At least eight Cape Town beaches were closed during the December and January festive season after sewage spills were reported. But water test results show that several other beaches were also too polluted for safe swimming. The City of Cape Town has been quick to close beaches to protect swimmers following sewage spills. But tests show that […]

By now you’ve probably seen the ‘only in South Africa’ video – ‘A Baboon Bit My Bum’. (If not, watch below.) It was first posted in 2021, but has recently been going viral again. What you may have missed is the Ozzy Man Review version which is hilarious. “Here’s me voice in an African tale […]

Phoenix, north of Durban, was hit by a heatwave in January, and while temperatures outside soared, tempers within the community flared up too. On private messaging apps and social media, residents called for protests against the collapse of basic services in the town. Residents of Phoenix in KwaZulu-Natal say garbage goes uncollected, water is rationed, […]

Outraged by South African Tourism’s alleged plan to sponsor English Premier League team, Tottenham Hotspur, the DA says it will do everything in its power to “oppose this lunacy”. Manny de Freitas – DA Shadow Minister of Tourism – said the plan is a “slap in the face” for hard-working South Africans whose tax will […]

An appeal court has increased the prison sentence of a rhino poacher from 11 to 15 years. An appeal court has increased the sentence of a man convicted of rhino poaching from 11 to 15 years. The initial sentence was far too lenient and not in line with the Limpopo Environmental Management Act, said the […]

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has announced an increase in the price of petrol and 0.05% sulphur diesel from Wednesday. Updated prices for fuel, gas and paraffin will be as follows: Both 93 and 95 petrol will increase by 28c Diesel 0.05% sulphur increases marginally by 9c Diesel 0.005% sulphur will decrease slightly […]

“Councillors fool us during election campaigns”. By Vincent Lali. Protesters blocked two main roads in Khayelitsha, Cape Town on Monday, demanding electricity and a change to rubbish collection services. They say they have been waiting many years for electricity. They want the company which is contracted to the City of Cape Town to rotate supervisors […]

Loadshedding is likely to be with us for years to come and it may get worse. South Africans have every reason to complain about Eskom. But after complaining, households have to decide what to do to best cope with loadshedding. By GroundUp Staff. Our country’s households range from families living on the streets of Johannesburg […]

South Africans were surprised today to learn of yet another tiger on the loose, although this time the youngster (an adolescent) was allegedly safely captured and relocated to a sanctuary, unlike Sheba the tiger who escaped her enclosure and was killed (euthanised) on 18 January. However, the story of today’s tiger has been shrouded in […]

Scheduled blackouts by Eskom started back in 2007. Yet 16 years later, the situation has grown worse and load shedding is expected to continue until 2027. With no end in sight, many businesses and residents have been turning to battery-powered lamps, gas stoves, inverters and domestic solar power. Loadshedding has cut business hours and production, reducing income. […]

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has confirmed a new outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) on a farm in Gauteng. The department said the farm has been put under quarantine and the Provincial Veterinary Services instituted forward and back-tracing investigations to identify any properties that could have had direct or indirect […]

It wasn’t to be for the Springbok Sevens team after a tough weekend of playing great rugby and losing key players to injury finally caught up with them when New Zealand beat the Blitzboks by 38-0 in the final of the HSBC Sydney Sevens on Sunday. The Blitzboks were in superb form leading up to […]

José Cardoso and Adrian Van Wyk’s short documentary, ‘What the Soil Remembers’, had its premiere on Friday 27th at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) in The Netherlands, where it is competing in the Ammodo Tiger Short Competition. The documentary, ‘What the Soil Remembers’, deals with the ongoing trauma of the community of Die Vlakte, […]

After narrowly escaping a harrowing mob attack on Wednesday near Hoedspruit in Limpopo province, well-known wildlife filmmaker John Varty has taken to social media to share his experience and concerns for the governance – or lack thereof – of South Africa. Varty says: “I fear for myself, I fear for my family, I fear for South […]

A female police constable has been arrested in Limpopo, South Africa, for allegedly forcing her 12-year-old to have sexual intercourse with her. A shocking video which captured the scene has gone viral. Whilst there has been outrage, accusing the mother of being a pedophile, some have also cautioned that perhaps the mother and her son […]

The ANC and stakeholders in the South African energy sector were left in the dark on Wednesday when loadshedding ironically plunged the event into darkness, during an address by Secretary General Fikile Mbalula. The ANC was hosting the dialogue at the University of Johannesburg. It was being broadcast live when the screen turned to black […]

A mystery woman, who apparently vanished on Saturday evening at Camps Bay Beach, is still missing; and South African police say no missing person report has been filed that matches the case. The woman – a white female aged between 45 and 50, according to witnesses – was seen entering the ocean at around 20h30, […]

Tens of millions of chickens, pigs, cows and fish are suffering in South Africa due to intermittent power outages, or load shedding, warns animal protection organization, Humane Society International/Africa. Local load shedding is being increased to level six, with rollouts of up to four and a half hours occurring continuously, vastly increasing the risk of […]

Following the sad news of the euthanasia of Sheba, the 8-year-old female tiger that escaped from Walkerville – injuring a human and killing several domestic animals – Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital (JWVH) has once again warned of the dangers of keeping wild, rather than domesticated, animals as pets. The recent case of Sheba the tiger […]

As media outlets around the world report on South Africa “openly siding with Russia” as the countries prepare for a maritime exercise together with China, SA’s Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor accused critics of having double-standards. Appearing to ignore Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine, Dr Pandor said “all countries conduct military exercises with friends worldwide”. She […]

South African National Parks today welcomed the sentences handed down by the Skukuza Regional Court, to two Mozambican nationals convicted for rhino poaching in the Kruger National Park (KNP), after they had killed a rhino and were found in possession of its fresh horns four months ago. Lucky Shihlangu (33) and Sergio Mathebula (32) were […]

The South African Police Service (SAPS) is appealing to anyone who can assist in identifying a murder victim whose body was discovered on Friday (20 January) in bushes next to Dorinhoekroad, Groendal in Gerald Smith, Eastern Cape. The victim is a male, approximately 25 to 35-years-old. His body was found by community members, with multiple […]

Eskom Board Chairperson Mpho Makwana says the power utility is exploring the possibility of permanently implementing Stages 2 and 3 of load shedding in SA over the next two years in order to give power stations the “headroom” to address power station maintenance and ensure predictability for South Africans. He was speaking during a virtual […]

South African Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms. Barbara Creecy, today paid a hospital visit to Joe Nkuna, the SANParks ranger who was injured by an elephant at the Kruger National Park (KNP). Nkuna, a ranger with 32 years of experience, was hospitalised on 20 December 2022 after being charged by an elephant […]

Leaked documents show that Thabo Bester was already dead before a fire broke out in his cell. By Marecia Damons.   On 3 May 2022, the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) reported that convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester had been found dead in his cell at the Mangaung private prison in Bloemfontein after a fire […]