A 34-year-old New Zealand citizen discovered – while applying for the newly required visa to visit South Africa on holiday – that she has been South African all along without realising it! Her South African expat mother, Cheryl Jury, has shared her story with SAPeople in the hope it can enlighten other South African families who may […]

It seems, for some of us, that the older we get the more inclined we are to be reckless. Who but the very bravest of long-distance drinkers, big-bike riders and hardened shoppers would take on the awesome pubs and padstalle of Route 62 in the Western Cape? Who but the youngest and silliest of us […]

Here’s a little eye candy to start the day… along with some soothing sounds of the ocean. Michelle Mengel filmed this video yesterday morning from Gordon’s Bay rock pools in the Western Cape, South Africa… before climbing aboard the MSC Sinfonia to set sail for Durban. The harbour town – also known as Gordonsbaai – […]

There has been chaos and confusion for many South Africans living in New Zealand who have booked trips home this year… but now need a visa for their Kiwi spouse or children (or even for themselves where they’ve become a New Zealand citizen). As of last week (starting Monday 16 January 2017) New Zealand passport holders […]

PRETORIA – Over 5.5 million people (5,504,022 to be exact) travelled across South Africa’s borders between 9 December 2016 and 14 January 2017, says Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba. This marks an increase of 200,467 movements, or 3.78 percent, at the ports of entry nationally when compared to the 5,303,555 recorded during the same period […]

South Africans are the proud holders of the third most powerful passport in Africa… which gives them visa-free access to 90 countries around the globe, according to the 2017 global ranking report by Passport Index. Only the Seychelles with 125 visa-free countries, and Mauritius with 118 were positioned higher. Meanwhile citizens of Somalia have the worst passport […]

Standing on a rock on the slopes of Sir Lowry’s Pass in the Western Cape of South Africa, overlooking the ocean and Somerset West’s skyline, surrounded by untamed landscape – this is where Dutch entrepreneur Henk Maris stood 12 years ago and had a vision for this place, Bezweni Lodge – “If this is heaven…” Maris is […]

Yes, I am inherently a racist… I’ve been travelling outside of South Africa since 2011 and since then I’ve learnt a lot about the topic, not just from my point of view but from others too, writes REZEEN DANIELS. Let’s start with the term ‘coloured’. I’ve come to hate this term and have openly shared […]

We were having a late lunch at Montego Resort in Xai-Xai, Mozambique, when the manager turned to us and asked: “Have you been to the haunted hotel?” I could see the mix of excitement and hesitation in the eyes of every person on our team. Who doesn’t like a good ghost story… and to have the […]

The number of tourists to South Africa has increased in the past year, and Germany has knocked the UK off the number one spot of the country whose tourists visit SA the most, according to the latest Tourism and Migration report by Statistics SA (Stats SA). The Big 5 are: Germany, UK, USA, France and The […]

Bloemfontein, situated in the middle of the bucolic countryside of the Free State in South Africa, was originally a British outpost in an area of turbulent warfare. The history of Bloemfontein is inexorably linked to the complex history of the now-named Free State province of Africa. And the history of the Free State in the […]

LONDON – British Airways (BA) has announced that trade union Unite intends to hold industrial action involving one of BA’s five cabin crew fleets on Christmas Day (December 25) and Boxing Day (December 26). BA said: “We are appalled that Unite proposes to disrupt customers’ travel plans on such special days when so many families […]

PRETORIA – Tourism remains key to South Africa’s economic development strategy and the substantial growth in tourist arrivals is testament to how dedication to marketing ‘Destination SA’ is paying off. Tourist arrival figures have gone up by 14.8% this year compared to the same period in 2015, Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa said on Tuesday. The […]

PRETORIA – Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba on Tuesday announced that South Africa has decided to reciprocate by withdrawing the visa exemption which New Zealand passport holders enjoy. This reciprocation – or retaliation? – is in response to New Zealand’s withdrawal of visa free travel arrangements for South African passport holders. And while New Zealand […]

PRETORIA – As of today, 100% of the workstations at OR Tambo International Airport will be used during peak hours over the festive season, as Home Affairs announces it’s deployed an additional 92 staff members for the airport over this busy period, to keep the flow of travellers moving as smoothly as possible. The additional staff […]

Following the awesome Mini Cape Town drone video, LUKE BELL and friend HLONI COLEMAN have made a second in the series: Mini South Africa… and it’s one of the best videos showcasing SA that you’ll ever see. It covers everything from major towns around the country to townships, from safaris to the sea, andfrom rugby stadiums to […]

PRETORIA – Home Affairs said at a meeting today that it is necessary to take fingerprints of all tourists or travellers visiting South Africa; and re-stressed the importance of all children to travel with the right documents. Home Affairs Director General Mkhuseli Apleni said Wednesday that this helps to identify the person, especially when a crime has been […]

It’s that time of year again, the Christmas hols. Time to bundle the family (or just yourself) up and head for Hermanus or Hartebeespoort Dam or, if you have the money, the ski slopes of Switzerland. Whatever destination it is, it usually entails a bit – or lots – of travelling. In days gone by […]

Towards the end of each year hundreds of thousands of people escape dark, cold, rainy winters in Europe and North America for a break in sunny South Africa. Many are drawn by the country’s wide array of outdoor attractions: nature reserves, beaches and adventure activities like skydiving and water sports. All of these are reliant […]

Unaccompanied minors travelling from France will be obliged to travel with written authorisation from 15 January 2017, in a move similar to that introduced by South Africa last year. The decree stipulates that all unaccompanied minors (under 18) travelling from France must have written permission to leave the country signed by one of their parents, or by […]

If Cape Town could take its own selfie – this would be it. The ultimate selfie… taken with a drone. In fact it’s a series of selfies taken from different fabulous locations around Cape Town. The video was filmed by photographers, students and friends Luke Bell and Hloniphizwe Coleman; and features lots of well known faces from the local […]

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s Tsogo Sun Holdings Ltd plans to buy more hotels in the United Kingdom where it is performing well and weakness in the pound has made assets much more affordable, it said on Wednesday, after reporting flat half-year profit. Africa’s biggest hotels and gambling operator, which also has interests in Nigeria, […]

A Cape Town time-lapse artist has captured some breathtaking footage around South Africa from township scenes to larni shopping centres, cool spots and hot spots, starry skies to ocean vistas from Cape Town to Durban and up to Joburg. Watch below. Namibian-born Rory Allen has released A Lapse In Time: Volume III, an awe-inducing compilation […]

According to South Africa’s Suzelle DIY, these are the top fun things to do in Sydney, Australia: Drink coffee. Everywhere you go you’ll find good coffee because it’s “coffee culture”. Eats bananas. They love their bananas and you’ll get lots of banana bread. Exercise. You have to keep up with the people in Sydney, in […]

Welcome to Africa’s most beautiful garden – Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, in the Western Cape. As can be seen from these magnificent photos, taken by ALAN RUDNICKI a few days ago, the grounds in South Africa’s most famous garden are currently alive with a fiery and spectacular display of King Proteas and Pincushion Proteas in […]