Durick van Blerk and his childhood sweetheart, Cleo Adonis, were expecting their first child next month. But on Sunday 12 August, he was allegedly shot while crayfishing off Hout Bay, trying to earn some extra money to build a family home. The 26-year-old’s body is still missing, and there has been no admission from the […]

When we were young and the days were long, the corner cafe was the place to meet and greet and make up and break up… writes South African expat, author and motivational speaker Trevor Romain. It was the place where you stole at least one piece of liquorice or one of those yellow plastic sherberts […]

So the story I’m about to tell you is so New York and one of the reasons people love this place… writes author and former South African expat Ted Botha, who now lives in Joburg, but was back in New York for a couple of months. It all centres around a stray one dollar bill. I […]

As their contribution to the Mandela Day 67-minute campaign, a group of energetic youths from KwaNobuhle township in Uitenhage transformed a blind woman’s house on Wednesday morning. The youths had met on Facebook and established a group called Amatinarha Emayuyu. They heard about Thobeka Velele while attending a funeral in the area. Velele is blind […]

Beyoncé, JAY-Z, Cassper Nyovest, D’banj, Ed Sheeran, Eddie Vedder, Femi Kuti, Pharrell Williams and Chris Martin, Sho Madjozi, Tiwa Savage, Usher, Wizkid – and more artists – will be holding a Nelson Mandela tribute concert on 2 December in Johannesburg, South Africa… and tickets are FREE! There is a catch though. A good catch! The […]

South African comedian Trevor Noah jokes that he hopes his mom watches the latest documentary about his meteoric rise “and finally starts believing that I’m not a drug dealer!” The documentary – the first in a series by OZY and PBS – is called Breaking Big, and takes an in-depth look at 12 talented men […]

Local KwaZulu-Natal resident Grant Adams says nothing will stand between him and his dream of reaching the Comrades Marathon finish line tomorrow (Sunday 10 June 2018). 11 years ago the Mount Edgecombe Golf Estate resident’s life took a turn for the worst when he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) – a disease in which […]

The ‘Ramadaan Angels’ in South Africa were at it again a couple of nights ago… having an iftaar (breaking of the fast) in Cape Town’s poverty-stricken Parkwood estate, which was in the news most of last week due to protests by the local community. While many were too scared to enter the community, a few […]

Extreme explorer, Cipla Foundation trustee and ambassador, David Grier and fellow extreme athlete, Andrew Stuart have passed the half-way mark of their gruelling 70-day, 4,200 kilometre journey across the Great Wall of China. This challenge is a feat that Grier already completed in 2006 when he became one of the first people in history to run the […]

At just 8 weeks of age, little Zorg was adopted by Lindi Theron from Brackenfell… and both their lives changed forever. “He changed my life. The bond I have with him is completely different to that of a “normal” dog, he’s a shelter dog and we have a very special bond,” says Lindi. The pup, […]

I know it isn’t prudent to declare one’s love on Facebook, but I simply cannot keep it in… writes Viv Vermaak. I have been in love only a few times in my life. Truly, madly, deeply in love, so this is a special occasion. Mostly, the love was fleeting. Only two of those loves have […]

Government will next week brief the media on developments around the centenary of South Africa’s founding President Nelson Mandela. The Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC), appointed to manage the centenary, is scheduled to brief the nation on plans around the centenary on Tuesday. The year 2018 marks 100 years since the birth of Madiba and is commemorated […]

Captured in Africa (CIA) Foundation has issued an appeal for assistance to locate and track a baby rhino calf a few hours outside of Johannesburg. The non-profit organisation, in partnership with a K9 anti-poaching and security unit called PitTrack, has a new initiative called K9s for Big Cats… which primarily tracks, locates and relocates missing, escaped […]

Local Lesotho farmers, who have produced the southern African country’s first wine, are urging people around the world to please share their video so that their wine can reach Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in time for their wedding on 19 May 2018. The Thamae family, producers of Sani Wines – have a unique present […]

Ian Macdonald – who dedicated the last two years of his life to students of Hillwood Primary in Lavender Park, and who was renowned for spreading good news about South Africa – sadly passed way in a head on collision on 20 February 2018, the day after his 44th birthday. The Noordhoek resident and father of three, was actively […]

For a number of reasons, round about this week every year, I share this life-changing experience… writes Trevor Romain. One reason I post it annually is so that I remember to read it again because it’s something I don’t ever want to forget: It happened a long time ago. A time when people actually did […]

A cut in funding from the Lottery has forced the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), to reduce its free services, including the work it does in poor communities. Since its launch 62 years ago, one of the services it has offered is the care and treatment of beasts of burden, like […]

SpaceX has now launched the most powerful spacecraft since the Apollo era – the Falcon Heavy rocket – setting the bar for future space launches. The most important thing about this reusable spacecraft is that it can carry a payload equivalent to sending five double-decker London buses into space – which will be invaluable for […]

SOUTH AFRICA – Yesterday was the 115th anniversary of the birth of the author Alan Paton, who was honoured in a Google doodle that showed him looking pensively out of a train window at hills that are lovely beyond any singing… writes Gus Silber. The doodle quite brilliantly captured Paton’s flinty, thin-lipped severity of countenance, […]

One of the world’s largest collaborative science projects is about to enter its most exciting year yet. This will see researchers in a remote stretch of South Africa’s Karoo testing Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity; imaging neutral hydrogen – the building blocks for stars – in the distant universe; and examining galaxies that were formed […]

South African comedian Trevor Noah is inviting his fans to apply to be interviewed by him – in a one-on-one interview – after a taping of his popular ‘The Daily Show’ in New York. The lucky winner will also score two VIP tickets to the show and watch Trevor’s take on the day’s headlines from […]

In case you weren’t aware, today – 28 November 2017 – is #GivingTuesday, a worldwide day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities, and organisations to encourage philanthropy and to celebrate generosity worldwide. #GivingTuesday is held annually on the Tuesday after the spending spree of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It kicks off […]

South African school matriculants around the country are yet again inspiring their fellow citizens with their annual tradition of kindness… leaving behind school shoes or uniforms that they no longer require, so that others can use them. The latest photos to go viral are these from a school in Cape Town. They were posted yesterday […]

World 400-metre track champion Wayde van Niekerk may have missed out at the annual IAAF Awards ceremony in Monaco on Friday but every cloud has a single lining! South Africa’s Olympic champion and 400m world record-holder Van Niekerk lost out to Qatar high jumper Mutz Essa Barshim for the Male Athlete of the Year Award […]

A crowdfunding platform – based on donations – says over R50-million has been raised in South Africa by over 70,000 generous contributors! BackaBuddy says it has witnessed the power of humanity, the kindness of strangers, and the unifying force in South Africa as communities come together to support people, regardless of their differences. “We need […]