More than half of South Africa’s farmers are suffering depression and anxiety as SA’s farms lost R7 billion ($510 million) in potential revenue and 31,000 jobs were cut since January 2018 because of the severe drought ravaging parts of South Africa, according to a survey of farmers. The figures were released by Agri SA on […]

The impact of Kenya’s recent terrorist attack will be felt greatly by its tourism industry. Terrorism, and insecurity generally, is largely responsible for the sector’s poor performance over the last decade. Between 2011 and 2017, there were on average 60 attacks each year carried out by different groups, each varying in magnitude. Over half of […]

The world’s largest private rhino owner, John Hume has issued an urgent appeal through the Rhinos of Buffalo Dream Ranch facebook page for help, as his rhino – which make up 10% of the world’s remaining white rhinos! – face starvation due to the drought that has gripped the North West province in South Africa. […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s Eskom could be split into three separate firms under proposals from experts President Cyril Ramaphosa has hired to help revive the ailing state power company, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Reforming Eskom is vital to get South Africa’s economy firing on all cylinders. Eskom supplies more than 90 […]

A massive but simple telescope is being made from wire mesh, PVC and telephone poles. A new telescope that is being constructed in the Karoo will have one aim: to look at the cosmic dawn and find the first ever signals of the birth of the first stars in the universe. Nobody has yet detected […]

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called on Tuesday for sanctions against Zimbabwe to be lifted and said the South African government was in discussions with Harare about how best to help. He said Zimbabwe’s situation was a challenge for the whole of Africa and he planned to meet its President Emmerson Mnangagwa at a later […]

National Police Commissioner General Khehla Sitole has condemned the attack on three police officers in Nongoma, KwaZulu-Natal, on Monday morning. In a statement, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said the officers, who are members of the Nongoma Visible Policing unit, were ambushed while responding to business robberies at two filling stations. “On arrival at […]

Facebook Inc’s WhatsApp is limiting worldwide the number of times a user can forward a message to five, starting yesterday, as the popular messaging service looks to fight “misinformation and rumours”, company executives said on Monday. Previously, a WhatsApp user could forward a message to 20 individuals or groups. The limit of five is in […]

News of Jacob Zuma’s record deal with the eThekwini Municipality is making global news as Reuters reports today that the former South African president – long known for singing and dancing at political rallies – has been chosen as the voice of anti-apartheid liberation songs in a South African history project. Regardless of whether one is […]

AfriForum was victorious in the Northern Gauteng High Court on Monday against alleged illegal land invaders and the South African Police Service (SAPS). The victory follows an urgent application to force the SAPS to remove land invaders who had apparently illegally occupied land in the De Wildt area in the North West. AfriForum said in […]

Public hearings into allegations of impropriety at the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) get underway in Tshwane this morning. Announced in October 2018 by President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Judicial Commission of Inquiry is investigating allegations of impropriety following reports of poor governance and precarious investment processes. The PIC is the only investment management company in South […]

South Africa turned down a request from its southern African neighbour Zimbabwe for a $1.2 billion loan in December, a spokesman for the finance ministry said on Monday. “South Africa doesn’t have that kind of money,” National Treasury spokesman Jabulani Sikhakhane said. Zimbabwean officials were not immediately available for comment. Zimbabwe was hit by anti-government […]

South African grain and red meat farmers are bracing for hard times after dry weather conditions and an outbreak of the highly contagious foot and mouth disease suspended meat exports, officials said on Friday. Maize prices have climbed amid concerns that dry conditions in the main part of South Africa’s maize belt have delayed crop […]

PRETORIA – Saudi Arabia plans to build an oil refinery and a petrochemicals plant in South Africa as part of $10 billion of investments in the country, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih said on Friday. In comments following a meeting with South Africa’s energy minister Jeff Radebe in Pretoria, Al-Falih said Saudi oil would be […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has paid tribute to the anti-apartheid activist and journalist Hugh Lewin, describing him as a valiant soldier who fought fearlessly for human rights and justice. The acclaimed author, who was 79-years-old, passed away at his home on Wednesday. Lewin worked as a journalist at the Natal Witness, Drum Magazine and the Golden […]

French bank Societe Generale said on Friday it agreed to sell its South African unit offering custody, trustee and clearing services to South Africa-listed bank ABSA as part of a strategy to review its scope of businesses. Societe Generale did not disclose the amount of the transaction. The French bank also signed an agreement with […]

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu’s office has dismissed Angelo Agrizzi’s claim that the Minister was among the directors of Dyambu Holdings – the company that gave birth to Bosasa. “This is incorrect and false,” said spokesperson Ndivhuwo Mabaya. Agrizzi, who is the former Chief Operations Officer (COO) of Bosasa, made the claim at […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s rand fell against the dollar on Thursday after the Reserve Bank left interest rates unchanged and sounded less hawkish, citing an improved inflation outlook. Stocks closed lower, led by a slump in retailers after poor sales updates from Mr Price, Woolworths and Truworths. At 1522 GMT, the rand traded at 13.8000 […]

South Africa’s popular peri-peri chicken restaurant Nando’s may create fantastic adverts, but according to a global study by World Animal Protection (WAP), they are performing “very poorly” when it comes to taking care of their chickens. In fact, out of nine companies that were assessed, Nando’s came third to last, behind other iconic brands such […]

HARARE – Soldiers patrolled Zimbabwe city streets on Tuesday and confrontations with angry civilians threatened to boil over, as the government offered public workers more money a day after protests over a disintegrating economy turned deadly. Monday’s unrest, in which several people died, followed sharp hikes in fuel prices decreed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa. The […]

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 […]