Prince Harry’s wife Meghan Markle has told Oprah Winfrey that when she was five months pregnant with Archie, she felt suicidal and was unable to get support from the Palace. Many viewers of the show, which aired in the USA on Sunday evening, said it felt like history is repeating itself with Meghan being treated […]

For those desperate South Africans in the UK who have been unable to get hold of the High Commission in London during the past few months, we got in touch on their behalf and the SAHC has kindly responded to some of the many questions. 1. SAHC in the UK is still closed with staff […]

“With many motorists already refusing to pay e-toll, allegations of rampant corruption around the tender process don’t exactly inspire compliance. Gauteng government faces an uphill battle should it wish to keep the controversial toll system alive,” says Carte Blanche presenter Macfarlane Moleli, who this week investigates what will become of the controversial e-toll system. You […]

“I went to the World of Birds in Hout Bay recently. It was such an amazing experience. Word on the street is that the place needs help, so I went to check it out for myself,” says chef, photographer and SA expat Bruce Marais, who is currently in South Africa on holiday. “From what I […]

The media and the public have been barred from hearing the evidence of palliative care doctor, Suzanne Walter, who is seeking to change the law in South Africa to legalise euthansia. This is to protect the confidentiality of patients. Judge Neels Claassen is sitting on commission hearing the evidence ahead of a trial, expected to […]

Today marks exactly a year to the day that South Africa confirmed its first COVID-19 case. On 5 March 2020, Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, announced the news of a 38-year-old COVID-19 patient from KwaZulu-Natal. The man tested positive after a ski trip in Italy with his wife and eight others, sending shock waves through […]

Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng has been directed by the Judicial Conduct Committee (JCC) to apologise unconditionally for “becoming involved in political controversy” through statements he made during an online webinar hosted by The Jerusalem Post in June 2020 and later at a prayer meeting. The ruling came after three organisations, Africa 4 Palestine, SA Boycott Disinvestments and […]

Police in South Africa have pounced on hundreds of fake COVID-19 vaccines this week, following a global alert issued by INTERPOL warning vaccines would be a prime target for criminal networks. South African authorities seized 400 ampoules during an operation – equivalent to around 2 400 doses – containing the fake vaccine at a warehouse […]

Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, says the names of the Home Affairs officials, who helped the Bushiris with their travel documents to escape South Africa, are known by the department. Responding to oral questions during a hybrid sitting of the National Assembly on Wednesday, Motsoaledi said the identities of the officials will, however, not […]

Qatar Airways has been voted Best Airline in the World, acknowledged for its performance during the pandemic,  by tens of thousands of airline travellers on eDreams, one of Europe’s largest online travel agents. The accolade drew on feedback from over 61,000 customers across 667 airlines who rated every aspect of an airline trip from the […]

Lebohang Ngake from Botshabelo in the Free State has received raving reviews for a video he created introducing the popular TANKS coding game in a fun, creative way. “We know that our target audience is learners, and therefore we are extremely excited with the video Lebohang created,” says Prof Jean Greyling from Nelson Mandela University, […]

The price of petrol is set to increase by 65 cents a litre as of Wednesday, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) said. In a statement on Tuesday, the DMRE said the prices of 93 (ULP and LRP) and 95 (ULP and LRP) will rise by 65 cents a litre. A litre of […]

South Africa’s Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga, has spoken frankly about the ongoing struggle with the price of school uniforms as parents around the country battle to make ends meet. “This is very close to my heart and I think anybody who comes from a poor background – like ourselves – or a township will […]

Investigations into the source of the sulphur stench that was experienced in parts of Gauteng and Mpumalanga last month are ongoing. The update on the investigations comes after a visit by officials from the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) and the Gert Sibande District Municipality in Mpumalanga to the Sasol Secunda Plant on […]

On 22 February it was announced that Western Cape minister for Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEADPA) Anton Bredell had decided to dismiss appeals lodged against the Environmental Authorisation (EA) issued by his department in August 2020 for a proposed R4.5 billion development in Observatory. The Western Cape MEC for Environmental Affairs and Development Planning […]

DStv continues to bring the best of international content to South Africans with the movies and series streaming and playing on its platforms receiving top honours at this year’s 78th Golden Globes Award ceremony. Twenty-five of DStv and streaming service Showmax’s featured content from the top studios and broadcasters from around the globe were shortlisted […]

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) and the Western Cape Agriculture Department, have jointly confirmed an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the Western Cape. The outbreak has been reported in the Western Cape for the first time. Two small-holding farms in Mfuleni, North of Khayelitsha, were found to be […]

South Africa on Sunday reported 1 168 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, down from 1447 the previous day, data from the Health Department showed. According to the latest figures, 52 patients died from Coronavirus in the space of 24 hours. Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said 25 fatalities occurred in Gauteng, four each in the Eastern […]

An enchanting documentary by well known South African filmmakers – Bonné de Bod and Susan Scott – has been nominated for the Best Feature Film category at the International Wildlife Film Festival in the US. The documentary – ‘Kingdoms of Fire, Ice & Fairy Tales’ – charts the award-winning filmmakers’ epic journey from Yellowstone National […]

Meet some of South Africa’s doctors who have been vaccinated this week, after bravely fighting the coronavirus pandemic on the frontline over the last year, risking their own lives to help save thousands of others. Many are feeling relieved, honoured and hopeful, whilst also sad for those who didn’t make it. Over 52,000 healthcare workers […]

What led outraged community members, from a wildlife reserve bordering the Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga, to launch an arson attack on the R60-million luxury Bongani Mountain Lodge on their trust land? Amidst rumours, this is one of the key questions asked by Carte Blanche in this week’s broadcast. Combustible Conditions at Bongani Mountain Lodge […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it will submit a parliamentary question to Pravin Gordhan, the Minister of Public Enterprises, in order to obtain full details of the costs and reasons for the use of a large SAA jetliner to fly to Brussels to collect a small consignment of apparently only 80,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses. UPDATE: […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has encouraged the private sector to buy local goods in an effort to create jobs in South Africa. “We really need our corporates to come on board for us to build strong local capabilities. We are not asking corporates to buy goods for the sake of buying locally. We are saying that […]

The South African Revenue Service has announced the formation of a High Wealth Individual (HWI) Taxpayer Segment, which will focus on wealthy taxpayers with complex financial arrangements. “For SARS to continue to provide a customised and seamless service to various categories of taxpayers, we are establishing a separate unit to focus on individual taxpayers with […]

The COVID-19 pandemic, and the race to make vaccines and other useful technologies more accessible to people around the world, has once again highlighted the tension between intellectual property rights and the promotion of public health. There is no doubt that the monopolies offered by exclusive rights such as patents are necessary to incentivise pharmaceutical […]