Two days late, and two years after he posted the accusation online, ex-president Jacob Zuma today followed a court ruling and apologised to former minister Derek Hanekom for a 2019 tweet in which he called him an enemy agent. “Apology accepted,” Hanekom tweeted. “As far as I am concerned, the matter is now closed, apart […]

While most South African municipalities outside of the Western Cape are billions of rand in debt from irregular spending, mismanagement and corruption, the lone Midvaal in Gauteng has had a clean audit for the sixth year in a row. This week, to celebrate Women’s Month, women from the municipality came together to dance to Beyoncé’s […]

Thanks to improved service at Cape Town harbour, the wine industry, badly affected by the months-long lockdown and prohibition of alcohol sales in South Africa, was able to export 38 million litres of wine in July, 12 million litres more than in June.  Rico Basson, the MD of Vinpro, which represents 2,500 wine producers, thanked […]

In another amazing act by the Bloemfontein SPCA, it was able to save a serval that had been hit by a car, apparently while escaping a pack of hunting dogs and was then, critically injured, transported 300 kilometres on the back of a truck. The SPCA said in its newsletter today that it had received […]

A big push is being made by South African chef Jan Hendrik at his Michelin-starred restaurant in the south of France (in Nice, on the Cote d’Azur) to serve as much South African wine as possible to help the local industry during its crisis as the ban on local alcohol sales continues. And he has […]

In the midst of an ongoing avalanche of negative press  questioning his seriousness in dealing with corruption, President Cyril Ramaphosa today announced a committee of six cabinet ministers to deal with allegations of corruption surrounding the country’s response to the COVID pandemic. The public response has been less than positive – more cynical than anything […]

More than double the number of containers are being moved daily in the port of Cape Town compared to the end of May, and vessels at anchor are berthed in one day rather than 20, according to Western Cape Minister of Finance David Maynier. At the end of June, Maynier urgently requested the government deal […]

It’s been an incredible month for local author Lauren Beukes, whose 2013 novel “The Shining Girls” is to be made into a TV series by Leonardo di Caprio’s production company and whose latest novel has just been reviewed in The New York Times by no less than the thriller maestro Stephen King. “The Shining Girls,” […]

Keeping a promise to maintain a clean administration, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said today that a lifestyle audit showed that all members of his cabinet and their spouses live a lifestyle in line with their income and that there were no conflicts of interest. “When I became Premier last year, I committed to clean […]

The city of Cape Town’s law enforcement unit had to respond to 260 incidents of illegal land invasions between April and July, according to the Western Cape government, which has said the SA Police Service and all relevant law enforcement agencies should immediately arrest those leading the land grabs. “It has become clear that those […]

Eskom and the Special Investigating Unit today issued a summons in the North Gauteng High Court to recover R3.8 billion, lost to state capture, from former Eskom executives including Brian Molefe and Anoj Singh, former cabinet minister Mosebenzi Zwane, former board members, members of the Gupta family and others. “The funds were lost in a […]

Across the world, but especially in Africa, the rangers who protect the game reserves, wildlife and nature in them – battling poachers and trafficking on a daily basis – are being celebrated, recognised and thanked today, World Ranger Day. In the last year, at least 137 rangers have died in the course of their duties. […]

A second planeload of German engineers, technicians and other experts whose skills are urgently needed has arrived in Johannesburg, as Germany works with South Africa to kickstart the economy and assist in projects in the Eastern Cape and at Eskom, among others. “Second JumboJet with engineers, technicians and experts has just touched down in Jo‘burg.” […]

While the Gauteng government deals with a PPE tenderpreneur scandal, with everyone from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson and the MEC for Health for the province placed on special leave over questionable contracts, the Western Cape government today published the first of what it said would be regular procurement disclosure reports. The province’s Minister of Finance […]

Tourism and hospitality establishments across the country welcomed the news that leisure travel inside provinces has been opened up by government, and the 9 p.m. curfew has been extended to 10 p.m. to make it easier for restaurants to cater to customers. “Intra-provincial travel will go a long way in saving the livelihoods of many,: […]

As the Gauteng MEC for Health and his wife take a four-week leave of absence, joining President Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, while an investigation is carried out into whether they or their families benefitted off provincial government PPE contracts, a former minister’s daughter has been exposed as having a company that scored a R2.7 million PPE contract. […]

The former Commissioner of Correctional Services, Linda Mti, and four others have appeared in the Pretoria Specialized Commercial Crimes Court in connection with charges relating to four tenders worth over R1.8 billion awarded to the now infamous Bosasa company of Gavin Watson, who died in a car crash late last year. The company allegedly went […]

A leopard that apparently escaped from a wildlife reserve and was wandering around Klipgat township northwest of Pretoria has been safely captured. As can be seen by the videos posted online (see below), the wild cat was wandering through the streets and finally hid under a vehicle. Details of where it came from have not […]

Toyota South Africa is to invest R2.5 billion on the production of ‘hybrid synergy drive’ or petro-electric cars at its Prospecton plant in Durban, its first hybrid in Africa, a move that was today welcomed by the KwaZulu-Natal government. Ebrahim Patel, the minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, said during his department’s budget vote last […]

The South African Police Service said today that it had received numerous requests that people attending the funeral of African National Congress stalwart Andrew Mlangeni outside his Soweto house on Tuesday be arrested for contravening the lockdown regulations, and was investigating the complaints. “The Regulations in terms of the Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002 […]

The director general of the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, Sam Vukela, had been placed on precautionary suspension after being implicated in massive overspending on three state funerals and appointing unqualified people in the department. A Price WaterHouse Coopers report implicated Vukela in the R76 million expenditure on the state funerals of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, […]

The South African National Editors’ Forum has condemned the ANC MP Boy Mamabolo for allegedly threatening to shoot a reporter from Sunday World and kick in his testicles. SANEF said that Mamabolo threatened reporter Ngwako Malatji after he called to get his side of the story alleging that Mamabolo made unsavoury remarks about President Cyril […]

Three small businesses that won awards in 2019 for their innovation are among the tourism operators that Cape Town is helping weather the economic fallout of COVID-19. The board of Cape Town Tourism has also given their own salaries to fund small tourism businesses during the lockdown. African Authentic Experience, a tour operator; Tees and […]

If you haven’t heard it yet, the song “Jerusalema” that has people around the world humming and dancing (#JerusalemaDanceChallenge), composed by South African Master KG and accompanied by vocalist Nomcebo Zikode, has been viewed more than 50 million times on YouTube. (See videos below.) The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, today congratulated […]

More than 50 infrastructure projects in South Africa worth R340 billion and impacting the sectors of water and sanitation, roads, energy and affordable housing – part of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s plan to reignite a flailing economy – have been gazetted, and are expected to create tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of new jobs. Minister […]