by Bongani Nkosi “It was daunting. The ocean is very deep, very dark and very cold. The shores are rocky and dangerous.” This is how 53-year-old Ram Barkai describes the waters off Cape Horn, where he and four fellow extreme swimmers became the first men in international history to cross a section. “This was completely […]

Golfing hero Louis Oosthuizen spoke today of the wonderful and “unbelievable” reaction of his South African family and friends to his recent win at the British Open Golf Tournament. Appearing at a press conference for the PGA Championship in Whistling Straits, USA, Louis spoke of his recent trip back to South Africa since his win: […]

by Mary Alexander Less than a week after the end of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, a survey has found that 99% of South Africans did a good job in hosting the tournament, and 97% are “more proud” to be South African. The survey, conducted telephonically among households in Gauteng by Umhlaba Development Services, aimed […]

by John Battersby, London In the first African World Cup, the real contest was never going to be won or lost on the playing field – as riveting as that spectacle was. The stakes were always much higher for South Africa, and Africa: it was about transforming ingrained stereotypes of Africa and Africans and radically […]

Oh wow! How amazing was the moment when Nelson Mandela appeared at Soccer City this evening! The crowd went crazy as Mandela and his wife Graca Michel entered the stadium in a buggy.  There was a standing ovation. The ROAR of vuvuzelas. Chanting of ‘Madiba’. And there was Nelson’s broad smile. His Twinkling eyes. And […]

What matters is what we are creating together. Lets not stop now! Watch the video of a powerpoint made by two young South Africans, Anthony Prangley and Rebecca Sehloho – which has been emailed around the world. It is being shared in association with the Homecoming Revolution. We’ve also transcribed the most important message from […]

by Janine Erasmus Legendary African footballer Roger Milla and Fifa are to tackle malaria by joining the United Against Malaria partnership. The former Cameroonian forward, whose Milla jiggle is said to have sparked the popular trend of dancing in celebration when a goal is scored, joins fellow football stars such as Kolo Toure and Didier […]

South Africans are rallying behind their national football squad with an enthusiastic show of support for “Football Tuesday”, the day Bafana Bafana take on France in their final match of the opening round of the 2010 Fifa World Cup. The initiative is modeled on Football Fridays, a long-running campaign in which South Africans have been […]

Bishop Desmond Tutu has told David Beckham the world is a better place because of people like him. The England footballer, who has been unable to play due to an achilles injury, has still come out to South Africa for the World Cup. During a surprise visit to The Desmond Tutu Peace Centre in Cape […]

Royal Princes Harry and William will be attending the match between England and Algeria tonight. As seen in the photos below (scroll down), the Princes have been thoroughly enjoying their visit to Botswana and Lesotho in the last few days, on their way to South Africa. It’s the first time the brothers have carried out […]

In the past week South Africa’s been inundated with international celebrities flying in from all over the world. Some even flying themselves in – like actor/pilot John Travolta and his wife, actress Kelly Preston, who jetted in on his own Qantas aeroplane. Travolta was actually in SA to support Australia’s team, the Socceroos – although […]

by Nicky Rehbock With the spotlight firmly fixed on South Africa during the 2010 Fifa World Cup, it’s easy to forget what the game of football is like elsewhere on the continent – played far, far away from glitzy stadiums, often in remote dusty villages with hand-made balls, bare feet and a couple of crooked […]

by Bongani Nkosi As the 2010 Fifa World Cup kicked off, one avid South African football fan began a record-breaking attempt to attend 38 out of 64 matches. The 30-year-old Thulani Ngcobo, from Soshanguve township, began his countrywide trip to stadiums in all nine host cities at Soweto’s Soccer City on 11 June, where hosts […]

Oh man. Wish we could have won the match – but a draw is better than a loss! The match in question is of course South Africa vs Mexico in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2010 at Soccer Stadium, Johannesburg today (11 June). Final score: 1-1 Watch the video of the goal […]

by Janine Erasmus Soweto came to a standstill on 10 June, the eve of the greatest sporting event Africa has ever hosted. The 2010 Fifa World Cup Kickoff Concert, held at Soweto’s Orlando stadium, showcased not only the talents of African and international musicians, but also the pervading spirit of unity, goodwill and excitement. In […]

by Janine Erasmus The 2010 Fifa World Cup opening ceremony showcased the vibrancy of Africa and the colour and diversity of South Africa, the host nation. Thousands of fans packed into the magnificent calabash, Soweto’s Soccer City, to witness the official opening of the first World Cup ever to take place on African soil. At […]

The first Fifa World Cup was played in 1930 in Uruguay, where the winning home squad were awarded the Victory trophy. The 1950 Fifa World Cup had no official final match. Be the know-it-all in the stadium during the 2010 edition of the tournament with our comprehensive guide to World Cup trivia. 1. The first […]

Some pics from the concert at Orlando Stadium in Soweto: View more pics

Former South African President Nelson Mandela welcomed Portuguese sensation Christiano Ronaldo into his home in Houghton yesterday…

If you’re outside SA, you can still get together with other South Africans to watch the World Cup. If you have a venue, let us know at admin@sapeople.com and we’ll add it to this list. USA EXPATS 1. UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN WORLD CUP VIEWING PARTIES IN U.S.: NYC, PHILADELPHIA, ATLANTA, STAMFORD, SAN DIEGO, SEATTLE […]

by Bongani Nkosi Vuvuzelas blared from the residential block of flats in Sunnyside, Pretoria’s lively, cosmopolitan suburb. South Africans hung out of their windows and burst from the corridors to celebrate and blow their favourite plastic trumpets. It was a short-lived moment, but one I had been expecting. South Africa’s national football squad Bafana Bafana […]

OK. We’ve waited years for it. And finally, the 2010 FIFA World Cup is almost here BUT do you know your team members? Here’s a  quick guide – BIG PICS and just the vital info – to help you get to know the Bafana Bafana guys that you’ll (hopefully!) be supporting over the next couple […]

by Nosimilo Ramela With just days to go before the 2010 Fifa World Cup kicks off, South Africans in remote villages, high-rise cities and sprawling townships are getting ready to celebrate and support the tournament with the best local food, fun and cheer. Jonathan Foster from Northcliff in Johannesburg is eagerly anticipating the arrival of […]

Former president Nelson Mandela was only the second-tallest man in the building when he met South Africa’s final Bafana Bafana squad for the 2010 Fifa World Cup at a gathering at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Houghton, Johannesburg, on 3 June. The Bafana team, members of the Mandela family and staff cheered and sang as […]

In typical entrepreneurial South African fashion, five South African university campuses have been transformed into fun and affordable accommodation for the duration of the FIFA World Cup. So for those who are desperate to watch the games but don’t want to spend a fortune on huge hotel bills – this is a fantastic alternative. The […]