Rapid urbanisation and government failure to deliver adequate housing are among the driving forces behind the proliferation of informal settlements across South African cities and towns. These informal settlements are notorious for their perilous and unhealthy conditions. This has been sharply illustrated in recent flooding in Ethekwini (Durban), the port city in KwaZulu-Natal province, and […]

I first saw Nkosinathi Maphumulo aka Black Coffee perform at Amaros Night Club in Pretoria, South Africa during the late 2000s. Dressed in a casual T-shirt, no one would have guessed he was destined for global glory. Beneath strobe lights, bathed in throbbing house music, clashing voices and perspiration, he could have been just like […]

On Friday afternoon, hundreds of strangers with only their South African roots in common – met up at the Wild Horse Saloon in Nashville, USA, for a meet and greet, some line dancing… and a whole lot more. The fabulous weekend gathering was organised by SAWITU, a support group for South African women in the […]

A once trusted gardener is appearing in court this week charged with the horrific murder and rape of a safari lodge owner after six years of detective work… largely by her niece, and almost eight years after the murder. Retired teacher Christine Robinson, 59, was allegedly brutally attacked at the 125 acre Rra-Ditau lodge which […]

Matt Sates provided one final highlight on the last night of action at the SA Swimming Championships in Gqeberha, adding another World Championships and Commonwealth Games qualifying time to his collection. Having already dipped under the required mark in the morning heats, the Maritzburg teenager went even quicker in the 200m individual medley final, reaching […]

South African learners have contributed to breaking a Guinness World Record™ title through their participation in a global award-winning initiative, FAST Heroes, that is aimed at creatively helping their grandparents become more aware and better prepared if a stroke occurs. The record was broken by 150 000 learners globally. FAST Heroes, a health educational campaign, […]

A good wine is a complex marriage of body, bouquet, and flavour, often only fully appreciated by those with an equally complex palate. So how did two non-drinking former refugees become award-winning connoisseurs and admired winemakers in their own right? Don’t miss this feel good story on Carte Blanche this Sunday in SA on DStv […]

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has warned of rainy and cold conditions, associated with localised flooding is some parts of the county this weekend. “The SAWS strongly urges the public to avoid crossing rivers and swollen streams, especially in cases where the water is more than ankle-deep. SAWS also recommends moving to higher ground […]

Most parts of South Africa, specifically its summer rainfall areas, have received above-average rainfall since October 2021. This has led to an increase in the country’s national average water levels. The total percentage of water stored in reservoirs nationally rose from 84.6% in mid-December 2021 to 88.7% at the end of the year. By mid-March […]

Proudly South African expat Hayley Reichert is gatvol. Below is her passionate letter to all South Africans, revealing alleged incompetency she has witnessed within SA’s foreign affairs department, DIRCO, whilst trying to aid South Africans in escaping Russia’s attack on Ukraine.  Dear fellow South Africans, Our government does not care about us, and they care […]

Cameron Lombard, who made his debut as Strictly Come Dancing’s youngest ever pro dancer last year, has filmed a rousing new video, Peace Don’t Go, in support of peace for the people of Ukraine. Filmed in the township of Siqalo, in Cape Town – illuminated with bright flares of yellow and blue – Cameron leads […]

At least 71 rhino have been poached this year alone in Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife parks, putting KZN on the road to the species facing extinction in the region within the next five years! This shocking revelation – allegedly by sources within the organisation – has prompted the Democratic Alliance (DA) to submit a Public Access […]

South Africa’s hospitality association has welcomed last night’s lifting of the State of Disaster – after 750 days – BUT has re-issued its call for the urgent removal of the PCR test requirement for unvaccinated children between the age of five and 12-years-old… which FEDHASA says is damaging tourism. Fedhasa said it’s “delighted” by the […]

South African DJ Black Coffee has won his first ever Grammy. Taking to Twitter, after his big win on Sunday night at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, Black Coffee announced simply: “Grammy Award winning artist ???” The 46-year-old DJ introduced the audience to his eldest son, Esona Maphumulo, (“my firstborn son”), who was on stage […]

The South African government has welcomed Moody’s decision to affirm South Africa’s long term foreign and local currency debt ratings at ‘Ba2’ and revise the outlook to stable from negative. The National Treasury on Friday said according to Moody’s, the key driver behind the decision to change the outlook to stable is the improved fiscal […]

Operating hours at Home Affairs offices will extend to 18:30 this evening, after the department’s systems went offline nationwide on Friday. “The Department of Home Affairs wishes to inform members of the public that services at the department have been restored. The department and the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) have been able to fix […]

A month ago, Ashley Oosthuizen from George, South Africa, turned 23…. celebrating her birthday for the second year running in a Thai prison, for a crime she allegedly had nothing to do with. According to people who worked with her, she was given a life sentence after being made to sign her name on a […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africa “stared into the heart of darkness” during the height of the July 2021 unrest. The President was giving his opening statement at the South African Human Rights Commission’s (SAHRC) National Investigative Hearing into the July 2021 unrest that unfolded in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces (after protests, sparked by the […]

Tom Cruise – who is currently scouting for Mission Impossible locations in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa – is to be honoured at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival next month for his lifetime achievements. The 59-year-old Hollywood star will be in attendance at the famous film festival in the south of France on May 18, 2022, for […]

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has tabled a proposal that will see the fuel levy being reduced by R1.50 cents per litre. Making a statement to a sitting of the National Assembly on Thursday, Godongwana said the temporary fuel levy cut will come into effect on Wednesday next week, and will remain in effect until the […]

The Western Cape High Court has granted an urgent interim relief against the South African government’s controversial trophy hunting quota decision, which was announced in February. This means that no animal can be hunted until the matter is resolved. The High Court granted the interim relief on Friday afternoon, pending the judgment of the interim […]

Hailed as one of the most popular rock acts in the world, FOREIGNER will be touring South Africa in October 2022, performing in Gauteng and the Western Cape. With 10 multi-platinum albums and 16 Top 30 hits, FOREIGNER is universally hailed as one of the most popular rock acts in the world with a formidable […]

“This week, Carte Blanche heads to Ukraine where Russian air and ground forces continue attacking cities, causing significant civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure,” says John Webb, Executive Producer of South Africa’s top current affairs show. “In response, Ukraine fights back, refusing to surrender or lay down arms. On Sunday night, our team takes you […]

Wednesday saw the first public meeting of the Devil’s Peak Vredehoek Outreach (DPV Outreach), a voluntary, community association formed to help homeless people in the area. A Cape Town suburb has tried a new approach to helping its homeless people. The Devil’s Peak Vredehoek Outreach uses peer educators to improve the lives of homeless residents. […]

Nando’s has done it again – creating an advert that gets South Africans laughing… and talking. The fast food peri-peri chicken outlet’s latest advert is centred around gender identity, new pronouns and the importance of family, diversity and inclusivity. Nando’s said in a statement today: “Navigating family dynamics is not for the faint-hearted. You know […]