Proudly South African is gearing up to host the #BuyLocalSummit2023, which will take place on 27 and 28 March at the Sandton Convention Centre. The theme is ‘Growing the Economy and Creating Jobs through Localisation’. The Summit and Expo, which enters its 11th iteration this year, promises to delight with a vast array of local […]

GroundUp has uncovered new evidence that reveals suspicious circumstances in the prison fire thought to have killed “Facebook rapist” Thabo Bester. Minutes before a fire broke out in Thabo Bester’s prison cell at the Mangaung Correctional Centre, CCTV cameras observed people hastily leaving the prison. After the fire, a body was found in the cell, […]

The long wait for a Cape Town Refugee Reception Office will finally come to an end on Monday. A new office on Grenville Avenue in Epping is expected to open its doors officially for asylum and refugee services on 20 March. The Cape Town Refugee Reception Office is expected to officially open its doors for […]

The Cape Town Carnival, one of the Mother City’s most popular street festivals, returns to its classic format for the first time in four years. Join thousands in celebrating diversity, culture, the arts, and community at the extravaganza. More than 1 600 performers are set to take centre stage at the Cape Town Carnival’s first street […]

The old Robbie Nurock Day Hospital in Buitenkant Street, Cape Town, will not be converted into a shelter for homeless people as planned. The R4.5-million renovation of the building would have added 120 beds. But an alternative site has been found. Premier Alan Winde told the Western Cape Parliament last week, “When the contractors went in, there […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has told new ambassadors from across the world that South Africa’s most immediate and pressing task is to stabilise the supply of electricity and to ensure energy security into the future. The President said this while welcoming 18 new Heads of Mission-Designate. The Heads of Mission-Designate presented their Letters of Credence to […]

Expectant mothers sleeping on chairs and hospital floors, crumbling infrastructure, management deficiencies, and a paediatric and child health facility with no blood bank, laboratory facility or intensive care unit (ICU). These are some of the damning findings contained in the report of the Health Ombudsman, Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, who was tasked with investigating allegations against […]

Urban agriculture as a global phenomenon is widely promoted as a sustainable land use practice. On small plots and in big projects, using sophisticated technology or simple solutions, city dwellers around the world are producing food. Growing food in a city can improve local food security and express local culture. Little information is available, though, […]

The National Lotteries Commission (NLC) awarded a grant of more than R10-million to a non-profit entity to stage a South African Youth Awards ceremony – but the company had nothing to do with the event and not a cent of the grant was spent on it. A non-profit company which was paid more than R10-million to host […]

Many futuristic novels and films have explored what the world might look like without water. But water scarcity isn’t a problem for the far-off future: it’s already here. In its 2021 report UN Water outlined the scale of the crisis: 2.3 billion people live in water-stressed countries and 733 million of those people are in […]

Countries in the Horn of Africa have been hit by a multiyear drought. Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Uganda are expected to continue getting below-normal rainfall in 2023. Excluding Uganda, 36.4 million people are affected and 21.7 million are in need of food assistance. Climate change projections show changes in temperature and rainfall extremes, especially without […]

World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD), marked on Wednesday, comes against the backdrop of several challenges South African consumers are faced with. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition said these challenges range from poor quality of goods and services offered by suppliers, a deepening energy crisis which consumers circumvent by buying alternative power sources and […]

Considering that South Africa is one of the highest per capita meat-consuming countries in Africa, one might be surprised to discover that there are 14 fully vegan restaurants in Cape Town alone. Humane Society International/Africa and ProVeg South Africa have partnered to create a My Plant-Based City map of Cape Town to highlight these restaurants, as well […]

Wild swimming has grown massively in popularity in recent times. Not only is swimming outdoors a pleasant way to enjoy the sunshine, fresh air and green leafy surroundings, it can also help to relieve stress and elevate our endorphins. This creates a sense of well-being as well as burning calories and exercising muscles. But along […]

Rising 28-year-old South African dancer and rapper Costa Titch (born Constantinos Tsobanoglou) died after collapsing on stage on 11 March while performing in Johannesburg. His death has shocked South Africans and made headlines around the world. costa titch collapsed on the stage during his performance and died. 😭🕊 #Ripcostatitch pic.twitter.com/LwKSNx8JCc — billy🛌 (@billymiltons) March 11, […]

43 countries have stopped animal testing for cosmetics, will South Africa be next? The 10th anniversary of the European Union’s ban on cosmetic animal testing and trade has just passed and the climax of a decade-long campaign by Humane Society International, its affiliates and partners to extend the cruelty-free cosmetics model across the globe. Humane […]

The Academy Awards in 2023 were a less scandalous affair than last year – although host Jimmy Kimmel never let us forget “the slap”, with so many jokes it was verging on a dead-horse-beating situation. In fact it was a relatively wholesome ceremony, defined by great sweeps for films All Quiet On The Western Front […]

Equal Pay Day falls in 2023 on March 14 — a date determined by how long into the new year American women must work to catch up to American men’s earnings the previous year. In 2022, women earned 82% of what men earned. The wage gap for Black and Hispanic women is even higher — […]

Here’s what’s coming up on Carte Blanche this week. You can watch the show on Sunday 12 March in South Africa on DStv Now OR stream it overseas in most countries on Showmax from Tuesday 14 March if you’re abroad. Mark Pilgrim: A Celebration He lit up every room he entered. Easy-going, approachable and generous with his […]

The inaugural Islamic Arts Biennale is underway in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Biennales are large and prestigious international art exhibitions held every two years.) This important new event for the Muslim world features numerous African artists. The biennale’s artistic director is Sumayya Vally, a South African architecture professor and principal of Counterspace design studio. A rising […]

Mental health problems among adults are an ever-increasing public health concern. These include depression, anxiety, and conditions associated with bad childhood experiences such as abuse. Several factors are known to influence the development of mental illness. These include anxiety, early adversity, socio-economic status, and some demographic characteristics such as where a person lives. In a […]

Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, says collaboration between government, business and society is imperative if South Africa is to overcome the current electricity crisis gripping the nation. The Minister was speaking during the launch of the Resource Mobilisation Fund (RMF) on Thursday afternoon. The RMF is a collaborative effort between government […]

A pedestrian crossing where vehicles almost never stop. Bicycle lanes obstructed by parked cars. An informal market that is starting to use bicycles to deliver their product. These are some of the issues raised during a walkabout or “talking streets” event in Langa about the future of transport in the township. Organised by the Langa […]

Becoming an adult often seems to mean leaving play behind. The term “adulting” refers to doing things that are joyless, boring and tiresome – the opposite of play. But we can embrace adulthood while still finding joy through play and being playful. You might not realise it, but when you swing in your chair, slip […]

Ukrainians observed the solemn anniversary of the Russian invasion that disrupted their lives and threatened Europe’s security on February 24, 2022. One year on, the scars of war remain fresh as individuals remember the lives lost, the homes destroyed, and the families torn apart by the conflict. In a statement, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy acknowledged the […]