The signs painted on the safari vehicle driving through Nelspruit clearly pointed out the lunacy of the government’s lockdown regulations. While taxis can load 14 passengers in stuffy vehicles – risking the spread of COVID – open-sided safari vehicles that are rarely filled up have been told they cannot operate. Closed since March 2020, safari […]

The two men accused of the brutal murder of Fanie and Colleen Engelbrecht were today handed two life sentences and 25 years for the murder of the elderly couple, as well as robbery with aggravating circumstances and for the possession of illegal firearms. Fanie (78) and Colleen (74) were killed on Mother’s Day in 2018 […]

An attempt by Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini’s Ingonyama Trust to take control of thousands of hectares of land worth almost R1 billion, which was awarded to several communities in the greater Mthonjaneni (Melmoth) area as land restitution, has been thwarted by the courts. A claim for about 9,000 hectares of farmland in KwaZulu-Natal was first […]

I was one of the thousands who watched Nelson Mandela, the South African liberation struggle hero, leave prison on 11 February 1990, and then mount the podium in front of Cape Town’s City Hall, expressing the hope that the apartheid government would agree to negotiations so that there might no longer be the need for […]

As the country observes Mandela Month, the Department of Water and Sanitation has reiterated a call upon South Africans to take part in the Clear Rivers Campaign, to protect water resources and keep them pollution-free at all times. The Clear Rivers Campaign takes place in the month of July as part of promoting volunteerism in […]

Loadshedding, which hit most of South Africa during the coldest week in winter, has been suspended from 10 p.m. tonight, Eskom announced, saying it had successfully returned four generation units to service. “These generation units returned more than 1500MW capacity to the system, taking the total returned to the system since 10 July to 3500MW. […]

While many safari lodges wait for lockdown on tourism to be lifted so they can take in guests again, life remains busy. For several lodges in Bela-Bela a few weeks ago, staff were faced with the enormous task of saving a giraffe that was trapped in a swimming pool. According to a post on Facebook, […]

A 42-year-old shipping agent in Edenvale was arrested and R3 million worth of rhino horn destined for Malaysia was seized by customs officials at O.R. Tambo International Airport earlier this week, the police said today. The 47 kilograms of rhino horns were marked and declared as scaffolding equipment, the police said in a statement. Upon […]

Gauteng’s Community Safety Portfolio Committee Chairperson, Mapiti Matsena – who fought tirelessly for the safety of the province’s residents – was allegedly stabbed to death at his house in Doornpoort, Tshwane in South Africa on Wednesday evening. The motive for his murder is as yet unknown, and the suspect (who has not been identified) is […]

Primedia is the latest South African media group to be impacted by the current situation in South Africa, today announcing that retrenchments at the company will be taking place. Primedia Broadcasting includes 947, 702, KFM and CapeTalk; national news brand EWN; and Lead SA. Primedia confirmed in a statement on Thursday that employees were today […]

The Democratic Alliance has served Finance Minister Tito Mboweni with legal notice of its intention to challenge any disbursement of public funds to SAA using his “emergency” powers under the Public Finance Management Act. Geordin Hill-Lewis MP – DA Shadow Minister of Finance – said in a statement on Thursday, that “if Mboweni does not […]

The Treasury has said it will support and source funding for a business rescue plan of South African Airways, and it appears that the government might not be the major shareholder in a rebooted airline, according to a statement released by the Department of Public Enterprises. “While maintaining a certain level of presence in the […]

A BBC documentary about the state of hospitals in the Eastern Cape, particularly Port Elizabeth, has shocked viewers in the UK and back home in South Africa. On Thursday morning, the Democratic Alliance tweeted a clip from the documentary’s “hospitals of horrors” and said: “?| The BBC has shown the country and the world what […]

She was the first to step out of the limousine, onto the red carpet, and into the mansion in The Bachelor SA Season 2. She was the first to wow the #BachelorNation with her larger-than-life, what-you-see-is-what-you-get personality and big smile; and the first to kiss hunk Marc Buckner. Now she’s getting another chance to find […]

Zindzi Mandela’s son Zondwa confirmed on Wednesday evening that his mother tested positive for COVID-19 on the day of her passing, but added that other tests have also been done and that the family is still waiting for the autopsy report to clarify her exact cause of death. Zindzi – the daughter of ‘giants’, Nelson and […]

The Democratic Alliance has called for urgent intervention in the Eastern Cape and the sacking of the health MEC, Sindiswa Gomba, who abortively launched medical scooters and now blames her department’s failings on apartheid. “There should be no doubt that apartheid was an abhorrent system which left South African communities with incredible challenges of inequality,” […]

As the tourism sector across South Africa continues to be devastated by the lockdown, the Western Cape government has launched a R5 million fund to support new or existing tourism products and experiences in the province. The aim is to support those products and experiences that are most unique, such as cultural and heritage experiences […]

Following the reinstatement of the alcohol ban and curfew, South African police will do random stop and search operations to ensure citizens adhere to the imposed regulations, Police Minister Bheki Cele announced today. “Throughout all of this, law enforcement officials will be dependent upon the cooperation of community members to ensure these operations are handled […]

Medical intern Danielle Moulton takes just three things into the hospital with her in the morning: her car key, a pen, and her phone in a plastic zipper bag. The rest of her belongings stay in the car, as her day in the Covid-19 wards of Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town starts. At work […]

While the positive COVID-19 cases in South Africa is rapidly approaching 300,000… the good news is that almost half of these patients have already recovered. In the past 24 hours, SA has reported another 10 496 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections to 298 292. The number of recoveries is 146 279, […]

CAPE TOWN – Good news for rugby fans as SA Rugby and the British & Irish Lions confirmed on Wednesday that the 2021 tour to South Africa will go ahead as scheduled. The eagerly awaited series visits some of the most impressive stadiums in world sport and culminates in three Test matches against the newly […]

There’s good news for Eskom-using South Africans in that some generating units have returned to service. But there’s less good news too… as Eskom is implementing Stage 1 load shedding today (Wednesday 15 July)… as a “last resort” in order to protect the national grid. The power utility was set to implement Stage 1 load […]

Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has tested positive for COVID-19. Mantashe and his wife Nolwandle both tested positive for the virus. According to the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS), the Minister received his results on Tuesday. “This was the Minister’s third round of tests to be conducted since the outbreak of this […]

Rhino horn worth almost R116 million has been discovered at OR Tambo International Airport, according to the South African Revenue Service (SARS). A total 41 pieces of rhino horn were valued at R115.66 million in a consignment declared as “fine art” on Tuesday by customs teams aided by detector dogs. SARS said the consignment of […]

In a light-hearted – but important – rant, South African health care worker Kim Alexander has shared with her countrymen just why it is important right now that alcohol is banned. Watch below. An emergency medical practitioner also weighed in yesterday with an emotional message (see further down). Kim actually recorded her message a couple […]