The South African businessman and former politician Tokyo Sexwale has withdrawn from the race to become the new president of the international football governing body FIFA, according to news reports on Friday. Sexwale made his announcement only minutes before the first round of voting for a new president of FIFA was to start in Zurich […]

Many people know “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” – a song often associated with the movie “The Lion King” – but few people know the famous tune was born in a small town in South Africa almost a century ago. In tribute to that song – originally titled “Mbube” – we thought we’d post several of the countless wonderful versions that have been done […]

The British comedian and actor Eddie Izzard has begun an attempt to run 27 marathons in South Africa – or 1,126 kilometres – in 27 days, one for each of the years Nelson Mandela was in jail, and all in aid of Sport Relief. The British non-profit Sport Relief organises events where people run for charity, and […]

A quick safari goer managed to film a rhino that began charging across the veld, not realising that it was aiming for a white vehicle right behind her.

Host of the Daily Show Trevor Noah told his audience this week that if they thought the U.S. Presidential race was crazy – with bad-hairdo businessman Donald Trump shocking everyone by winning state after state in the race for the Republican nomination – they should check out Uganda. “Americans say this (Trump’s ongoing success) is […]

In a highly anticipated and greatly watched budget speech that many are hoping will gird the South African economy and save it from a ratings downgrade, finance minister Pravin Gordhan was today even-keeled as he said the country needed to work together to grow, giving a few surprises, although probably not as many as were anticipated. Gordhan stressed […]

The woman accused of kidnapping Zephany Nurse from Groote Schuur 18 years ago – before the child was reunited with her real parents in a bizarre twist of fate – has told a Cape Town court she was “given” the baby, according to news reports. The alleged kidnapper, identified only as a 51-year-old woman from Lavendar Hill, is appearing in the Western […]

The South African minister of defense has accused pilots who left the Air Force of taking planes with them and putting them in museums, which is why there are no planes for today’s pilots to train in. Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula made the accusation in parliament on Tuesday. She was replying to a question about why Air Force pilots were being […]

A Johannesburg dog that had been missing for 200 days and was searched for ceaselessly since then has been found by, and reunited with, his owners in a pretty emotional reunion. Watch as Leuci and Lu are reunited The beagle named Lu apparently got loose in July 2015. He didn’t have a collar on at the time and […]

The great continent of Africa seems to be the flavour of the month. As the world wakes up to its potential, I can’t help but cringe each time an “African tech” article is published on a popular medium like TechCrunch (the magazine where this article first appeared). The lack of data and “exotic charm” of […]

The new head of the SA Post Office, former businessman Mark Barnes, has asked the government for up to R3.5 billion to help turn around the state-owned enterprise, which has been driven into the ground by years of poor management and service, fraud and skyrocketing debt.   Barnes, the former chairman of financial services company Purple Capital, […]

We all know about “Tsotsi”, which won an Oscar for Best Foreign Film, and Leon Schuster’s blockbusters that people might titters at but go see anyway. We also know those movies about South Africa with foreigners trying to pass off as locals (“Cry Freedom”, “Long Road to Freedom”). But here are 12 little screen gems born and bred […]

PRETORIA – Almost as if he was trying to reignite a terrible fire, President Jacob Zuma told a room of journalists on Monday that Des van Rooyen, his short-lived choice for finance minister after he had inexplicably fired Nhlanhla Nene last year, was the best man for the job. The statement could not have been worse […]

South Africa is train-travel country. It has not only one of the world’s best luxury trains, but two – Rovos Rail (pictured above) and the Blue Train. As we reported yesterday, now there’s a third train that is almost luxury, the Shongololo Express, which has been taken over by Rovos. What’s more, all three trains offer something […]

Clearly the US ambassador in South Africa has a sense of humour, if his tweets over the past few days are anything to go by, as he has been faced with accusations by the African National Congress that the United States is fomenting regime change in South Africa. Along with a picture of Oprah Winfrey in one of her […]

Two members of the all-female rhino-saving brigade from South Africa the Black Mambas, who have been publicised around the world, have arrived in England to raise awareness and funds for their campaign. Siphiwe and Felicia are making the first visit to the United Kingdom on behalf of the Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit. They will be […]

The luxury South African train company Rovos Rail – which has long been running neck and neck with the Blue Train in pampered rail travel – has bought the “three star” Shongololo Express, a 19-coach train that has been running a select number of two-week tours across the country. For a fraction of the cost of […]

News of Tesla Motors’ entry to South Africa is coming out in dribs and drabs. This week it was announced that the company owned by South African-born billionaire Elon Musk would open its first office in Africa in Cape Town, while five new jobs were  posted on the company’s website. The entry of Tesla to South Africa was […]

The Minister of Energy Tina Joemat-Pettersson made a speech to Parliament last week that some people on social media compared to a person on an acid trip, talking about bad cheap wine, juvenile delinquents, EFF leader Julius Malema being unable to be a mother, and a cow licking a fire. But, as has been pointed out in news reports recently, […]

The cut-price African airline fastjet has just turned three years old, but already it is multiplying routes and flights, the latest being the doubling of its service between Harare and Johannesburg to 26 flights less than a month after the route’s inauguration. The new flights will start on 26 February, and will add about 1,700 seats a […]

The Mail & Guardian newspaper issued an apology on Friday over a controversial story in January saying Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane was receiving leadership classes from former president FW de Klerk, adding that the main reporter had left the DA under “acrimonious circumstances”.   The letter by editor in chief Verashni Pillay was titled “Mea Culpa. We should have known better”. […]

The National Council of SPCAs has hailed a decision by the High Court in Pretoria that protects the identity of people who provide it with information – or “tip-offs” – about animal cruelty. “The outcome is hailed as a victory for issues of principle and integrity,” the NSPCA said in a statement on Friday. “The National Council of SPCAs […]

From secret beaches to speakeasies to best views of the sunset to a party where you showcase your favourite artist, Catherine Franklin uncovers some of Cape Town’s little secrets. Whether it’s Fish Hoek, the city centre or the Northern Suburbs, they all have some great gems. Now – as they say – it’s time to get out! 1. […]

The SONA2016 debate might be over, and while there were some pretty low points, there were also some highs worth remembering. One of them was the speech of the Democratic Alliance’s Zakhele Mbhele. Only 31 years old, and the shadow minister of police, he talks the talk a lot better than parliamentarians twice his age. And […]

In a conciliatory and subdued speech before Parliament on Thursday, President Jacob Zuma said to put South Africa first and then spent most of his speech addressing the problems in the economy, education, the drought and crime. On the same day, a no-confidence debate in Zuma was scheduled for March 1. In a very quiet chamber, with few interjections – in […]