A group of postgraduate students at Stellenbosch University are embarking on an ambitious project to solve South Africa’s water problems and do their part for a sustainable water future. The “Know Your Water” project is the brainchild of Jared van Rooyen and forms the basis of his MSc. The project involves a countrywide field excursion to […]

As the Kruger National Park (KNP) announces that its gravel roads have been re-opened today (21 February 2017) for tourists, a video has emerged of a determined elephant chasing a car for miles in South Africa’s famous national park (watch below). The gravel roads had been closed as a precautionary measure due to heavy rain on 16 February 2017, brought […]

A tropical storm – named Dineo – has swept in from the Indian Ocean, causing extensive flooding as it hit landfall in Mozambique. More damage is threatened as it swings south and west. Tropical storms are classified once clouds have reached an organised cyclonic formation and wind speeds have exceeded 60km/h. The storm can be […]

Touched by seeing children going to bed hungry and the people around her lacking sources of good nutrition, Marian Dube started growing and selling vegetables from her backyard. The 42-year-old widow and mother of three, who grew up in a family of subsistence farmers in Mberengwa, south east of Zimbabwe, says, “I came to South […]

Towards the end of each year hundreds of thousands of people escape dark, cold, rainy winters in Europe and North America for a break in sunny South Africa. Many are drawn by the country’s wide array of outdoor attractions: nature reserves, beaches and adventure activities like skydiving and water sports. All of these are reliant […]

The Department of Water and Sanitation says all dams and systems have benefitted from the good rains over the past week, and “a number of dams are above 100%”… although that happy news doesn’t apply to all, judging by the Department’s own stats. The Vaal Dam is thankfully rising, but some dams – particularly in the Western […]

East London photographer MIKE GEYER captured these photos of the rough ocean seas as waves pounded the rocks and shore in the eastern cape, South Africa… providing an ideal playground for kite surfers (watch video at bottom of page). “Yesterday the power of the sea after the super moon – which we did not get to […]

South African endurance swimmer LEWIS PUGH, who lives between London and Cape Town, has been credited by the United Nations (UN) for his “Speedo diplomacy” which has helped lead to the creation of the biggest protected marine area in history! Here’s the backstory, as told by Lewis himself… Sometimes “Crazy” Gets the Job Done – by Lewis […]

The surf was UP in Durban this week, with an unexpected East swell that caused havoc, closing beaches yesterday. Local photographers NIC ABERDEIN and CRAIG DOVE captured the action… (UPDATE 12 MARCH 2017: If you’re looking for video and photos of the freak tsunami-like waves that hit Durban beachfront on Sunday 12 March 2017, please click […]

South Africans – particularly those who live in the Eastern and Northern Cape – breathe about the cleanest air in Africa, according to a new WHO report on Air Pollution Exposure. WHO has released the findings from a ‘Country Estimates on Air Pollution Exposure and Health Impact’ study, with a new air quality model, that confirms […]

South Africa’s glorious indigenous flowers are currently on display at the ‘Witness’ Garden Show in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. LORRAINE SCHOLFIELD captured these stunning photos at the show – the country’s largest – yesterday… The Mascor stand at the show, with strelitzias. Three different kinds of Proteas Different coloured clivias Yellow osteospermums Orange Lampranthus (vygie) Specially for those who celebrate ‘Braai […]

Jamie Joseph, founder of Saving the Wild, has issued a statement regarding the postponement of yesterday’s much anticipated trial of alleged rhino poaching kingpin Dumisani Gwala. The trial was due to begin Monday but was yesterday postponed until 19 September 2016. Jamie’s statement said: “Gwala, who is believed to be responsible for as much as 80% […]

For those like Tyron Cameron – whose video of missing out on the tornado in his hometown of Benoni while he’s in the UK went viral – here are some of the videos and photos you may have missed in the last week of wild weather in South Africa… First came the snow which covered the […]

Coca-Cola South Africa have stepped up to the challenge set by Durban resident Richard McLennan to help clean up local beaches after heavy rains earlier this week caused plastic pollution to wash ashore. Richard was horrified by the pollution – which included many coke bottles – and subsequently sent a message publically to Coke on Facebook saying “local […]

When Durban resident Richard McLennan posted a message to Coca-Cola on Facebook yesterday, he couldn’t have expected a better response. Following the devastating floods in KwaZulu-Natal this week – which caused debris from the ocean to be washed ashore, including many plastic coke bottles – Richard reached out to the soft drink company through social media. […]

The ‘We are South Africa’ video concept was formulated a couple of years ago to showcase some of the many aspects of South Africa. I see the world in SA! From the people that live here, to the minerals, landscapes and biodiversity… But there is an underlying political tone that instead of trying to bring all South […]

On a crisp Saturday morning early in June, 100 kayakers set out to paddle across the Cape Peninsula, from False Bay to Table Bay. Their primary mission: To raise public awareness of the city’s waterways and canals, and to show the public’s connection to them. The route for the Peninsula Paddle team – kayakers and stand-up paddle boarders doing […]

Plastic pollution – particularly in the oceans around Africa – will thank goodness be in the spotlight during a two-day event in Port Elizabeth this July. Just this week, Durban was forced to temporarily close its beaches as piles of pollution and debris washed up on shore, and in the Western Cape seals have been seen caught […]

Visitors to the famous Sunland Big Baobab tree in Modjadjiskloof (formerly Duiwelskloof), have been upset recently to discover that one of the branches from the possibly 6,000-year-old tree has broken. The legendary 22-metre-high tree, in Limpopo Province, South Africa, holds the record for being the widest of its species; so wide in fact, at 47 metres in circumference, that there’s […]

Eskom has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with French multinational electricity company Engie to start construction of the Kathu Solar Park project in Northern Cape, it has been announced. It is expected to be operational in late 2018, providing 100 MW of power. “The Kathu Solar Park project supports South Africa’s strategy of increasing the […]

South Africa will not be applying for the opening of legal international commercial trade in rhino horn at the 17th Conference of Parties to CITES (CITES COP17), says Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa. Minister Molewa made the announcement on Sunday in Pretoria, following the work that has been finalised by the Committee of Inquiry on […]

Watch this wonderful army of 900 ducks run to work! The flock are ’employed’ to keep a South African vineyard in pristine condition. The adorable Indian Runner ducks keep the vineyard free of slugs and snails… by eating them all day long. Visitors are able to watch them parade twice a day. Watch Video: South African Vineyard employs […]

I spoke to a number of people today about the rhino poaching situation and the unconfirmed report that 32 animals died in just 14 days. I do believe this number could be very close to the truth, but what really made me stop in my tracks is that someone that had just visited the user […]

In a brilliant new video “The Last of the Rhinos” shot by conservationists Dereck and Beverly Joubert, you can take a 360-degree look at the landscape around you – and more. You can even look at the ground at your feet. The footage was shot on GoPro Spherical, which literally lets you immerse yourself in the […]

A rare and beautiful orchid – that was last seen in the Western Cape 50 years ago  – has been discovered in the Fernkloof Nature Reserve. According to Fernkloof Indigenous Nursery the species was last seen in the Western Cape in 1966. On their Facebook page yesterday, the Nursery announced that the plant had been […]