LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s BT has appointed Jan du Plessis, chairman of miner Rio Tinto as its next chairman, taking over from Mike Rake who has led the telecoms group for 10 years. BT said on Thursday that du Plessis would join its board as a non-executive director on June 1, and become chairman on […]

LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – National leaders may have been the ones to sign the Paris Agreement to combat climate change – but when it comes to putting the deal into effect, “it is cities that drive most of the change”, says Cape Town’s mayor Patricia de Lille. Since taking charge of South Africa’s second […]

To celebrate International Women’s Day today, Lisa Ashton – founder of the Winnia Mabaso Foundation in Gauteng – has sent a special message from the UK for a group of “extraordinary South African women making the world a better place”. The WMF helps those in need from children to Grannies. Lisa said: “Today I am thinking […]

This is one of those scenes that’s been filmed several times – when a large snake makes its way into a motorcar’s engine… but no matter how many times you view it, it never makes it less awesome! Terri Noscov, who appears to be from Australia, uploaded this video back in 2014… but it is still […]

Brand South Africa is in Australia on a “charm offensive” to woo South African expats living ‘down under’ – who are apparently the most negative about SA – to rather fly the flag for South Africa and become ambassadors for their former homeland… Brand SA – which is responsible for promoting a positive reputation for […]

Trevor Noah is on the latest cover of Time magazine… making South Africans around the world feel very, very proud! Johan Eybers from Gauteng took a photo that went viral on Facebook, saying “Wow! This is historical. Trevor is one of a handful South Africans that made the front page of Time. Making us proud!” Wits […]

‘Oom‘ (Uncle) Angus Buchan has announced the venue for the National Day of Prayer being organised in Bloemfontein on 22 April 2017. The massively popular evangelical pastor aims to attract 1 million people to the event, at which calls will be made to God to “bring justice, peace and hope to our beloved South Africa” in […]

There’s a happy hippo (or he seems that way) that hangs out at the High Bridge, in Komatipoort, every afternoon and watches the traffic go by. Or so claim a few residents from Komatipoort in South Africa. Here’s the photo that’s gone viral, apparently taken by local Louw Pretorius: Ngwenya Marketing first posted the pic, […]

Award-winning South African journalist Jonathan Ancer posted a heartfelt message on Facebook late Sunday night, after his 8-year-old daughter – Rachel – was admitted to Groote Schuur Hospital earlier in the afternoon to prepare for a bone marrow transplant, and start chemotherapy today. Jonathan pointed out it is “auspicious” that she was admitted now, during Bone […]

The Blitzboks powered their way to a 19-12 win over archrivals Fiji to clinch the USA Sevens title in Las Vegas on Monday. The Blitzboks have now won four tournaments out of five this World Rugby Seven Series, and extended their already considerable advantage at the summit of the standings to 24 points. Just as […]

Famed French boulangerie and patisserie Paul has officially opened its first branch in South Africa today. Most South Africans who’ve travelled will be aware of the chain which has outlets at many airports around the world and is present in over 35 countries. South Africa’s first branch opened its doors in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, on […]

The South African Blitzboks’ run of success in Las Vegas continued on Saturday as they won their first two games of the Sevens Series being played there… writes MARK ETHERIDGE. (Please see update at bottom of story.) The Blitzboks opened with a 26-7 defeat of Canada, in a game where they only really hit their […]

Here’s a beautiful version of Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika, performed by the Wits SDA (Seventh Day Adventist) choir last May… and with English subtitles. Jason Frazer did the translations from Xhosa, Zulu and Shona (from Zimbabwe). He says: “Such Harmony – Nkosi sikelel’iAfrika ?? – Ishe komborera iAfrika ?? – God Bless Africa. This is The Mighty […]

Kagiso Rabada and Imran Tahir led a lethal bowling display by the Proteas that laid the foundation for a fine, 3-2 series win over New Zealand with a six-wicket triumph in the fifth One-Day International (ODI) Auckland on Saturday. In what has been a see-saw sequence of matches, South Africa gave the host little chance […]

Springbok Sevens scrumhalf, Branco du Preez, is keen to taste more success in the Sam Boyd Stadium when South Africa contest the Las Vegas Sevens this weekend, the fifth leg of the 2016/17 World Rugby Sevens Series. It’s Du Preez’s 50th World Series tournament appearance, but Du Preez says the milestone will only be special […]

A photo of two best friends in Louisville, USA, has gone viral around the world for the valuable lesson these little five-year-olds are teaching adults! Mom Lydia Sith Rosebush posted the photo last week on Facebook. It showed her son Jax, and his friend Reddy. She wrote: “This morning Jax and I were discussing his wild […]

South Africans in Gauteng and the Free State prayed for rain… and it bucketed down. Next, they are being called on to pray for the nation… for peace and an end to crime. The National Day of Prayer is being organised by ‘Oom‘ (Uncle) Angus Buchan, who is wildly popular amongst the Christian community in […]

CAPE TOWN – The South African Police Service (SAPS) says contact crimes have gone down by 1.9% across the country between April and December 2016. There were apparently 10 less murders during the reported period compared to the previous year, and 6% less sexual offences… BUT unfortunately aggravated robberies – like carjacking and robbery – went […]

Megan Richards worked as a volunteer at Fundimvelo Thula Thula Rhino Orphanage for a year – from April 2015 to April 2016 – and in that time she cared for both the rhino orphans, Impi and Gugu, who were lost through the horrific and tragic poaching attack that happened early last week. It is Megan who set up […]

ST LUCIA, KWAZULU-NATAL – On Tuesday I rescued a leatherback turtle hatchling! First one I’ve ever seen – and in broad daylight at St Lucia’s Estuary beach in South Africa… writes DEBBIE MARSHALL COOPER. We received a call Tuesday morning that the turtles were seen on the beach, so I shot off – but was already too […]

South African actress and former Oscar winner, Charlize Theron, looked stunning at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles, USA, on Sunday night… but her beautiful gold lamé Christian Dior gown was apparently deemed not ‘decent’ enough for Iranian TV censors. In a very bad effort at ‘photoshopping’, the Iranian Labour News Agency appears to have drawn a digital […]

A video of a dwarf mongoose taking on South Africa’s lethal black mamba has been going viral this week, after Brett Horley Safaris captured the footage in the Greater Kruger National Park. The mongoose seems fearless and brave as it tries to tackle Africa’s longest snake… which is also, according to the National Geographic, the […]

Dirk Grobler, who specialises in aerial photography and contour mapping, captured this wonderful sight of the Vaal Dam in South Africa today, 1 March 2017. Dirk said: “With the dam at 103 %, 1 sluice gate and some river valves were opened. What a joyous view after the years of drought.” Dirk also posted the […]

CAPE TOWN – The Western Cape tourism sector has experienced one of its best summer seasons, with international visitor arrivals up 29.8 percent! Briefing the Western Cape standing committee on Economic Opportunities, Tourism and Agriculture on seasonal tourism statistics for the province, Wesgro, the province’s official tourism and investment promotion agency, said the December period was a bumper season […]

A couple of visitors to the Kruger National Park in South Africa were incredibly fortunate to witness the birth of a baby zebra. And luckily, for the rest of us, they filmed it! Rina Harmse and Hannali Weideman captured the footage at the Tambotie entrance on Monday, and as one of the women can be […]