Brand South Africa says it has noted the areas of concern expressed in the World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects report, which indicates that South Africa’s real GDP growth will expand by 1.3% in 2019. “While the South African GDP outlook has seen a downward revision, this happens in a global context where the World Bank […]

The Mdzananda Animal Clinic is hosting its second Downward-Facing-Adopt-A-Dog yoga event this coming Saturday the 19th of January. Yoga lovers and dog lovers alike are invited to join this one of a kind yoga class with homeless dogs. The class will be held in the beautiful outdoor setting of De Waal Park under the shady trees. […]

South Africa has been recognised as a leading player in the space science sector. The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) has been selected by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to become the designated regional provider of space weather information to the entire aviation sector using African airspace! This means that every aircraft flying […]

As South Africa heads for the polls in a few months time in its sixth democratic election, political party electioneering has begun in earnest. President Cyril Ramaphosa kick started the governing African National Congress’s (ANC’s) election campaign in his January 8th Statement celebrating 107 years since the birth of the liberation movement. This campaign continued […]

Coming Up on Carte Blanche this week on Sunday 13 Jan in South Africa, and available to stream from Tues 15 Jan for South Africans abroad. (14-day Free Trial). Eskom Lights Out Amid debts of R480-billion, coal supply constraints, hundreds of corruption charges and management instability, Eskom is now chopping jobs to save money. The power utility limps […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s Reserve Bank will leave interest rates at 6.75 percent on Jan. 17, all 27 economists polled by Reuters in the past four days said, but rising inflation means it is likely to hike them in May. May’s expected hike to 7.00 percent would follow a surprise increase by the bank two […]

JOHANNESBURG – State-run South African airline SA Express, which has seen several executives suspended over corruption allegations, hopes to break even by the end of the financial year, its spokesman said in a radio interview on Friday. He was speaking ahead of the relaunch of the airline’s flights from Cape Town to Bloemfontein, after its […]

WINDHOEK – Namibia has suspended meat imports from South Africa due to the outbreak of the highly contagious foot and mouth disease, state broadcaster, NBC, said on Wednesday. The disease, which causes lesions and lameness in cattle and sheep, was detected in a northern district of Limpopo province, South Africa’s agriculture department announced this week. […]

JOHANNESBURG – Sibanye-Stillwater said on Thursday its bullion output in 2018 would be lower than forecast after almost half of the employees down tools since mid-November in a wage strike that has killed four employees at its South African gold operations. The miner said it expected 2018 production to come in at 1.1 million ounces […]

DAKAR – Egypt will host the 2019 African Nations Cup finals, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed after a meeting of their executive committee in Dakar on Tuesday. They will stage the expanded 24-team event in June-July after initial hosts Cameroon were stripped of the tournament last month over concerns at the slow pace […]

Positive laboratory results have confirmed Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in cattle in the Vhembe District of Limpopo, South Africa, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said on Tuesday. In a statement, the department said samples were collected during a disease investigation after reports of cattle with lameness were received. The positive location is […]

Brand South Africa has welcomed South Africa’s improvement in the 2018 Index of Economic Freedom. This comes after the Heritage Foundation has ranked South African 77th out of 100 world countries in terms of economic freedom. In terms of economic freedom, the Heritage Foundation indicates that with a world rank of 77/180, South Africa is […]

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Three former Credit Suisse Group AG bankers were arrested in London on Thursday on U.S. charges that they took part in a fraud scheme involving $2 billion in loans to state-owned companies in Mozambique, a spokesman for U.S. prosecutors said. Andrew Pearse, 49; Surjan Singh, 44; and Detelina Subeva, 37 were […]

The Department of Home Affairs has announced that several of its offices across the country will operate from 7am to 7pm shift from 2 to 11 January 2019 to ensure clients are not turned away from offices during this busy period. Home Affairs normal shifts are from 8am to 3.30pm during the week. In a […]

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has confirmed the resignation of Deputy Governor Francois Groepe. Groepe tendered his resignation during December to pursue “outside opportunities”, the central bank said on Wednesday. His resignation is effective from 31 January. “The SARB wishes to thank Deputy Governor Groepe for his 14 years of service, seven served as […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s rand weakened more than one percent on Wednesday as weak Chinese manufacturing data offset hopes that a trade war between China and the United States was ending. Stocks saw their largest single-day drop since August, as risk aversion globally weighed on the local market. At 1502 GMT, the rand was 0.71 […]

A couple of months ago, as I flew along the Overberg coast I could not fail to notice a fair amount of what I suspect to be poaching activity… writes marine conservation photographer Jean Tresfon. I counted six inflatable boats, all carrying multiple divers, spare cylinders and sackfuls of what looks suspiciously like abalone. Also […]

Motorists will usher in the New Year with a little more in their pockets thanks to news today that the petrol price is set to come down in January. The Department of Energy on Friday announced that both grades of petrol 93 (ULP and LRP) and 95 (ULP and LRP) will decrease by R1.22 and R1.23 […]

Siphon suction pumps will be used to further lower the Middle Lake Dam level in Benoni after part of the dam caved in earlier this week. Local, provincial and national government worked together to establish the operation to avert the possible loss of lives and serious damage to infrastructure following the caving in of a […]

JOHANNESBURG – South African power utility Eskom will reduce its executive management to 10 from 21, it said in an internal memo seen by Reuters, part of the cash-strapped company’s efforts to reduce its wage bill. “It is crucial that we set ourselves up for the future, and I believe that the steps we’ve take […]

Coming up on South Africa’s favourite current affairs show Carte Blanche on Sunday 23 Dec in South Africa, it’s a feel-good episode filled with success stories – all available to stream from Tues 25 Dec for South Africans abroad. (14-day Free Trial): I’m Possible He continues to astound doctors and his loved ones. Grant Lottering, the ultra-endurance […]

A consortium of local and international investors have reportedly proposed a R21-billion private loan to South African Airways (SAA)… on condition that the consortium receives a 51% equity share in South Africa’s national carrier (which would effectively mean the government – which has in recent years mismanaged the airline – would have to hand over […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa on Thursday appointed a new chief executive officer to state-run arms firm Denel as the government tries to turnaround the cash-strapped company plagued by years of mismanagement. Daniel Du Toit is expected to take up the role in January, a joint statement by the ministry of public enterprises and Denel’s Board […]

PRETORIA – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has not received any request from South Africa for a financial aid programme, its managing director Christine Lagarde said on Wednesday, as the country struggles with weak economic growth and rising debt. “I am not here to discuss any kind of financial support or to negotiate any kind […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa‘s Competition Commission on Thursday recommended Shoprite’s retail unit, which houses the country’s biggest supermarket chain, be fined 10 percent of its turnover for anti-competitive behaviour. Shoprite shares fell more than 4 percent after the commission referred it to the country’s Competition Tribunal, which will ultimately decide if the commission’s charges and […]