South African animators from Triggerfish are waiting with bated breath for the Oscar nominations to be announced on Tuesday. Revolting Rhymes – animated by Cape Town-based Triggerfish – is one of 10 animated short films shortlisted for an Oscar, selected from 63 qualifying films! The five finalists will be announced this Tuesday, 23 January 2018, with […]

South African professional cyclist Daryl Impey – riding for Team Mitchelton-Scott – has won the 2018 Tour Down Under! The ecstatic athlete tweeted afterwards: “It all seems impossible until it’s done!” (He was inspired perhaps by former SA President Nelson Mandela’s quote: “It always seems impossible until it is done.”) Impey said: “What a crazy […]

During the past week there has been a lot said and written about the EFF’s protest actions last weekend at H&M retail outlets, and everyone has a point of view… but there’s been one post that just keeps getting shared. At last count the post – which is an open letter to EFF leader Julius […]

The South African Government today announced a number of seismic measures to strengthen governance at Eskom (and release the company from Capture!), including the appointment of new board members and stabilising management at the energy parastatal. Eskom executives facing allegations of serious corruption are out – including Matshela Koko and Anoj Singh! There was no […]

While there have been rumours swirling around South Africa (and the world) that retail giant H&M may pull out of South Africa – following EFF riots last week to protest the clothing store’s ‘coolest monkey’ hoodie advert – one South African schoolgirl decided to rather find out the facts for herself. So she wrote to H&M. […]

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the African National Congress (ANC) has reportedly decided to remove President Jacob Zuma as leader of South Africa, before their 2019 election campaign begins. The NEC also elected its new National Working Committee (NWC) members during a meeting on 18-19 January 2018 in Irene, Tshwane. According to the SABC, […]

The Afrikaans internet sensation Radio Raps, as portrayed by Jonathan from the East Rand (Rikus de Beer), will now not only be available on smartphone and computer screens, but will also have his own reality TV programme, Die Radio Raps Show – available in South Africa and abroad. Fans of Radio Raps’s popular videos and voice notes can look […]

A touching moment of a group of wildlife rangers rescuing a baby elephant from a mud hole has made international news. The event took place on Saturday at Addo National Park in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The video was uploaded by Richard Gardiner who was filming from a lookout hide in the early afternoon. […]

As Day Zero rapidly approaches in Cape Town – when all residential water taps will be turned off – Life with Iemie has created a video that sums up how the future could look! Watch below. Comedian Iemie describes his Facebook page – Life with Iemie – as a “typical South African family that wants to […]

The Governor of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) – Lesetja Kganyago – has been appointed as the new chairperson of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) International Monetary and Financial Committee. Kganyago (52) is the first IMFC Chair from the Sub-Saharan African region. The African National Congress (ANC) congratulated Kganyago and said his appointment is […]

South African expat Julian Miller has a message for South Africa and for fellow SA expats as he leaves SA “after five glorious weeks traveling from Johannesburg to Plett to Cape Town to Pilanesberg and back to Johannesburg…” “The South African people made our holiday… especially the banter we had with everyone on a daily […]

Proteas captain, Faf du Plessis, has praised the resilient character of his team in the series-clinching 135-run win against India in the second Sunfoil Test match at SuperSport Park on Tuesday. The Proteas hold an unassailable 2-0 lead with the final match to be played at Wanderers starting on January 24th. Du Plessis says the […]

South African Police Minister Fikile Mbalula – who is now calling himself Mr Fearf*kkol on Twitter (!) – has announced a revolutionary new plan that will strengthen police operations on the ground in a concerted effort to fight violent crime in South Africa. Last year, the Minister revealed his intentions to reduce head office costs […]

An enthusiastic adventure conservationist (very) bravely helped rescue a Kudu caught in a fence in Botswana. Grant Pengilly, a South African field guide and helicopter pilot from Wild Wonderful World, says in a caption on YouTube: “After leaving the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, we came across a young male Kudu caught in a fence. “With […]

A poem written by a 12-year-old Herschel Girls’ School learner, Nina Tsinonis, is going viral since her mom, Amanda, posted it on Facebook. Parenting groups have been sharing the poem – about being a bystander to bullying – and mothers have been reading it with their school-going children… because of the poignant and powerful message […]

Here’s this week’s Carte Blanche line-up, available for South Africans living abroad from Tuesday – 16 January 2018 – if you subscribe to Showmax International. (You can try their free 14-day trial first.) Watch the trailer at the bottom of page. The State Capture Inquiry State Capture: it’s the story of one shocking revelation after another, […]

Paraglider pilots in Cape Town were “gobsmacked” by a rare sighting of a caracal, feeding in the bushes on Lion’s Head in South Africa, on Saturday morning. The medium-sized wild cat – which grows to around 74cm as an adult – stayed with them for about 10 breathtaking minutes, said Western Cape resident, Louis Stanford […]

The African National Congress (ANC) has declared 2018 as “100 Years of Nelson Mandela: The year of renewal, unity and jobs”. This will see the African National Congress (ANC) holding celebrations to pay tribute to the former President, who would have turned 100 years this year had he lived. Mandela passed away on 5 December […]

The Dallas Safari Club (DSC), which hosts a large annual hunting convention in the United States, has formally announced its position on South Africa’s controversial captive bred lion hunting industry. DSC said: “After a thorough analysis and deliberation, the Board of Dallas Safari Club has concluded that the practice of captive bred lion hunting is not […]

We’ve just returned to Canada after spending almost four weeks in South Africa… writes Daleen Loest. We spent some time in Gauteng and then toured the Western Cape and the West Coast. Man, what a breathtaking place South Africa is! We never felt unsafe, and people were friendly, helpful and just plain awesome all the way. […]

After South African comedian Trevor Noah recorded his reaction to President Donald Trump’s alleged remarks about not wanting immigrants from “sh*thole countries” in Africa (watch it here), watch what he said between the scenes to the audience. The Daily Show host commended Trump for at least being “blatant” about it, and wondered just how Norway […]

Following US President Donald Trump’s alleged controversial comments that America doesn’t need any more immigrants from “shith*le” African countries or Haiti, the Government of Botswana has issued a statement and social media users in Africa have taken to Twitter to post #mysh*thole photos for the President’s perusal… Meanwhile the American President has denied he made […]

SOUTH AFRICA – Yesterday was the 115th anniversary of the birth of the author Alan Paton, who was honoured in a Google doodle that showed him looking pensively out of a train window at hills that are lovely beyond any singing… writes Gus Silber. The doodle quite brilliantly captured Paton’s flinty, thin-lipped severity of countenance, […]

For Showmax overseas subscribers, January just got better. South Africans living abroad are able to tune in to all their favourite shows from home by subscribing here… with a host of top new series launching this month! From travel shows to historical documentaries to hilarious sitcoms to real-life, deliciously juicy talk shows, the new kykNET […]

Soft-spoken 30-year-old William Mayere from Zimbabwe sells his colourful 3D paintings on Vincent Road in East London. I love using my hands, says William Mayere… Mayere lies under the tree to shelter from the sun, jumping up when a car stops next to his paintings. He has been in South Africa for eight years. He […]