The dogs he walked would anticipate his arrival and recognise him when he arrived at the gate… writes Kimon de Greef. One dog would “do backflips,” her owner remembers. Others barked and raced around, wagging their tails. The name on his refugee permit was Kevin Ilunga Nkongolo. Many residents of Milnerton knew him as Kevin. […]

Tim Noakes has a long history of making misleading and false claims, including promoting the debunked theory that the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine contributes to autism and promoting hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for Covid-19… writes Eduard Grebe. In a recent tweet, he linked to an utterly misleading BizNews article on the recent release of thousands of emails to and from […]

A team of academics at the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Division of Medical Gastroenterology have performed South Africa’s first successful bowel enteroscopy (endoscopy of the small bowel). The cutting-edge procedure was carried out at Groote Schuur Hospital (GSH), and is set to transform the way clinicians access and examine the previously inaccessible small bowel […]

When great white sharks disappeared from two well-known congregation areas on South Africa’s coast recently, the possible reasons were hotly debated…. writes Alison Kock, South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity. The appearance of a pair of shark-eating killer whales in the area was one. Another was the decline in numbers of smaller shark species that […]

The arrival in London of a new Serpentine Pavilion is a design diary highlight every year… by Matthew Barac, London Metropolitan University. Each commission sees a new temporary garden building – a pavilion – created by a selected international architect. It is organised by the Serpentine Galleries in Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, regularly attracting over […]

Whatever one thinks of Helen Zille – and I think highly of her – no-one could suggest that she is behind the curve… writes MARTIN PLAUT. While politicians in Britain and the USA are only gradually coming to terms with the problem of “woke” politics, she has been highlighting the issue for years. Now these […]

Frederick Mhangazo came to Cape Town to study. He has ended up homeless and living from hand to mouth… By Marecia Damons.Cape  The man arrested in connection with a Cape Town fire last weekend will no longer face charges of arson, the Cape Town Magistrates Court heard on Wednesday. Frederick Mhangazo, 35, was apprehended in […]

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has undertaken one of the biggest rhino dehorning operations in KwaZulu-Natal. The operation, which was funded and supported by conservation NGO Wildlife ACT, set out last week to dehorn the entire population of white rhino on Spioenkop Nature Reserve… writes Janelle Barnard, Love Africa. The dehorning of rhino populations has been adopted […]

Flames destroy buildings, monuments and precious archives… By Ashraf Hendricks, James Stent and Nathan Geffen The burning of the University of Cape Town’s J.W. Jagger Library on 18 April could be one of South Africa’s greatest losses of memory. Many of the most precious records housed at the building may have been protected at lower […]

A new report reveals that water pollution across Cape Town’s rivers, vleis and estuaries has been getting steadily worse for 40 years, except for a few years. A new report shows that Cape Town’s rivers, vleis and estuaries have been getting worse for 40 years, with the exception of a few years. In the rivers, […]

For South Africans this is an interesting read on how farm crime (no murders or attacks, mind you!) are handled in Australia… Crime on farms in Australia can have devastating effects on farmers and their families — financial, psychological and social. Crime can also have national implications, too, if it disrupts or damages farm production. […]

Housing activists demand answers eight months after Sisulu’s budget vote announcement… By Liezl Human In July 2020 Minister of Human Settlements Lindiwe Sisulu announced during her budget vote speech that R600 million would be allocated towards rent relief for tenants facing “financial distress” due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Eight months later, no money or information about […]

Tony Leon is the most prolific of all former leaders of the Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa’s main opposition party, as befits the chair of a communications company. In his latest and fifth book, Future Tense: Reflections on my Troubled Land, he comes across as articulate and persuasive. The Democratic Alliance has, ever since its […]

In an average year, 1.35 million people die on the world’s roads and another 50 million are seriously injured. Most (93%) of the deaths happen in low- and middle-income countries, and sub-Saharan Africa is the global hotspot in the road death pandemic. In South Africa 26 out of every 100,000 people die on the roads […]

The indigenous San communities of southern Africa were originally hunting and gathering peoples. One of the greatest testaments to San history is the rock art found throughout the subcontinent. The oldest rock art in southern Africa is around 30,000 years old and is found on painted stone slabs from the Apollo 11 rock shelter in […]

Here, once a month, the scent of milk tarts, cupcakes, or doughnuts can be discovered. Located about 30km from Cape Town city centre, Wolwerivier is a low-cost housing development for people who have been evicted, mostly from informal settlements, and have nowhere else to go. But within these dust-ridden streets, the home of Magdalene Minnaar […]

Al Jazeera news channel has described the container ship, Ever Given, that’s currently blocking the Suez Canal, as being like a ‘beached whale’. The ship’s predicament has created an insane traffic jam and sent shockwaves through global trade as officials have stopped all ships entering the channel… with the salvage company revealing that it could […]

“South Africa has squandered the opportunity to protect half a million of its most vulnerable citizens”… By Michael Cherry A group of eminent South African physicians has published an article in the South African Medical Journal that is highly critical of the government reselling AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccines to the African Union (AU). They include one […]

Since Thursday, over 130 workers have been on strike at a Spar distribution centre in Perseverance, Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). They are demanding an 8.1% pay rise; the employer is offering 3%…. By Joseph Chirume 134 workers are on a protected strike at a Spar distribution centre in Gqeberha. Workers demanded an 8.1% increase while the […]

Jane Hozheri says they are making more money farming than in their previous jobs… By Tariro Washinyira   A Zimbabwean mother and daughter started a vegetable farm in Mfuleni after losing their business during the Covid-19 lockdown last year. They farm mostly green leaf vegetables popularly used in Zimbabwean dishes like covo, rapeseed and kale. […]

South Africa has only administered 182 983 doses of Covid-19 vaccine, meaning we are hopelessly missing even our unambitious target of vaccinating 1 million healthcare workers by the end of March. By now we should have vaccinated 710 000, meaning we’re missing our unambitious target by 75%… writes John Steenhuisen MP – DA Federal Leader. […]

South Africa’s theatre fraternity has reacted with heartbreak to the announcement that Cape Town’s famous Fugard Theatre has closed its doors for good. Named after the playwright Athol Fugard, the theatre was established in 2010 and produced many landmark productions – such as the musicals King Kong (2017) and Kat and the Kings (2012). Actress […]

South African mining magnate Patrice Motsepe is set to become the eighth president of CAF – the Confederation of African Football – since 1957. He’ll take over from Ahmad Ahmad after a two year ban was placed on Ahmad by FIFA – Federation Internationale de Football Association, world football’s governing body. Motsepe must work with […]

For those who are experiencing night tremors, heart palpitations, chronic depression and the drizzling shits from indecision on which side to take, here is an elixir of prose to calm your shattered nerves…. writes Chris Moerdyk, in his latest popular The Lemongas* Chronicles. HARRY AND MEGHAN – *LEMONGAS ! By Chris Moerdyk. Just think of […]

I really enjoyed watching four days of Sky News coverage of the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations (in 2012). You have to admit that when it comes to pomp and circumstance, organisation and events, the Brits do it better than anyone else in the world… writes Chris Moerdyk. But, did you notice how Queen Elizabeth actually looked like […]