South Africa’s captive-bred lion industry will go down in history as one of the most shameful wildlife disasters ever created by humans on earth. While it continues to spiral into an increasingly corrupt trade, it drags down with it our country’s credibility as a reputable wildlife tourism destination… writes Environmental Writer Louzel Lombard Steyn. A […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng says it is deeply concerned about the rise of farm attacks in Onderstepoort, North of Tshwane in South Africa. This follows seven incidents of farm attacks in 24 hours within a 15-kilometre radius at the Onderstepoort smallholding farms. Cases of house robbery, attempted house robbery and attempted murder have been opened […]

The South African government has emphasised its support for the national carrier, South African Airways (SAA). This comes following the publication of the carrier’s business rescue plan on 16 June 2020. “Government, as the sole shareholder of SAA, supports the business rescue plan where it results in a viable, sustainable, competitive airline that provides integrated […]

South Africa is poised to enter a new phase of normality as President Ramaphosa tonight announced the easing of restrictions on certain business industries in the country. Following discussions with industry leaders, scientists and in consultation with Premiers, the South African Cabinet has decided to ease restrictions on the following economic activities, said the President. […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the following address at the Union Buildings in Tshwane, on South Africa’s response to the coronavirus pandemic: It is now just over 100 days since the first case of coronavirus was identified in South Africa. For 100 days we have been living in the shadow of one of the greatest threats […]

In a sensational development, though long anticipated, the National Prosecuting Authority and the Hawks have arrested at least eight top people allegedly involved in the plundering of almost R2 billion from the defunct VBS Mutual Bank. The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation of the SA Police, also known as the Hawks, made the arrests early […]

The unfolding US-China power rivalry bears a striking resemblance to the tensions between the US and the Soviet bloc during the Cold War years. Back then, African countries were positioned like pawns on a grand chessboard. Their social and economic progress was hampered because they expended energy aligning themselves with either of the superpowers in the battle […]

South African legal history will be made in the Cape High Court on Tuesday where the first part of novel litigation involving a R14.25m defamation suit by mining interests against activists has been set down for hearing. The defendants argue that it is a ‘SLAPP’ suit. SLAPP is an acronym for Strategic Litigation Against Public […]

A young man in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, is making a living by carving curios from the wooden planks of discarded pallets. Inspired by his carpenter grandfather, Ulundi Mpulu started making curios. He uses discarded wooden pallets he finds in Motherwell, Port Elizabeth. He’d like to teach others to emulate his business. Ulundi Mpulu, who […]

After years of South African train stations being subjected to unsolved arson attacks and hundreds of trains being burned, the Passenger Rail Agency of SA has dismissed four senior officials over their awarding of security-related tenders. Prasa said in a statement today that this followed a disciplinary enquiry of the executives, who were in its […]

Government’s lack of transparency means analysts cannot evaluate whether a strategy is working… writes Alex van den Heever on GroundUp. The response required to address the Covid-19 pandemic in South Africa could reasonably be argued to necessitate the extraordinary step to invoke the Disaster Management Act. After all, in times of crisis, even the old Roman […]

An urgent intervention and investigation of a Durban quarantine facility is being sought by both the DA and AfriForum to resolve what the opposition party calls an “untenable situation”. About 160 to 200 South Africans are currently being quarantined in Durban hotel, Coastlands… which they claim is dirty and unsafe, and where they are allegedly […]

The rand strengthened to below R17 to the US dollar today, for the first time in almost 11 weeks, after suffering record lows in April, when it went over R19. It was trading at about R16.91 late in the day. The currency was close to R14 to the dollar in late December, and was in […]

South Africa’s government is proud that its response to Covid-19 relies on science. It might be prouder if it was also guided by knowledge of how society works. When South Africa’s Covid-19 lockdown began on 27 March, opposition from some quarters was inevitable. What was not expected was that the most vehement resistance would be […]

In six months’ time the world’s gaze will be trained on what is gearing up to be a contentious and hotly contested presidential election in the US. Irrespective of who emerges victorious between the incumbent President Donald Trump and the Democratic nominee, Joe Biden, South Africa needs to start thinking about what it stands to […]

Although liquor sales are allowed from today, the two-month ban on the sale of alcohol, combined with a ban on exports, has had a devastating impact on the wine industry. According to figures released by Vinpro last week, about 80 wineries and 350 producers have gone out of business, and 18,000 workers have lost their […]

It has been 9 weeks since the ban on the purchase of alcohol was announced in South Africa as part of Lockdown regulations. Filmmaker and photographer Martin de Kock from MDKafrica was on the scene Monday morning to capture these photos of the long queues of South Africans as bottle stores re-opened for the first […]

A business rescue plan for South Africa Airways was leaked to the media before it could be commented on by stakeholders, such as the government and the airline’s creditors, according to the business rescue practitioners Siviwe Dongwana and Les Matuson. Reports in the media earlier today said the “leaked” report put forward a plan that […]

There is intense pressure on the South African government to lift the lockdown and open the economy. Sustainably lifting out of the lockdown is critical. But there is no roadmap. The stakes are high and there are no right answers, just ones that juggle uncertain probabilities. Diminishing growth over the past decade has weakened industry […]

Thousands of South Africans arrested for minor infringements of lockdown rules, and forced to pay admission of guilt fines (to stay out of jail), have now earned themselves criminal records. According to current affairs show, Carte Blanche, these people were going about lawful essential tasks of buying food, prepaid electricity and fetching their children. They […]

As a philanthropist rather than a psychologist I know more about people helping each other than I know about why they do it. What I know at the moment is that we’re seeing much more in the way of actual help for those affected by coronavirus than I’ve seen for any other cause, anywhere in […]

Dudu Myeni, who was chairman of the board of South African Airways for five years from 2012 and “made headline news for the wrong reasons,” has been declared a delinquent director and will not be allowed to hold directorships of other companies. Judgment was handed down in the Pretoria High Court today in favour of […]

South Africa is currently one of the world’s largest carbon emitters. And it’s increasingly being viewed as a pariah that isn’t contributing as much as it could to the international fight against global warming and climate change. With a lot of other countries now moving away from fossil fuel-based electricity, there’s considerable pressure for South […]

As the continent marks the 57th Africa Day, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, President Cyril Ramaphosa – as African Union Chair – will lead the continent’s celebrations, which include a special virtual broadcast and the Africa Day Solidarity Concert for the COVID-19 Response Fund. Africa Day is celebrated on 25 May 2020 and marks the establishment of […]

US President Donald Trump is donating his salary for this quarter to the US Health Department for COVID-19 research. White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, announced the news at a press conference on Friday. McEnany said: “The President, as you are all well aware, donates his salary to various initiatives… across the Federal Government, and […]