If you have a travel bucket list, it should probably include at least two – if not all six – of South Africa’s neighbouring countries. And judging by the breathtaking photos on this page – taken by British traveller Deborah Mathews – Botswana and Namibia should feature high on that list! (The other four of course […]

This week Carte Blanche investigates what’s really behind the mystery facing officials in Durban with regard to the spate of bomb scares. (This episode is available for South Africans abroad to watch from Tuesday 31 July 2018 if you subscribe to Showmax.) Durban Bombs It’s the biggest mystery currently facing officials in Durban – ten explosive […]

Why do batteries die? And, why can they only be recharged so many times before they won’t hold a useful amount of charge? My young son asked me about that years ago when his battery-powered toy car stopped moving, wondering about what he called an “everlasting battery.” And this same question has probably crossed the […]

South African sex work activist Duduzile ‘Dudu’ Dlamini is to be honoured at the  22nd International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, with a prize named after the late trailblazer Prudence Mabele, who was the first Black woman to reveal her HIV status in South Africa. Dlamini – a long-time advocate for the rights and […]

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s Prince Harry – who has long had a concern for children living with HIV in southern Africa – and music star Elton John are joining forces to launch a “global coalition” focused on treating HIV infections in men, the singer’s AIDS charity said on Thursday. The Elton John AIDS Foundation did […]

Are you planning a 4×4 adventure through Botswana? Keen to organise an overland trip through some of Southern Africa’s most beautiful and wild parks? Annie DuPre-Reynolds has all the best travel tips for you… There are quite a few things to take in mind for a trip like this. Having recently gone through the process, I’d […]

This week Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa – the man who rose to power in a military coup – is in the hot seat, as Carte Blanche goes one-on-one with the country’s leader. (Available for South Africans abroad to watch from Tuesday 24 July 2018 if you subscribe to Showmax.) One-on-one with President Emmerson Mnangagwa Free and fair elections […]

We have analysed the data, and can now answer this question. Much has been argued about the causes of the 2017 Cape Town water crisis. Is it the drought? Is it climate change? Is it population growth? Is it lack of foresight by national government or local government? Is it the rich? Is it the […]

Here are the latest topics due for broadcast on Carte Blanche this Sunday,and all available for South Africans living abroad from Tuesday 17 July 2018, if you subscribe to Showmax. Home Hijacking In an upwardly mobile residential complex on Gauteng’s East Rand, suburban bliss has turned to living hell as cunning building hijackers have systematically muscled […]

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to visit South Africa for a summit of BRICS countries on July 26-27, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said on Friday. The BRICS group of emerging economies comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. (Reporting by Denis Pinchuk; Writing by Maria Tsvetkova; editing by David Stamp)

The penultimate series of Game of Thrones has topped this year’s list of Emmy nominees which were announced yesterday. The multi-award winning series – which is available to South Africans on Showmax – scooped 22 nominations, including Best Drama Series. Showmax shows featured high in this year’s nominations, with two other popular Drama series – […]

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – A month after Cyril Ramaphosa took the helm of South Africa‘s ruling African National Congress (ANC) in December, he called an urgent meeting with then-President Jacob Zuma and senior ministers to save state power firm Eskom. Ramaphosa understood sweeping changes were needed at the struggling utility company. He persuaded Zuma to replace Eskom’s board and […]

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South African insurer Old Mutual has appointed Deloitte as joint auditor alongside scandal-hit KPMG, it said on Thursday, an unusual move reflecting what it said were unresolved challenges related to its sole auditor for nearly two decades. KPMG’s South African unit is battling to restore its reputation after becoming entangled in a corruption scandal involving the […]

LONDON (Reuters) – For Kevin Anderson it was a day of firsts on Monday… and today he’s relaxing with his family before the big match tomorrow. Yesterday Anderson beat Frenchman Gael Monfils for the first time in six attempts and in doing so reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the first time – at his 10th […]

LONDON (Reuters) – Champion Roger Federer‘s pursuit of a record ninth Wimbledon title gathered momentum on Monday as he reached the quarter-finals with a 6-0 7-5 6-4 win over Frenchman Adrian Mannarino… and next he will play our own South African eighth seed Kevin Anderson! Anderson just beat Frenchman, Gael Monfils, 7-6, 7-6, 5-7, 7-6 in […]

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Duduzane Zuma, son of former South African president Jacob Zuma, was released on bail on Monday after appearing in court in leg irons on corruption charges, the most high profile figure to be prosecuted so far in investigations into graft under his father. Johannesburg’s Specialised Commercial Crime Court ordered Duduzane Zuma, who […]

From violent bursts of anger, attacks on family members and serious destruction to property, living with a “Tik” or crystal methamphetamine addict can be a nightmare, but for any parent, killing your own child is an unthinkable act. This week’s episode of Carte Blanche investigates the tragedy of the tik horror that led to a South […]

The South African National Congress (ANC) has again called for government to manage the fuel price increases  which impact South Africa’s economy. The ruling party said that the weakening rand is also a contributing factor to the escalating price of the fuel. In a statement yesterday the ANC said it noted with “deep concern the […]

Last week a photo of Under 18 men’s and women’s surfers, Rio Waida of Indonesia and Zoe Steyn of South Africa went viral on social media, highlighting a very noticeable discrepancy in the value of the prize money top contestants were awarded based on gender, at the Ballito Pro event presented by Billabong. Popular blog, […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it is concerned that South African embassies in Geneva, Berne and Paris are not yet allowing South African citizens to register to vote in the 2019 elections. The DA Abroad claims it has received complaints from South African citizens living in these cities that they have been turned away when […]

Commonwealth Games 1,500m champion Caster Semenya had to settle for a distant sixth at Thursday’s IAAF Diamond League meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, writes MARK ETHERIDGE. Semenya, who set a Commonwealth record of 4min 00.71sec in Gold Coast, Australia three months ago, at least had the satisfaction of beating that time as she stopped the clocks […]

One of the more impressive statistics in South African athletics is that since 2014 there’s been at least one new sprinter who had managed to break the 10-second barrier in the 100 metres. Simon Magakwe (9.98 seconds) did so in 2014; in 2015 Akani Simbine and Henricho Bruintjies both ran 9.97; in 2016 Wayde van […]

Stellenbosch para-athletes Kerwin Noemdo and veteran Paralympian Zanele Situ are both buoyant after a successful Berlin Open Grand Prix meeting in Germany, writes MARK ETHERIDGE. In his first major international competition, Noemdo took part in the F46 shot put final and picked up bronze with an African record 13.91-metre heave. Ahead of him, the gold […]

“You feel so invigorated after a long walk through the cherry orchards of the Matroosberg mountains in Ceres!” says regular SAPeople contributor Nigel Riley, who captured the stunning photos on this page… South Africa received its biggest snowfall in ten years this week… #beautiful snow #beautiful Cape Town https://www.facebook.com/snowreportsa/posts/1582472298546785 Snowboarding, Matroosberg: https://www.facebook.com/SAPeople/videos/10155354904831949/ Video from Matroosberg Thursday […]

LONDON (Reuters) – Just call Roland Garros the warm-up. Four weeks on from her run to the last 16 at the French Open, Serena Williams is back at Wimbledon, having missed last year’s event as she prepared for the birth of her daughter. Ranked 183 after just three tournaments back, the seven-time champion will go […]