In September 2016, CITES* met in Johannesburg for CoP17 – a meeting of member states to clarify and review trade in endangered species. One particular talking point was met with shock and condemnation from the conservation world – South Africa would be permitted to legally trade in captive bred lion bones – against the general […]

One of the most prolific nature photographers of our time, Thomas Mangelsen – who is as much an artist as he is a conservationist – is collaborating with Saving the Wild‘s Jamie Joseph in a world exclusive to produce his first rhino portfolio. Tom’s numerous accolades (see bottom of page) include being chosen as one of Dr Jane […]

There has been chaos and confusion for many South Africans living in New Zealand who have booked trips home this year… but now need a visa for their Kiwi spouse or children (or even for themselves where they’ve become a New Zealand citizen). As of last week (starting Monday 16 January 2017) New Zealand passport holders […]

Deep in the heart of India is an African tribe who still retain their African features and African roots… although their nationality and way of life is now Indian. The Siddi Tribe in Gujarat originally came from South East Africa, taken to India as slaves by the Portuguese about 750 years ago. They’re now fluent […]

Family, friends, community members and media colleagues of kidnapped South African photojournalist Shiraaz Mohamed gathered at the Lenasia South Civic Centre on Wednesday night to hold a prayer vigil in which they called for the safe return of the lensman. At the multi-faith prayer service community leaders spoke of the easy going, warm-hearted and generous […]

If you’ve ever wondered how it feels to be a bird and fly free above the mountains… check out this video, filmed by South African professional skydiver Jean-Jacques Wallis. Jean-Jacques takes us on a wingsuit flight through the remote Cape Mountains around the Slanghoek Valley. The views are spectacular. “Cape Town showing off again,” says Jean-Jacques. The […]

Capetonians have been invited to watch this haunting video showing just how badly dried up Theewaterskloof Dam is, to help them understand “these dam water restrictions” in the Western Cape, South Africa. The video footage was uploaded by Mille Foto, and shows the dam on Tuesday this week, 17 January 2017. Mille Foto says: “The reason why […]

At about midday on 18 January 2017, an American couple in their sixties, who are visiting South Africa on holiday, were hijacked between Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage. They stopped next to the road to take photographs when they were overpowered by two unknown males and forced to drive to a bushy area near Motherwell Township. […]

PRETORIA – Van der Merwe & Associates, lawyers for Oakbay Investments, submitted an affidavit to the High Court in Pretoria Friday in response to the October application by Pravin Gordhan, South Africa’s Minister of Finance. Update: Oakbay lawyer, Gert van der Merwe, has given a video interview on the explosive affidavit – see below. Gordhan’s application […]

This year (a lot like last year) is going to go down as one of the hottest in Mzansi’s history… For a start, the build-up to a certain party’s elective conference will ensure that South Africans witness even more grilling debates. And then there will be an endless discussion about whoever is next picked to […]

A lack of jobs in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, led Thoko Njemla, 51,a former receptionist to take up beekeeping 15 years ago. Today she employs five people from her village and harvests tonnes of honey every year. Njemla lives in a small village called Ndungwana just a few kilometres from Mthatha. She left her […]

The SAPS (South African Police Servicers) in the Western Cape of South Africa has noted with concern allegations on various social media platforms suggesting that certain individuals are responsible for the fires that have been raging in the Paarl and surrounding areas. The reports allege that persons in branded clothing / paraphernalia were seen starting […]

Table Mountain Cableway today welcomed its 26 millionth visitor to the mountain, with the latest million visitors having taken a record-breaking 11 months to reach! On a busy morning at the Lower Station Ticket Office, Elbie Mattheus from Craddock, Eastern Cape stood unsuspecting as the numbers ticked closer to the million mark. Surprised by fanfare […]

A high school in Graaff-Reinet, South Africa, is helping instil brilliant values in its students… with humility and honesty being as high on the agenda as academic studies. Yesterday the Union High School (UHS) posted this photo of “Servant Leadership at Union High”. The school explained that during a break on Monday morning, the prefects […]

A year ago (March 2015 to be exact) an Australian media outlet shared a video they called “The Most Beautiful City on Earth”. It was a 4K Drone Video of Cape Town, filmed by Luke Maximo Bell. Luke said: “It is up to debate, but I believe that Cape Town is the most beautiful city […]

This ad – published by MTN South Africa two months ago – has already received over 2.7-million views on YouTube! Gauteng resident Glynda Norwitz Kramer says it’s because “it’s all that is great about being South African…” The ad which shows workers on the Night Shift at airports around the country – in Joburg, Durban and Cape […]

Adopting the habit of working hard from an early age is what secured a bright future for an aspirant mechanical engineer, Olwethu Bitterhout, from the Eastern Cape, South Africa. He is one of the 40 beneficiaries from the Class of 2016, who received bursary awards worth R130,000 from the Department of Public Works’ Schools Programme. […]

A teenager from Philippi Village in the Western Cape, Siphelele Xabendlini, has beaten the odds to become the top student in Science in South Africa with an incredible mark of 100%. The 18-year-old also scored a whopping 92% for Maths. According to Philippi Village’s facebook page, Siphelele believes determination and dedication are all that’s needed to succeed. […]

South Africa is not producing enough school leavers who are competent in maths and science. This is a fact borne out by international assessments such as the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) and the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report. These show that South Africa is not making much headway when it […]

An abandoned newborn baby boy was found in a rubbish bin this morning at commercial buildings in Durban. Netcare911 report that the baby has been successfully stabilised. A Netcare911 spokesperson told SAPeople that the baby was found abandoned in a bin near the women’s toilets. Netcare911 said the “beautiful little boy” will be taken to hospital […]

A bizarre story has recently come out of Zimbabwe. Grace Mugabe, the politically powerful wife of the ageing president Robert Mugabe, has come up with a plan to settle a debt to China with 35 young elephants, eight lions, 12 hyenas and a giraffe. The debt was incurred in 1998 when Zimbabwe sent troops and […]

If you put anything on the Internet these days, it lives forever and sometimes gets accidentally revived annually on social media when the same month in which it was originally released comes around again. Two years ago, in January, this hip hop version of ‘Ys Ys Baba’ was posted. This month it’s going viral again […]

The Cape Town Minstrel Carnival also known as ‘Tweede Nuwe Jaar’ is celebrated annually on 2 January. The colourful costumes, face paint, music and comical dancing bring this unique Cape Town event to life. Many thousands of people perform in the parade in one of the South African city’s biggest tourist attractions. The face painting process […]

As new and ongoing fires continued to burn late Wednesday night in the Western Cape, Vergelegen Wines has stressed that it’s business as usual at the prestigious Estate which attracts around 100,000 visitors annually, half of whom are overseas tourists. Reports had indicated that Vergelegen suffered devastating damage in the Somerset West fire – over 40% of […]

GAUTENG: South African Police Services (SAPS) are today mourning yet another murder of one of their own. A 35-year old policeman, Sergeant Peter Modiegi Mogotlane, was shot and killed at Winterveld Mohlambe Stand, Mabopane, north of Pretoria at around 20:00 last night. According to statistics released by SAPS in June this year, a police officer is murdered […]