The South African Broadcasting Corporation has suspended three employees and given notice to a freelancer for their alleged involvement in an act of sabotage by airing the wrong address by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 5 September in an attempt to discredit him and the SABC, the broadcaster has said. “The SABC now has strong prima […]

In a new global livability survey by the Economist of 140 cities around the world, three each in South African expat hotspots Australia and Canada make the top 10 most livable cities, while five in Africa – including Harare – make the 10 least livable. The most livable city for the second year in a […]

Arrest warrants have been issued by the National Prosecuting Authority for two Rwandan men suspected of involvement in the death of former Rwandan intelligence, Patrick Karegeya, in a Johannesburg hotel almost six years ago. The NPA was also in the process of asking Rwanda for the extradition of the two men, Ismael Garafanga and Alex […]

The city of Johannesburg has cut off water supply to the all-important Gautrain station in Sandton because the landlord – which apparently has ties to the Gupta-linked Regiments Capital company – owes R8 million in rates it allegedly has not paid since 2013. The express train that runs between Johannesburg and Pretoria and O.R. International […]

The man who led Zimbabwe to independence in 1980 after a long and bloody civil war but then clung to power as his country slipped into economic decay under his command, Robert Mugabe has died at age 95 in Singapore. The announcement was made by the president of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, early on Friday. Mnangagwa […]

PERTH, Australia – Anyone Googling the word “hazenile” will almost immediately come across an April 1, 2019, story on Smart Energy International about a “miracle new mineral” from South Africa, but with bold red letters across the story stating “This was an April Fool’s joke.” Clearly, South Africa’s Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy didn’t […]

A “landmark” case has been won by a 78-year-old Limpopo farmer who has leased his land from the government for almost two decades, despite an agreement in 2003 that it would be sold to him. The decision could have far-reaching effects for thousands of smallscale farmers who have been stymied by the government’s inaction over […]

JOHANNESBURG – In a quick operation by the police, three people were arrested on Wednesday night for the kidnapping of 6-year-old Amy-Lee (Amy’Leigh) de Jager earlier this week, according to a statement today, and one of the people, a woman, was reportedly known by the parents. “During an intelligence-driven operation, members from the FCS (Family […]

South Africa’s ambassador to the Netherlands, Bruce Koloane, has resigned after being recalled from his posting, an action taken after he gave evidence to the state capture inquiry about his involvement in the landing of a Gupta family wedding plane at the Waterkloof Air Force Base in 2013. The minister of the Department of International […]

Only days after the protests and looting of shops, many of them foreign-owned, began and spread across Johannesburg and Tshwane, celebrities, sports teams and politicians from other African countries including Malawi, Rwanda, Nigeria and Zambia, have pulled out of events in South Africa. At the same time, it was reported that South African businesses in […]

More than 1,000 leaders in their field from 100 countries – including 10 African heads of government or state – are gathering in Cape Town for the 28th World Economic Forum on Africa from tomorrow until Friday, according to the WEF. Attendees at #WEFAfrica2019 will, according to the WEF, be spread across the fields of […]

Six-year-old child Amy-Lee de Jager, who was shockingly kidnapped on Monday morning in front of Laerskool Kollege Park (Kollege Park Primary School) in Vanderbijlpark, South Africa, has been safely returned to her family. The South African Police Service (SAPS) confirmed this morning that the schoolgirl has been found. Amy-Lee was kidnapped when her mother was […]

For Bruce Marais and his travel companions, Kampala was a colourful chaos, and his photographs vividly show it. In the second part of SAPeople’s series on Bruce’s 10-country journey, he focuses on the Ugandan capital. “Some good news from East Africa,” he writes from the road. “They have a growing economy, it’s a safe place […]

JOHANNESBURG – The death of three people on the weekend during a fire in a hijacked building in Jeppestown, east of downtown, triggered looting in the area that on Monday spread into the city centre and Turffontein, with many on social media saying it was a backlash against foreigners. Police were reportedly in heavy presence […]

A luxurious yet understated 23-room hotel in a centuries-old mansion in the Somerset countryside of England, owned and restored by South African power couple Koos Bekker and Karen Roos, The Newt, had a quiet opening this weekend. Set in a former 17th-century Georgian country home on extensive grounds, the couple – Bekker is chairman of […]

The South African government is once again looking at the R26.4 billion tourism industry as a missed opportunity to grow the economy, and the minister of tourism has said three main areas would be focused on to achieve this, visas, safety, and global marketing. During the launch on Friday of Tourism Month, Tourism Minister Mamoloko […]

The new movie “Moffie” by Oliver Hermanus is picking up significant buzz before its first showings, at the Venice Film Festival and then the London Film Festival, two prestigious international movie events. The movie is one of ten competing for the Best Film Award at the 63rd BFI London Film Festival, which takes place 2-13 […]

PRETORIA – Taxi drivers blockaded downtown Pretoria, South Africa, on Wednesday morning, reportedly in retaliation for the death of a colleague who had been shot a day earlier, after which looting of shops began. Taxi drivers were protesting the shooting of a fellow driver on Tuesday, after they clashed  with a group that was apparently […]

BIARRITZ – A White House correspondent for the Associated Press news agency failed to recognize President Cyril Ramaphosa while he was having a chat with several leaders at the G7 summit – calling him “one unidentified leader” – and social media immediately came down on her. Ramaphosa, who had been invited to the G7 summit […]

The chief of a company repeatedly implicated in corruption allegations at the state capture inquiry died in a horrific car accident near O.R. Tambo International Airport, it has been reported. The Germiston mortuary confirmed that the body of 71-year-old Gavin Watson, chief of Bosasa, had been brought in early on Monday, according to News24 and […]

At least 75 officials working at motor vehicle licensing centres around South Africa have been singled out for fraud and corruption in the last two years, and eight were arrested on Friday in Standerton after helping falsify documents for 87 trucks, according to the National Traffic Police. The NTP, also known as the Road Traffic […]

The African National Congress in Johannesburg has failed – again – to unseat the popular Democratic Alliance mayor, Herman Mashaba, withdrawing its motion of no confidence at the eleventh hour. “It seems the ANC in Joburg had no confidence in their own motion of no confidence…,” Mashaba said afterwards. As late as yesterday the ANC […]

Three people were arrested after a lion cub was found in their possession in a home in Athlone, Cape Town, the South African Police Services said in a statement today. Detectives from the Organised Crime Investigations unit followed up on information about a cub that was being transported from Thabazimbi, in Limpopo, to the Western […]

The IT chief at the South African Revenue Service who was severely criticised – and ridiculed – for her 2018 interview on SABC in which she replied to some probing questions by saying “Ma’am, can you give me protection from yourself?” has been put on precautionary suspension. Mmamathe Makheke-Mokhuane was placed on precautionary suspension with […]

In a ruling that could have major repercussions for Jacob Zuma in the controversial multibillion-rand arms deal of the late ’90s, a judge at the Gauteng High Court today set aside the R140 million, four-year Seriti inquiry, which found that there was no corruption in the arms deal. The commission, set up in 2011 by […]