South Africa cannot afford any more mistakes at the World Cup and will need to win almost all their remaining seven games if they hope to qualify for the semi-finals, former all-rounder Jacques Kallis has said. South Africa lost their tournament opener to England by 104 runs before they suffered an upset 21-run defeat against […]

Scottish racing driver David Coulthard treated a big South African crowd to three runs and doughnuts on the streets of Cape Town yesterday… as well as to the most unique rendition of the South African anthem we’ve ever heard! (Watch at bottom of page.) The noise reverberated off the walls of the Castle and Mutual […]

South African student Emilé Coetzee made her family, university and country proud last week as she was crowned the winner of Future Leaders Forum at the World Exhibition for Incentive Travel, Meetings and Events (IMEX) in Frankfurt, Germany. The North West University student beat five other international finalists to scoop the prize – a scholarship […]

CAPE TOWN – Cape Town plans to add routes to Australia and South America after last month reaching a deal with United Airlines for its first direct flight to the United States, the head of air access for South Africa’s top tourist city said. This’ll be good news for Western Cape expats in those regions, […]

Last Thursday evening Sibusiso Vumase was entertaining guests when he heard a loud knock on his front door. When he opened the door, a group of people carrying crowbars and hammers were standing outside demanding that he immediately evacuate his RDP house and find another place to live. On Friday morning Vumase was folding and […]

JOHANNESBURG – FirstRand is to become the latest South African lender to slash prices on its retail banking products, as the arrival of a host of new, cheaper rivals sparks a scramble for customers among South African banks. FirstRand’s move, announced on Thursday, to cut fees and up rewards on its current accounts from July […]

There is a lot of misinformation circling in the South African expatriate community about the amended expatriate tax law taking effect on 1 March 2020 and the process of Financial Emigration… writes Melanie Browne. We often have clients approach us where they have been subjected to scaremongering or solicited by “one-man” bands promoting their own […]

Botswana has reinstated trophy hunting after a 5-year moratorium on the practice. In the wake of evidently declining wildlife numbers, former president Ian Khama imposed the ban in early 2014. Elephant numbers had plummeted by 15% in the preceding decade. The hunting industry had been granted a total quota of between 420 and 800 elephants […]

South Africa’s central bank kept its benchmark repo rate unchanged at 6.75 % on Thursday, saying while the medium-term inflation forecast had moderated, economic growth was set to contract in the first quarter and continue to weaken. “Recent monthly inflation outcomes have remained around the mid-point of the inflation target range, in part due to […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africans were offered low-fee, digital accounts by two “traditional” banks this week in a sign of how competition from a new breed of cheaper, online-only rivals is driving change in the $30 billion market. Young, tech-savvy and cost-conscious South Africans are being targeted by low-cost, digital-only newcomers such as Discovery, ThymeBank and […]

LONDON – British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s restaurant chain went into administration on Tuesday, leaving 1,000 people without jobs as the majority of branches ceased trading immediately in the latest blow for Britain’s high street. Oliver, 43, a well-known figure in Britain and beyond for his popular TV shows and top-selling cookery books, founded his […]

With South Africans who live or work abroad facing the imminent introduction of “expat tax”, there has been a lot of scaremongering and confusion. Recently the expert tax team at Tax Consulting South Africa kindly offered to answer SAPeople members’ questions. Here you will find a selection of the questions submitted and answers by Jerry […]

Ford’s expert witness John David Loud (an American engineer) today testified in the Western Cape High Court in the judicial inquest into the death of Reshall Jimmy. According to Loud, there could have been numerous causes for the fire in the Ford Kuga in which Jimmy burned to death in 2015. Loud’s testimony will continue […]

The ever-growing number of South African expats living in Thailand are about to get a major taste of home, with a new SA-flavoured restaurant in Bangkok due to open its doors to the public within a fortnight! The restaurant – Shebeen – is billed as the first fully-fledged South African restaurant to open in Bangkok. […]

Starving, infected with various diseases and some eating their own faeces, over 25 horses have had to be put down after being in the ‘care’ of the South African Army Special Infantry Capability Unit at the SANDF’s Potchefstroom base last year. In addition to those 25, a further 22 horses rescued from the base also […]

As has been discussed over the years, Formula One definitely wants to return to Africa… but it’s not only South Africa’s Kyalami circuit that’s keen to host the race. Commercial managing director Sean Bratches said on Thursday that Kyalami and the Moroccan city of Marrakesh have expressed interest in fan festivals on their territory. Rwanda […]

Fruit and vegetable vendor Norris Phaswana started earning money from trading when he was 15. Today, Phaswana, 44, sells fruits and vegetables from his old Toyota Hilux bakkie, in Kruger Street, Louis Trichardt. He supports a wife and eight children from his business. He comes from Nzhelele, about 30 km from Louis Trichardt. The family […]

There’s welcome news for South African expats in Poland and South African retailer SPAR Group Ltd announced on Wednesday that it is in the final stages of talks to buy a controlling stake in Polish retail chain Piotr i Pawel group. Spar is seeking to boost its European operations, said Reuters. “The SPAR group has […]

PRETORIA – South Africa’s unemployment rate inched up to 27.6% in the first quarter, official data showed on Tuesday, underscoring the scale of the economic challenge faced by President Cyril Ramaphosa after his ANC party won re-election. Ramaphosa is trying to revive the South African economy after a decade of slow growth and rising joblessness. […]

Boosting South African growth and overhauling bloated power firm Eskom are post-election priorities for the African National Congress, but a reduced majority may force President Cyril Ramaphosa to compromise on those and other economic reforms. Ramaphosa took office in February 2018 with a pledge to revive a sclerotic economy and attract foreign investors. But as […]

Carte Blanche shares interesting views about why South Africans came out to vote, they also investigate unethical breeding practices of pedigree dogs and more this  Sunday 12 May, in South Africa; and available to stream from Tues 14 May for South Africans abroad in many countries. Save the Turtles A team of young marine biologists […]

“How can I cast my vote when I’m still sharing stream water with dogs and cows?” asks Zwelihle Zimu. He is one of the residents of Sweetwaters in Ebaleni in Pietermaritzburg who fetch water from a nearby stream. There are no communal taps and the water tanker comes only once a week, says Zimu. “We […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa, the world’s eighth largest wine producer, is expected to harvest its smallest amount of wine grapes in 14 years this year, as dry conditions and fluctuating weather hit output, an industry report said on Monday. The report by Vinpro, which represents 2,500 South African wine grape producers, wineries and wine-related businesses […]

South Africa, as the old tourism slogan used to boast, is a world in one country: a land made remarkable by the diversity of its people, its cultures, its landscapes, its fauna and flora… writes Gus Silber. But away from the glossy brochures, the ad campaigns, the YouTube influencer videos, the truth is a little […]

So, imagine this. Local and international stars of South Africa’s most memorable beer and cider ads walk into a bar. Sounds like the start of a joke. Instead, it’s a recipe for magic in yet another brilliant South African commercial – a witty ad for Distell’s new beverage, EDGE. Picture the scene. Savanna’s Barry Hilton […]