Paul* carries a small satchel on his back. You wouldn’t know that inside is a carton of cigarettes and sachets of whisky. He will sell them to informal miners in Payneville, Springs, and sometimes in Benoni. “Miners buy all the sachets; no questions asked. Sometimes l can go back into town [Springs] to buy stock […]

The Democratic Alliance has rejected as a sham the South African National Defence Force’s decision to exonerate the soldiers allegedly involved in the death of an Alexandra resident, Collins Khosa. It was reported yesterday that an internal SANDF probe exonerated the soldiers, although a police investigation is continuing. In papers before the North Gauteng High […]

The whole country will move to level 3 lockdown from 1 June, including areas identified as hotspots, according to Health Minister Zweli Mkhize. Mkhize clarified this after confusion was created when an old slide was presented stating hotspots would remain at level 4 and was also making rounds on social media. However, if these areas […]

South Africa is currently one of the world’s largest carbon emitters. And it’s increasingly being viewed as a pariah that isn’t contributing as much as it could to the international fight against global warming and climate change. With a lot of other countries now moving away from fossil fuel-based electricity, there’s considerable pressure for South […]

Schools across the country are in the process of finalising preparations to receive Grade 7 and 12 learners when schools reopen on 1 June. Some teacher unions, however, have threatened their members might not return yet because the schools are not COVID-prepared. There are over 400,000 teachers in the country’s 25,000 public schools, teaching 12.9 […]

After an 18-year battle with the South African government to honor an agreement it made in 2002, Limpopo farmer David Rakgase, who is 80, finally owns his Nooitgedacht farm for the original price he offered. After the High Court ruled against the government and in favour of Rakgase in September 2019, the government has honoured […]

As the continent marks the 57th Africa Day, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, President Cyril Ramaphosa – as African Union Chair – will lead the continent’s celebrations, which include a special virtual broadcast and the Africa Day Solidarity Concert for the COVID-19 Response Fund. Africa Day is celebrated on 25 May 2020 and marks the establishment of […]

Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, has announced a total number of 22 583 confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Africa. “A total of 583 855 tests have been conducted to date with 19 485 tests done in the past 24 hour testing cycle,” Mkhize said on Sunday. The Western Cape is leading with 14 740 people testing positive for […]

This week, Carte Blanche investigates how perpetrators of heinous crimes are considered for parole in South Africa, and how can you know if a paedophile lives in your area, or even right next door? When 12-year-old Michaela Williams was found raped and murdered near her home, her parents couldn’t have imagined that her killer lived […]

A field hospital to deal with COVID-19 patients is being set up in Tshwane with the help of BMW, Nissan, and the embassies of Germany and Japan. Gauteng premier David Makhura made the announcement while visiting the two automakers’ manufacturing plants in Rosslyn to see how they were applying the COVID safety regulations during work […]

South Africa’s top swimmers are in desperate need to get back into the water so they can resume their training for next year’s Olympic Games. The past eight weeks of dryland training is starting to take its toll. The University of Pretoria’s Kaylene Corbett, who had qualified in the 200m breaststroke for the Tokyo Olympics, […]

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) announced today that it has facilitated the repatriation by air of 5,239 South Africans stranded abroad. According to DIRCO Minister Naledi Pandor, hundreds more have also returned through the country’s land borders. As several countries went into lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19, an initial 3 637 requested […]

The Unemployment Insurance Fund has paid out over R14 billion in benefits to employees affected by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. The total amount disbursed since 16 April is now just over R14 billion. This excludes normal payments the UIF makes, which are R1.849 billion, said UIF Commissioner, Teboho Maruping. On Monday, the UIF, which falls […]

The National Health Insurance (NHI) has become an idealistic concept known as “imaginary.” It’s become the idea onto which all South Africa’s aspirations for healthcare have been projected. The dream of a system that is fairer, less divided and more efficient. It’s even been called “pie in the sky.” Steve Reid reports. It’s clear that […]

Wildlife is thriving off Simon’s Town during lockdown and “life’s a beach for these locals”, according to the City of Cape Town, South Africa. This beautiful Southern Elephant Seal was photographed early yesterday morning, Monday 18 May 2020, at the Simon’s Town harbour by Dave Hurwitz.  The seal was first sighted yesterday, according to the City, […]

South Africa’s confirmed COVID-19 cases now stand at 16 433 with 475 071 tests having been conducted. In a statement on Monday, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said of the 475 071 tests conducted, 14 198 tests had been conducted in the last 24-hours. South Africa also reported a further 22 COVID-19 related deaths, bringing the total number of deaths […]

The Class of 2020 at a South African school in KwaZulu-Natal – Felixton College near Empangeni – have put together a moving video message to President Cyril Ramaphosa. Watch below. “We are blown away by a few of the Felixton College (Felixton, Zululand) Grade 12 pupils who put together this message entitled ‘Hope is not […]

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of universal health coverage. That is the message underlined by President Cyril Ramaphosa who was addressing the virtual 73rd Session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) on Monday. The pandemic should propel countries to act with greater urgency to make it a reality. “In this final decade towards […]

Whether you’re looking for triumph over adversity, and underdog classic or silly antics on or off the field, SuperSport is serving the best sports movies of all time every evening from 8.30 pm. Subscribers, livestream them on DStv Now at now.dstv.com or pick your choice of football, motorsport, golf, boxing or even surfing movies on […]

More than 15,000 small-scale farmers in South Africa have been approved for the COVID-19 Agricultural Disaster Fund, says Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister, Thoko Didiza. Didiza said that 55,155 applications were received from smallholder and communal farmers, with the highest number of applications received from the Eastern Cape Province, followed by the Northern […]

South Africa recorded its highest new infections since the Coronavirus outbreak, with 1,160 fresh cases in the last 24-hour cycle. According to Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is now 15 515, while three people succumbed to the COVID-19 related illness bringing the death toll to 264. Of the 264 […]

Children are suffering increasingly from preventable infectious diseases, including TB and measles, due to missed vaccinations. When a novel coronavirus now known as SARS-CoV-2 first entered the world stage on the heels of the Chinese New Year in January 2020, little was known about it and its impact on people, health systems and countries. This […]

This Sunday Carte Blanche investigates how the lockdown is affecting the wine industry in the Cape Winelands, South Africa… and what it will take to recover. With around 600 wineries affected by lockdown, the iconic Cape winelands that earn R49 billion for the country annually are bleeding revenue, jobs and prospects. COVID-19 lockdown regulations saw […]

Some surfers in Kommetjie near Cape Town, South Africa, broke the nation’s lockdown regulations to have a morning surf… while others respectfully remained out of the ocean. Local residents’ opinions were split – some pointing out that by flagrantly disregarding the regulations it could result in them becoming more stringent or lasting longer; whilst others […]

As government prepares for the further easing of the lockdown to level 3, Cabinet Ministers will undertake broad-ranging consultations with government, key sectors of the economy and civil society. Having appreciated the progress made towards levelling the  COVID-19 pandemic curve and capacitating the public health system to deal with an increase in infections, Cabinet approved […]