The following is a full transcript of President Cyril Ramaphosa‘s address to Parliament on Thursday, 15 October 2020: I have requested this sitting of the Joint Houses of Parliament to present the plan for the reconstruction and recovery of our economy and our country. In contrast to the State of the Nation Address, where we […]

The Western Cape provincial government has called on youth and business to play their part in staying safe, after a cluster outbreak, in which 63 cases have been linked to a club/pub in the southern suburbs of Cape Town. Over half of the infected at the club, believed to be the Tin Roof in Claremont, […]

The cumulative number of detected COVID-19 cases now stands at 696 414 after 1 877 infections were identified on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the death toll has jumped to 18 151 after 123 people succumbed to the respiratory disease since the last report. Of the latest fatalities, 44 are from the Eastern Cape, 35 from Gauteng, 17 from KwaZulu-Natal, […]

The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies has assured the nation that the appointment of Basil Ford as the executive caretaker at the Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA) followed the appropriate recruitment process. The Department’s assurance comes after public interest in Ford’s appointment. “We do however wish to inform the public, […]

Eskom has welcomed what it deems as a landmark judgment after the High Court affirmed the utility’s right to terminate electricity supply to defaulting, non-paying customers. The South Gauteng High Court handed down the judgement on Tuesday. Eskom said it was now in a position to enhance all its collective efforts from defaulting municipalities that […]

The National Traffic Police (NTP) has shut down a Pretoria company that is allegedly producing fraudulent vehicle licence discs. This comes after the traffic police’s specialised unit, the Falcons, conducted a raid on the premises of the company in Kameeldrift on Tuesday morning. This after two trucks were found to have false vehicle licence discs […]

Stakeholders in workplaces in South Africa have until 21 October 2020 to submit comments on the Draft Code of Good Practice on the Prevention and Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the Workplace. The Code provides a framework on the interpretation and implementation of the Employment Equity Act pertaining to violence and harassment, including gender-based […]

Most of South Africa’s seasonal rainfall occurs during the warmer summer months, from October to March. As a result, October is an important period for farmers to begin planning when to sow crops (such as maize, wheat and sunflowers) for the growing season. October is also an important period for the tourism industry to think […]

A peaceful protest is planned against farm murders and violence on Friday 16 October, in Senekal in the Free State, South Africa… where last week an angry crowd of farmers stormed the Senekal court holding cells when two suspects appeared in connection with the brutal murder of young farm manager Brendin Horner. Later a police […]

South Africa has recorded 888 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of detected cases to 693 359. “Regrettably, we report 83 more COVID-19 related deaths – 17 from the Eastern Cape, 43 from the Free State, two from KwaZulu-Natal, 11 from Gauteng and seven from the Western Cape. “This brings the total number of […]

Shoprite Checkers (Pty) Ltd (Shoprite) has agreed to stop enforcing exclusivity provisions in its long-term exclusive lease agreements with its landlords against small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) and speciality and limited line stores. This is according to a consent agreement between the Competition Commission (the Commission) and Shoprite. “In effect, this agreement stops Shoprite […]

A high-ranking South African Police Service (SAPS) officer has been arrested during a predawn raid in connection with a 2017 SAPS multi-million rand tender, becoming the 13th accused expected to appear before the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court on charges of corruption, fraud, theft and money laundering. UPDATE: The officer, identified as Bonang Mgwenya, is the […]

This Sunday Carte Blanche investigates what it means to be able to cross a borderline with no passport controls or customs checks. South Africans living in small towns along the eastern Free State’s highly porous border with Lesotho are under severe pressure as farm attacks, stock theft and violence escalate. You can watch the show […]

How do we speak trauma? We know from medicine that people embody trauma, beyond words. It shows up in our hearts and our blood pressure, our dreams and our nightmares; we pass it onto our children, and we work it through in arts, spirituality, counselling. My work has focused on a burning question in South […]

We have learned so much about nature from David Attenborough’s documentaries over the past seven decades. In a new BBC film he lays bare just how perilous the state of that nature really is, why this matters for everyone who shares this planet, and what needs to change. This film is radical. Surprisingly radical. I […]

Eskom’s maintenance efforts, which will help reduce load shedding, are likely to bear fruit next year, says Eskom Chief Executive Officer André de Ruyter. Speaking at the two-day Joburg Indaba that concluded on Thursday, de Ruyter said plans are in place to enable Eskom to achieve operational stability and, subsequently, significantly reduce the risk of […]

A former police officer, Post Office cleaner and two civilians were arrested on Wednesday, for alleged corruption and extortion, following a sting operation between the Hawks Serious Corruption Investigation Unit and Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit. This comes after the Virginia Post Office manager in the Free State was allegedly approached and lured by one of her […]

As the threat of a COVID-19 pandemic emerged earlier this year, many felt a sense of apprehension about what would happen when it reached Africa. Concerns over the combination of overstretched and underfunded health systems and the existing load of infectious and non-infectious diseases often led to it being talked about in apocalyptic terms. However, […]

The number of COVID-19 deaths in South Africa continues to climb after 160 more people succumbed to COVID-19 on Thursday. Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, has expressed his concern about the noticeable spike in the number of deaths in recent weeks. However, according to the Minister, the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) confirmed there […]

Former Proteas cricketer Vernon Philander has asked for his family’s privacy to be respected as they recover from the horrific fatal shooting of his younger brother Tyrone in Cape Town yesterday. Vernon said: “Our family is coming to terms with the brutal murder in my hometown of Ravensmead earlier (yesterday). I would like to ask […]

The “Glebelands Eight” trial resumed at the Pietermaritzburg High Court this week after it was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. After being postponed because of Covid-19 the Glebelands Eight trial has resumed. Eight suspects face charges related to a string of murders committed between 2014 and 2016 at the infamous hostel. A state witness, who claims […]

The civil rights organisation AfriForum addressed the community of Senekal today and branded farm attacks and murders in South Africa as a form of terror. This announcement came after the recent brutal murder of Brendin Horner (22) on a farm outside this town, said AfriForum. Representatives of AfriForum formed part of the crowds who came […]

Several groups and individual farmers are expected to gather in Senekal, South Africa, today to support the community as two suspects in the murder of Paul Roux farm manager Brendin Horner (22) appear in the Senekal Magistrates Court. Brendin’s body was discovered tied to a pole in the Paul Roux district, Free State, on early […]

The family of Leighton Frank Agg have issued pleas for help in finding the missing 41-year-old, who was last seen in Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, on 30 September 2020. UPDATE 8 Oct: The body of missing man Leighton Frank Agg has sadly been found. His sister posted a message on social media, with a photo […]

Tuck and roll into October with these action-packed movies, series, talk shows and kids’ shows, all brand new on Showmax. Here are the highlights of what’s coming this month.  International Series   Condor S2  Based on the James Grady novel and the 1975 film adaptation Three Days of the Condor, Condor follows young CIA analyst […]