Around about the time that we we’d just moved to Cradock from Joburg, I was debriefed on the art of shopping in a small Karoo town by our friend Elaine Hurford. She lives in Prince Albert, which has scores of restaurants and guesthouses but limited retail. The first thing I learnt was not to underestimate […]

The next best thing to actually being in the Karoo, South Africa’s semi-desert Heartland, is to have access to the just-launched Karoo Space eBookstore. Download the Karoo Collection Sampler on your tablet or smartphone, find a shady spot somewhere and settle in for a tour of the most phenomenal people-friendly desert in the world. Travel […]

With President Jacob Zuma signing the new Restitution of Land Rights Amendment Act into law, it is clear that the battle over the land is heating up. The latest change to the legislation will, among other things, change the cut-off date for lodging a claim for restitution and change the rules around the appointment, tenure, […]

I received an email from a South African friend in New York yesterday in which he asked what was “potting” and said that he was “holding thumbs” for me to find a new house. If I couldn’t find my dream home, he said, “come to my pozzie and kip here. It’ll put a smile on […]

English has been spoken in South Africa for over 200 years, evolving into a distinct dialect with a vocabulary strongly influenced by indigenous languages. Learn to understand the locals with our comprehensive guide to Mzanzi taal.   English has been spoken in South Africa for over 200 years, at least since the British seized the […]

Without much ado, court resumed on Monday for what is expected to be the last lap of the Oscar Pistorius trial for the premeditated murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on February 14, 2013. At the request of advocate for the state, Gerrie Nel, Oscar has spent this past month as an out-patient at Weskoppies Psychiatric […]

  Cold Harbour, the new South African crime thriller from the producers of Jerusalema, will have its world première at the Durban International Film Festival on 19 July before opening in cinemas countrywide on 25 July. The film stars Tony Kgoroge as Sizwe, an ambitious policeman from Khayelitsha who uncovers an abalone smuggling scheme while investigating […]

Sharks rugby player Bismarck du Plessis has taken part in a video that sends a very loud message – switch your cell phones to silent when you’re at the movies! The video was filmed at a packed cinema at the Gateway Shopping Centre at the end of last month (scroll down to view). In a message […]

The trial of Oscar Pistorius, who is charged with the premeditated murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013, is due to resume tomorrow, Monday June 30, in the North Gauteng High Court. The story that divided us into those who didn’t believe a word he said and those who gave him posies […]

South Korea has become a popular destination for young South Africans who want to teach English, have an adventure, save some money and experience an entirely different culture. So we asked Capetonian Helena Lorimer, who has spent three years teaching English in South Korea, to give us the lowdown on everything a South African should […]

Check out these two awesome videos from a new photographic South African tour company. The company’s tours are specifically tailored for international photography and film graduates…but they’re the perfect eye candy for any South African missing SA or in SA but unable to afford the time or budget to get away! (Scroll down for videos.) […]

South Africa may not be participating in the World Cup 2014…but that hasn’t dampened the football fever for these school children at Royal Drakensberg Primary in KwaZulu-Natal, playing on the fields of the Drakensberg rather than in the stadiums of Brazil. “This is our break-up day soccer festival,” says Megan Bedinham. “We’re a small school […]

The ANC Youth League has released a statement today, on the 59th anniversary of the Freedom Charter. Here is the full transcript: The ANC Youth League looks back to 59 years ago’s Congress of the People that met in Kliptown with pride and joy. We are grateful to the African National Congress and the South […]

When South African resident Ashleigh Frank Elad heard that the children at a Gauteng hospital were freezing during this particularly cold winter (in which snow has fallen in many parts of the country) she decided to do something about it. With the help of her niece Ashleigh has launched a campaign to help not only […]

After Luis Suarez appeared to bite an Italian player yesterday during a World Cup match in Brazil, the jokes have been flying on the internet about the controversial antics on ‘Chewsday’, with some saying “the only thing missing from that Italian bite was a glass of Chianti”. UPDATE: FIFA has taken action against Suarez – please […]

Tourists (and locals) in Cape Town are loving the city’s new initiative – giant yellow picture frames set up in gorgeous locations around the city so that visitors can photograph themselves from well-known and unusual views with Table Mountain as a backdrop. The Table Mountain Frames Project includes the erection of seven frames, produced by South African […]

Legendary rock band the Foo Fighters have posted two videos regarding the announcement of their first ever South Africa tour. They’re both short…but of course, not sweet! (Watch videos below.) The Foo Fighters have confirmed two stadium dates in South Africa for December 2014 where fans will be entertained with 20 years worth of Foo […]

If you’re South African and of a certain age, chances are you’ll be familiar with the Silver Creek Mountain Band. Text & Pictures by Chris Marais The Creek is South Africa’s longest-surviving bluegrass band. Forty years ago, they were a live music force to be reckoned with. Two fiddlers, banjo, lead guitar and a big old […]

Congratulations to Grant Christie who has just completed his Six Million Steps expedition, walking the ENTIRE length of the South African coastline solo and unaided. “It is done. 250 days. 3 513.6 km. 5 300 326 steps. I feel no different than any other day. It will probably take a while to sink in,” Grant wrote on […]

Today is Global MND Awareness Day. For those unfamiliar with the term MND, it stands for Motor Neuron Disease, the fatal illness that Springbok legend Joost van der Westhuizen was diagnosed with in early 2011…and that touches the lives of so many South Africans. In a message to SAPeople, with a moving tribute song for Joost […]

The President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) is usually a very dull affair. Jacob Zuma gives off an air of grudging compliance and, because of its dominance in the house, the ruling party generally gets to take up most of the allocated discussion time with its bland, self-congratulatory platitudes. Opposition parties have a chance […]

The IRB chatted to Junior Springbok twins Jesse and Dan Kriel ahead of South Africa’s Junior World Championship final against England today in New Zealand. South Africa is playing defending champions England in the final at Eden Park after their exciting 32-25 win against New Zealand last week. The twins predicted that the South Africans […]

Johnny Clegg, Ross Learmonth, Yvonne Chaka Chaka and a host of other South African artists will gather together in July to remember musician Bongani Masuku who was tragically killed in an attempted car-jacking incident in Johannesburg last month. The concert will raise funds for his family, as well as awareness for Artists against Violence. It […]

Following the ruffling of feathers of South African/British dual nationality passport holders with regards to the UK E-Borders system, here’s why it won’t affect you if you are a dual national passport holder… Written by Marky Warren It appears there’s a bit of a buzz on social media at the moment where okes are getting their panties […]

Her name is Jolynn Minnaar…and she has a story to tell. Her story is about fracking, and it’s not a story that she set out to tell. But she has told it so well that her documentary “Unearthed” won the Green Award at the Sheffield International Documentary Festival in the UK last week. Jolynn and the […]