The key to the jail cell in which South Africa’s legendary Nelson Mandela was locked for almost two decades is set to possibly fetch more than £1-million at an auction next month. It comes from the maximum-security prison on Robben Island, near Cape Town, where the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former South African president […]

The recent rains that soaked most parts of the country have made a significant impact on water levels in some parts of the country, particularly the national average, according to the Department of Water and Sanitation’s weekly state of the reservoirs report, which shows the impact of summer rains in some areas. In a statement […]

The mortal remains of Corporal Tebogo Edwin Radebe, who died after an attack by insurgents in Mozambique earlier this week, will be handed over to his family on Thursday at the Air Base Force in Waterkloof, Pretoria. The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) was deployed in Cabo Delgado province as part of the Southern […]

South Africa reported 21 099 new daily Coronavirus cases, the highest since the week began. This means the country now has 3 353 106 confirmed cases, while the death toll stands at 90 587 after 99 more people lost their lives. According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), KwaZulu-Natal, which is currently the […]

Don’t miss this Sunday’s Carte Blanche. You can watch the show on Sunday 26 December in South Africa on DStv Now or stream it overseas in most countries from 28 December if you’re abroad. CELEBRATION Honouring Healthcare Heroes When the waves of the pandemic surge, we stay at home. But healthcare workers keep going to […]

Kyleigh Milana Kista from Benoni, Gauteng, our precious 3-year-old girl, was diagnosed with a Complex Congenital Heart Defect at birth… writes Kyleigh’s mom, Serina Kista. Her condition is known as Tetralogy of Fallot with Pulmonary Atresia, VSD & Mapca’s. This condition was first described by her Cardio-Thoracic surgeon as a “monster in her chest”. This means Kyleigh does not have the valve that […]

A selection of photos we (GroundUp) took this year! © 2021 GroundUp

Let the Christmas countdown begin with these 6 local South African festive season movies. Showmax is counting down to Christmas with a merry line-up of local holiday movies. From laugh-a-minute comedies to feel-good tear-jerkers, these homegrown films will give you all the festive season feels for a very Mzansi Christmas.  Add these new holiday favourites […]

There’s something for everyone on Carte Blanche this week – from a barber to the stars, to saving the Bearded Vultures, repatriating Africa’s stolen artefacts and Elon Musk’s venture to Mars. Carte Blanche has a packed 90-minute blockbuster adventure just for you. You can watch the show on Sunday 19 December in South Africa on […]

“I couldn’t be more excited after hearing the wonderful news that our beautiful City, Cape Town, has bagged a double at the 2021 World Travel Awards!” Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis says. For the second consecutive year Cape Town has been named the World’s Leading Festival and Event Destination, which is fantastic news for everyone […]

A South African mom, who now lives in England, has decided to turn personal trauma from the past into a positive that can help others. Having tragically lost her father and brother only nine days apart, Ilze Lee and her children, Bradley and Leah, were still coming to terms with the loss when the children’s […]

A couple in Level Two informal settlement in Khayelitsha, Cape Town are growing vegetables on a small plot next to their home to feed their family and a local soup kitchen. They say they cleared the area that had once been used as a dump site. Xolani Mbokodi and his wife Vuyokazi Vapi live with […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on scientists from fellow BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India and China – to work alongside South African scientists in further researching the various characteristics of the COVID-19 virus and its mutations. The call for collaboration comes after the detection of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 in South Africa […]

This month, South Africa’s Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, has announced that the government will launch its new eVisa (Electronic Visa) system in March 2022. The system will simplify international visitors’ visa applications to South Africa, and thereby invigorate both South Africa’s tourism sector and the wider economy. At the time of launch, citizens of […]

Here are this week’s topics coming up on Carte Blanche – you can watch the show on Sunday 12 December in South Africa on DStv Now or stream it on Showmax International in most countries from Tuesday 14 December if you’re abroad. INVESTIGATIONS Chemical Alert It’s banned in several countries and at the heart of […]

A National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) assessment in South Africa said it’s satisfied with the security plans, route security, and access control for the state memorial service of the late former President FW de Klerk, on Sunday. De Klerk died from cancer last month, aged 85. His family held a private funeral service […]

Heartless poachers have brutally shot dead four rhinos at a private game reserve in South Africa, and horrifically wounded a fifth with a shot to the head – just to saw off their horns for cash. The ruthless gang used high-powered rifles fitted with silencers to butcher the herd and even sawed off a fibreglass […]

South Africa has recorded 22 391 new COVID-19 cases, representing a 29.8% positivity rate. This means there are now 3 093 452 laboratory-confirmed cases since the outbreak, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said on Thursday. This as there has been 19 988 045 tests conducted. Gauteng recorded the highest number of infections after 11 […]

Troukoors (Wedding Fever), the first Showmax Original romcom, will be available to binge from 13 December 2021. Talented Ilse-Lee van Niekerk (Getroud Met Rugby, 4 Mure, Die Boekklub) stars as Jessica, a wedding planner who’s surrounded by love but struggling to find it for herself. Troukoors is made by SAFTA winner Louis Pretorius and SAFTA […]

Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has paid tribute to the late former struggle veteran, Ebrahim Ebrahim. “It is with a very heart that I learned of Ebrahim Ebrahim’s passing,” the Minister tweeted on Monday. Sisulu described the former Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, affectionately known as Ebie, as a committed member of the African […]

Netflix has parted the waves to reveal the trailer for Cape Town-based Triggerfish’s third animated feature, called ‘Seal Team’. This fun feature film will be available to stream from 31st December 2021. Seal Team is the story of Quinn, a seal who spends his days relaxing in the sun, splashing in the beautiful waters off […]

As if travel bans weren’t bad enough, many South African families have had their holiday plans around the country ruined by last week’s petrol price hike. Popular Carte Blanche presenter Derek Watts says: “The inland price of petrol tipped over the R20-a-litre-barrier and, earlier this week, there were queues at the filling stations. We set out to find out how […]

The Boksburg SPCA has reported the good news that hero dog Kei, who suffered horrific injuries when she fought off an armed intruder to protect her owners two months ago, is healing well and back home with her human family in time for Christmas. The Boksburg SPCA posted an update this week, saying: “And just […]

Across the world, right now – from Cape Town to Kabul and London to Beijing – the arts are being silenced. COVID-19, conflict, censorship, loss of funding, displacement – even natural disasters – are seeing to it that the volume is being turned down on one of humanity’s driving forces: creative expression. But right here […]

The South African Post Office (SAPO) says Christmas mail leaving the country will be delayed due to the international travel restrictions. Travel restrictions were imposed on South Africa after the detection of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. In a statement on Wednesday, the SAPO said cargo space on aeroplanes is limited due to […]