There’s hope for South Africa’s wildlife as the country cracks down on illegal practices concerning both lions and rhino. Earlier this week in Ladybrand, Free State Professional Hunter, taxidermist and Hunters Safari owner, Deon Cilliers, pleaded guilty to 45 counts of contravening the Biodiversity and Conservation Acts. According to Blood Lions (documentary makers which raised […]

South African police have seized documents from the offices of mobile phone operator MTN Group after Turkey’s Turkcell launched a lawsuit over a disputed Iran licence, MTN said on Tuesday. Turkcell alleges that the South African mobile company used bribery and wrongful influence to win a lucrative Iran license originally awarded to Turkcell. MTN rejects […]

There is something really disturbing about the murder of women in South Africa. Some are calling it the murder of “light-skinned” women. It seems like the brutal killing of women by their intimate partners is almost becoming routine. In the past weeks, it has been made clear by so many people on social media, in […]

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that the ‘Spiderman hero’ from Africa, Mamoudou Gassama – who scaled a building in Paris to save a young boy, hanging precariously from a fourth-floor balcony – will be given residence papers for his selfless, heroic deed. Gassama, an illegal immigrant from West African country Mali, climbed the facade […]

Professor Thuli Madonsela is known for her gentle kindness, her daily words of inspiration on Twitter, and her mature handling of the State Capture Report, which she compiled during her time as South Africa’s Public Protector. But this weekend she surprised her followers with something not quite her usual style. Madonsela posted an image, with […]

The fab team at BrightVibes Africa have put together this awesome video to remind us of all the amazing things about Africa that make it so spectacular! Plus – to celebrate on this Africa Day – watch Thabo Mbeki’s moving ‘I am an African’ speech… WATCH Celebrating Africa’s Beauty on Africa Day https://www.facebook.com/BrightVibesAfrica/videos/962046253979821/ Nine Interesting […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa is leading South Africans in celebrating Africa Day today, a day which is celebrated annually on 25 May on the African continent. Africa Day marks the creation of the organisation of African Unity on 25 May 1963, and of the African Union in 2002. It celebrates the growth and the union of […]

This has been an interesting year in finance so far where South Africa is concerned. Back in February, President Cyril Ramaphosa made an address to the nation that promised a drive for foreign investment in South Africa, which he was confident would help reignite confidence in the South African economy and help spur significant growth. […]

The Department of Arts and Culture announced Friday that South African Jazz legendary musician, Phillip Tabane, has passed away at the age of 84. The musician died at Mamelodi Hospital in Pretoria on Friday morning. Tabane was born in Pretoria and formed a group called The Malombo Jazz Men. During his career he was well known for […]

An elephant calf that has been in the care of the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (HESC) in South Africa for the past 16 months, has been successfully introduced to the resident Jabulani herd. The introduction took place in early April 2018, and the great news is that the calf will remain with the herd going forward! In November […]

Twenty people are reported dead, and at least 39 have been hospitalised after a dam in Kenya broke its banks last night, following heavy rain in the area. According to reports, the breach – which occurred in Solai, about 190km north-west of Nairobi – caused “huge destruction”, flooding nearby villages. Homes were swept away leaving […]

On the south east coast of South Africa, along the Elephant Coast, there is a campground called Mabibi. It is the ideal escape, hours from civilisation, across the semi-tropical coastline… writes Annie DuPre-Reynolds. Disclaimer: if you dislike finding sand in your clothing for weeks to come, stay away. Mabibi is not glamping. It is rugged, wild and […]

Local Lesotho farmers, who have produced the southern African country’s first wine, are urging people around the world to please share their video so that their wine can reach Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in time for their wedding on 19 May 2018. The Thamae family, producers of Sani Wines – have a unique present […]

Twenty-four years into democracy and we still have people who live fearful because of what skin colour they were born with. Rituals and spiritual philosophies about albinism have led to brutal murders, especially of children. This is despite the campaigns initiated around South Africa to curb the attacks on people with albinism. It is no […]

Kenyan wildlife conservationist Daphne Sheldrick, famous for saving orphaned elephants, has sadly passed away at the age of 83, after a long battle with breast cancer. Daphne – who founded the famous David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT) in 1977, which she named after her late husband – died Thursday evening, 12 April 2018, according to […]

The headline on the Zimbabwe Herald could not have made it clearer: “Police tighten noose on Grace Mugabe.” The newspaper, for 37 years the mouthpiece of Robert Mugabe’s government, is now the voice of the new president, Emmerson Mnangagwa. He replaced Mugabe when the long-time leader was deposed in late 2017. Over the last couple […]

China’s decision to suspend presidential term limits is still reverberating around the world. The announcement, made after a vote by China’s parliament in March, prompted some commentators to draw comparisons with “third termism” in Africa, when leaders flout democratic conventions to stay in power as long as possible. These concerns certainly resonate on a continent where leaders […]

Many South Africans leave South Africa unaware of their future plans. Perhaps they are going overseas on a year-long expat assignment, or they could be simply travelling and working their way around the globe. As they become more settled in a new country, their thoughts often turn to staying there for the long term, which […]

Former Zimbabwe First Lady, Grace Mugabe, is allegedly under investigation for running an ivory poaching syndicate, which also smuggled gold and diamonds out of Zimbabwe, according to the UK’s Telegraph. In an exclusive interview with Australian photo-journalist Adrian Steirn (whom many will remember for his incredible series of photos of the Pangolin Men, and of […]

The world has been shattered by the death of the last male northern white rhino, Sudan… but none more so that one of his close companions, Warden James Mwenda. After Sudan’s death earlier this week at Olpejeta Conservancy in Kenya, James wrote a tribute that has been shared thousands of times. “Good bye Sudan, I […]

Most South African expats do it. And most of them have been caught at it at least once… including one of SA’s most famous expats, Hollywood actress Charlize Theron. We’re talking about ‘praating die taal‘ in public, using Afrikaans as a ‘secret’ language when you don’t want the people around you (or your own children […]

Recently, one of my followers asked me about exploring game parks around South Africa, as a woman… writes Annie DuPre-Reynolds. I’m very independent (just ask my husband) and have gone to Pilanesberg, the Kruger and Golden Gate National Parks – to name a few – on my own in the past few years. I’ve also organised trips for girlfriends visiting from […]

The Kalahari has been drenched in beautiful showers of wet, wonderful rain. The dry and arid soil, and vegetation, has soaked up the water and transformed the barren desert into a luscious green visual feast. ‎Local resident Pieter Kotzé, who works at Kalahari Rangers farm (formerly Mc Carthy’s Rest) on the Northern Cape border with […]

Eligible South Africans have been urged by government to register to vote and update their addresses on the voters’ roll this weekend. “Government calls upon all eligible South African voters to visit their voting stations this coming weekend,” said Communications Minister Nomvula Mokonyane. The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) will on Saturday, 10 and Sunday, 11 […]

A very cute video of an orphaned chimpanzee – Mussa – snuggling the pilot who rescued him is making headlines around the world… and increasing awareness about the devastating poaching of yet another endangered species. The Belgian anti-poaching pilot, Anthony Caere, who works for Virunga National Park, said it was great teamwork between the Park […]