to 4am curfew, along with some other regulations, with immediate effect. “National Government has finally heeded our calls and put a complete end to the curfews. This is very welcome news and is long overdue,” said […]

You can watch Carte Blanche on Sunday 2 January in South Africa on DStv Now or stream it overseas in most countries from 4 January if you’re abroad. REPORTAGE Horse Therapy From a trusted companion during times of war, to championship racers and beloved family pets, horses are some of the most versatile domestic animals. […]

South Africa has recorded at least 9020 new cases of COVID-19 over the past 24-hour cycle, with a positivity rate of 26%. This brings the total number of cases to 3 433 554. COVID-19 related deaths have increased by 81, with official fatalities now reaching 90 935. The excess deaths are reportedly more than double that […]

An interfaith tribute to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu was held in Cape Town list night. The following is the speech delivered by Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis. Fellow Capetonians, South Africans, To those watching on the screens outside, or live streaming at home, Good evening, goeie naand, molweni, san’bonani,Igama lam ndinguGeordin Hill-Lewis, uSodolophu WaseKapa… Most […]

The DA has today called on President Ramaphosa to end the curfew before New Year’s Eve. « Hospitalisation rates are low across the country. Omicron has proved to be far milder than past variants. Meantime, vaccines have proven to be extremely effective at protecting against severe disease and death, so those in the high-risk group […]

In honour of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu’s commitment to religious inclusiveness and in celebration of his life, the City of Cape Town will host a special tribute at the City Hall on Wednesday, 29 December 2021, at 18:00. Representatives of the family and the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation will be part of the […]

The family of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has called on South Africans to continue his legacy by showing empathy and Ubuntu towards their fellow man. The Tutu family was addressing the nation following the passing of the iconic Anglican Church leader and liberation struggle icon in Cape Town, on Sunday morning. Family representative, Dr Mamphele […]

This week, the City of Cape Town will light up Table Mountain and City Hall every evening at 20h00 in purple – the colour that is so synonymous with ‘The Arch’, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who passed away on Sunday morning, 26 December. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said that as everyone mourns the passing of the Arch, […]

MultiChoice and M-Net are celebrating the extraordinary life and legacy of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu with a special Carte Blanche pop-up channel on DStv. Called A Carte Blanche: Tribute to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the special tribute will be available on channel 199 on all DStv packages across Sub-Saharan Africa from 5pm Sunday 26th December until the Archbishop’s burial. “MultiChoice is […]

The key to the jail cell in which South Africa’s legendary Nelson Mandela was locked for almost two decades is set to possibly fetch more than £1-million at an auction next month. It comes from the maximum-security prison on Robben Island, near Cape Town, where the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former South African president […]

The recent rains that soaked most parts of the country have made a significant impact on water levels in some parts of the country, particularly the national average, according to the Department of Water and Sanitation’s weekly state of the reservoirs report, which shows the impact of summer rains in some areas. In a statement […]

The mortal remains of Corporal Tebogo Edwin Radebe, who died after an attack by insurgents in Mozambique earlier this week, will be handed over to his family on Thursday at the Air Base Force in Waterkloof, Pretoria. The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) was deployed in Cabo Delgado province as part of the Southern […]

South Africa reported 21 099 new daily Coronavirus cases, the highest since the week began. This means the country now has 3 353 106 confirmed cases, while the death toll stands at 90 587 after 99 more people lost their lives. According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), KwaZulu-Natal, which is currently the […]

Don’t miss this Sunday’s Carte Blanche. You can watch the show on Sunday 26 December in South Africa on DStv Now or stream it overseas in most countries from 28 December if you’re abroad. CELEBRATION Honouring Healthcare Heroes When the waves of the pandemic surge, we stay at home. But healthcare workers keep going to […]

Kyleigh Milana Kista from Benoni, Gauteng, our precious 3-year-old girl, was diagnosed with a Complex Congenital Heart Defect at birth… writes Kyleigh’s mom, Serina Kista. Her condition is known as Tetralogy of Fallot with Pulmonary Atresia, VSD & Mapca’s. This condition was first described by her Cardio-Thoracic surgeon as a “monster in her chest”. This means Kyleigh does not have the valve that […]

A selection of photos we (GroundUp) took this year! © 2021 GroundUp

Let the Christmas countdown begin with these 6 local South African festive season movies. Showmax is counting down to Christmas with a merry line-up of local holiday movies. From laugh-a-minute comedies to feel-good tear-jerkers, these homegrown films will give you all the festive season feels for a very Mzansi Christmas.  Add these new holiday favourites […]

There’s something for everyone on Carte Blanche this week – from a barber to the stars, to saving the Bearded Vultures, repatriating Africa’s stolen artefacts and Elon Musk’s venture to Mars. Carte Blanche has a packed 90-minute blockbuster adventure just for you. You can watch the show on Sunday 19 December in South Africa on […]

“I couldn’t be more excited after hearing the wonderful news that our beautiful City, Cape Town, has bagged a double at the 2021 World Travel Awards!” Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis says. For the second consecutive year Cape Town has been named the World’s Leading Festival and Event Destination, which is fantastic news for everyone […]

A South African mom, who now lives in England, has decided to turn personal trauma from the past into a positive that can help others. Having tragically lost her father and brother only nine days apart, Ilze Lee and her children, Bradley and Leah, were still coming to terms with the loss when the children’s […]

A couple in Level Two informal settlement in Khayelitsha, Cape Town are growing vegetables on a small plot next to their home to feed their family and a local soup kitchen. They say they cleared the area that had once been used as a dump site. Xolani Mbokodi and his wife Vuyokazi Vapi live with […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on scientists from fellow BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India and China – to work alongside South African scientists in further researching the various characteristics of the COVID-19 virus and its mutations. The call for collaboration comes after the detection of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 in South Africa […]

This month, South Africa’s Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, has announced that the government will launch its new eVisa (Electronic Visa) system in March 2022. The system will simplify international visitors’ visa applications to South Africa, and thereby invigorate both South Africa’s tourism sector and the wider economy. At the time of launch, citizens of […]