The South African mining magnate and billionaire owner of the Mamelodi Sundowns soccer team, Patrice Motsepe, who is also President Cyril Ramaphosa’s brother-in-law, is standing as a candidate for the position of president of the Confederation of African Football, a position that has been in the news lately because of questions hanging over the incumbent […]

The first of four suspects arrested for the murder of Free State farmer Pieter Hills last week appeared in Hennenman Magistrates Court today, and the police said more arrests were imminent. One of the suspects died by suicide in jail over the weekend, they said. Tshidiso Patrick Bochedi (36) appeared in court briefly today on […]

Telkom and the SA Broadcast Corporation today launched a new video streaming channel called TelkomONE that will attempt to capture some of Netflix and Showmax’s market, although it will be showing mostly South African and SABC products – some of it for free. A five-year deal was signed between the two, and creates a platform […]

In case you missed it, here is former President Barack Obama’s message of congratulations to his former Vice-President Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris, for their projected win in the US Elections against Donald Trump. Barack Obama wrote on Facebook: I could not be prouder to congratulate our next President, Joe Biden, and our next First […]

After months of battling the COVID-19 pandemic, President Cyril Ramaphosa says the country is now transitioning from relief to recovery. Writing in this week’s edition of his newsletter, the President said when the National State of Disaster was declared in March, the immediate priority was to contain the spread of the virus and provide emergency […]

Two horses have been rescued in the Free State by the Bloemfontein SPCA, after a concerned community member – who had witnessed the horses being abused – contacted the organisation. A third horse was also rescued after the SPCA saw it being uncared for. The SPCA said the first two horses had apparently been ridden […]

While some South Africans have taken offence to a video clip that’s been going viral for months, showing an impassioned young Joe Biden in 1986 pleading for support for South Africans suffering under apartheid, most have welcomed the video as a sign of Biden’s pro-equality stance and his genuine care for the wellbeing of not […]

The American public has had its say and for the first time in a generation denied a sitting president a second term. President Donald Trump’s tenure lasted just four years, but in that time he dragged policy on an array of key issues in a dramatic new direction. Joe Biden’s victory, confirmed by the Associated […]

South Africans have been excited to discover that through Melissa Cohen Biden they may have a close link to the White House if Joe Biden wins the US Election (as has been projected). It turns out Melissa Cohen is Joe’s daughter-in-law, wife of his son Hunter, and a South African expat from Johannesburg. The 33-year-old, […]

Yet another Free State farmer has died this week in South Africa, after being shot in August.  He joins a painfully long list of farm attack victims in South Africa, particularly in the Free State where unconfirmed figures show there have been at least 10 farm attacks in the province in less than six weeks. […]

Messages of congratulations have been sent from leaders around the world to Joe Biden, following the announcement by most reputable media houses that the counted votes so far project that Biden has won the US election. Although Donald Trump says the election is far from over and has declared that he is the winner, it […]

In response to projections that Joe Biden has won the US Presidential election, President Donald Trump has issued the following statement, with allegations of fraudulent votes being counted although he has as of yet provided no evidence: “We all know why Joe Biden is rushing to falsely pose as the winner, and why his media […]

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has won enough votes in Pennyslvania for a recount in the state to not be required and therefore – according to projections by several reputable news sources (including Reuters, BBC, ABC, NBC and AP) – the 77-year-old has beaten current President Donald Trump (74) to win the US election. “Biden […]

The now famous chacma baboon Kataza, who made headlines after he was controversially removed from his troupe in Kommetjie, Cape Town, is to be returned home after the city was taken to court by a concerned citizen, Ryno Engelbrecht. The relocation of the male baboon in late August caused a huge outcry and locals started […]

As the countdown continues for the Metrorail divisions in the Western Cape and Gauteng to roll out the new commuter trains, the blue EMUs, the latest few sets have passed through Kimberley and Matjiesfontein – an unusual sight, because only long-distance trains usually pass here – on its way from the factory in Gauteng to […]

This week Carte Blanche investigates how a fake advocate was allowed to masquerade as a member of the legal profession for many years, expropriation without compensation and much more. You can watch the show on Sunday 8 November in South Africa on DStv Now or stream it overseas in most countries from Tues 10 November […]

Kimi Makwetu, the highly respected auditor general of South Africa who ends his term on 30 November, was today appointed to the United Nations’ Independent Audit Advisory Committee, the IAAC, during its 5th Committee elections. Members of the IAAC are appointed in their personal capacity on the basis of broad geographical representation, and are independent […]

The newly elected Democratic Alliance mayor of Tshwane has made a tough inaugural speech, saying that seven months of chaos in the city have depleted services to the public, which would be the priority in future, and that catering for staff would be terminated while conferences and overseas travel would be cut drastically. Randall Williams, […]

US Presidential candidate, Joe Biden, has overtaken current President Donald Trump during vote counting in Pennsylvania… and should he win the state (there’s still 2% of votes to count), he would have enough votes to win the US presidency. However, as Trump’s campaign has pointed out, the counting is not yet over. Biden’s current overall […]

The heartbroken girlfriend of Eddie Hills, who was brutally attacked on his father’s Hennenman farm in the early hours of Friday morning 6 November, has taken to social media to plead for prayers for Eddie’s recovery. According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), Eddie was stabbed in the back during the attack on Zwartpan […]

The South African Police Service (SAPS) says it has launched a manhunt following an attack on Zwartpan (Swartpan) farm outside Hennenman in the Free State… in which a popular local farmer was fatally shot, and his son knifed and seriously injured. The attack on 56-year-old Pieter Hills and his 26-year-old son Eddie is believed to […]

Patricia Anne MacDonald got a surprise during Lockdown when, at around 2.30am one night in July, she realised that the sound of creaking trees and branches breaking at her home in Cape Vidal, South Africa, was not the wind! It was elephant! “I must admit,” she told SAPeople. “It was quite scary at the time. […]

The South African Department of Health has urged communities affected by malaria, as well as travellers to malaria endemic areas, to take the necessary precautions to prevent contracting the disease, and to seek treatment when they experience signs and symptoms. The department made the call as South Africa joins the Southern African Development Community in […]

In some parts of Johannesburg residents have been without power for more than 72 hours, mostly because the city’s electricity unit, City Power, has been “dithering” over tenders and contracts for more than 18 months, some of them tainted by alleged fraud, according to Nicole van Dyk of the Democratic Alliance. In May 2019 the […]

South Africa’s High Commissioner to the UK, Nomatemba Tambo, has reassured concerned South Africans in the UK that the appointment system will remain in place during Lockdown, despite the SAHC’s earlier pinned post on Facebook announcing the Embassy’s closure for the UK’s second lockdown, and that all appointment services were to be closed. Ms Tambo […]