Wits scientists have found three extremely luminous gamma-ray sources in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite dwarf galaxy of the Milky Way. The scientists are part of a multinational team of astronomers working on the High Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS) telescopes that have again demonstrated its excellent capabilities in searching for high-energy gamma rays.In the […]

South Africans have long believed that biltong is superior to beef jerky…but there’s nothing as satisfying as hearing a foreigner praise our ‘African jerky’! Especially when it’s on a record-breaking TV show! In the video excerpt below, Willie Robertson  – of the hugely popular Duck Dynasty American reality television series – describes South African biltong as delicious, exotic, […]

Miss World Rolene Strauss has sent a message of support to her Miss South Africa replacement – Ziphozakhe Zokufa – tweeting “May today be an amazing day! Your personality and beauty are like stars in the dark. Go on that Miss Universe stage and shine your South African light!” Ziphozakhe will represent South Africa tonight at the […]

Two dancers in Soweto have captured the attention of a New York-based British director…who happens to be the son of legendary musician Gordon Sumner (aka Sting) and Trudie Styler. The two dancers – Jabu and JR – have been performing their own interpretation of pantsula dance for years, and had already caught the eye of many […]

“I can’t compete with people who have full time jobs.” That’s something I have heard several times from professional photographers in the last three short months since I have moved to Durban. It blows my mind how people can think this way. Did you not choose your profession? Is this not the life you wanted and […]

The second season of the swashbuckler television series filmed in South Africa, Black Sails, starts in the United States this weekend. Starring Toby Stephens, it was filmed on location at the Cape Town Film Studios on the road out to Somerset West, where the set doubles for 1715 Nassau during the Golden Age of Piracy. […]

Car Guru, an app created by South African developer Sukasha Singh, beat off stiff competition from other emerging markets to be named runner up in the international Vodafone appStar competition. Vodafone, the international mobile telecommunications group, selected 10 regional winners from Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, India and South Africa to compete in the final leg of […]

On the day of my graduation I couldn’t help but feel isolated at the far bottom tip of Africa. It felt as if I was missing out on the connected world ‘up there’. I was young, ambitious and curious. So I packed my bags and ventured over to France…working on Luxury Yachts as a stewardess […]

South African statesman Nelson Mandela, who died in December 2013, attended the World Economic Forum‘s annual meeting in Davos three times. The first was in 1991, less than a year after he was released from 27 years in jail, the second in 1992, two years before he became South Africa’s first democratic president, and the […]

Good news for all South Africans who want to do something positive to help inspire each other (oh, and perhaps the world too while we’re at it!). Brent Lindeque – the guy who changed one thing last year…and changed everything – is launching a new RAKNomination campaign and YOU can be part of it! Brent […]

In less than five minutes, the video below tells the heartbreaking – and inspiring – story of Themba and Thandi, two rhino in South Africa that were brutally poached and left to die two years ago. One of them did ultimately die, tragically drowning 24 days later because of his weakened state. The other survived…and gave […]

Bafana Bafana failed to open their 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) campaign in commanding fashion in group C as they were battered 3-1 by Africa’s number-one ranked, Algeria, in Mongomo stadium, on Monday night. Despite a bright start by Bafana Bafana, a series of poor defensive errors, a missed penalty and poor goalkeeping cost […]

Yesterday SAPeople and other facebook pages shared a photo that had been uploaded to FB by Mbali Ndhlovu showing an entrepreneurial homeless guy on a street corner, offering Zulu lessons in exchange for cash (at the very reasonable rate of R1 per word!). Some people suggested “give that guy a Bells”. Well today he’s been given […]

Wow! We knew millions of people loved Table Mountain…but we’re blown away by how many millions! Today – 20 January 2014 – the 24th millionth visitor stepped in to the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway to make her way to the top of South Africa’s legendary landmark. The lucky lady was Maria Usenne (27) from Mozambique. She’s […]

As predicted yesterday a big swell hit Durban today (20 January 2015), creating massive waves and smashing into piers! Mitch Meyer was there to capture it on film. (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 […]

When the World Economic Forum (WEF) kicks off tomorrow in Switzerland,  South Africa will once again be represented in Davos by a high level and multi-stakeholder team. Team South Africa. Their message to the 2,500 participants at the annual summit will be: South Africa is open for business and remains an attractive and reliable investment destination. […]

A Gauteng teenager was rescued at Camps Bay in South Africa yesterday evening by an incredibly brave and selfless NSRI (National Sea Rescue Institute) crew, after he became entangled in his kite and was swept out to sea in extremely rough and dangerous conditions. Eighteen-year-old Shane Keenan, from Fourways in Johannesburg, had been flying a large kite […]

We’re always celebrating South Africa’s stunning beaches and sensational safaris…but there are so many other hidden treasures in the land. Here is just one of them – the Sevilla Rock Art Trail. All photographs by Andre Buser (thank you!). Ten Things you should know about the Sevilla Rock Art Trail: 1. Some of the paintings […]

Top South African cycling outfit Team MTN-Qhubeka has received an invitation to participate in the 2015 Tour de France – the first African team ever to do so in 101 years.The 22 teams riding in the race were announced by the Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO) last week. Along with the 17 World Tour teams, five […]

South African batsman AB de Villiers wrote his name indelibly into cricket’s history books when he produced one of ODI’s greatest innings against the West Indies at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium on Sunday. De Villiers hit eight fours and 10 sixes to reach his century in just 31 balls, erasing New Zealander Corey Anderson’s previous […]

As South Africans around the country are plunged into occasional darkness with the latest onslaught of loadshedding, and being bombarded with even darker headlines that there may be no light at the end of this tunnel for a while yet…some South Africans are finding a way to see the brighter, ‘lighter’ side of things…particularly Ursula Botha in […]

A South African production company has filmed a beautiful documentary series that showcases not only the beauty of Africa, but also the hard-working conservationists on this continent who are protecting and caring for our wildlife and our land. They are The Wild Bunch. (Watch the promo reel below.) Thelma Roos and Robert Waldron, from Wild Dog Productions, […]

This morning began with a message from renowned South African writer Max du Preez on his Facebook page declaring he has “ended my association with the Independent Media Group and will no longer write a weekly column for its newspapers.” (Read the full transcription below.) In response to this and other recent media events, Gauteng businessman […]

There is happy news from the Bush today. Thandi, the female rhino that survived a horrific poaching attack almost three years ago, gave birth to a calf this morning at 08h50. The birth took place at Kariega Game Reserve where two rangers witnessed the joyous event. Shortly afterwards wildlife veterinarian Dr William Fowlds observed the mother and her calf from […]

South Africa’s sunny coastal cities have a longstanding and fun tradition to usher in each new year: fireworks over the ocean on New Year’s Eve, and then everyone – but everyone – flocks to the beach on New Year’s Day. YouTube user Chris Wright captured all of this at the Port Elizabeth beachfront in Nelson […]