It is with huge sadness that we share the news of the Covid-related death of Jackson Mthembu, yet another high profile South African taken by the coronavirus pandemic. Just ten days ago, on 11 January, the popular SA spokesperson revealed that he had tested positive for Covid-19, saying: “Today I visited the Military hospital in […]

Two weeks after the storming of the US Capitol by the followers of his predecessor, in the middle of an out-of-control pandemic that has killed more than 400,000 Americans, Joe Biden — the 46th president of the US — tried to contain the blaze in his inaugural address. Politics doesn’t have to be a raging […]

South Africa logged over 12 000 new COVID-19 cases for the first time this week, after recording fewer than 10 000 infections a day in the past few days. Update Thursday afternoon: Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu has sadly died from Covid. According to the latest data, the total number of COVID-19 cases identified […]

Two doctors have written a scathing letter in the South African Medical Journal, criticising the United Kingdom for hiring a disproportionate number of health workers from foreign countries. Professor Johannes Fagan from the University of Cape Town and Professor Mahmood Bhutta from the Royal Sussex County Hospital wrote: “The UK already has one of the […]

The government’s failure to be transparent with its Covid-19 vaccine implementation plan could see Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma face court soon. AfriForum and Solidarity are preparing court papers against the minister, they announced in a joint-statement on Thursday. According to AfriForum, Dlamini-Zuma failed to respond to a letter of demand that was issued to her by […]

The Dutch government has become the latest country to impose a flight ban on all flights to the Netherlands with passengers from South Africa, the UK and various countries in South America due to continued Covid-19 safety concerns, following more contagious variants being found in SA, England and Brazil. The ban will be effective from […]

The Department of Basic Educations says several provinces have completed the marking of Grade 12 exam papers ahead of schedule, and that results will be released on time. According to the department’s Assessment and Examination Director, Priscilla Ogunbanjo, over 90% of centres, which were scheduled to finalise the marking of scripts on Friday, have already […]

South Africa’s COVID-19 cases have risen to 1 356 716 after 9 780 patients were confirmed to have contracted the virus on Tuesday. Meanwhile, 839 additional deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, which brings the tally to 38 288 since the outbreak. According to Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, the high number of […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has informed Parliament about the employment of 2 122 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to support other government departments in the fight against COVID-19. The President informed Parliament that he has authorised the employment of 2 122 members of the SANDF for service in order to preserve life, […]

What has been the effect of the alcohol bans? Groote Schuur Hospital trauma surgeons and Medical Research Council researchers have provided some answers using health records from the hospital’s trauma unit — which treats patients from the western part of the City of Cape Town — between February and June 2020. The study allows comparison […]

The National Education, Health Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) held a wreath-laying ceremony in tribute to nine frontline health workers who died last week from Covid-19 in Edendale hospital in Pietermaritzburg, according to the union. The National Education, Health Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) held a wreath-laying ceremony at Edendale Hospital in tribute to nine health workers […]

JOHANNESBURG – Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) Holdings today announced it is extending its suspension of global cruise voyages until the end of April, The suspension now includes all voyages on Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and will last until April 30, 2021. NCL says it will continue to work in […]

A 77-year-old Free State farm foreman was the target of a brutal farm attack that has shocked the farming community. Simon Makhotha was attacked on Harrisdale in the Zastron area on Sunday evening (17 January) at around 20h00. According to Free State Agriculture (FSA), Makhotha was taken by surprise by a gang of three who assaulted […]

A staggering number of teachers in South Africa have fallen ill during the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Many have tragically passed away. Yet, sadly, much of parents’ anger over the delay of schools opening (to save lives) has been targeted at teachers, the very people we should surely be heralding as our heroes. […]

Sand sculptor Sonwabo Micheal Somfele has relied on the money he makes from making drawings and images at Lookout Beach in Plettenberg Bay for four years. But since the Garden Route was declared a hotspot, and the beaches closed, he is struggling to make a living. Artists and small business owners in Plettenberg bay say […]

South Africa is showing signs of declining COVID-19 cases, with 9 010 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. This brings the total number of infections to 1 346 936 since the outbreak. “Regrettably, we report a further 344 COVID-19 related deaths,” said Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, on Monday. Of the recent deaths, […]

Only five out of 147 cases of police brutality in Gauteng have been resolved in the past five years, according to Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko. Mazibuko revealed the news in a written reply to the Democratic Alliance’s questions tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL). Police brutality cases over past 5 years […]

Light at the end of the tunnel! Eskom has suspended loadshedding thanks to the improvement of its generation capacity following the return of some generators to service. “Over the past 24 hours, Eskom teams have successfully returned two generation units each at Kusile, Kriel, and one at Tutuka Power Stations to service,” Eskom said on […]

Two giant radio galaxies have been discovered with South Africa’s powerful MeerKAT telescope, located in the Karoo region, a semi-arid area in the south west of the country. Radio galaxies get their name from the fact that they release huge beams, or ‘jets’, of radio light. These happen through the interaction between charged particles and […]

Due to the new regulations released by the Dutch government last week, KLM has adapted its flight schedule beyond 18 January 2021. KLM will operate 4 flights per week from Johannesburg to Amsterdam and 3 flights per week from Cape Town to Amsterdam, with a technical stop to Dar Es Salaam. Passengers will remain on […]

Higher education is the latest sector in South Africa to delay its re-opening dates with 16 universities still finalising their academic year. Addressing the media on Monday, Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, announced that universities will start the academic year between early-March and mid-April. The re-opening of higher education institutions is […]

For Cape Town ambulance paramedics Claire* and Mike*, the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic has been relentless. Suspected Covid-19 patients have replaced victims of gun-shots, stabbings and car accidents and each day is grimly the same.   Covid-19 call-outs have replaced call-outs to trauma victims, say Cape Town paramedics interviewed by GroundUp. More of their […]

Showmax subscribers in South Africa are now able to live stream kykNET and Mzansi Magic 24/7 with the launch of two pop-up channels on the streaming service. Showmax is testing live streaming of two of South Africa’s most popular local channels. Showmax is already the home for streaming the best South African series, with top […]

The charges in South Africa against the Centurion father of a newborn, who went out in the middle of the night to get formula milk for his hungry one-day old baby, have been dropped after the intervention of AfriForum’s private prosecution unit. Naas le Roux was arrested on 7 January for violating the national curfew […]

Eskom is currently implementing Stage 2 loadshedding as the country’s power system remains constrained and vulnerable, and is operating with less contractors as many are affected by Covid-19. At Medupi power station, for instance, well over half the pool of 75 contractors have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to Eskom. “Regrettably, as the return […]