A young 22-year-old hunter is being hailed a hero for risking his own life to save nine koalas injured by the relentless fires ravaging Mallacoota in East Gippsland on the New South Wales coast of Australia. Patrick Johnson who is more accustomed to hunting animals than rescuing them, said all those he has rescued so […]

Around 480 million animals are estimated to have been killed in New South Wales (NSW) alone since the start of  bushfires which have turned parts of Australia into apocalyptic scenes with landmark buildings, schools and homes burnt to the ground, cars gutted and thousands huddled on beaches beneath blood red skies. The fires began in […]

A South African expat, now living in Spain, has posted an emotional plea for help for his wife after a tragic turn of events. Tim Beckerling, Executive Creative Director at MRM//McCann Madrid, posted his message a few hours ago saying: “THIS IS A CALL FOR HELP! PLEASE READ AND SHARE!!! My Wife, the bravest woman […]

As many South Africans prepare to hit the road on their way back from Christmas holidays, South African Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has urged drivers to remain vigilant on the road as the festive season draws to a close. The Minister’s call comes after seven people lost their lives, while 15 others sustained moderate to […]

A fire at Tokelo High School in Evaton – which was deliberately caused by “mindless thugs” – has led to the destruction of learner material worth an estimated R4 million, said the Gauteng Education Department. Four information and communications technology (ICT) classrooms on the first floor of a block of eight classes burnt down in Thursday’s […]

A Turkish Airline’s Airbus, Flight TK45, from Cape Town, South Africa, to Istanbul, Turkey, was declared an emergency at 19h45 on Thursday evening after its landing gear would not retract. According to an aviation guru who was tracking the flight, the Airbus A330-343 did patterns around Cape Town, burning fuel, before the decision was made […]

The South African government says it is working to alleviate the impact of the ongoing drought in pockets of the country. In a statement, the Department of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation said it is working with the affected provinces, municipalities, other national departments as well as the private sector. A number of initiatives are […]

It’s “bedlam” in parts of Australia as fires continue to rage and officials expect conditions to worsen on Saturday. Mass evacuations are currently underway, and 17 people are already unaccounted for. On the New South Wales (NSW) South Coast, tens of thousands of tourists have been ordered to leave the area before it’s too late […]

New Year revellers sending Chinese lanterns into the sky to celebrate the New Year are suspected to be to blame for the fire at a zoo in Western Germany which killed more than 30 animals. German police say the lanterns may have triggered the fire which killed orangutans, gorillas, a chimpanzee, monkeys, bats and birds […]

New Year’s Eve celebrations in Johannesburg, South Africa, turned to tragedy last night after a shocking drive-by shooting in Melville left three dead and at least five injured. The South African Police Service (SAPS) has launched a manhunt for the suspects who were driving a black BMW SUV. The (unknown number of) suspects drove past […]

The City of Ekurhuleni has confirmed in the past hour that the Ekurhuleni Disaster Management Services team has managed to extinguish the pipeline fire that caused havoc today in Alberton, South Africa. Residents in about 40 homes, living near the pipeline had to be evacuated as a precautionary measure. Ekurhuleni said it was “glad that […]

With hours to go until New Year’s Eve celebrations get underway, the South African Police Service (SAPS) is urging the SA public to use firecrackers responsibly and has shared some essential safety tips. Fireworks must be used “cautiously and in compliance with regulations to avoid injuries,” said North West police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone. The […]

About 6,500 people are taking shelter on beaches along the coast in Victoria as fires continue to rage, according to ABC News’ latest figure at 08h30 SA time. The worst hit coastal town on Tuesday morning was Mallacoota where about 4,000 people – several with lifejackets – were ready to flee into the ocean. Fortunately […]

The world’s oldest free-ranging black rhino – Fausta – has sadly died at the age of 57 in the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania… from suspected natural causes. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority said in a media statement that the eastern black rhino (Diceros birconis michaelli) cow died on Friday evening, 27 December, at 20h29. “Records show […]

The Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal has today called for an urgent investigation into an incident at the Phoenix Community Health Clinic (Phoenix CHC) involving Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS), which saw injured patients forced to wait for up to five hours before being transferred to hospital for treatment. The incident took place on Thursday night […]

SA Women Fight Back is calling on South Africans to please sign a No Bail Petition for the suspect in the brutal murder of a teenager from George High School. Allishandre Floors – known to friends as Shandre – was raped and murdered just a few days before Christmas. The suspect is allegedly a family […]

Donovan Le Cok, who witnessed and filmed the ‘scuffle’ between top South African cyclist Nicholas Dlamini (whose arm was broken in the incident) and a SANParks official on Friday morning in the Silvermine section of Table Mountain, has released the following official statement. Le Cok, who works for luxury tour operator Giltedge Africa, said: “I […]

South Africa’s Police Minister, General Bheki Cele, will this morning at 08h00 be attending the funeral of a five-year-old boy whose life has tragically been cut short this Christmas by a stray bullet in the Cape Flats, Western Cape. The little boy – Valentino Christiano Grootetjie – was struck in the head by a stray […]

Gauteng police are investigating a murder incident following the gruesome discovery of seven bodies, found dumped on the Putfontein off-ramp next to the N12 highway in Benoni, South Africa… near to where a young couple were killed in May this year. The South African Police Service (SAPS) said in a statement on Friday that the […]

It has been confirmed that well known South African cyclist (and Laureus Sports award nominee) Nicholas Dlamini has sustained a broken arm after being stopped by SANParks officials in the Silvermine section of Table Mountain National Park on Friday morning. South Africans and potential tourists around the world were horrified on Friday when a video […]

The “arrogance” of the Gupta family, who have been implicated in ‘state capture’ in South Africa, “has no bounds”, says the Democratic Alliance (DA)… as the family has applied to have their South Africans passports renewed while living in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Guptas fled South Africa in February 2018 as evidence of their […]

An East London man is counting his Christmas blessings today after a run in with a shark on Boxing Day at Nahoon Beach in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Roger Swinney, a local teacher who is originally from KwaZulu-Natal, according to his Facebook profile, was out paddling early yesterday morning at around 06h00, when […]

In this time of peace and goodwill the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has let the nation down as criminals were able to stroll into the Littleton Military Base, and walk off with at least 19 R4 automatic rifles, manufactured for extreme warfare, says Kobus Marais – DA Shadow Minister of Defence and Military Veterans. […]

South Africa has seen a 30% reduction in road fatalities since the start of the festive season, says Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula. Although that is definitely a step in the right direction, it still means 589 people tragically died on South African roads between 1 and 22 December 2019. The Minister credited increased law enforcement […]

The South African Police Service (SAPS) and Missing Children South Africa (CMSA) have warned parents to be vigilant over the holiday season, and make sure their children are always in sight. SAPS has also issued Safety Tips (see bottom of page). These cautions come after a two-year-old child was snatched in broad daylight at a […]