This week, the City of Cape Town will light up Table Mountain and City Hall every evening at 20h00 in purple – the colour that is so synonymous with ‘The Arch’, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who passed away on Sunday morning, 26 December. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said that as everyone mourns the passing of the Arch, […]

MultiChoice and M-Net are celebrating the extraordinary life and legacy of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu with a special Carte Blanche pop-up channel on DStv. Called A Carte Blanche: Tribute to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the special tribute will be available on channel 199 on all DStv packages across Sub-Saharan Africa from 5pm Sunday 26th December until the Archbishop’s burial. “MultiChoice is […]

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu has died at the age of 90… by P. Pratap Kumar, University of KwaZulu-Natal. Archbishop Tutu earned the respect and love of millions of South Africans and the world. He carved out a permanent place in their hearts and minds, becoming known affectionately as “The Arch”. When South Africans woke up […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed, on behalf of all South Africans, his profound sadness at the passing today, Sunday 26 December 2021, of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu. Archbishop Tutu, the last surviving South African laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize, passed away in Cape Town at the age of 90. President Ramaphosa expressed his […]

South Africa’s beloved Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has passed away at the age of 90, with the country’s president heralding him as a “patriot without equal”. The news was announced on Sunday (26 Dec) by the Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba. “It is with great sadness that I have to announce that our dearly […]

The key to the jail cell in which South Africa’s legendary Nelson Mandela was locked for almost two decades is set to possibly fetch more than £1-million at an auction next month. It comes from the maximum-security prison on Robben Island, near Cape Town, where the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former South African president […]

PARIS (Reuters) – Princess Charlene of Monaco will be visited by her two children and her husband, Prince Albert, during the Christmas holidays, the prince’s palace said in a statement on Thursday, as she remains convalescing in a secret location. Charlene, a former South African Olympian who married Monaco’s ruler in 2011 in a lavish […]

Harry and Meghan have publicly shared the first photo of their daughter Lilibet in a Christmas card. The picture of the young family of four was released today, Thurs 23 December. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who live in California, wrote in a message on the card: “This year 2021, we welcomed our daughter […]

The recent rains that soaked most parts of the country have made a significant impact on water levels in some parts of the country, particularly the national average, according to the Department of Water and Sanitation’s weekly state of the reservoirs report, which shows the impact of summer rains in some areas. In a statement […]

South Africa reported 21 099 new daily Coronavirus cases, the highest since the week began. This means the country now has 3 353 106 confirmed cases, while the death toll stands at 90 587 after 99 more people lost their lives. According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), KwaZulu-Natal, which is currently the […]

Don’t miss this Sunday’s Carte Blanche. You can watch the show on Sunday 26 December in South Africa on DStv Now or stream it overseas in most countries from 28 December if you’re abroad. CELEBRATION Honouring Healthcare Heroes When the waves of the pandemic surge, we stay at home. But healthcare workers keep going to […]

A freak storm pelted Pietermaritzburg in KZN, South Africa, yesterday afternoon at around 15h30, causing localised flooding and damage. The severe thunderstorm – with heavy rains and large golfball-sized hail – lasted half an hour, but left lasting damage. Some trees and power lines fell, parts of roofs were blown off and windows and vehicles […]

Princess Charlene of Monaco has shared a beautiful but poignant Christmas card and message on her instagram page, with her 389,000 followers. This year, the card features an illustration – rather than a photo – of the family together beside a Christmas Tree. The princess, and former South African Olympic swimmer, is currently away from […]

Unsurprisingly and absolutely fittingly, the incredible, devout, devoted and huge hearted Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, founder and chairperson of Gift of the Givers, has been named the Daily Maverick’s ‘South African Person of the Year’. The title is bestowed on “a person who has had the broadest or most significant impact on the country as a […]

Kyleigh Milana Kista from Benoni, Gauteng, our precious 3-year-old girl, was diagnosed with a Complex Congenital Heart Defect at birth… writes Kyleigh’s mom, Serina Kista. Her condition is known as Tetralogy of Fallot with Pulmonary Atresia, VSD & Mapca’s. This condition was first described by her Cardio-Thoracic surgeon as a “monster in her chest”. This means Kyleigh does not have the valve that […]

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus is spreading faster than the Delta variant and is causing infections in people already vaccinated or who have recovered from the COVID-19 disease, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday, 20 December 20. He also urged China to be more forthcoming on information about Covid-19’s […]

South African expat and musician, Gugu Zulu, has scooped second position in Germany’s talent show ‘The Voice of Germany 2021’. The SA singer and songwriter, who now lives in Germany, wowed the judges and German audience with her mesmerising voice (watch Rise Up below!). After Sunday’s fabulous finale, Gauteng publicist, Georg Knoke, said: “Fantastic news […]

India and South Africa’s official cricket bodies have taken the difficult joint decision to not make any tickets available for the upcoming Proteas vs India tour. This is to protect both the players and the tour, said Cricket SA. The matches  – due to begin in less than a week – will however be broadcast […]

In an effort to strengthen strategic partnership relations between South Africa and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has engaged with potential investors during her four-day visit to Dubai. During her trip the Minister held bilateral engagements with G Pennon, Chairman of the SOBHA Group, a multinational real estate and construction group, […]

A selection of photos we (GroundUp) took this year! © 2021 GroundUp

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has ended a week of self-isolation which followed his positive test for COVID-19 on 12 December 2021. The President thanked all South Africans along with leaders and friends internationally who conveyed their good wishes during this period. In turn, the President said he wishes everyone infected with COVID-19 a safe […]

Il Divo baritone singer Carlos Marin has tragically passed away at the age of 53 after reportedly contracting Covid-19 in the UK. The Spanish singer, who was born in Germany, had fallen ill on 7 December. He had been admitted to hospital in Manchester a few days ago, and had been intubated and placed in […]

South Africa’s Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, has tested positive for COVID-19. The Minister tested positive on Saturday, 18 December 2021, after experiencing mild symptoms. According to the Presidency, “Minister Mantashe is in good spirits and he is currently in self-isolation.” The Presidency said on Friday that President Cyril Ramaphosa is also […]

Pigcasso, the abstract expressionist painter and rescued pig from South Africa, has made headlines abroad with the announcement this week that one of her paintings has sold for an incredible £20,000. Pigcasso’s page said on Wednesday: “WILD AND FREE (Pigcasso 2021) MAKES HISTORY! The magnificent Masterpiece that has inspired a global record has sold to […]

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is “making good progress” in his recovery from COVID-19, while continuing treatment for “mild symptoms” the Presidency announced on Friday. The President is in “good spirits and comfortable in his recovery”, according to Minister in The Presidency, Mondli Gungubele. President Ramaphosa tested positive for the coronavirus viral infection on Sunday […]