A new South African record has been set at the Giant Pumpkin Festival 2021 in Heidelberg. The honour goes to a pumpkin grown by Willem le Grange in Ruiterbos, outside Mossel Bay on the Garden Route. The monster pumpkin was yesterday evening officially declared the new record holder, as Afrishore confirmed it had a weight […]

After a week-long search, the body of a missing man was sadly discovered early this morning, Saturday 27 March 2021. The 69-year-old’s body was found floating in the dam, which lies within the Central Section of Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) in Cape Town, South Africa. SANParks TMNP Park Manager, Frans van Rooyen, said: “The discovery […]

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi’s move to KwaZulu-Natal got off to a great start last night when he scored a try in his debut for the Sharks. Wearing the number 6 jersey, Kolisi helped ensure his new team’s 45-12 win in the Kick-off Pools match over the Bulls at a very wet and slippery Kings Park […]

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala has welcomed the announcement that Her Majesty Queen Mantfombi Dlamini will act as regent of the Zulu nation during the interregnum (the time before an official successor is named). UPDATE 29 April 2021: Queen Mantfombi Dlamini Zulu has sadly died at the age of 65. AmaZulu Prime Minister, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, […]

The South African Health Department has confirmed that Professor Salim Abdool Karim has stepped down from the Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) on COVID-19, with effect from 23 March 2021. His resignation is exactly one year since he chaired the committee. Abdool Karim led a team of top scientists, who have been of support to the […]

The Western Cape’s popular Silvermine Dam, in the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP), is currently closed to the public while a search is ongoing for a male hiker who went missing on Sunday, 21 March 2021. SANParks TMNP advised the public in a statement on Thursday that the dam – the most popular destination for […]

Photos of a gemsbok with a thick spider web wrapped around its horns have caught the attention of social media users in Southern Africa, who haven’t yet been able to agree on how the web (or webs) got there. The photos were taken by Jess Isden in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana. Jess, a […]

JOHANNESBURG – The South Africa tourism industry has welcomed the official decision by SA Rugby and the British & Irish lions to proceed as planned with the Castle Lager Lions Series in SA, in the scheduled playing window this year… and says it eagerly awaits clarity on whether spectators will be permitted at stadiums for […]

The South African Home Affairs office at 15 Whitehall London is due to re-open on 29 March 2021, the SA High Commission in the UK has announced. This will come as welcome news to the many South Africans in the UK who have been desperate to renew their passports, knowing that the process can take […]

The South African Presidency confirmed on Wednesday that President Cyril Ramaphosa will appear before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture next month. The President will give evidence in his capacity as President and former Deputy President of the Republic and as President and former Deputy President of the African National Congress […]

After Lloyd Harris‘ fantastic performance at the Dubai Championships, the South African tennis player has shot up the ATP Rankings from 81 to 52, and is now firmly SA’s top ranked tennis player. SA expat Kevin Anderson (34) has held that position for years, but has recently been plagued by injuries and forced to pull […]

Twelve-year-old Tiaan Hall has been a Springbok supporter since he was a baby, like the children of many South Africans now living abroad. Although Tiaan was born in Wales, he was dressed in Springbok gear as a baby, and is named after Springbok legend Tiaan Strauss. Despite only ever visiting SA, “he loves biltong and […]

Tragically another white rhino cow and her calf were killed in South Africa over the weekend for their horns, but fortunately two rhino poaching suspects have been caught thanks to an incredible amount of team work. The incident took place at PP Maré Boerdery near Gravelotte in Limpopo. According to Hope for Wildlife Helicopter Services, […]

A Gauteng vet, Dr Clifford Bull, and his awesome team at Craig View Veterinary clinic in Boksburg, South Africa, have used a 3D printer to rebuild the fractured jaw of an over 30-year-old leopard tortoise. “It’s not every day a Vet is asked to assist a 30 year old pet, or to rebuild a patient’s […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has today launched a petition to “protect the right to mother tongue education” at Stellenbosch University (SU)… where the DA says the management’s “war” against mother tongue education has intensified over the past few weeks, with students at several residences being banned from speaking Afrikaans in their res rooms or on […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa claims that over the past year, the SA government, working in partnership with social partners and civil society, has given effect to the principle that human rights are not negotiable. “We have strived to meet our many obligations under the Constitution and the Bill of Rights that is the cornerstone of our […]

AfriForum has today filed a formal application to the Zondo Commission on State Capture in terms of which a ruling is requested to subpoena President Cyril Ramaphosa to appear before the commission. AfriForum said in a statement that it is specifically asking that the South African president be questioned about the ANC’s cadre deployment policy, […]

Overseas spectators will not be allowed entry into Japan to attend the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, or the Paralympic Games. The announcement was made today following a virtual meeting of the Olympic and Paralympic Committees with the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, and Tokyo and Japan governments. The  reason they said was because of the “prevailing […]

Lloyd Harris is playing the biggest match of his career at the Dubai Tennis Championships this afternoon, Saturday 20 March. He is facing world No 42, Russian player Aslan Karatsev, on centre court for the title… which would be his first ATP title! The South African earned his seventh win in as many days on […]

A South African expat living in the UK, who was paralysed three years ago after falling out of a tree, now has dreams of competing in the Paralympics and was “super stoked” to be featured by the BBC this week. Xander Van Der Poll has managed to find a way to focus on the positive… […]

This is pure magic! A gold sky and an emerald ocean at sunset… against the backdrop of Cape Town’s magnificent Table Mountain, in South Africa. Watch to the end to see the most magical moment – when a kite surfer takes off in the strong winds… and appears to almost effortlessly fly over Table Mountain! […]

Following much publicity and outrage, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) is to withdraw its – allegedly unlawful – eviction order against Ivan Cloete; and restore his full farming rights to the Colenso farm in Darling, Western Cape. Cloete will now be allocated Colenso farm, which is the farm that he […]

With some (but not all) countries in the European Union temporarily suspending the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine as a precautionary measure – based on reports of rare blood coagulation disorders (blood clots) in some people who had received the vaccine – the World Health Organisation (WHO) has released the following statement. “Vaccination against […]

South African tennis player Lloyd Harris continued his dream week by becoming the first qualifier to reach the Dubai Tennis Championships semi-finals. World No 81 (although not for much longer!) Harris advanced to his first ATP 500 semi-final with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 victory over former World No 4 Kei Nishikori in 1hr 37min. Having […]

South African tennis player Lloyd Harris is continuing his dream run at the ATP Tour’s Dubai Championships. He has reached the quarter-finals with a straight sets win over Serbian Filip Krajinovic, 7-6 (5), 6-4. The 24-year-old came into the tournament as a qualifier but has reached the quarter-finals where he will face Japan veteran Kei […]