South Africa has launched a three-year incentive scheme to help black filmmakers develop their businesses to the point they can take on big productions – and create more jobs in the country’s growing movie industry. Trade and industry minister Rob Davies launched the South African Emerging Black Filmmakers Incentive Programme on 16 September. The programme, […]

Popular British video blogger Mr Ben Brown is in the Mother City uploading fantastic video blogs (vlogs) of South Africa every day. Ben is a well known “YouTuber” who posts a daily video blog of his adventures in life, his motto being that “adventure isn’t going to find itself”. His adventures have earned him a […]

Telling stories is an integral part of human life. It forges bonds, builds understanding and brings people together to celebrate their differences and similarities. And, of course, everyone has a story to tell about their experiences and heritage. To celebrate Heritage Month, the government recently launched the Tell Your Story campaign, to encourage South Africans to […]

After someone at CNN named Durban as the “Coolest City in South Africa You’ve Never Seen”, we asked the locals what they think makes Durban so cool…and the overwhelming response was its warmth – the ocean (unlike the slightly chilly Cape Town waters!), the friendly people, the hot curry Bunny Chows and the “hot and […]

A top-selling Australian magazine has featured a wonderful promotion of South Africa in its latest edition, describing the country as one of the world’s most exotic locations for food and wine with “magic around every bend”. South African expat Jane Berry, who now lives in Sydney, described finding the article in this week’s issue of Woman’s […]

“The history of our country is characterised by too much forgetting,” Nelson Mandela once lamented. The new Rainbow Makers series of documentaries aims to both help us remember the extraordinary stories, often untold, that shaped our road to democracy – and celebrate our 20 years of freedom. The four-part series, a project of the African […]

Minister of Police Nkosinathi Nhleko, his deputy Maggie Sotyu and National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega are set to release the latest South African crime statistics at the SA Police Service Training Academy in Pretoria this morning. You can watch the report streaming live below. The 2013/2014 figures were meant to be released yesterday but the announcement […]

Congratulations to South African surfer Jordy Smith who has just won the 2014 Hurly Pro Championship at Trestles in Clemente, Southern California! The Durban surfer beat Hawaiian John John Florence in the Final to take the title. John John beat USA champ Kelly Slater in the semi-finals while Jordy out-surfed Australian Adrian Buchan. Jordy wasn’t sure until […]

While Table Mountain was recently awarded the title of Africa’s Leading Tourist Attraction 2014, an 8-year-old schoolchild has penned a tribute to the wonderful mountain which we all know is more than just a tourist attraction. It’s a  legendary landmark that’s launched a million memories and stands as one of the strongest symbols of ‘home’ for many South Africans abroad…while […]

South African American singer Zarni has just released a beautiful new single called ‘New Love’ which she will be performing during a short trip to South Africa next week. This song was inspired by something her fiancé said one night. “We were at home talking about what makes long relationships tough,” she says. “He said it’s hard […]

Four rhino poachers were captured in the Kruger National Park (KNP) yesterday, thanks to the efforts of three smart and very brave women! Haley Dahl, from Eshowe in KwaZulu-Natal, and her two friends Yolande Larkan and Delise Powell, were on a trip to the Kruger when they noticed a suspicious car. Haley told East Coast […]

After a stint as a volunteer working with orphaned rhinos in South Africa, an American citizen has decided to take on South Africa’s poaching crisis and do something constructive about it. And she needs our help. Kim Putman is one of ten finalists in the National Geographic ‘Expedition Granted’ competition. The winner will receive $50,000 to […]

Families travelling to and from South Africa will breath a sigh of relief as it’s just been announced that the proposed new immigration legislation regarding children under the age of 18 needing to carry an unabridged birth certificate and written permission (if travelling unaccompanied by one or more parent) has been postponed! The new law […]

  For those of you who have been following the Oscar trial (I have to admit, I’ve steered well clear of it, watching nothing, listening to nothing, reading nothing, other than telling people that there’s only one person who actually knows what happened – ‘And you’re not it, let alone a lawyer’ – mainly because […]

If you’re missing the South African ocean, here are two videos guaranteed to make you feel the freedom of the wide open blue and almost feel the ocean spray gently upon your skin… Winter’s End with SA Bodyboarder Storm Prestwich Ronald Langeveld has produced this fantastic new bodyboarding video, featuring his “good friend Storm Prestwich, […]

Springbok captain Jean de Villiers will become the fifth Springbok to play 100 Tests for South Africa when he steps onto the field in Wellington, New Zealand later today (Saturday 13 September 2014) to take on the All Blacks. He told South Africa Rugby this week that while reaching this milestone is a “huge honour” and he’s very “humbled” […]

New South African DIY sensation, Suzelle DIY, made a television appearance yesterday morning on the Expresso Morning show. With typical Suzelle excellence, she demonstrated just how useful clothes pegs can be for everything from potting a plant to getting a handle on eating with chopsticks! Speaking about her newfound fame, Suzelle told Morning Show presenter Katlego […]

Rugby World Cup (RWC) Tickets go on sale tomorrow – 12 September 2014. If you’re keen to get tickets, it’s recommended that you book through the Official RWC 2015 ticket website to avoid being ripped off by agents selling overpriced or fake tickets! The World Cup will be held at stadiums in England and Cardiff […]

A group of Vietnamese celebrities has flown in to South Africa to spend three days at the Kruger National Park (KNP) in an attempt to tackle the source of the demand for rhino horn. It is hoped that this trip will expose these influential personalities to the harsh realities of rhino poaching, and help debunk myths that persist in […]

Photographer Mirella Ricciardi once said “when you have been born in Africa you are marked by Africa and wherever you go, you are a displaced person, for you have two identities.” It is true of many South African expats. No matter where they are or how long they have lived in their newly adopted country, they will […]

Looking out at the vast and sunny Karoo Heartland today, you’d never think that less than two weeks ago we were all snow-stormed in. Which takes me back exactly 33 years to the day, when I was sitting at a bar in Montana, USA, called The Cherokee Strip. The locals who drank at The Strip, […]

Following the South African Rugby Union’s (SARU) new Transformation Strategic Plan in which SARU wants to ensure that by 2019 at least half the Springbok side consists of players of colour, with 60 % of those being black African, Max du Preez writes that we can’t only pick those parts of the constitution we like. With the permission […]

A very cool street musician last night took it upon himself to sing a song to the unsung heroes of Cape Town – the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) paramedics. See the video below. He sang for the EMS crew when they stopped for a much needed coffee break. After witnessing an evening of carnage, this guy made […]

Congratulations to South African heart surgeon Otto Thaning for not only just swimming across the English Channel BUT – at the age of 73 – becoming the oldest person to ever complete the 34-kilometre stretch (which, with currents, usually comes closer to a 40-km swim). As fellow epic swimmer and friend Lewis Pugh said yesterday […]

Today I met a very friendly family in Durban, while I was shopping. My eye got caught by the adorable toddler that was peacefully sleeping in the trolley, his head laying heavy like a stone on his mom’s handbag. I asked his mom and aunt, Patience and Thembe, if I could take a picture of him. […]