The following is an open letter to President Ramaphosa, written by Theo de Jager, head of the SA Agri Initiative (SAAi), an organisation that represents the interests of family farmers… Dear Pres. Ramaphosa Your open letter earlier today to South Africans in general and farmers in particular refers. Thank you for writing it. At least […]

“Ramaphosa’s words on farm murders ring hollow, we need to see action,” says Dianne Kohler Barnard MP – DA Shadow Minister of State Security – in a press statement on Monday, responding to the South African President’s weekly newsletter in which he said the killing of young Free State farm manager Brendin Horner “should anger […]

The South African Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, has sent his condolences following a shocking fatal accident in KwaZulu-Natal in which 13 family members tragically perished, while two others sustained serious injuries. Fikile said: “We are deeply saddened by this horrific collision. These untimely deaths have left a void in the lives of many. We […]

Tomorrow the Democratic Alliance (DA) says it will lay criminal charges against EFF leader, Julius Malema, and EFF Member of Parliament, Nazier Paulsen, for social media posts that they say incite violence. On Wednesday, following Tuesday’s protests by farmers in Senekal in the Free State, Malema tweeted: “Magwala a chechele morago! (Cowards move to the […]

How do we speak trauma? We know from medicine that people embody trauma, beyond words. It shows up in our hearts and our blood pressure, our dreams and our nightmares; we pass it onto our children, and we work it through in arts, spirituality, counselling. My work has focused on a burning question in South […]

The wheels of justice are grinding slowly at one of South Africa’s most important courts. The Pretoria High Court (or Gauteng Division as it is also known), has its home in the administrative capital of the country and jurisdiction-wise hears most cases involving legal challenges to government, many of which are deemed urgent. However, according […]

A former police officer, Post Office cleaner and two civilians were arrested on Wednesday, for alleged corruption and extortion, following a sting operation between the Hawks Serious Corruption Investigation Unit and Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit. This comes after the Virginia Post Office manager in the Free State was allegedly approached and lured by one of her […]

In a recent interview with News24, Police Minister, Bheki Cele, scapegoated and victim-blamed farmers for the brutality, torture, rape, mutilation and murder of farmers and their families. To state that the motive for these brutal attacks is due to worker conditions show utter ignorance on the part of the Minister… writes Dianne Kohler Barnard MP […]

The number of COVID-19 deaths in South Africa continues to climb after 160 more people succumbed to COVID-19 on Thursday. Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, has expressed his concern about the noticeable spike in the number of deaths in recent weeks. However, according to the Minister, the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) confirmed there […]

Former Proteas cricketer Vernon Philander has asked for his family’s privacy to be respected as they recover from the horrific fatal shooting of his younger brother Tyrone in Cape Town yesterday. Vernon said: “Our family is coming to terms with the brutal murder in my hometown of Ravensmead earlier (yesterday). I would like to ask […]

Condolences have poured in after Willem de Klerk, the son of former South African President FW de Klerk, passed away on Wednesday 7 October following a long “courageous” battle with cancer, believed to be in his jaw. The FW de Klerk Foundation said the 53-year-old passed away at his home in Durbanville, Western Cape. The […]

The body of missing man, Leighton Frank Agg (41), has been found, his devastated sister has confirmed. Leighton was last seen in Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, on 30 September. His family issued a call for help in finding him and hundreds responded. Last night – Wed 7 Oct – his body was retrieved just outside […]

The owner of the well-known Pofadder Hotel, Leon Brits (40), has been brutally murdered. According to local reports, his wife Suretha (30) discovered his body in their undercover swimming pool, at around 11h45 on Wednesday morning after she couldn’t reach him on the phone. The community has been urged to remain calm. UPDATE 29 MARCH […]

While South Africa’s Police Minister Bheki Cele has today expressed “shock and disgust” at the vandalism and arson of State infrastructure by a group of farmers during a demonstration at the Senekal Magistrate Court, AfriForum has insisted that it is in fact Cele and President Cyril Ramaphosa who must accept responsibility for the events in […]

The “Glebelands Eight” trial resumed at the Pietermaritzburg High Court this week after it was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. After being postponed because of Covid-19 the Glebelands Eight trial has resumed. Eight suspects face charges related to a string of murders committed between 2014 and 2016 at the infamous hostel. A state witness, who claims […]

The brother of murdered farm manager Brendin Horner, says it’s too late to bring his brother back, but he hopes this tragedy – which has rocked the nation – can at least be the catalyst that helps to bring about a better South Africa. Chaotic scenes were caught on film today in Senekal where two […]

The civil rights organisation AfriForum addressed the community of Senekal today and branded farm attacks and murders in South Africa as a form of terror. This announcement came after the recent brutal murder of Brendin Horner (22) on a farm outside this town, said AfriForum. Representatives of AfriForum formed part of the crowds who came […]

There were scenes of chaos today in Senekal, South Africa, where two suspects appeared for the first time at the Senekal Magistrates Court in connection with the murder of Paul Roux farm manager, Brendin Horner (22). Shots were fired in the court after crowds surged in, and footage has also been shared showing the angry […]

South Africa has recorded over 17 000 COVID-19 deaths after 40 more people succumbed to the respiratory disease on Monday. Of the latest fatalities, 14 are from the Free State, 12 from the Eastern Cape, five each from Gauteng and Mpumalanga, and four from the Western Cape – bringing the toll to 17 016. Meanwhile, […]

Several groups and individual farmers are expected to gather in Senekal, South Africa, today to support the community as two suspects in the murder of Paul Roux farm manager Brendin Horner (22) appear in the Senekal Magistrates Court. Brendin’s body was discovered tied to a pole in the Paul Roux district, Free State, on early […]

Emirates has cancelled key flights to South Africa, some countries are unable to advise their citizens whether visas are or are not required, and SAPeople is being inundated with calls for help from South Africans abroad who cannot find out from their SA missions exactly what is required to travel from a ‘banned’ country. (UPDATE: […]

The family of Leighton Frank Agg have issued pleas for help in finding the missing 41-year-old, who was last seen in Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, on 30 September 2020. UPDATE 8 Oct: The body of missing man Leighton Frank Agg has sadly been found. His sister posted a message on social media, with a photo […]

After several days of frustrating warnings of rains that didn’t come, a severe thunderstorm struck Gauteng on Monday afternoon, flooding the M1/M2 Double Decker in central Johannesburg. The Double Decker, which passes downtown, was closed for most of last year for major repairs. People were complaining online, saying that the city had spent some R170 […]

As South Africa marks six months since its first COVID-19 case was first reported, the country’s cumulative number of detected COVID-19 cases stands at 681 289. On Sunday, 1 573 new people tested positive for COVID-19, while 38 people succumbed to the virus. Of the latest fatalities, 37 are from Gauteng and 1 from the […]

CAPE TOWN – For millions of people around the world, lockdown during the global coronavirus pandemic has meant several months of isolation in the interests of protecting public health. But for billions of animals caged and confined in factory farms, laboratories, marine parks, roadside zoos, fur farms and circuses, lockdown lasts a lifetime. Animals can […]