Here’s this week’s Carte Blanche line-up, available for South Africans living abroad from Tuesday – 17 April 2018 – if you subscribe to Showmax International. Human Rabies It’s a brutal disease with fatal consequences. A rabies outbreak has once again reared its head in KwaZulu-Natal. This has led to the death of 4 people including its […]

The Department of Environmental Affairs and stakeholder within the environmental sector are identifying 10 million hectares of suitable land for previously disadvantaged individuals and communities to become owners of sustainable wildlife-based business ventures. The new owners would be supported with infrastructural development (game fence, ecotourism facilities etc), game donation/loaning, skills development and training, access to […]

Police have made a major breakthrough in the fight against the scourge of drugs with the discovery of what appears to be a drug laboratory at a house in Orlando West, Soweto, this morning. National Police Commissioner, General Khehla Sitole, visited the house in Soweto which was being used as a multi-million rand clandestine drug […]

The DA party has denied reports that the party has taken a decision to charge Cape Town Mayor, Patricia De Lille, over her attendance of the EFF’s Memorial Service in honour of Mama Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. “These reports are simply untrue,” said Refiloe Nt’sekhe, DA National Spokesperson, in a media statement Thursday. De Lille’s attendance at the […]

According to EFF leader Julius Malema, women can actually do better than men. In a tribute to Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Malema said she proved that when she stood alone in the ’80s while the men went ‘under the table’. The Commander-in-Chief of the Economic Freedom Fighters said the first female president of South Africa must come […]

Family, friends, government officials, the diplomatic corps and ordinary South Africans came in their numbers on Wednesday to bid the woman who became known as the face of the South African liberation movement, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, goodbye in song and praise. Memorial in Soweto remembers anti-apartheid activist Winnie Mandela #WinnieMandelaMemorialhttps://t.co/iyRYVjONX8 pic.twitter.com/Koyrpcekyf — BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) […]

The South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has confirmed the detention of South African citizen, Justin Van Pletzen, in Dubai. In a statement on Wednesday, the department said it has received confirmation from the South African Consulate-General in Dubai that the South African expat – who has been living in the United […]

Western Cape MEC for Education, Debbie Schäfer, has expressed her heartfelt condolences to the family of the Middelpos Primary School teacher who was shot and killed on Wednesday morning in South Africa. The teacher was allegedly shot by a man, believed to be her ex-spouse. The perpetrator is reported to have then turned the gun […]

The civil rights organisation AfriForum today filed criminal charges of corruption, fraud, theft, extortion and forgery against Shaun Abrahams, the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), and six other senior members of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). “This follows after AfriForum received an anonymous letter that elaborates on allegations of serious criminal conduct. In this […]

China’s decision to suspend presidential term limits is still reverberating around the world. The announcement, made after a vote by China’s parliament in March, prompted some commentators to draw comparisons with “third termism” in Africa, when leaders flout democratic conventions to stay in power as long as possible. These concerns certainly resonate on a continent where leaders […]

Former South African president Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Mandla Mandela, delivered a heartfelt tribute to ‘Mother of the Nation’, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela at the African National Congress (ANC) memorial ceremony in Khayelitsha on Monday. A rose has been plucked from our garden of heroes. One whom we all called Nobandla‚ Mangutyana‚ Mam Winnie or simply Mummy is […]

World Renowned Ndebele artist, known for creating unique and culturally significant pieces, Esther Mahlangu was on Monday honoured by the University of Johannesburg (UJ) in South Africa with a doctoral degree. Mahlangu was honoured for her “legacy as a cultural entrepreneur who has skilfully negotiated local and global worlds and played a major role as […]

On Monday, 9 April 2018, Democratic Alliance (DA) Free State Leader, Patricia Kopane and several other DA ministers will conduct an oversight at Vogelfontein Housing Development in Bethlehem, South Africa. It is alleged that ANC Secretary-General, Ace Magashule, meddled in a housing project in the Free State to ensure that a Chinese company, Unital Holdings […]

Watch fans and supporters of former South African President Jacob Zuma attempt to support him in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, yesterday, as he faces 16 charges for his involvement in the arms deal – two of corruption, 12 of fraud, one of money laundering, and one of racketeering. It is alleged that Zuma or his family members received […]

Deputy President David Mabuza said today that Solomon Mahlangu’s commemoration should serve as a launch pad for a society-wide reflection on the steps the country must take to build a non-racial society. “Such [discussions are] particularly important in the context of the centenary of President Nelson Mandela’s birthday,” Deputy President Mabuza said on Friday. He […]

Jan Van Riebeeck arrived in South Africa in 1652. Who of my generation does not know this? It was drilled into all our minds at primary school. And even if we were not lucky enough to go to school, the mythology certainly did not pass us by. The version of history taught to us started […]

The South African Presidency has withdrawn their appeal against the court judgement ordering former President Jacob Zuma to personally pay the legal costs, estimated at R10 million, for trying to block the release the State of Capture report. DA Federal Council Chairperson, James Selfe, said he welcomes the withdrawal. “While this is a victory for […]

A community library in Lavender Hill started by South African hero John Nicholson has been shut down by the City of Cape Town… writes GENEVIEVE SERRA from The Daily Voice. For the first time in 15 years, the library – called Siyafunda, which means “we can read” in Zulu – has closed its doors. John – […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has put in place a process that will deal with the issue of e-tolls in South Africa, says the Gauteng Provincial Government. “The process has started and the President himself is going to lead it,” Gauteng Premier David Makhura said in a statement on Thursday. The Premier allayed the fears of motorists […]

South African expat Justin van Pletzen, who has been living in Dubai since 2016, not only spotted, but confronted one of South Africa’s most wanted fugitives – Ajay Gupta – in the United Arab Emirates city yesterday. Two videos, shot from different angles, were posted to YouTube, showing the encounter between the Indian businessman at […]

Team South Africa got off to a golden Commonwealth Games start as Henri Schoeman won the men’s triathlon event on Thursday’s first day of competition at Gold Coast, Australia, writes MARK ETHERIDGE. Schoeman shrugged off a dreadful start to his year, when he was incorrectly accused of doping at the Rio Olympics, and stood proud […]

South African comedian Trevor Noah has launched his own Foundation – The Trevor Noah Foundation – in South Africa, following in the footsteps of fellow SA expat celebrity Charlize Theron. Trevor launched the new Foundation on Wednesday. He is in South Africa – from his home in New York – for a two-day special television […]

The Department of Water and Sanitation says the steady rainfall over the past two weeks has seen several dams across South Africa overflowing – including the Vaal Dam which reached over 100%… but sadly excluding most dams in the Western Cape, like Theewaterskloof Dam which dropped to 10.3%. In KwaZulu-Natal, eThekwini Municipality is even considering lifting […]

No other woman – in life and after – occupies the place that Winnie Madikizela-Mandela does in South African politics. A stalwart of the African National Congress (ANC), she nevertheless stands above, and at times outside, the party. Her iconic status transcends political parties and geographical boundaries, generations and genders. Poets have honoured her, writers […]

The UK will introduce a ban on ivory sales, Environment Secretary Michael Gove confirmed yesterday as he set out the country’s plans to help protect elephants for future generations. The Government, he said, is publishing the response to its consultation on a UK ivory sales ban, and confirming robust measures that will be brought into […]