In this week’s episode, Carte Blanche goes undercover to reveal an online pet scam, investigates Gauteng’s looming drought, and goes behind the scenes with legendary artist William Kentridge plus more. Watch on Sunday 27 Oct on DStv Now if you’re in South Africa, and stream it from Tues 29 Oct on Showmax International in most other […]

The politicians who run South Africa’s official opposition, the Democratic Alliance (DA), have probably never heard of “imposter syndrome”. If they had, they might have a better grasp of the problems which confront their party – and its first black leader might not have been forced to resign. “Imposter syndrome” is a state of mind […]

SABRIC, the South African Banking Risk Information Centre, confirmed today that as of Wednesday, 23 October 2019, the banking industry has been hit by a wave of ransom-driven Distributed Denial of Service attacks, targeting various public-facing services across multiple banks. These attacks started with a ransom note which was delivered via email to both unattended as […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed the recently retired Constitutional Court Justice, Edwin Cameron, as the Inspecting Judge of the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services. The appointment is for a three-year term with effect from 1 January 2020. The President has also – in terms of Section 86(1)(b) – reappointed the current Inspecting Judge, Justice Johann […]

Mossel Bay Municipality says it is proud to announce that the greater Mossel Bay boasts 5 Blue Flag beaches for the 2019/2020 summer season. Mossel Bay Municipality is the only municipality in the Garden Route that received Blue Flag Beach Awards this year. Also, the prestigious Glentana Beach, which was a Blue Flag pilot project […]

After Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane resigned yesterday as head of South Africa’s main opposition party, he has today announced his resignation from the DA party and from Parliament. Maimane announced his resignation as leader of the party on Wednesday after four years at the helm, citing difficulties making the traditionally white liberal party […]

Following an outcry on social media in South Africa about a Grantleigh matric student’s artwork (which one father described as ‘demonic’ images, in a video that has gone viral), the executive head of the school near Richard’s Bay has issued a response. Others have also reacted, including a former Headboy who has penned an open […]

The Premier League is arguably the best in the world, packed with the finest players on the planet. All the biggest transfers seem to happen around England’s top flight, with an Inside World Football article confirming that £1.41bn (ZAR 26.3bn) was spent over the summer of 2019. It’s been a while since South Africa made an impression […]

In this week’s episode, Carte Blanche participates in an undercover investigation to reveal an intricate car scam, finds out how South Africa’s ports have deteriorated, interviews world renowned author Deon Meyer and discovers dog therapy for abused children. Watch on Sunday 20 Oct on DStv Now if you’re in South Africa, and stream it from […]

Eskom says it has had another major setback at its Medupi Power Station based near Lephalale in Limpopo and will be implementing Stage 1 load shedding from 9am to 12pm midday and thereafter revert to Stage 2 load shedding until 11pm. While last night Eskom Acting Group Chief Executive Officer Jabu Mabuza said the power […]

The trial of former South African President Jacob Zuma has been postponed to 4 February next year. His trial will then proceed after a 15-year delay. The former president faces charges of corruption, money laundering and racketeering linked to the multi-billion rand arms deal at the Pietermaritzburg High Court. Today Zuma appeared alongside representatives of […]

After taking a break over the cold winter months, the Mdzananda Animal Clinic in Khayelitsha in partnership with Lee-Ann Elliott Yoga is bringing Downward-Facing-Adopt-A-Dog back this spring. On Saturday the 26th of October, Yoga lovers and dog lovers alike are invited to join this special yoga class with homeless dogs. The class will be held […]

On a frigid September morning in Mkumbi, a remote village in the Pondoland region of the Eastern Cape, 63-year-old Sizane Nompethu rose at dawn and walked at a brisk pace down a rocky path to work her family’s small plot of land, just as she had every day since she was 15. “I am old […]

In the hillside Pondoland village of Manhlaneni, a small delegation from the Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform stepped into a dimly-lit rondavel where a group of women sat on upturned beer crates removing the leaves from dense bunches of cannabis. One of the women passed a large handful of green buds […]

South Africa won the 2019 Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens tournament, beating Kenya 15-14 in the final match on Sunday in Tunisia. South Africa and Kenya are both now entitled to participate in a qualification tournament for the World Rugby Sevens Series. The day started at 09:30 with South Africa beating Morocco 42-00. South Africa next […]

Carte Blanche investigates Dangerous Gases in your Home, behind-the-scenes action with the Johannesburg Crimefighting Squad and more.You can watch the “Behind the Scenes Action” episode today – Sunday 13 Oct – on DStv Now if you’re in South Africa, and stream it from Tues 15 Oct on Showmax International in most other countries.  Dangerous Gases in […]

Since Zimbabwe’s land reform of 2000 – when around 8 million hectares of formerly large-scale commercial farmland was distributed to about 175,000 households – debates about the consequences for food security have raged. A standard narrative has been that Zimbabwe has turned from “food basket” to “basket case”. This year, following the devastating El Niño […]

Since the end of apartheid in South Africa in 1994, South Africa and Nigeria have never had an easy relationship. Over the years, as different presidents have come and gone, the two countries have often been at loggerheads for different reasons. But this was predated by Nigeria’s strong solidarity with black people when South Africa […]

Lack of accountability leads to wasteful expenditure and mismanagement, says activist. Contractors have abandoned more than 50 major school upgrade projects in the Eastern Cape after government departments failed to pay them on time. Many of these schools have been stripped of valuable materials and vandalised after being abandoned. One example is Makhanda’s Grahamstown Primary […]

On a Wednesday and Friday afternoon in the Howick old Agricultural Hall, you may find yourself captivated if you look inside. You will see dance teacher Phillip Gumede (65) guiding his dance students through their paces writes Trish Beaver. To the elegant strains of the waltz or the more upbeat funky samba, the children practice […]

Refugees sitting outside the offices of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Cape Town say they have been victims of xenophobia in South Africa and the UNHCR should help them settle elsewhere. Carine Kavira, who says her brother was shot dead in a 2012 xenophobic attack, says she won’t leave the UNHCR […]

As South Africa’s Springbok rugby team vies for victory in the 2019 Rugby World Cup tournament, it is worthwhile to reflect on the historical substance of sports unity since 1994. South Africa held its first democratic elections in 1994. In mainstream history and school textbooks this represented a turning point that brought unity to South […]

On Monday charges were laid at the South African Police Service (SAPS) by AfriForum against the Tshwane Metro, Proco Management, Linked Thoughts Consulting and Faragamo Trading. The civil rights organisation said this follows Proco Management, Linked Thoughts Consulting and Faragamo Trading acting as go-between when three farms were sold to the Metro at prices significantly […]

Carte Blanche revisits the towns in the Northern Cape where the economy is collapsing under the weight of destitute workers in drought-stricken areas where almost 60 000 workers in the region have lost their jobs and more.You can watch the “Calling for Action” episode on Sunday 06 Oct on DStv Now if you’re in SA, […]

South Africans living in the UK are in for a treat this month as the phenomenal Drakensberg Boys Choir (DBC) will be travelling to the UK from 11-21 October to perform for a variety of audiences. (See details at bottom of page.) This is only the fifth time the choir is touring to the UK, […]