With just two days to go until the Miss Universe pageant in the Philippines, Miss South Africa Ntandoyenkosi (Ntando) Kunene is already one of the favourites of the 86 contestants. Ntando (24) is a Bachelor of Education Honours graduate and is the official ambassador for Take a Child to Work Day. Ntando’s mission, if she […]

Two movies with South African themes have generated a lot of interest at the famous Sundance Film Festival in Utah, United States. They are ‘Trophy’ and ‘The Wound’ – shining a spotlight respectively on hunting’s role in wildlife conservation, and on sexuality and masculinity. Trophy is a documentary about poaching, wildlife conservation and the complex role […]

PRETORIA – President Jacob Zuma has been granted an extension by the Public Protector to comment on the provisional report regarding the South African government’s alleged failure to recover public funds from ABSA. “President Jacob Zuma has been granted an extension until the end of February 2017 by the Public Protector, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane, to comment on […]

Africa’s first waste-to-energy facility has been opened in the Athlone Industria, Cape Town. Speaking at the official launch earlier this week, Mayor Patricia de Lille called it a “very exciting addition to our city’s green economy”… as the Mother City continues to build its reputation as one of the green capitals of the world. She said the R400-million […]

PRETORIA – Popular South African gospel singer Lundi Tyamara has passed away, his management announced on Friday. He was only 38. Manager and family spokesperson, Anele Hlazo, said Tyamara passed on peacefully at 12.40am today at Edenvale Hospital, where he was being treated for TB (tuberculosis) of the stomach and a liver condition. “Lundi put up […]

With a little too much bleak news floating around, zoos in the United States decided to have a Great National Cute Animal Tweet Off of 2017… but before you could say “hashtag what?” the whole world had joined in and it became an international #CuteAnimalTweetOff. South African television personality Bonné de Bod – from Stroop (The Documentary […]

The Western Cape Government Thursday welcomed Queen Mary 2 luxury liner into Table Bay, South Africa. QM2 set sail from Southampton 16 days ago on a 118 night World Voyage. She will be docked in Cape Town for two nights, the first stop on her grand tour. UPDATE: This article has been updated with photos taken on 27 January […]

The City of Cape Town has approved even tighter water restrictions as dam levels are at an all time low, and will turn its attention to 20,000 residential consumers who appear to be ignoring the water restrictions. The announcement was made by the City’s Executive Mayor, Patricia De Lille, at a full council meeting on Thursday, 26 […]

PRETORIA – South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has congratulated the medical team and the management of Unitas Hospital in Centurion, Pretoria, for successfully separating three-week old conjoined twin girls. The operation to separate the conjoined twins, Uwenzile and Uyihlelile Shilongonyane, took place this past weekend. The twins – who were born on 2 January 2017 – […]

Popular American actress Mary Tyler Moore has passed away at the age of 80. Her longtime representative Mara Buxbaum issued a statement Wednesday saying: “Today beloved icon Mary Tyler Moore passed away at the age of 80 in the company of friends and her loving husband of over 33 years, Dr. S. Robert Levine.” TMZ had […]

PRETORIA – Stakeholders in the business process services (BPS) sector in the United Kingdom have agreed to set up a technical working group with the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) to enhance South Africa’s value proposition. The decision was taken in a meeting that the Minister of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies, hosted with BPS […]

PRETORIA – The repo rate will remain unchanged at 7%, Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago said on Tuesday. “The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has unanimously decided to keep the repurchase rate unchanged at 7% per annum,” said the Governor. South Africans can expect food price inflation to decline following good rain falls in parts of the […]

PRETORIA – President Jacob Zuma claims the South African government will always prioritise education because it is only through quality education that the country can win the struggle against unemployment, poverty and inequality. The President said this on Tuesday when he addressed the three-day Basic Education Sector Lekgotla held in Pretoria. The Lekgotla, which will conclude on […]

The NSPCA’s Farm Animal Protection Unit has uncovered another horror donkey killing site in the Northern Cape, where allegedly hundreds of donkeys were “illegally and brutally slaughtered” on a farm in Olifantshoek. According to a news release on the NSPCA’s website, two men – named as Heinrich Smit and Dawid Pappie – were arrested and have […]

The Springbok Sevens team arrived safely in the “Land of the Long White Cloud” on Sunday and South African speedsters Siviwe Soyizwapi and Rosko Specman said they are keen for the HSBC Wellington Sevens to start in the New Zealand capital on Saturday morning (SA time). The tournament, the third in the 2016/2017 HSBC World […]

GAUTENG – EFF (Economic Freedom Fighters) leader Julius Malema says the EFF regrets backing Public Protector Busiswe Mkhwebane and that it refuses to get behind the ‘Occupy Absa’ campaign as, he says, it is sponsored by the state and the Gupta family… and is nothing but a ploy to distract the country from the Gupta’s alleged state capture. Speaking at a […]

One of the most prolific nature photographers of our time, Thomas Mangelsen – who is as much an artist as he is a conservationist – is collaborating with Saving the Wild‘s Jamie Joseph in a world exclusive to produce his first rhino portfolio. Tom’s numerous accolades (see bottom of page) include being chosen as one of Dr Jane […]

According to Sport24 the future of Allister Coetzee as Springbok coach is under question. In a report Sunday morning, Sport24 quoted South African Rugby (SARU) President Mark Alexander as saying “we’re not sure which way we’re going, whether we’re keeping Allister or not”. After the Springboks’ historic losses in Europe last year (including to Italy […]

Cricket South Africa has announced Sunday evening that AB de Villiers has passed his fitness test and has been added to the South African national squad for the third T20 against Sri Lanka. Despite some brilliant performances – and Lungi Ngidi achieving his best T20 figures to date – Sri Lanka won the second match […]

Here’s South African comedian Trevor Noah‘s (musical) take on businessman and former ‘The Apprentice’ reality TV star Donald Trump’s inauguration as President of the United States of America; as well as a response from Wits University professor Gilbert M. Khadiagala to some key questions Trump has asked about Africa. On his The Daily Show on Comedy Central in […]

Two videos – including drone footage and a close-up view – show a massive and developing sink hole that is threatening to swallow part of the R31, between Daniëlskuil and Kuruman, in the Northern Cape, South Africa! Both videos were filmed just over a week ago, on 12 January 2017. The Department of Roads and Public Works has […]

Hundreds of people, mostly women, gathered at the South African Museum in Cape Town on Saturday. They marched through the Company’s Garden to the front entrance to Parliament holding placards with signs like “A woman’s place is in the revolution”,”Well-behaved women seldom make history” and “It’s time for women to stop being politely angry”… writes BERNARD […]

Rhino Conservation Botswana (RCB) announced this week that Prince Harry of Wales has become a Patron of RCB… to help raise awareness of the plight of Africa’s rhino, both black and white, which are being poached to death. The Prince, who has long held a close relationship with Botswana, and who has spent time in the field […]

South Africa’s Proteas unveiled the latest jewel in their fast bowling crown when Lungi Ngidi took a superb 2/12 to help bowl SA’s national cricket side to a 19-run victory over Sri Lanka in the opening KFC T20 International match at SuperSport Park on Friday evening. David Miller was also on fire and this morning Twitter is […]

Family, friends, community members and media colleagues of kidnapped South African photojournalist Shiraaz Mohamed gathered at the Lenasia South Civic Centre on Wednesday night to hold a prayer vigil in which they called for the safe return of the lensman. At the multi-faith prayer service community leaders spoke of the easy going, warm-hearted and generous […]