President Cyril Ramaphosa today visited sites in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, which have suffered devastating flooding and subsequent mudslides this week, leading to the death of 51 people and hospitalisation of over 30. Bodies are sadly still being dug out from under the mud and collapsed buildings. The President announced that the government has availed […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has conveyed condolences to the government of Sri Lanka following a series of deadly terrorist bombings over the Easter weekend which left 321 dead, of which 45 were children. The wave of suicide bomb attacks on churches and hotels started Sunday morning as explosions were reported from St. Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade […]

Massive flooding in Durban, South Africa, overnight left at least 23 people dead, after multiple structural collapse, and many more missing and buried under mud and debris, according to IPSS Medical Rescue. The KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Department announced at a press briefing on Tuesday morning that over 2,000 emergency calls were received […]

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan are rumoured to be in talks about a move to Africa after the imminent birth of their baby. According to the UK’s Sunday Times, a “formal plan” is being drawn up to move the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (Harry and Meghan) overseas to work. Those involved in the […]

AMSTERDAM – Just as visitors to the Western Cape and Northern Cape of South Africa are treated to fields of wild flowers in South Africa’s springtime, so too are expats in the Netherlands treated to spring flower fields around the nation as the country’s famous tulips burst into bloom at this time of year… painting […]

Both the male and female winners of Saturday’s Two Oceans Marathon in the Western Cape were proud South Africans, made all the more special by it being the 50th marathon. Two Oceans said “the best smile in running today” came from defending champ and Ultra queen, Gerda Steyn in the female section. The reigning males […]

Poor people in South Africa often feel that the only way they can be heard is to protest. The past few days have shown that not even this gets them a hearing. Protests in the townships and shack settlements where most poor people live in Johannesburg, Tshwane and Cape Town are in the news. These […]

JOHANNESBURG – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s push to reduce rural poverty and quell growing anger over unequal access to property faces further delays after a member of an advisory panel on the issue on Friday rejected key aspects of the plan. Land ownership is a controversial and emotive issue in South Africa where racial […]

JOHANNESBURG – Thirteen people were killed in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, during an Easter service after a church wall collapsed on them late on Thursday, during a violent storm, following days of heavy rains and strong winds, emergency services said on Friday. The tragedy took place at Pentecostal Holiness Church in Empangeni. The 13 fatalities reportedly […]

Here’s that moment when country singer and The Voice coach Blake Shelton saved South African expat Selkii, using his one and only vote to keep her as a contestant in America’s version of The Voice. Selkii said afterwards: “I thought I would be going home today! But Blake believes in me and I’m going to […]

The ruling ANC party has congratulated South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa and record-breaking athlete Caster Semenya for being named amongst TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2019. The ANC said: “We are a proud nation.” The annual prestigious list, published by the international magazine, includes TIME’s “most influential pioneers, leaders, titans, artists and icons […]

For undecided South African voters, Capetonian resident Faried Swartz has created a brilliant version of ‘Do Re Mi’ (from the Sound of Music). Watch below as he “starts at the very beginning” and charts everything that’s happened since we voted for democracy and the ANC… ANC… Faried says the reaction to his video has been […]

BackaBuddy – a proudly South African donations-based crowdfunding platform – has raised over R100 million rand with contributions from over 125,800 generous donors! The milestone was reached on Wednesday afternoon, 17 April 2019. With this incredible feat accomplished, and 6832 campaigns launched on BackaBuddy, South Africans have once again showcased their generosity while demonstrating the […]

Things got a little hectic for South African expat and singer Selkii this week in America, as she competes in the US version of The Voice… but fortunately she’s survived to continue being a fantastic ambassador for South Africa! During the live Cross Battles on Monday evening, Selki – who is in Blake Shelton’s team […]

The Democratic Alliance’s (DA’s) latest election advert, which was first screened on Sunday night, has become their fasted viewed content ever… with over 50,000 views on social media in less than 12 hours. Some said they thought it was a Nando’s ad. “For a moment there, I thought I was watching a Nandos advert.?” said […]

Social media is going crazy after South African pop singer Kurt Darren ‘wrecked’ the country’s national anthem – Nkosi Sikelel‘ iAfrika – at a Varsity Cup rugby game. Some said he ‘butchered’ it and, in the words of Tumi Sole, “didn’t even bother to learn the Sotho lyrics of the National Anthem”. Others – like Tshepo Bothata […]

The spire of Paris’ iconic Notre-Dame collapsed Monday evening, quickly followed by the entire roof, as a fast-moving fire has torn through the 850-year-old cathedral, devastating France’s famous landmark as large segments of the roof have gone up in flames. One witness told Reuters: “Basically the whole rooftop is gone. I see no hope for […]

British singer-songwriter Sam Smith had the time of his life last night in South Africa, singing and dancing with staff and girls from an orphanage in Johannesburg, before going on stage at the TicketPro Dome. The staff and girls from the Winnie Mabaso Foundation – which supports vulnerable and orphaned children in South Africa, particularly […]

Professional golfer Tiger Woods won the Masters on Sunday, his first major in 11 years, in what is being hailed as one of the greatest and unexpected comebacks ever in sports history. And Nike immediately launched the perfect ad reminding viewers to never stop chasing your crazy dream. Tiger’s 15th major win at the age […]

A farmer’s wife was recovering in hospital today after her husband was murdered yesterday on plot 24 Roodepoort in Bela Bela, Limpopo. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has again called on the South African government to reintroduce specialised units to help prevent crimes such as rural farm attacks. DA Limpopo leader Jacques Smalle said in a […]

At 24 Andile Mkandla has graduated from Stellenbosch University (SU) with the world at his feet, and it’s thanks to his own hard work, perseverance and the kindness of strangers who made sure this young South African never gave up. He invited them all to his graduation… It’s an amazing achievement for a guy who […]

This week The New York Times featured one of the Karoo’s (and South Africa’s) greatest secrets – Prince Albert, an 18th century village they describe as “an oasis of sorts, a dusty Afrikaans dorp, or farming village” that’s like suddenly “spying the Emerald City after a long trek on the Yellow Brick Road”.   Before […]

A Paddle Cruiser, operated by The Featherbed Co., partially capsized at the company’s ferry terminus in Knysna, South Africa, early on Friday morning. The Featherbed Co. said in a statement that the left side of the vessel is lying under water “and is resting on the Estuary floor”. Fortunately nobody was on board so no […]

SINGAPORE – Singapore intercepted a second shipping container packed full of pangolin scales destined for Vietnam in less than a week, authorities said on Wednesday, a combined haul that set a new record for the global transit hub, and has conservationists worried that the most trafficked animal in the world is hurtling towards extinction. The […]

American icon Oprah Winfrey was South African expat Trevor Noah’s special guest on the Daily Show in the USA last night (available to DStv subscribers this evening at 21h30). The show got off to a great start with Oprah surprising Trevor in his make-up chair beforehand, and Oprah discovering her favourite bottle of tequila waiting […]