In the world of smartphones, China has Huawei, Korea has Samsung, while the United States of America has Apple. And soon South Africa will have Mara! Long-time dark horse Africa is now taking centre stage with the announcement of the Mara phone project that is touted to take the smartphone business by storm. Developed by […]

We’re used to seeing touching pictures of police in Cape Town stopping the traffic to allow ducklings to cross the road. But this morning, there is outrage in South Africa as one careless driver – perhaps in too much of a rush to notice – ran over two ducklings while passersby frantically tried to get […]

DAR ES SALAAM – Tanzania released two staff members of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Thursday, a day after they were detained and their passports seized, the South African Foreign Ministry said. Tanzanian Immigration Department spokesman Ali Mtanda said Angela Quintal and Muthoki Mumo were arrested for violating the terms of […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s Discovery Ltd said on Thursday it will issue about 10.9 million new shares to qualifying investors in order to raise R1.85 billion ($132 million) to help fund an acquisition of a stake and assets in soon to be launched Discovery bank. Discovery, which offers health, life and car insurance, was granted […]

Jason Rohde, a former property mogul, has been found guilty of the murder of his wife Susan by the Western Cape High Court on Thursday. Rohde’s defence argued that his wife took her own life after a physical fight about his extramarital affair with a colleague. Throughout his trial, Rohde said that Susan killed herself […]

South African Airways (SAA) has been named the African Long-Haul Airline winner in the prestigious Business Traveller Africa magazine awards. The awards, which were launched in 2012, are targeted at the South African business travel trade and the broader business travel community. SAA clinched the top award last week, as its future has been hotly […]

GABORONE – Around 400 buffaloes drowned after stampeding into the Chobe River along the border between Botswana and Namibia, possibly while running away from lions, the tourism ministry said. The Chobe River flows along the northeastern border of the Chobe National Park, known for the large breeding herds of elephants, giraffe, sable and African buffalo, […]

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Zweli Mkhize has extended condolences to the family and colleagues of the firefighter killed when the truck in which they were travelling overturned and rolled down a pass. The incident happened in Mitchell’s Pass near Worcester as the team was returning from fighting fires. “It is with deep […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s anti-corruption watchdog, the Public Protector, said on Thursday that it was investigating Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, a close ally of President Cyril Ramaphosa, for allegedly abusing his powers during his time as finance minister. The watchdog said it was looking into allegations that Gordhan wrongly approved an early retirement package […]

South African journalist Angela Quintal and her Kenyan colleague Muthoki Mumo, who were mysteriously detained by law enforcement officials at their hotel in Tanzania last night, have been released. “South African journalist Angela Quintal and colleague are back in their hotel. They are safe and are now with the High Commissioner of South Africa, Thami […]

Well known South African journalist and former newspaper editor, Angela Quintal, posted a cry for help on Facebook on Wednesday evening, saying: “SOS we are being taken away for interrogation in Dar. We don’t know why. Taken away from Southern Sun Hotel.” (Update: South African journalist released in Tanzania) Quintal, who is normally based in […]

Trevor Noah’s mom, Patricia, isn’t into fame. As Trevor told an audience member of ‘The Daily Show’ this week: “She has no interest in television or any of these things that I do. She just loves the fact that I can pay the rent, and she loves me for who I am.” But Patricia Noah […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa will hold parliamentary elections sometime between May 7 and August 5 next year, the Electoral Commission (IEC) chairperson announced on Wednesday… increasing the likelihood that the vote will be in May, which is President Cyril Ramaphosa’s preference. A voter registration weekend will be held in January. The commission briefed the media […]

Next year, South Africans will go to the polls in the National Elections to have their say in the country’s future. Most South Africans abroad still care passionately about their country and their loved ones back home, and while they may have many different reasons for being overseas, they still deserve to be able to […]

JOHANNESBURG – Credit Suisse has pulled out of South Africa after more than a decade as part of Chief Executive Tidjane Thiam’s bank-wide revamp, three sources with knowledge of the matter said. Wealthy South Africans and a few blue chip SA companies will continue to benefit from Credit Suisse’s services from overseas offices. Switzerland’s second […]

Many people do not know that the two minutes silence and its association to Armistice Day (11th hour of 11/11) or Remembrance Sunday has a South African origin. It is one of our greatest gifts to humankind, yet most South Africans are completely oblivious of it… writes Peter Dickens. The featured image above, taken in […]

MELBOURNE – Cricket Australia (CA) is considering a demand by the players’ union that ball-tampering bans on former captain Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft be lifted immediately, the governing body’s CEO Kevin Roberts said on Wednesday. CA has come under pressure from the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) to end the bans following the […]

A KwaZulu-Natal school has made waves at an international water conservation competition, winning two top awards. Representing South Africa at the Water Explorer 2018 in London last month, Ebomvini Primary School, received the Innovation and Students’ Choice awards. Learners from 11 participating countries including Turkey, Germany and Malta, agreed that Ebomvini’s projects were creative. They […]

DAKAR – A shocking FOUR out of six endangered black rhinos – that were relocated to Chad from South Africa – have tragically died, possibly of starvation, the two countries and an NGO said. The six rhinos were transferred from South Africa in May, re-introducing the species into Chad for the first time since it […]

Dan Plato has been elected as Cape Town’s new mayor during a special council sitting on Tuesday… and has already outlined his vision for the Mother City. Plato clinched the top spot by a majority, receiving 146 votes in council. His election follows the stepping down by former mayor Patricia De Lille. Plato thanked those […]

JOHANNESBURG – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Tuesday that closing down state-owned South African Airways (SAA) could collapse the country’s public finances as the government would have to service its debts immediately. Finance Minister Tito Mboweni said last week that his preference would be to close down the debt-ridden airline. But Ramaphosa told […]

COPENHAGEN – South African police on Monday arrested a Danish woman accused of stealing 111 million crowns ($17 million) of Danish government funds intended for the most vulnerable in society, the Danish state prosecutor for financial crime said. The case, seen by many Danes as a symbol of the decline in confidence in once trusted […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s Ministry of Public Enterprises said on Sunday that state-run South African Airways (SAA) should reduce its cost base and prepare for a strategic equity partner in the near future. The Public Enterprises ministry said the airline should stop all fraudulent contracts, address its cost base, discipline those implicated in corruption and […]

Firefighters have been battling raging fires on South Africa’s scenic Garden Route for eight days now. These hauntingly beautiful photos by Marie Morley capture the “apocalyptic skies” that have resulted from fires which stretch over 70,000 ha with a frontline of over 100km. We are immensely grateful to all the firefighters who have been out there […]

LONDON  – South Africa’s formidable forwards can lay the platform to topple England in their opening match of the November international series at Twickenham on Saturday, captain Siya Kolisi believes. The Springboks selected an experienced and muscular pack, arguably their first-choice selection, and a backline with plenty of flair but one that is light on […]