South African comedian Trevor Noah has responded to the French government’s criticism of his Africa joke, which he cracked after France won the World Cup. Speaking on ‘Between the Scenes’ – the segments he films between recording ‘The Daily Show’ – Trevor said: “The French ambassador to the U.S. Gérard Araud didn’t like that I […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa will tighten its mine safety regulations to hold mine operators accountable for accidental deaths in the industry, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday. Safety is a huge issue in South Africa’s deep and dangerous mines and increasingly a focus for investors. A spate of deaths at Sibanye-Stillwater’s gold operations, including a seismic event that killed seven […]

GABORONE – Botswana, home to the world’s largest elephant population, may lift a ban on hunting for sport in the face of what the government says is growing conflict between humans and wildlife, a move sure to provoke protest from animal welfare groups. Conservationists estimate the land-locked southern African country to have around 130,000 elephants, […]

As former American President Barack Obama prepares for his trip to Africa this week, he has revealed his choice of top Africa-centric books. Obama, who will deliver a speech in South Africa to mark the 100th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s birth, is travelling to Africa for the first time since his Presidency. In a post […]

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to visit South Africa for a summit of BRICS countries on July 26-27, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said on Friday. The BRICS group of emerging economies comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. (Reporting by Denis Pinchuk; Writing by Maria Tsvetkova; editing by David Stamp)

NAIROBI (Reuters) – Eight black rhinos have died in Kenya while being transported by the state wildlife service between two national parks, Tourism Minister Najib Balala said on Friday in a statement. The rhinos, who are part of a critically endangered species, died at Tsavo East National Park, the Daily Nation newspaper reported. An initial […]

It’s not often you see international TV mogul Simon Cowell clapping along to the acts he judges, but this Los Angeles choir’s mesmerising rendition of Toto’s ‘Africa’ has even Cowell joining in… and giving it a standing ovation! SAPeople followers will remember Angel City Chorale’s original video of ‘Africa’ in 2013 – in which they […]

JOHANNESBURG – Barclays Africa changed its name back to Absa on Wednesday, in a rebranding aimed at underlining its South African roots as Britain’s Barclays gradually retreats from the continent. The name change comes almost a year after Barclays sold most of its controlling stake in Absa, South Africa’s third-largest lender, ending more than a […]

Hawaiian surfer Koa Smith had the ride of his life on 15 June 2018, surfing one of the world’s top waves – on the Skeleton Coast in Namibia. Koa scored EIGHT barrels on the same one wave! Watch below as his journey on the wave goes on… and on! The legendary Skeleton Bay waves are […]

KINSHASA, 29 (Reuters) – Democratic Republic of Congo’s government said on Friday that it has decided to open up parts of Virunga and Salonga National Parks, home to mountain gorillas, bonobos and other rare species, to oil drilling. Earlier proposals to allow oil exploration in the parks met fierce resistance from environmental activists, who say […]

SAMARA, Russia (Reuters) – Africa is sadly out of the World Cup as Yerry Mina’s header secured Colombia a 1-0 win over Senegal in Samara on Thursday, to clinch their safe passage to the last 16 as they finished top of Group H, while Senegal – Africa’s last hope – missed out to Japan on […]

Wikipedia mania is about to hit South Africa… in the form of the first Wikimania conference to be held in sub-Saharan Africa – in Cape Town from 18-22 July. And the key focus will be to increase regional contribution to the world’s largest free, collaboratively-built online encyclopedia. According to Wikimedia SA President, Douglas Scott, there […]

SAMARA, Russia (Reuters) – Senegal will carry the hopes of a continent into their final World Cup group game against Colombia on Thursday, but there is no added pressure in being Africa’s sole last-16 prospect, according to defender Kalidou Koulibaly. Senegal need a point in their decisive Group H encounter in Samara to guarantee a […]

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Glencore said on Tuesday that eight people were injured at its South African smelting operations in the North West province during a protest. Glencore said a security company at its Wonderkop Smelter fired rubber bullets to disperse the protestors, who were demanding employment, resulting in eight people sustaining minor injuries. (Reporting by […]

Sibanye-Stillwater mine has confirmed on Tuesday yet another death of a miner, at its Khomanani mine,  Driefontein operation in the west of Johannesburg, South Africa. The company says that according to preliminary investigations one of the miners entered a scraper path and was caught by the scraper. “This is another sad incident and all efforts […]

Meet Martha Hester Sehao, perhaps one of the last people alive from the 1800s… The 121-year-old South African woman has had seven children, of whom she has outlived three. Hailing from Ventersdorp in the North West province of SA, Martha says there’s only one secret to her long life… https://www.facebook.com/BrightVibesAfrica/videos/983504248500688/

Marvel Studios’ Black Panther director Ryan Coogler has urged African Americans to visit Africa. He says the experience for him, during the filming of the blockbuster, was “life-changing”. Coogler was speaking at the BET Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday night, where Black Panther won Best Movie (and South Africa’s Sjava won BET Viewers’ Choice for […]

HARARE (Reuters) – Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa escaped unhurt after an explosion rocked a stadium where he was addressing a political rally on Saturday, a month before the country is due to hold its presidential elections. Watch below. However, vice presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi and a minister sustained minor injuries following the blast […]

VOLGOGRAD, Russia (Reuters) – A revamped Nigeria beat Iceland 2-0 and revived their hopes of advancing in the World Cup in Russia on Friday with, striker Ahmed Musa celebrating his return to the team with two fine goals. The defeat for Iceland, appearing in their first World Cup tournament, does not kill off their dreams […]

South African National Parks (SANParks) on Tuesday announced the arrest of two field rangers suspected of being involved in rhino poaching. The two suspects were based at the Houtboschrand section and are alleged to have shot and dehorned a white rhino in May 2018. Stroop documentary filmmaker Bonné de Bod said: “This is not the […]

South Africa is a large, diverse, and incredibly beautiful region. It’s the country with the largest cities on the whole continent and several amazingly picturesque national parks. Thanks to the mix of culture and wildlife, South Africa is an ideal starting point for a romantic getaway and an introduction to African culture. If you decide […]

As former South African and ANC president, Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki, turns 76 today (18 June 2018), it seems a perfect opportunity to listen again to his mesmerising tribute to Africa, “I Am An African”. Mbeki delivered his eloquent speech poem in Cape Town on 8 May 1996, on the passing of the new Constitution of South […]

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) – Blasts killed at least 31 people in the northeast Nigerian state of Borno, two residents said on Sunday, marking the largest attack in several weeks in a part of the country blighted by the Islamist militant Boko Haram insurgency. The residents, who were among those who counted the dead, said the […]

South African Airways’ (SAA) catering arm plans to lay off 118 workers, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) said, as the struggling airline implements a turnaround strategy to restore profitability. NUMSA said it had received notice of the layoffs from the catering arm, called Air Chefs, and said it would oppose the […]

Earthquakes such as the one in which seven miners died last month in South Africa are impossible to predict and a fact of life for deep level operations there, the chief executive of the mine’s owner Sibanye-Stillwater said on Thursday. Precious metals producer Sibanye has been the object of strong criticism from unions, local media […]