A keen bodyboarder, who was due to get married next month, is believed to have been attacked and taken by a giant Great White shark near Chintsa, 38km north east of East London. Computer technician Robert Frauenstein (38) disappeared off the coast of South Africa during his final surf of the morning in the Indian […]

Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, has expressed sadness at the passing of education activist, Graeme Bloch. Bloch passed away last week Friday at Constantiaberg Hospital in Cape Town. He succumbed to an uncommon brain disorder which affects movement and control of walking – progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Bloch died seven years […]

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged a halt on the sale of live wild mammals in food markets, to prevent new diseases like COVID-19. The WHO said the banning could protect the health of both market workers and customers. In a guidance issued by WHO, together with the World Organisation for Animal Health and […]

Every person who reads about Lufuno’s story, or watches the haunting videos of her being bullied, wishes they could do something. Wishes they could change the outcome. Step in. Take away the phones. Stop the laughing. And help. Protect a girl from being hit over and over. And from being publicly humiliated. Made to feel […]

South Africa’s National State of Disaster has been extended until 15 May 2021. Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma – Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister – has gazetted the extension after consultations and Cabinet approval. The extension takes into account the need to continue augmenting the existing legislation and contingency arrangements to mitigate against the impact […]

The Kruger National Park (KNP) has made history by appointing its first ever female Head Ranger, Cathy Dreyer… who is affectionately known as the ‘Rhino Whisperer’. Dreyer has an exemplary record in conservation management – particularly with rhino (which is crucial for the Kruger), as well as in law enforcement, people and strategic management competencies. […]

It’s lights out for South Africans tonight. Eskom says that due to a shortage of generation capacity, Stage 2 loadshedding is being implemented overnight in the country. The power cuts began at 21h00 and are due to finish at 05h00 on Wednesday morning. “The return to service of three generation units has been delayed, while […]

Yesterday South Africans proudly celebrated My Octopus Teacher’s huge BAFTA (British Academy Film Awards) win. It was a well-deserved victory for the Netflix documentary that features film maker Craig Foster befriending a little octopus. Today the BBC has broadcast a news doc focusing on the unsung hero in the film – the incredible kelp forest […]

South Africa’s Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, has announced the temporary and voluntary pause of the COVID-19 Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine rollout in SA following reports of rare blood clots abroad. According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Dr Mkhize has made the announcement following a recommendation from the FDA in the USA, […]

Following the murders of two men, believed to be brothers, near Mkhondo (Piet Retief), the devastated family has called for a thorough investigation. AfriForum has also called on the public to remain calm and refrain from spreading their own assumptions about the four murder suspects. AfriForum urged people to wait for a thorough investigation since […]

A young South African schoolgirl, Lufuno Mavhunga, who was filmed being bullied at school yesterday, reportedly died by suicide afterwards. UPDATE: Mwilbi Secondary School female student arrested. The hashtag #JusticeForLufuno is currently South Africa’s top trending topic as people around the country weigh in on the bullying incident, which took place at Mbilwi High School […]

Award-winning South African – and international – musician DJ Black Coffee has broken his silence on allegations of Gender Based Violence (GBV) made by his estranged wife, actress Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa. Mlotshwa has filed a protection order against Black Coffee, in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court, and has accused the DJ of allegedly assaulting her at […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the continent needs to build a vibrant and innovative African medical supplies manufacturing capability that meets the health needs of the Africa’s people. Addressing a conference on Africa’s Vaccine Manufacturing on Monday, the President said throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Africa has demonstrated that it has substantial capabilities, resources and skills to […]

The precious heritage site and its rich history are being poorly served… By Daniel Steyn. The official symbolism of the Robben Island Museum, adopted early in its existence, is “the triumph of the human spirit over adversity”. But after 24 years in existence, the museum is substandard. GroundUp took a socially-distanced, reduced capacity tour in […]

Three years ago South Africa introduced Africa’s first major tax on sugar-sweetened beverages based on grams of sugar. The tax now stands at about 11% of the price per litre… by Karen Hofman, University of the Witwatersrand. We assessed the impact in recently published research. We found that the health promotion levy coincided with large […]

Hot 91.9FM announced today that Sam Cowen, presenter on “Joburg’s Hottest Breakfast Show” will be leaving the station on Friday 30 April. Sam announced on air and posted on Facebook this morning: “For the past few months I’ve been living the best of both worlds, being on the breakfast show of the city’s hottest station […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) says demands the immediate retraction of the racist statement issued by the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) on its twitter handle @DPE_ZA. “We also call for the immediate suspension of the DPE Director General, Mr Kgathatso Tlhakudi, in whose name the statement was issued,” said Ghaleb Cachalia MP – DA Shadow […]

South African diver Karen van den Oever recently broke the world record for women’s deep cave diving, diving down to 236.04 metres at Bushmansgat Cave in the Northern Cape. The previous record – set by Joburg-based Verna van Schaik in 2004 – was 221 metres. According to Deeper Blue, the dive, on 26 March 2021, […]

South African rapper AKA’s fiancée Anele (Nellie) Tembe tragically passed away in the early hours of Sunday 11 April 2021, following a fatal incident. No details have yet been given about the incident. UPDATE 10 February 2023: AKA has been shot dead outside a nightclub in Durban. AKA (whose full name is Kiernan Jarryd Forbes) […]

A KwaZulu-Natal farmer, who was left disabled by a farm attack 20 years ago, was killed in a second brutal farm attack in South Africa on Friday evening. His mother tragically found him strangled in his bedroom on Saturday morning. The man – 46-year-old Neil McKay – has been described as a “gentle and friendly […]

Popular South African general practitioner and well known radio host Dr Sindi van Zyl, has sadly passed away after battling Covid-19 for much of this year. Earlier this month, Dr Sindi’s husband Dr Marinus van Zyl, issued a plea for donations to help cover her hospital costs after she’d been on ventilator support for over […]

South African swimming champion Chad le Clos has won the battle of the ages, claiming the men’s 200m butterfly title at the National Championships being held in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) this week. It’s incredible to be referring to Le Clos as ‘the senior’ as he was still only 20 when he pipped Olympic legend […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has, on behalf of the Government and people of South Africa, expressed his deep condolences to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, on the passing of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. As the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip was the longest-serving consort in the […]

The Royal Family says: “It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle. The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss.” […]

A British man has launched a petition to allow a black South African hero from World War II to finally – and posthumously – be awarded the prestigious Victoria Cross (VC) he so deserved.  Job Maseko became a war hero when he used a home-made bomb to blow up a Nazi ship. He was nominated […]