This Sunday’s Carte Blanche investigates what’s going on behind a kidnapping spree that has gripped the South African Muslim Indian community. This week’s episode is packed with this story and more… available to South Africans abroad from Tuesday 01 May 2018 if you subscribe to Showmax. Kidnapping Spree in South Africa Kidnapping wealthy business owners is […]

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 […]

Earlier this month a brand new Afrikaans sitcom, MENSE MENSE, made its debut on kykNET (and is available for South African expats to watch on Showmax International). It includes not only a star-studded cast, but also boasts a beautiful theme song by popular South African singer and songwriter, Len Muller, which everyone is talking about! The song – […]

Heavy rainfall in the past month (and even some good rain over Cape Town last night) has brought relief in most parts of South Africa, according to the Department of Water and Sanitation. In its weekly report yesterday, the Department said that the average dam levels have increased from 80.6% last week to 81.8% this […]

Over 30,000 people have liked a post praising the exceptional service that a South African Police Service (SAPS) officer offered to a distraught passenger, on Sunday night at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. Gauteng resident Isma Theron-De Witt posted a grateful message and photo on Sunday night, asking her friends to “meet officer Vincent from […]

In true “Thuma Mina” (Send Me) style, British Airways – operated by Comair – gave President Cyril Ramaphosa an unofficial inauguration and welcome aboard a flight from Durban to Johannesburg earlier this week… with an added poetic bonus. BA honoured the President by sending first-time flyer and praise poet, Lutendo Evans Mugagadeli, known as “Vendaboy […]

Social media is going crazy for a hardworking lady in Durban, South Africa, who keeps the Blue Lagoon toilets sparkling… and has beautiful shiny principles to match. Edith’s awesome work was discovered by a Durban mom, Priscilla Doig, when she reluctantly had to take her son to the public toilets on Saturday. They were at the […]

The National Arts Festival announced today that it will be welcoming acclaimed singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega to Grahamstown, South Africa, to present a series of ‘up close and personal’ concerts in July. “We know she has thousands of dedicated fans in South Africa and this is a rare opportunity for them to see her on our […]

A couple who has allegedly ripped off many South Africans, by posing as a legitimate travel agency… but pocketing the money for themselves, has been exposed by Carte Blanche. This Sunday’s episode is packed with this story and more… available to South Africans abroad from Tuesday 24 April 2018 if you subscribe to Showmax. Travel Cons […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa is flying the flag high for South Africa in the UK this week… and being treated like a King, the only Commonwealth Head of State invited to Windsor Castle. British Labour politician Lord Peter Hain sung the South African President’s praises, tweeting this afternoon: “Inspiring speech at City of London Guildhall by Cyril […]

Adv Gerrie Nel, Head of AfriForum’s Private Prosecuting Unit, announced Thursday he will privately prosecute Julius Malema, and co-accused, for fraud and tender corruption… if South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) doesn’t reinstate the On-Point Engineering corruption case against Malema. On-Point, in which Malema’s family trust has a vested interest, was appointed in 2009 to […]

On Monday, before leaving for CHOGM in London, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the appointment of his Special Envoys for Investment – tasked with “hunting down” potential investors in SA – and announced the appointment of Trudi Makhaya as his new Economic Advisor. For those who have never heard of Trudi before, Sanele Zondi […]

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 […]

A total of 510 people lost their lives across South African roads over the 2018 Easter period, Transport Minister Blade Nzimande said on Tuesday. Announcing the 2018 preliminary Easter Road Safety Report at Parliament’s Imbizo media centre, Minister Nzimande said the main contributory factors to road fatalities from 29 March to 9 April were related […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it is “alarmed” by the six farm attacks which have occurred in South Africa in the last 72 hours. Dianne Kohler Barnard, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Police, said in a media statement on Tuesday: “Attacks on anyone who lives on or visits a farm – have increased once again. […]

Despite living together for nine years, a life partner visa has been refused three times. A Democratic Republic of Congo immigrant and his partner say “diabolical” administration by the Department of Home Affairs is preventing him from legalising his status. For 15 months, Rodriquez Baguma and Sarah Hubbard have been trying to obtain a life […]

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 […]

A frightening fire broke out near the Franschhoek Pass on Sunday evening. Western Cape photographer Justin Sullivan captured the following photos, on assignment for Walking with Fire: A Wildfire Documentary. Justin said: “A number of crews were quick to respond and made exceptional progress with the wind shifts and steep terrain. The Fire was moving from […]

There’s nothing like a trip back home to South Africa when you live abroad… especially when you currently reside on the other side of the world, in Northern Ireland. And on this trip back to Knysna, where he grew up, SA expat Bongi took the opportunity to tick off many activities on his Bucket List. Watch […]

Most Gauteng dams are bursting at the seams, thanks to the incessant rains that fell over large parts of the province recently. According to a weekly report released by the department this week, the average level recorded after the rains stood at 101%, followed by Free State and Mpumalanga with 92.2% and 81.7%, respectively “However, […]

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 […]

Revolting Rhymes has scooped its twelfth major international award – the Emmy Kids Award for Animation! The film – with animation created by a South African studio – has already won the Cristal at Annecy; Best Animated Special at the Annie Awards; Best One-Off Special at Kidscreen; and Best Animation at the BAFTA Children’s Awards, amongst others. […]

Meet the new comedy duo sweeping the internet – Meryl and Beryl, from Cape Town, South Africa. The characters are two moms who met through their 10-year-old sons, and find their weekly coffee dates and ‘prom’ walks are the glue of their friendship, as they discuss everything from politics to kids and the polony crisis […]

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 […]

South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has finally been directed to prepare a comprehensive report and strategy on managing the endlessly long queues at their offices across the country. The directive has come from the top – from Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba who has apparently been inundated with calls from members of the […]