Two men have been arrested over the sale of cigarettes in the Northern Cape of South Africa, in contravention of the Disaster Management Act regulations. Meanwhile in Gauteng over 600 people were arrested over the weekend in a blitz on those breaking the #Covid19 regulations. Members of Springbok Public Order Police arrested the first male […]

The town of Hoedspruit is “on its knees”, say lodge owners, fearing that the enduring Lockdown regulations in South Africa could cripple not only the nation’s famous safari industry… but lead to rampant poaching of the country’s precious wildlife. Yesterday morning between 10am and noon, desperate residents – from private game reserve owners to restaurant […]

For months, train stations went silent as the national lockdown in South Africa forced millions of commuters to stay home, but on the railway tracks, opportunistic criminals went to work targeting state facilities that had been left non-operational. Looting on the Train Tracks In a special investigation produced by Nicky Troll, Carte Blanche goes deep […]

A debate on farm murders and attacks will take place in Parliament on a date still to be announced, a move that has been welcomed by the Democratic Alliance, which has been pressing for more action to be taken by a government it believes has been turning a blind eye to this decades-long problem. “It […]

The South African Police today used water canons to disperse peaceful protesters from the restaurant industry – one of Cape Town’s most vital sectors – outside parliament, a move condemned by the Democratic Alliance, which has accused President Cyril Rampahosa of “killing” thousands of restaurants and ruining people’s lives “for nothing.” In a statement, DA […]

The #ServeUsPlease peaceful protest announced for Cape Town will now have national movements in several cities across the country today. The protests will be held simultaneously, from 10am to 12pm on Friday 24 July. In response to the South African government’s Covid-19 restrictions on the hospitality, tourism, food and alcohol, entertainment, media and affiliated industries, […]

Stellenbosch Wine Routes and at least 300 wineries in South Africa, together with Visit Stellenbosch, have thrown their weight behind a legal application asking evidence from the Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs to explain the reintroduction of a blanket ban on the domestic sale and transportation of alcohol. In an unprecedented show of […]

While action is being taken against officials in her department implicated in cases of corruption, more investigations have to be carried out into the R15 billion in irregular and wasteful expenditure uncovered by the auditor-general, according to Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu. Sisulu said today that the department had heeded parliament’s call […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa will tonight brief the nation on developments in South Africa’s risk-adjusted strategy to manage the spread of Coronavirus. (You can watch below.) “The President’s address follows a number of meetings of the Cabinet and the National Coronavirus Command Council,” said the Presidency on Thursday. The President’s address is scheduled to get underway […]

The DA says it condemns a vicious attack on Betrus Kotze – the second in months – on his farm at Tinmyne in the Mokgalakwena municipality in Limpopo, yesterday late afternoon. Kotze was ambushed at his cattle kraal, tied up and “viciously attacked”, according to Jacques Smalle, DA Provincial Leader. The farmer suffered serious injuries, […]

Following a controversial tweet yesterday, in which the South African government announced that the ban on the sale of alcohol and cigarettes would remain in place until the end of Lockdown, the government has clarified that it was “incorrect”. The SA Government said: “This account posted a tweet earlier (yesterday) which said that the ban […]

The South African government has asked the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for $4.2 billion. The money would come from a facility that provides financing to countries facing an urgent balance of payments need, without the need to have a full-fledged program in place. According to the IMF managing director this means that the recipient can […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) said it rejects with contempt the SA Government’s “disgraceful tweet” which has advised South Africa that the ban on alcohol and tobacco will remain in place “throughout the lockdown”. This indefinite ban could last weeks or even into 2021, says the DA. “What the government has done today is pull the […]

South Africans have been shocked by a tweet, posted by the South African Government, casually announcing that the sale of cigarettes and alcohol are to remain banned until the end of lockdown. The tweet, posted at lunchtime, says: “The ban on the sale of alcohol and cigarette will remain in place throughout the lockdown period.The […]

Cape wine producers are warning of a “job massacre” because of the renewed ban on alcohol sales. Wine producers already reeling from previous bans on alcohol warn that the new total ban is the nail in the coffin for them. They doubt that table wine sales contribute much to medical emergencies from alcohol abuse. Workers […]

The COVID-19 pandemic has put global emergency preparedness under sharp scrutiny. It’s also placed national health systems’ capacity to predict and respond to major emergencies under the microscope. Much of the response to the pandemic is focused on testing, case management and control measures such as personal hygiene, quarantine and social distancing. But in most […]

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, reeling from years of corruption, has started a recruitment process to employ 3,100 security guards to protect the country’s trains and railways, which have been battered by years of arson of stations and trains as well as rampant cable theft. Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula said that the […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it has noted with grave concern the illegal protest that is currently underway at Tshwane House by members of the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU). The protest has led to the destruction of public property in and around Tshwane House. The DA says the protest is as a result […]

Dear President Cyril Ramaphosa! I’m writing to you for a number of reasons and I hope you eventually see this letter. But I also hope many other South Africans see it too… writes Mark Sham, an entrepreneur and CEO of Suits & Sneakers (which provides informal learning content). On Tuesday, 14 July 2020, I made […]

Denel, the largest manufacturer of defence equipment in South Africa, has announced the resignation of its Group Chief Executive Officer Danie du Toit. Du Toit will continue to render his services until 15 August, while an interim Group CEO will be appointed shortly. Denel said on Monday its board has taken far-reaching steps to stabilise […]

Nestle has announced that while it will keep producing the much-beloved Peppermint Crisp, Milkybar and BarOne, it will retire a number of its well-known chocolates, namely Milkybar Double, Milkybar Peanut, Nestlé Crunch, Milo Slab and BarOne Peanut. (Watch the video below.) Four days ago Nestle also announced the end of Chocolate Log at the end […]

I was one of the thousands who watched Nelson Mandela, the South African liberation struggle hero, leave prison on 11 February 1990, and then mount the podium in front of Cape Town’s City Hall, expressing the hope that the apartheid government would agree to negotiations so that there might no longer be the need for […]

As the country observes Mandela Month, the Department of Water and Sanitation has reiterated a call upon South Africans to take part in the Clear Rivers Campaign, to protect water resources and keep them pollution-free at all times. The Clear Rivers Campaign takes place in the month of July as part of promoting volunteerism in […]

Loadshedding, which hit most of South Africa during the coldest week in winter, has been suspended from 10 p.m. tonight, Eskom announced, saying it had successfully returned four generation units to service. “These generation units returned more than 1500MW capacity to the system, taking the total returned to the system since 10 July to 3500MW. […]

Primedia is the latest South African media group to be impacted by the current situation in South Africa, today announcing that retrenchments at the company will be taking place. Primedia Broadcasting includes 947, 702, KFM and CapeTalk; national news brand EWN; and Lead SA. Primedia confirmed in a statement on Thursday that employees were today […]