They’re fascinating and thought-provoking, leave our hearts warmed… or seething with rage. Be informed by proudly South African documentaries now streaming on Showmax.  1. How to Steal a Country How to Steal a Country documents the Gupta family’s rise from flea-market shoe salesmen to owners of a controversial business empire in South Africa in fewer […]

For those looking from the global North, African literature is often marketed in a narrow way, comprising worthy stories of resistance, written in an uplifting and sober realist mode. Seen from the continent itself, this view has long been brushed aside by the effervescence and animation of ongoing literary experimentation and creativity. I approached literary […]

In a salute to the frontline workers in the fight against the Coronavirus the members of the Cape Town Philharmonic Youth Orchestra have created an incredible video of Cape Town seen from a drone while they play the “Intermezzo” from the opera “Cavalleria Rusticana.” It is part of a series of lockdown concerts by the […]

The South African wildlife crime documentary STROOP – journey into the rhino horn war, by director Susan Scott and television presenter Bonné de Bod, scooped the award for Best Natural History and Environmental Programme at the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) on Wednesday night. This is the 28th award for the film which […]

The Drakensberg Boys Choir in KwaZulu-Natal has produced a wonderfully fun and light-hearted parody of Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It’… starring not only the boys, but their teachers too. Deidre Alcock, from the famous South African school, told SAPeople: “Our school campus is a bleak and miserable place when there are no boys around and when […]

The Kiffness has given us so many fantastic songs during Lockdown, but this heartwarming video will be remembered as one of the most special – a duet with his father. Watch below as the father and son team sing (via Skype) a Cat Stevens (Yusuf) Lockdown Parody – based on, of course, ‘Father and Son’… […]

Multi-talented classic South African tenor Etienne van der Nest has been bringing Berlin to a stop each evening, as he sings magnificently from his balcony. As word has grown in the German city about Etienne’s performances, crowds have gathered to watch, to listen, to record, to applaud and to appreciate. To feel connected and in […]

The performing arts is one of the sectors hit hard by COVID-19, with tens of thousands of gigs cancelled across the world. While pop and electronic music has evolved with online platforms like YouTube as their natural habitat, jazz has remained more strongly tied to live performance, using social media and online videos mainly as […]

As South Africa went into Covid-19 lockdown in late March, over 50 performers encouraged the nation to do something powerful –  “to reflect on the lyrics of our anthem, as a source of inspiration and optimism, and to bravely sing it out loud.” Yesterday the man behind the concept – James Bassingthwaighte – announced: “1000+ […]

Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Freedom Day celebrations in South Africa will be marked using online platforms, says the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture. “Freedom Day, as South Africans know it, is very different this year… The COVID-19… pandemic has changed things… [from] the norm,” said the department ahead of Freedom Day […]

As schools enter a second month of lockdown in South Africa, parents and teachers are stretched to the limit to keep up with schooling at home. But while some learners can continue online, many have to cope with the challenge of sporadic communication with their teachers and a lack of connectivity and resources. Can learners […]

There could be no better time than right now, in the midst of the Cornavirus pandemic, to watch the thrilling yet sickening new film “How to Steal a Country.” The main thought that goes through your head – watching how the Gutpas systematically took down the government with the cooperation of Jacob Zuma – is […]

A barefoot South African expat, Lindi Nolte, who grew up in Rustenburg and now lives in Canada, received a standing ovation recently for her breathtaking poem: A Love Poem to Our Earth… which is inspired hugely by her childhood in South Africa. Watch Lindi at the TedX talk below. The sun-loving Afrikaner begins the poem: […]

Today – Saturday 18 April – some of the biggest names in music have come together for the One World: Together at Home concert, to generate further funds for the Solidarity Response Fund. But – says the WHO – it’s not just to raise funds… but “to bring the world together, because we’re one world, […]

Watch British singer James Blunt’s moving tribute to the brave workers in the NHS during the COVID-19 pandemic, following his father’s lifesaving kidney transplant in January. The world-famous musician, who first released The Greatest, in October 2019, has released a new version containing visuals celebrating the ‘brave and powerful’ workers on the frontline of the […]

Take advantage of this awesome offer to keep the entertainment running for the next three months.   Whether you’re looking for HBO series, Mzansi favourites or action movies, streaming service Showmax has a unique combination of hit African content, first and exclusive international series, the best kids’ shows, and live news and sport, all with […]

With this week’s arrest of the Gupta brothers in Dubai, it’s worth watching ‘How to Steal A Country’ – a fascinating and shocking documentary, by an Emmy award-winning filmmaker, on the rise and fall of the Gupta family and how they managed to ‘steal’ South Africa. (Updated 8 June 2022) As hard as it is […]

Johnny Clegg’s family say they are “deeply moved” by the Stormers’ performance of the late singer’s ‘The Crossing’. In a statement posted by Johnny’s son Jesse, the musician’s family said: “We are deeply moved by The Stormers adopting The Crossing as their official team song. “Their heart and passion shines through in their performance and […]

On Easter Sunday (April 12, 2020), you can watch Italian global music icon Andrea Bocelli performing live at the magnificent Duomo cathedral of Milan (we’ve got the video for you at the bottom of the page – you can set a reminder for 7pm SA time). Here’s a taste of what you can expect: https://www.facebook.com/andreabocelli/videos/334935860800275/ […]

Being stuck at home inevitably means more time in front of the TV or scrolling on your phone. While it’s great to finally binge those series you missed or want to watch again from the beginning (15 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, anyone?) and be entertained by a brilliant action movie like Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, […]

South African musician and expat Johan de Cock is currently presenting an online piano concert via YouTube in the UK. Watch below… “I’ll be playing some works by Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin and Gershwin. If you fancy some beautiful, relaxing classical music, please join us. “The great thing about an online concert is that you don’t […]

Check out this new song performed by the award-winning Drakensberg Boys Choir called Ubuhle Bendalo which means The Beauty of Nature in Zulu. The music and lyrics are by composer and conductor  Sivuyile Scott; and has been adapted by Bernard Krüger and Tobias Stückelberger. (See lyrics beneath the video.) Grade 9 learner Samkelo Mdakane delivers […]

Welcome to the Lock Up/Down Cartoon by Piet Frans (aka Pieter Kruger). If you missed the first few days, view Day 1-5 of the Lockdown cartoon here. By Piet Frans (aka Pieter Kruger) – a former lawyer who spent 13 years in The Hague prosecuting war criminals at the Yugoslav War Crimes Tribunal. Now retired, […]

American singer Chris Mann’s brilliant Adele parody of Hello – his version being “Hello (from the Inside)” – has now been viewed by OVER 6 million people on YouTube since he posted it on 26 March. The reason it’s been so popular worldwide is that everyone can relate! The song begins: “Hello, it’s me, I’m […]

What a wonderful world it is… as people all over the planet join together separately to create videos like this. John Foreman’s Aussie Pops Orchestra posted this video on YouTube and said: “While we’re all staying at home, the talented musicians of the Aussie Pops Orchestra, together with some amazing Australian artists, have phoned in […]