From an infamous prison number to a modish clothing brand, that’s the story of 46664. The number that identified Nelson Mandela on Robben Island, where the apartheid government jailed him for his political activities, is now a name of a new trendy clothing line. The range made its debut on South African shelves on 24 […]

The Make It 2 Bushmills – also referred to as the World Whiskey Games – is a gruelling competition where teams of two battle it out for two days at the renowned Bushmills Distillery in the village of Bushmills, County Antrim in Northern Ireland. Teams take on punishing tasks, both mental and physical, such as beach […]

As the nation celebrates the triumphs of South African women during August, known as Women’s Month, the Mail & Guardian newspaper has joined in with the release of its Book of South African Women. The Mail & Guardian Book of South African Women is an annual publication that celebrates the accomplishments of 100 newsworthy women. It was launched […]

At age 20, Neftaly Malatjie is already a distinguished leader in his community of Diepsloot, a sprawling township grappling with underdevelopment and poverty. Diepsloot Youth Projects, the non-profit organisation he founded in 2005 at just age 16, is making a difference in the lives of fellow youngsters. The hard-working Malatjie is the CEO of the […]

From taxi driver to South African and world maritime history-maker – this is how Captain Rufus Lekala’s life story would read if it were written today. Appointed as the first black harbour master in South Africa and the youngest in the world in 2002, Lekala has now made maritime history again after becoming the first […]

The African bush and all its beauty have been brought to central London in the form of a two-month photographic exhibition, Visions of Africa, made by award-winning wildlife filmmaking and conservationist couple Beverly and Dereck Joubert. The exhibition opened at the National Geographic store on Regent Street on 5 July 2011 and will run until 5 September. […]

A team of three determined South African women is crossing Europe in the epic 16 000km Mongol Rally from the UK to Mongolia to raise money for two charities, the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation (CNCF) and the Pink Drive Campaign. Joanne Theron, Shannon Davis and Gene Arundel – all from Johannesburg – began their daring journey on 23 July […]

Three South African women have set the standard in Africa by becoming the first black female marine pilots on the continent to gain open licences, enabling them to navigate ships of all sizes and types into local waters. Precious Dube, Bongiwe Mbambo and Pinky Zungu, who are three of only five female marine pilots in […]

A bit of enthusiasm, mixed with passion and a dash of perseverance – these are the attributes that have earned David Kramer, the CEO of Johannesburg’s Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, his knighthood from the French government. Kramer became a Knight of the French National Order of Merit at a ceremony held at the French Embassy in Pretoria […]

Pretty Yende, a graduate of the South African College of Music, has brought the country’s opera singers into the spotlight by winning the prestigious Operalia Competition. The event took place in Moscow, Russia, from 18 to 24 July 2011, at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Theatre. Operalia took place in three stages with 40 contestants selected to compete […]

A derelict ship on its way to India for scrap got pushed onto rocks off Sheffield Beach, near Salt Rock, yesterday.  The anchor chain of the Phoenix broke and the ship drifted off course. About 15 crewmen were airlifted by three helicopters to safety after the tank ran aground on South Africa’s north coast yesterday. […]

Anita Zenani, 13, from Khayelitsha township in the Western Cape, will represent South Africa at the World BMX Championships in Denmark from 27 to 31 July 2011. The petite teenager has been cycling for just over two years, but has already made her mark in the sport. At the 2010 world championships, held in Pietermaritzburg in […]

Pupils and teachers from Manor Gardens Primary School in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, are celebrating after the school’s team won the 2011 International Kids Literary Quiz in New Zealand on 19 July. Grade seven pupils Alexandra Breckenridge, Matthew Robbins, Emily Spencer and Sarah Herrington represented South Africa in the event, taking on teams from the UK, US, Canada and New Zealand. […]

From an email doing the rounds:

From an email doing the rounds: Even though the routine of my job often is monotonous, Thank you Lord, for the opportunity to work. There are many who have no job…plus more below…

Nomthandazo Radebe from Escourt in KwaZulu-Natal is helping young people gain much-needed work experience by giving them positions in her small sewing business and arranging internships at various companies.   Many young South Africans fresh out of school, college or university struggle to find jobs nowadays, as most employers require candidates to have some form of […]

President Jacob Zuma and the UK’s PM David Cameron seemed to hit it off during their joint press conference in Pretoria this week. The British PM was forced to cut his trade visit to Africa short in order to return to the UK to deal with the ongoing phone-hacker saga. Source: ThePresidency

by Emily van Rijswijck “Captain” Kgaugelo Mabjwe is one of eight students of the Umuzi Photo Club, based in the Johannesburg suburb of Braamfontein, who are currently exhibiting their work at the prestigious Gallery@Oxo on London’s South Bank. The Wembley to Soweto exhibition is a visual depiction of how photography helped the eight teenagers to unleash their talent […]

Comedian Al Debbo passed away last week (13 July) at the age of 87 in a Bloemfontein hospital, leaving a void in the South African entertainment world. His health had deteriorated over the past few months, and he had been admitted to the Bloemfontein Medi-Clinic three weeks ago. 10 Things You May (or may not) […]

Thousands of South Africans around the world took up the challenge yesterday to dedicate 67 minutes to doing some good in their communities – on Nelson Mandela International Day. Let us know if you took part – write to admin@sapeople.com (and please attach a photo if possible). My daughter and I registered with Cheese Kids […]

Check out these great photos by Peter Morey, posted on TwitPic, of our South African icon, Nelson Mandela, celebrating his 93rd birthday with his family around him. Nelson Mandela watches with other family, as great-granddaughter Zamakhosi Obiri and grandson Mbuso Mandela gaze at his cake: The former South African President with members of his family, […]

Following the shock resignation of Scotland Yard’s chief Sir Paul Stephenson, UK Prime Minister David Cameron used a press conference in Pretoria today, to respond to a jibe the exiting chief made at the PM’s expense. Earlier Sir Paul resigned after his close ties with former ‘News of the World’ deputy editor Neil Wallis were […]

President Jacob Zuma will visit Former President Nelson Mandela at his home in Qunu this afternoon, to wish him well on his 93rd birthday. President Zuma will give Madiba an architect’s impression of the Nelson Mandela Legacy Bridge that will be constructed across the Mbashe River between Ndondolo Village in the Mbashe Local Municipality and […]

The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) has joined millions of well wishers in wishing Tata Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela a wonderful, happy birthday.   A national singalong involving people across South Africa took place just after 8am, where schoolchildren and adults alike sang for the former president, known affectionately as Madiba. “As the commission, there are no […]

The International Marketing Council of South Africa (IMC) has added its voice to the Mandela Day drive with the launch of Play Your Part, a campaign designed to get all South Africans doing something, whether big or small, to contribute to a better future for all. The initiative was launched at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg […]