Britain’s Health Minister, Sajid Javid, has confirmed that two cases of the new Covid-19 variant – Omicron – have been detected in Britain. Both patients had recently travelled from Southern Africa. Javid said: “Late last night I was contacted by the UK Health Security Agency. I was informed that they have detected two cases of […]

JOHANNESBURG, 27 November 2021: Air France says it has taken note of the French authorities’ decision to suspend arrivals from South Africa (and six other southern African countries) for a period of 48 hours as of November 26. As a result, Air France is cancelling its flights from Johannesburg to Paris (AF 995) on November […]

South Africans on two KLM flights to Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands were allegedly herded like sheep yesterday into a small waiting area, after sitting on the tarmac for three hours, and later abandoned by KLM staff and left without food, blankets or access to their medicines while they waited crowded together – with no […]

South Africa confirmed on Thursday that it has detected the new Coronavirus variant B.1.1.529 in the country. Yesterday, Friday 26 Nov, the WHO designated it a ‘Variant of Concern’ (VOC) and named it Omicron. Here’s everything you need to know about Omicron: The variant was discovered through collaborative efforts with private laboratories and the Network […]

South African National Parks (SANParks) is sadly bracing itself for mass booking amendments from residents of various countries across the world, following announcements by several regions – including the UK, US and EU – that they will be imposing travel restrictions in and out of South Africa due to the newly discovered Covid-19 Variant of […]

Johannesburg, 26 November 2021 – On Friday morning the Dutch government announced that South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe have been flagged as a “very-high-risk area where there is a COVID-variant of concern”, Omicron. This means passengers flying KLM from South Africa to the Netherlands will only be permitted to board if they […]

B.1.1.529 has a name. Omicron. The 15th letter of the Greek alphabet. After a special assessment today by a Technical Advisory Group to assess if B.1.1.529’s mutations could alter the behaviour of the Covid-19 virus, the new variant – identified in South Africa this week – was designated as a Variant of Concern (VOC) by […]

Belgium says it has detected its first cases of the new ‘super-variant’ B.1.1.529, which South African scientists yesterday announced they had identified in SA. Guardian reporter Ben Quinn tweeted that it was identified in an “unvaccinated young woman who developed mild flu-like symptoms 11 days after traveling to Egypt via Turkey”. She did not report […]

It sure feels like Black Friday for South Africans as the world moves to ban travel to and from the country, following the confirmation yesterday by South African authorities that a new “dramatically different” variant has been identified in the country. The variant – B.1.1.529 – has over 30 mutations according to SA scientists and […]

The South African travel and hospitality industry has reacted with outrage at the UK’s decision to temporarily ban travel to and from South Africa, placing SA on its Red List from midday UK time today. SATSA slammed the decision, with its CEO David Frost saying: “It is far too early to tell what the impact […]

It was inevitable. Within hours of the South African Health Department and NICD confirming that a worrying new variant – B.1.1.529 – has been identified in South Africa, the UK (which only recently removed SA from its Red List) has announced that it is temporarily banning flights from South Africa. Israel has also put a […]

Renowned bioinformatician, Professor Tulio de Oliveira, has issued a plea for billionaires and financial institutions to help Africa and South Africa control and extinguish worrisome variants… such as the B.1.1.529 variant, identified in South Africa, which was confirmed on Thursday, and which apparently has over 30 mutations (compared to Delta which only had two). Prof […]

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), a division of the National Health Laboratory Service, has confirmed that through collaborative efforts with private laboratories and the NGS-SA members, a new COVID-19 variant, B.1.1.529, has been detected in South Africa. Unfortunately it appears to have over 30 mutations (Delta only had two) and there are concerns […]

For a limited time, Showmax is offering a 2-for-1 deal on all packages, including Showmax Pro. Buy one month of Showmax and get a second month on the house. Get the deal. The mobile-only version of Showmax starts at R39 per month, which means you can watch the latest and greatest movies, series, kids’ shows […]

A South African expat is calling on South Africans around the world (in SA too!) to please send her school in Spain a postcard. Retha Sánchez, who hails from Nieuwoudtville in the Northern Cape, says she’s a “Saffa in need of some help” and is appealing to “the most international community in the world”. Retha […]

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa has asked Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer to delay delivery of COVID-19 vaccines because the country now has too much stock, health ministry officials said, as vaccine hesitancy slows an inoculation campaign. By Promit Mukherjee. About 35% of South Africans are fully vaccinated, higher than in most other African nations, […]

Tennis legend Roger Federer has delighted South African fans with photos of himself showing Springbok rugby Captain Siya Kolisi around Zurich, Switzerland. Kolisi has stopped off in Switzerland on his way back to South Africa from the UK, where the Springboks played their final matches of the season, beating Wales and Scotland before falling to […]

South Africa’s award-winning flutist Wouter Kellerman has been nominated for yet another Grammy Award, this time in the Best New Age Album category. The ultra-talented ‘flute painter’ (watch the beautiful Desert Moon video below!) announced the fabulous news on Wednesday morning South African time: “Wow, just received a GRAMMY®️ nomination for ‘Pangaea’ with David Arkenstone […]

South African DJ Black Coffee says he has “no words” after being nominated last night for a 2022 Grammy award. Black Coffee was nominated in the Best Dance/Electronic Album category. His latest album – Subconsciously – will compete for the most prestigious award in the music world, against albums from Ten City, Sylvan Esso, Marshmello, […]

Bilateral cooperation between South Africa and Kenya is expected to elevate to the level of a strategic partnership following an official State Visit to South Africa by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta. President Cyril Ramaphosa – together with President Kenyatta – addressed the media at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, saying the cooperation “would signify the […]

The Democratic Alliance’s Randall Williams was elected as Executive Mayor of Tshwane unopposed on Tuesday. Williams said: “I would like to thank Tshwane residents for strengthening our country’s democracy. I accept the role of Executive Mayor with deep gratitude and humility, and I am encouraged by the faith that has been placed in me to […]

  Zolani Matthews was hired in March 2021 at the age of 64 to be the first Group CEO in nearly six years at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) despite having no rail experience. Just eight months later, he has been suspended by the board. In a cryptically worded announcement on Friday 19 November, […]

A family in Tafelsig Mitchells Plain risked everything this weekend to save their beloved pet dog, Fiebie, according to news shared by the Animal Welfare Society of South Africa. The Gentles family watched in horror, on Saturday, as their home – and several adjacent homes – burnt to the ground. The fire left 19 adults […]

The following speech was delivered by the new DA Ekurhuleni Executive Mayor, Tania Campbell, during her acceptance speech at the Ekurhuleni Inaugural Council meeting. Watch video below. Speaker, fellow councillors and residents of Ekurhuleni, I am humbled by the faith and trust placed in me as the Mayor of our great city, Ekurhuleni. It is […]

The DA’s Dr Mpho Phalatse has been elected the Mayor of Johannesburg, after ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba pulled out of the mayoral race leaving just Dr Phalatse and the ANC’s Mpho Moerane. Mashaba said he was putting country first, politics last. “The election of both Dr Phalatse and Cllr Vasco Da Gama (as Council Speaker) […]