The city of Zhuhai – known as the ‘Chinese Riviera’ – has become the second city in mainland China to ban the consumption of dog and cat meat, and of wildlife, in what campaigners at animal charity Humane Society International (HSI) hope will be the start of a domino effect of progressive legislation across China […]

The Department of Home Affairs has outlined temporary measures that have been put in place to address immigration matters during the lockdown period. The temporary measures were introduced after President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a National State of Disaster on 15 March and subsequently a national lockdown from 27 March, extended until the end of April […]

As the world staggers under the catastrophic impact of eating a wild animal, probably a pangolin, the South African government has reclassified 130 wild animals as meat. The next pandemic could be round the corner with its epicentre at the southern tip of Africa. South Africa has embarked on a mission to commercialise and commoditise […]

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the South African Reserve Bank has suddenly decided to cut the repo rate by 100 basis points. This takes the repo rate to 4.25% per annum, the Reserve Bank said in a press statement on Tuesday. The Bank said the May 2020 meeting of the MPC was moved earlier […]

A Bloemfontein mother’s open letter to the SA president, Cyril Ramaphosa, is striking a chord with South Africans around the nation. Writing in Afrikaans, Cathy de Lange, a blogger and owner of Meringue Mama, says she knows the chance of the president reading her letter is very slim, but that the message was heavy on […]

Amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic, over 240 leading animal welfare and conservation organisations from around the world have this week called on the World Health Organisation (WHO) to publicly confirm the link between live wildlife markets and the serious threats to human health; and to also recommend that governments worldwide permanently ban live wildlife markets […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa tonight announced an extension to the current 21-day national lockdown by an extra two weeks to the end of April 2020. The President thanked South Africans for their patience and said “I have to ask you to make great sacrifices” and to continue this little bit longer to help prevent the possible […]

Whether you’re working remotely, home-schooling, or just binge-watching an old favourite to pass the time, you’re probably putting in maximum time with your devices. Chances are that you’re reading this article on a phone or tablet right now! When was the last time you gave the screen a good wipe?  Disinfecting surfaces is one of […]

Environment minister Barbara Creecy’s decision to allow vastly expanded West Coast beach mining in South Africa has prompted sharp criticism from environmentalists, reports John Yeld for GroundUp. Appointed at the end of May last year, Creecy, minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, was seen as a new broom, particularly after making a number of […]

Lwazi Sithole has lived on the streets of Durban for over eight years, but since the national lockdown to disrupt the spread of Covid-19, the 28-year-old has moved to the Denis Hurley Centre, and has started to rethink his life… writes Nokulunga Majola. “I had forgotten what life is like off the streets. Here at the […]

As rating agency Fitch announced its decision to downgrade South Africa from ‘BB+’ to ‘BB’, placing the country further into non-investment grade, the SA government has emphasised its commitment to implement structural economic reforms. In a statement on Friday, government said it has noted the decision by the agency. In its decision, Fitch cited the […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is calling for an end to “arbitrary limitations” on what can be sold in stores that are open in South Africa during the lockdown. The confusion around what are considered “essential items” in grocery stores, pharmacies and the like, is unhelpful and should be ended, says the DA. “I will write […]

This Sunday, Carte Blanche investigates how hundreds of desperate South Africans stuck abroad on almost every continent are dealing with this crisis. You can watch the show on Sunday 5 April in South Africa on DStv Now or stream it overseas in most countries abroad from Tues 7 April on Showmax International. C O V […]

One of the world’s leading news broadcasters, the BBC, has praised South Africa for its “ruthless efficiency” in fighting the coronavirus, and for its “formidable leadership”. “South Africa seems to have acted faster, more efficiently, and more ruthlessly than many other countries around the world,” says the BBC, stating that more than 47,000 have been […]

The Duduza Clinic near Nigel in Ekurhuleni, South Africa, has been shut indefinitely today – Thursday 2 April – following a resident nurse testing positive for Covid-19.  The infected nurse was reportedly among the 859 churchgoers whom attended a prayer meeting – the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast – at the Divine Restoration Ministries in Bloemfontein, earlier […]

South African photojournalist Tom Brown, who is usually based between India and South Africa, ventured out into Tshwane on Wednesday to bring SAPeople readers a snapshot of the city under lockdown. (Tom is an accredited photographer with permission to carry out this assignment during lockdown.) Pick n’ Pay are putting up perspex screens to safeguard […]

As South Africa enters Day 7 of a nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, Eskom has announced that it will double maintenance work at its plants. “With the COVID-19 national lockdown in full effect, Eskom has experienced a significant reduction in demand for electricity. “Electricity usage has dropped by between 7 500MW and 9 000MW since the lockdown […]

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has rescinded the directions allowing 100% loading capacity for taxis with immediate effect. The decision follows concerns raised about the 100% loading capacity and the utilisation of masks as a mitigation measure. “The public was without comfort with these measures and urged that we reconsider. After our announcement of catering for […]

It is a fact that 70% of cars in South Africa are not insured (see AA’s research below); and for this reason, the Government is working on a plan that makes third-party car insurance mandatory in South Africa. Uninsured car problems affect both motorists and pedestrians. If an accident is carried out by a person […]

The petrol price in South Africa will come down by between R1.88 and R1.76 a litre inland in South Africa… although as some are saying “The drop in petrol price during the Lockdown is like a bald man winning a hairbrush” ? The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has announced a R1.88 cent decrease in […]

The Finance Minister Tito Mboweni has announced exceptional tax measures from 1 April to counter the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, including a tax subsidy to certain employers and the easement of some tax payments. The Ministry of Finance said in a statement that there was a critical need for government interventions to assist with […]

Tonight Carte Blanche visits Bloemfontein Zoo where animals were left starving after the zoo was closed down a few months ago. Some even died. Fortunately it was announced in the last week that most have now been relocated to ethical facilities. The current affairs show also investigates how COVID-19 will affect the economy here in […]

South Africa has been downgraded to subinvestment (Ba1) status by Moody’s, on the same day the country went into a 21-day lockdown. That means the country is now rated junk by the big three ratings agencies, Moody’s, S&P and Fitch. The other two agencies downgraded South Africa in 2017 already. “The South African government faces […]

Now more than ever, South Africans (and people around the globe) need to look after each other. But sadly Pick ‘n Pay says some shoppers are still stockpiling unnecessarily, leaving empty shelves for others in need, and creating panic. Therefore the supermarket chain has produced this video with some of SA’s top musicians reminding locals […]

At the stroke of midnight on Thursday, South Africa will go on a nationwide lock-down with the exception of essential services. President Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement on Monday evening, following a meeting on Sunday with the National Coronavirus Command Council. The lockdown is the South African government’s bid to contain and slow down the […]