The impeachment debate against President Jacob Zuma had barely got underway on Tuesday when the opposition with one voice asked that the speaker of the house, Baleka Mbete, who is often seen as an ally of Zuma’s, be removed from the chair and be replaced by someone who could be fair and impartial. Members of […]

Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane is scheduled to speak first, Deputy Justice Minister John Jeffery next, then Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema.

What would it take for President Jacob Zuma and the African National Congress (ANC) to understand that South Africa is a constitutional democracy, and provide desperately needed leadership to protect this fundamental principle? President Zuma’s apology and the ANC’s acceptance and defence of it are missed opportunities to reclaim credibility and the moral high ground. […]

Countless adventurers have jumped, abseiled and done a free-fall off the iconic Orlando Towers, and now the famous old power station in Soweto is going to get some new art. A competition is underway to select whose it will be. A panel comprised of visual artist Helen Sebidi, illustrator Karabo Poppy Moletsane and fine artist Bambo Sibiya will oversee the […]

From early childhood, electronics whizz Boswell Mhlongo spent his time tinkering with TVs, broken irons and kettles. In adulthood, after being sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a policeman, Mhlongo discovered he was also a computer boff – a talent that enabled him to access an on-line dating site from the confines of […]

JOHANNESBURG – Global accountancy firm KPMG and South African investment bank Sasfin have severed ties with a company owned by the Guptas, a family of Indian-born businessmen, due to a scandal over their relationship with South African President Jacob Zuma. In an email to KPMG staff seen by Reuters, local chief executive Trevor Hoole said […]

The funeral of murdered activist Sikhosiphi Bazooka Rhadebe took place on Saturday amid calls to bring the perpetrators to justice. Two journalists as well as members of the community were reportedly attacked during the service. Rhadebe was killed two weeks ago when assailants posing as police officers arrived at his home and gunned him down in […]

Khulubuse Zuma, businessman nephew of President Jacob Zuma, is one of the many names apparently mentioned in the millions of newly leaked documents that show celebrities and politicians around the world who have shady offshore investments. The so-called Panama Papers, which were leaked to media around the world,  come from the files of the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca with details […]

The number of politicians, organisations and media calling for President Jacob Zuma to step down has mounted considerably since Thursday’s momentous court decision saying he had failed to defend or respect the constitution – although senior African National Party members have either dismissed the idea of his resignation or said it would only create more problems. Sunday Times […]

A day after President Jacob Zuma made his much-derided and much-criticised apology to the nation over Nkandla, one of his ministers was booed off the stage at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival. Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa came on stage before the performance of SA duo Mafikizolo on Saturday, but was quickly met with […]

The office of President Jacob Zuma has rejected as “preposterous and malicious” an allegation by EFF leader Julius Malema that Zuma carried R6 billion to Dubai for the Gupta family. “Mr Malema’s allegation has no basis in fact,” the Presidency said in an unusual statement posted on Saturday, two days after Malema made the allegation on […]

In late March 2016 struggle veteran Ahmed Kathrada congratulated the Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, on Facebook for “being vindicated by today’s findings at ‪#‎ConCourt‬”; and then penned a letter – that he says was “painful” to write – to the president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, calling on him to step down. The letter went […]

Following yesterday’s apology to the nation from President Jacob Zuma, in which he largely blamed legal advice and the Public Works department for the Nkandla issue, Advocate Thuli Madonsela has tweeted a message that for many says it all… In a tweet posted Saturday morning, South Africa’s Public Protector said: “We all make mistakes but it […]

Western Cape ER24 paramedics helped rescue a paraglider from a precarious cliff this evening near Brenton-on-Sea. According to ER24 Spokesperson Pieter Rossouw the paramedics “showed exceptional skills earlier this evening when they assisted in the rescue of a paraglider who had fallen from a cliff”. The female patient allegedly did not get enough height when she […]

President Jacob Zuma has (finally) apologised for the Nkandla affair, but said that he had never deliberately intended to subvert the constitution. Zuma addressed the nation in a quickly arranged address on Friday night (which was only announced an hour before it was delivered), a day after the Constitutional Court ruled that Zuma had failed […]

The live stream is now over. Please see: Zuma Apologises to Nation but does not Resign

While “Batman v Superman” plays out on movie screens, South Africa has some real superheroes who have swooped in during the presidency of Jacob Zuma to save the day. You might love them or disagree with them, but they deserve recognition and admiration. Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng The chief justice, who brought an end to the […]

After producing the more exclusive Roadster, Model S and Model X electric cars, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced on Thursday that a five-seater sedan selling for a lot less – $35,000 – would come off the production line in 2017. Within 24 hours of the announcement, orders had reached 180,000. The car, which was launched in […]

The world premiere of the documentary about a South African woman who became an Israeli Mossad agent and an assassin took place in Ra’anana, Israel, on Tuesday. “Sylvia: Tracing Blood” is the story of Cape Town-born Sylvia Rafael, who was, as one review puts it, “a woman with a secret life, comprising triple identities, who […]

SA National Parks said it has successfully darted Sylvester, the lion that escaped from Karoo National Park earlier this week – for the second time – and whose plight generated a frenzy online when people heard that SANP was going to euthanise him. “SANParks search team has successfully darted the escaped lion from #KarooNationalPark outside […]

Political parties and politicians (and everyone with a Twitter account in South Africa) was quick to react to the Constitutional Court’s judgement against President Jacob Zuma and the National Assembly for failing to hold Zuma accountable, as well as the highest court’s insistence that the public protector was there to protect the constitution and the […]

JOHANNESBURG – The Constitutional Court, in a unanimous decision, on Thursday came down hard on President Jacob Zuma and the National Assembly for second-guessing the public protector Thuli Madonsela over her report about security upgrades at Zuma’s Nkandla home and demanding that remedial action be taken against the president. Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng said Zuma had failed […]

Following petitions and an international outcry that an escaped lion from the Karoo National Park would face euthanasia, the South African National Parks (SANParks) has apologised for their earlier statement “which did not accurately reflect the organisation’s position” and clarified that all will be done to ensure the safe capture of the lion. This is the second time […]

A group of Economic Freedom Fighters MPs turned up at the Unisa graduation ceremony on Wednesday to support their newly graduated party leader, Julius Malema. Malema graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Human and Social Studies. A trim-looking Malema was dressed in the official graduation garb and cap, forsaking EFF red for the evening.

Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has responded to questions sent to him by the SA Police Hawks division, apparently regarding a so-called rogue unit in the SA Revenue Service (SARS) during Gordhan’s term as head of SARS. In a statement, issued today by the Ministry of Finance, Gordhan replied (full statement below): I have responded to the […]