A leopard that apparently escaped from a wildlife reserve and was wandering around Klipgat township northwest of Pretoria has been safely captured. As can be seen by the videos posted online (see below), the wild cat was wandering through the streets and finally hid under a vehicle. Details of where it came from have not […]

Toyota South Africa is to invest R2.5 billion on the production of ‘hybrid synergy drive’ or petro-electric cars at its Prospecton plant in Durban, its first hybrid in Africa, a move that was today welcomed by the KwaZulu-Natal government. Ebrahim Patel, the minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, said during his department’s budget vote last […]

The South African Police Service said today that it had received numerous requests that people attending the funeral of African National Congress stalwart Andrew Mlangeni outside his Soweto house on Tuesday be arrested for contravening the lockdown regulations, and was investigating the complaints. “The Regulations in terms of the Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002 […]

The director general of the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, Sam Vukela, had been placed on precautionary suspension after being implicated in massive overspending on three state funerals and appointing unqualified people in the department. A Price WaterHouse Coopers report implicated Vukela in the R76 million expenditure on the state funerals of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, […]

The South African National Editors’ Forum has condemned the ANC MP Boy Mamabolo for allegedly threatening to shoot a reporter from Sunday World and kick in his testicles. SANEF said that Mamabolo threatened reporter Ngwako Malatji after he called to get his side of the story alleging that Mamabolo made unsavoury remarks about President Cyril […]

Three small businesses that won awards in 2019 for their innovation are among the tourism operators that Cape Town is helping weather the economic fallout of COVID-19. The board of Cape Town Tourism has also given their own salaries to fund small tourism businesses during the lockdown. African Authentic Experience, a tour operator; Tees and […]

If you haven’t heard it yet, the song “Jerusalema” that has people around the world humming and dancing (#JerusalemaDanceChallenge), composed by South African Master KG and accompanied by vocalist Nomcebo Zikode, has been viewed more than 50 million times on YouTube. (See videos below.) The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, today congratulated […]

More than 50 infrastructure projects in South Africa worth R340 billion and impacting the sectors of water and sanitation, roads, energy and affordable housing – part of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s plan to reignite a flailing economy – have been gazetted, and are expected to create tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of new jobs. Minister […]

A possible R125 million deal for Protective Personal Equipment by the husband of Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson and a Johannesburg councillor – coming only days after the president said severe steps would be taken against people who questionably benefit off the government’s R500 billion budget to deal with COVID-19 – has raised the ire of opposition […]

A debate on farm murders and attacks will take place in Parliament on a date still to be announced, a move that has been welcomed by the Democratic Alliance, which has been pressing for more action to be taken by a government it believes has been turning a blind eye to this decades-long problem. “It […]

The South African Police today used water canons to disperse peaceful protesters from the restaurant industry – one of Cape Town’s most vital sectors – outside parliament, a move condemned by the Democratic Alliance, which has accused President Cyril Rampahosa of “killing” thousands of restaurants and ruining people’s lives “for nothing.” In a statement, DA […]

Five people arrested at Kliprivier near Johannesburg may have links to the New Year’s Day attacks in Melville and Mary Fitzgerald Square, Johannesburg, which left three people dead, as well as to “extremist crimes” in other provinces. The New Year’s Day drive-by shootings in Melville, Johannesburg, left three people dead and five wounded. At the […]

Stellenbosch Wine Routes and at least 300 wineries in South Africa, together with Visit Stellenbosch, have thrown their weight behind a legal application asking evidence from the Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs to explain the reintroduction of a blanket ban on the domestic sale and transportation of alcohol. In an unprecedented show of […]

While action is being taken against officials in her department implicated in cases of corruption, more investigations have to be carried out into the R15 billion in irregular and wasteful expenditure uncovered by the auditor-general, according to Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu. Sisulu said today that the department had heeded parliament’s call […]

While the Eastern Cape has been overwhelmed by news of the collapse of its health care system, with hospitals unable to cope with the pandemic while the local government spends money on a questionable scooter programme, the Minister of Health has said it doesn’t need to be put under administration and that all provinces are […]

While President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier this year said the government was committed to putting properly qualified people in the right jobs, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma today defended her earlier remarks that municipalities have to appoint the ‘”right cadres,” or supporters of the ANC. In June the minister of Cooperative Governance & Traditional Affairs made the statement about […]

As Cape Town’s homeless population has grown more visible during lockdown, with everything from blankets to plastic bags to tents serving as homes – on the Sea Point Promenade, along highways, in vacant lots – the city says there are safe spaces available for them to get shelter and food as well as partake in […]

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, reeling from years of corruption, has started a recruitment process to employ 3,100 security guards to protect the country’s trains and railways, which have been battered by years of arson of stations and trains as well as rampant cable theft. Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula said that the […]

The South African Police Service has invited former members of the force to reenlist, including for posts in the hugely overwhelmed and understaffed Hawks, whose work includes state capture cases. The SAPS will also be creating new units to deal with taxi violence, cold cases and gangs, among other things. In a statement put out […]

Nestle has announced that while it will keep producing the much-beloved Peppermint Crisp, Milkybar and BarOne, it will retire a number of its well-known chocolates, namely Milkybar Double, Milkybar Peanut, Nestlé Crunch, Milo Slab and BarOne Peanut. (Watch the video below.) Four days ago Nestle also announced the end of Chocolate Log at the end […]

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has recuperated from COVID-19 and is back in the saddle today, at the same time that the Western Cape’s new positive cases have dropped to below three other provinces. The Western Cape was the epicentre of the virus in South Africa early on during the pandemic, mostly because of – […]

At least two people were killed and seven arrested after a botched robbery of COVID equipment and cellphones at the cargo section of O.R. Tambo International Airport today. South African Police said in a statement the men entered one of the cargo areas at about 12.30 p.m. and held the staff at gunpoint. On being […]

The signs painted on the safari vehicle driving through Nelspruit clearly pointed out the lunacy of the government’s lockdown regulations. While taxis can load 14 passengers in stuffy vehicles – risking the spread of COVID – open-sided safari vehicles that are rarely filled up have been told they cannot operate. Closed since March 2020, safari […]

A 42-year-old shipping agent in Edenvale was arrested and R3 million worth of rhino horn destined for Malaysia was seized by customs officials at O.R. Tambo International Airport earlier this week, the police said today. The 47 kilograms of rhino horns were marked and declared as scaffolding equipment, the police said in a statement. Upon […]

The Treasury has said it will support and source funding for a business rescue plan of South African Airways, and it appears that the government might not be the major shareholder in a rebooted airline, according to a statement released by the Department of Public Enterprises. “While maintaining a certain level of presence in the […]