South Africans have laid to rest the tragic teenager, Nathaniel Julies, who was allegedly gunned down by police officers in Eldorado Park, Johannesburg. With some disruption between EFF supporters and local residents, who accused the EFF of trying to hijack the funeral for their own party promotion, a service for the slain 16-year-old was conducted […]

The University of Cape Town (UCT) has retained its spot as Africa’s top university, despite a drop of 19 places, tying at 155th among more than 1 500 institutions in the 2021 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, which were published on Wednesday, 2 September 2020. The annual THE World University Rankings assesses institutions […]

Law enforcement agencies are working together to probe the breaches of the COVID-19 Temporary Employee/Employer Relief Scheme (TERS) in South Africa. The benefit scheme was established to provide much needed relief to employees, who have been laid-off work or unable to earn an income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In his first special audit report […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) Provincial Executive Committee in Gauteng has appointed the DA Gauteng Caucus Leader, Solly Msimanga MPL to the position of acting DA Gauteng Provincial Leader. This follows the resignation of John Moodey earlier today. Msimanga is a former Provincial Chairperson. He is the Leader of the Official Opposition in the Gauteng Provincial […]

Poor financial management by public institutions once again reared its ugly head in South Africa during the disbursement of COVID-19 relief scheme funds, an audit report has found. The synopsis is contained in Auditor-General Kimi Makwetu’s first of a series of special reports on the financial management of government’s R500 billion COVID-19 relief package. The […]

The chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Inkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, has warned that attacks on farms threaten food security, employment and the economy. “Both farm workers and farm owners are of equal importance in the agricultural chain,” Mandela said. He made the remarks following the recent attacks on four […]

A killer of beautiful honeymoon bride Anni Dewani who was due to walk free on 28 July was instead ordered to stay behind bars, just hours before he was due to be released. Taxi driver Zola Tongo, 39, was given 18 years for his part in organising the brutal murder of Anni. The murder in […]

Bafana Ndhlovu (43), better known as the ‘child whisperer’, has worked with horses for the last 36 years… and after a freak accident that destroyed his vehicle (see photo below), the horse-riding community has come together to help him get back on his feet. Born to the stables Bafana’s love for horses started at the […]

South Africa now has 627 041 cumulative cases of COVID-19 after 1 985 new infections were identified on Monday. This comes as the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that while people are experiencing pandemic fatigue, the COVID-19 pandemic is not over. “WHO fully supports efforts to re-open economies and societies. We want to see […]

South Africa’s Deputy President David Mabuza says he has learned with shock and dismay, of the brutal murder of farmers, Glen and Vida Rafferty. The couple was murdered on their farm, in Normadien in KwaZulu-Natal over the weekend. Previously, Deputy President Mabuza has condemned violent attacks on farmers and people in rural farming communities, stressing […]

On the 6th of July I started a fundraiser for a desperately poor community in Allemansdrift B in Mpumalanga, South Africa, after engaging in a long messenger chat with a former charity worker called Kelly about this community and the work she and Lydia (a community resident and village elder) were trying to do… writes […]

Former elite athlete Nick Bester has been hospitalised after being badly beaten up by attackers, while he was training on Sunday. Update: Nick Bester thanks police for arresting suspects who attacked him in Magaliesberg area. Bester – a former Comrades champion (who won in 1991) – is one of South Africa’s top sportsman. He was […]

A KwaZulu-Natal couple, Glen and Vida Rafferty, were tragically shot dead on Saturday night on their Normandien farm, near Newcastle, as they entered their home after visiting friends. Speaking from the scene of the crime on Sunday, Glen’s nephew Roland Collyer told the SABC that it did not appear to be a robbery. Firearms were […]

Capetonians awoke to an extremely chilly day today… although nobody quite expected it to snow, what with the start of Spring being just days away for South Africa. UPDATE: Photos of snow on Table Mountain, Sunday 30 Aug. But Table Mountain Aerial Cableway has confirmed it truly snowed this morning on Cape Town’s famous mountain. […]

A North West woman and her children have survived a “traumatic attack” on a farm in Broederstroom. This is the fourth farm attack in just two days  in the Hartbeespoort area in the North West. The news comes today – Saturday 29 August – as protests are being held at the Union Buildings to raise […]

Tragically, at least four, if not 17, dolphins washed up dead on the shores of Mauritius this morning, and another four ailing dolphins were found stranded. This comes one month after Japanese vessel MV Wakashio ran aground, causing an oil spill although local authorities claim there is no link. Greenpeace has called for an urgent […]

A large black mamba has been rescued from the surf at Addington Beach on Durban’s famous beachfront, a destination which is usually more popular with bathing tourists than venomous snakes! According to SAAMBR, the snake was 2.47 metres long! Metro Search and Rescue reached out to SAAMBR (the South African Association for Marine Biological Research) […]

Joseph Dhafana, a proud ‘Zimbo’ as he refers to himself, moved to South Africa in 2009 with his wife Amelia… writes Swartland Style. Despite many challenges including refugee camps and living in a Methodist Church in Johannesburg whilst awaiting asylum, they finally boarded a train from Johannesburg to Cape Town, and found themselves in Riebeek […]

Four more airports have been given the green light to resume operations, bringing the total to 18 airports which are permitted to operate in South Africa, says Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula. International air travel remains prohibited. The four airports are: Mthatha Airport, Hoedspruit Airport, Phalaborwa Airport and Margate Airport as the new additions. “Air travel is […]

Social media users were shocked this week by the emergence of videos on Twitter that show Standerton in a state of chaos, with rubbish strewn across streets. The garbage has apparently been piling up for approximately three months in the Lekwa Municipality, reportedly as a result of a garbage collectors strike. Several local residents said […]

South Africa’s National Treasury and the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) today presented “damning findings” before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure which, according to the Democratic Alliance (DA), suggests that Minister Patricia De Lille was much more involved in the procurement of the Beitbridge “Washing Line” than she has previously admitted. These findings […]

Three suspects, among them two police officers, are today expected to appear before the Durban Specialised Commercial Crimes Court for allegedly defrauding and laundering proceeds from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) COVID-19 relief funds. This comes after the trio, aged between 25 and 39, were arrested in Durban on Monday afternoon by the Germiston Serious […]

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged countries to desist from the nationalisation of COVID-19 vaccines and has requested that they join a vaccine pact. The call from WHO comes as countries across the world race to find a vaccine for COVID-19. Following a letter to all member states requesting them to join the vaccine […]

The ANC Parliamentary Caucus says it has learnt with “great shock and sadness” of the sudden passing of ANC MP Comrade Hishaam Mohamed due to a heart attack early Monday evening. Mohamed joined the National Assembly in the 6th Parliament, serving as a member in the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services and Whip […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s seven-page letter to his ‘comrades’ in the ANC yesterday has been met with much skepticism around the country. The letter, which holds hope and promise, begins with a bold heading in capitals – “Let this be a turning point in our fight against corruption”. The letter details the public’s “sense of anger […]