Suzelle in her latest DIY video tackles a more serious subject – water restrictions and water usage – but it turns out to be funnier than many of her funny videos. And she’s ably helped by Western Cape leader Helen Zille. Suzelle and Zille offer lots of tips on how to save water – don’t […]

The answer: Both men were wrongly identified in pretty crazy ways – and it came to light on social media on the very same day. Last month, on 4 February, it was pointed out on Twitter that the Democratic Alliance’s Mmusi Maimane was identified on an SABC news report as none other than ANC leader, President […]

The highly popular Cape Epic mountain bike race was barely over this weekend when 100 early bird slots for the 2017 event were sold in just nine seconds, the organisers said. “People around the world were obviously ready to press the ‘submit’ button when they opened at at 3pm,” said race CEO Lynn Naudé. “And […]

The popular BBC series “Call the Midwife” – which many are discovering and growing addicted to, now that “Downton Abbey” is over – will be shooting in South Africa in April, according to news reports. The series, loosely based on a true story by Jennifer Worth and set in London’s East End starting in the […]

There’s a great future in South Africa…but you must have a plan. Here’s mine: 1. There are many places much worse than South Africa….with grinding poverty, authoritarian governments and failed states. People still, somehow, make a life for themselves and their loved ones. Maybe there’s a lesson there for us. 2. Africa’s political leadership is […]

The currency The alternative currency The economics professor Zumanomics made easy Zumanomics with a beat

One of South Africa’s foremost jazz musicians, Carlo Mombelli, has just released his 12th studio album, “I Press My Spine to the Ground”. He is a bassist and composer who also teaches at the music school of the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. His album features Kesivan Naidoo (drums), Mbuso Khoza (vocals) and Kyle […]

On my recent visit back to South Africa for two weeks, something really bothered me for a number of reasons. I was at morning market in Sedgefield (near Knysna), which is fantastic and has a unique group of visitors – many foreigners. I had taken out my camera and was walking around with the camera bag open […]

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela was on Friday approached by an order of Catholic priests and brothers to conduct a systemic investigation into the involvement of the Gupta family in state affairs and the award of contracts to companies linked to the family. Madonsela’s office also said Friday that following a complaint by the Democratic Alliance, her […]

For decades one of Rome’s biggest heartaches has been the Tiber – the gorgeous river snaking through its heart has been totally overlooked. Until now, that is – and renowned South African artist William Kentridge is creating lots of buzz with a mural bigger than the one in the Sistine Chapel. The largest public art work in […]

In a brilliant new video “The Last of the Rhinos” shot by conservationists Dereck and Beverly Joubert, you can take a 360-degree look at the landscape around you – and more. You can even look at the ground at your feet. The footage was shot on GoPro Spherical, which literally lets you immerse yourself in the […]

The Economic Freedom Fighters have released a house video based on the words that the EFF shouted as they exited parliament during President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation address – “Zupta Must Fall!” They aren’t the first to “musically” exploit Zuma and his relationship with the Gupta family as well as the scandals surrounding him, such as Nkandla […]

Cape Town has launched the first 50 of 384 planned public access Wi-Fi hotspots in partnership with the company Neotel, it announced on Wednesday, adding to more and more public wifi hotspots popping up around the country. “Most people and communities in rural, remote areas rely heavily on mobile phones to stay in touch and conduct business, and since mobile […]

Many on social media are commending South Africans for their sense of humour, especially when the proverbial kak is hitting the fan with the allegations by ANC MPs saying they were offered jobs by the Guptas. Out come the jokes – such as “The ANC is a five-letter word (curry)” – but most popular is #StateCaptureMovieTitles, referring to the capture […]

In a report released by an international survey company that tracks the wealth of people across Africa, it was found that Mauritians are the wealthiest individuals not he continent and Zimbabweans the poorest. The Annual 2016 Wealth Report released by Research and Markets said that Mauritians had about US$21,700 per person, while people in Zimbabwe had US$200 per […]

It has been a busy 12 hours since deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas dropped a bomb by publicly declaring that he had been offered Nhlanhla Nene’s finance minister job before the minister was sacked by President Jacob Zuma. Jonas’ declaration came only a day after former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor said that she too had been […]

At a packed launch of the English book version of the compiled letters between literary royalty Andre Brink and Ingrid Jonker, Brink’s widow said Cape Town’s revered bookshop the Book Lounge was the perfect place to introduce the book to South Africa. “We came here a lot,” said Karina Brink. “We called it our lounge.” […]

The largest oval vivid fancy diamond ever to appear is headed for sale in Hong Kong next month, where it is expected to fetch $30 million to $35 million. The internally flawless blue diamond, at 10.10 carats, was mined in South Africa and is one of a collection of 11 cut by jewellers De Beers […]

President Jacob Zuma has – quite unusually – for the second time in less than 24 hours said that he does not know a senior former ANC MP who said the Guptas offered her a ministerial job, and insists that she did not accompany him to China in 2010, when news reports at the time […]

Maybe it was a result of the heavy rains earlier, which left parts of Rustenberg flooded, but a crocodile seems to have gone astray and found its way on to the N4 near the town. “Crocodile at the Kroondal turn-off,” tweeted Trapspotter on Tuesday night. He gave the details of a nearby crocodile farm to be […]

President Jacob Zuma said he has no recollection of Vytjie Mentor, a former ANC member of parliament, and so he cannot comment on her allegation that the Guptas offered her a ministerial job while Zuma was in the next room. “The Presidency has received media enquiries about a reported comment on social media by former […]

The seventh annual Cape Town Carnival rocked Greenpoint on the weekend, festooning the fanwalk between the city centre and Cape Town Stadium with singers, dancers, puppets, oiled-up firemen, scenes of District Six and more. Under the theme “Street Life”, there were more than 2,000 costumed musicians and performers from communities and schools across the city, including the […]

A US animal rights group has said it will pursue its lawsuit against the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for granting permits to three American zoos that imported 17 elephants it alleges were stolen from Swaziland and spirited out of Africa before a court hearing on the case. The animals have been taken in by the […]

BLOEMFONTEIN – The Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa has dismissed the government’s appeal against a Gauteng High Court ruling that Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir should not have been allowed to leave South Africa in June 2015 and should have been arrested. Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court to stand […]