The spire of Paris’ iconic Notre-Dame collapsed Monday evening, quickly followed by the entire roof, as a fast-moving fire has torn through the 850-year-old cathedral, devastating France’s famous landmark as large segments of the roof have gone up in flames. One witness told Reuters: “Basically the whole rooftop is gone. I see no hope for […]

JOHANNESBURG – South African police have intercepted 167 rhino horns believed to be destined for Southeast Asia, in one of the biggest such hauls ever in the country. Two suspects, aged 57 and 61, were arrested with the horns on Saturday, police said on Sunday. They had been tipped off about the suspects’ vehicle. “The […]

A farmer’s wife was recovering in hospital today after her husband was murdered yesterday on plot 24 Roodepoort in Bela Bela, Limpopo. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has again called on the South African government to reintroduce specialised units to help prevent crimes such as rural farm attacks. DA Limpopo leader Jacques Smalle said in a […]

Johanna Ditsela lives in Alexandra within sight of the gleaming skyscrapers of South Africa’s main financial district, Sandton, but has existed in squalor for 30 years. Unemployed and in her 50s, she picks her way along a stream full of sewage, dead rats and empty beer bottles to reach the cramped concrete and corrugated iron […]

A Paddle Cruiser, operated by The Featherbed Co., partially capsized at the company’s ferry terminus in Knysna, South Africa, early on Friday morning. The Featherbed Co. said in a statement that the left side of the vessel is lying under water “and is resting on the Estuary floor”. Fortunately nobody was on board so no […]

SINGAPORE – Singapore intercepted a second shipping container packed full of pangolin scales destined for Vietnam in less than a week, authorities said on Wednesday, a combined haul that set a new record for the global transit hub, and has conservationists worried that the most trafficked animal in the world is hurtling towards extinction. The […]

The Red Ants have demolished the first structures of a new land occupation near the N2 close to Reddam House school. On Monday, GroundUp reported that people had started marking out plots. On Tuesday evening, the first shacks were built. On Wednesday morning at about 8am, the Red Ants arrived with armed security to demolish seven […]

Violent protestors are blocking the N2 between Somerset West and Cape Town, as they carry out a “land grab” on a private piece of property, opposite a school in the area. As reported by SAPeople, the illegal land invasion began last Tuesday when people began knocking posts into the land to stake their claim on […]

Barney Mthombothi, former editor of the Financial Mail in South Africa, tweeted on Wednesday: “We’re waking up to a different country this morning. Something awful happened last night. Prompt and decisive action, not words, is required. In a word, leadership #GangsterState.” What happened is that a group of protesters, many wearing ANC gear, disrupted a […]

New Yorkers have been warned by doctors at the Nassau University Medical Center to take caution against a drug-resistant, sometimes fatal superbug fungus that has infected hundreds of people in the tri-state area and nationwide. It’s believed that many cases in New York may have links to hospitals in a handful of countries including South […]

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama was admitted to a New Delhi hospital on Tuesday with chest infection, an aide said, adding that the 83-year-old Buddhist monk was stable.   The Dalai Lama, who shares a close friendship with South Africa’s Archbishop Desmond Tutu and with whom he co-wrote ‘The Book of Joy’, was flown […]

Parents of children at a school in the Western Cape, South Africa, have been shocked to discover that an illegal land grab is apparently taking place across the road from their children’s school. The land grab is happening on the N2, in Somerset West, next to Gordon’s Bay. A mother, whose son is a learner […]

Newspaper reports in South Africa over the weekend claim that there is evidence that former President Jacob Zuma has been hiding millions of missing dollars -belonging to the late Libyan dictator, Muammar Gaddafi – at his residence at Nkandla; and that he has now moved the money to the Kingdom of eSwatini (formerly Swaziland). Reports […]

A group of Alexandra protesters has marched to the municipality regional offices in Sandton, in South Africa, where they are demanding to submit their memorandum to Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba. #AlexShutdown leader Sandile Mavundla says if the Mayor doesn’t come out to take their memorandum, they will sleep at the regional offices until he does. […]

Condolences have poured in for the family and friends of two competitors in the Ironman African Championships who lost their lives after the swim portion of today’s race in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Ironman South Africa announced on their Facebook page on Sunday afternoon: It is with great sadness that we confirm the death of […]

An American woman and her driver are still missing after having been kidnapped at Uganda’s most popular wildlife park by four gunmen demanding a ransom of $500,000, according to local police. (UPDATE: American tourist and driver, kidnapped in Uganda, rescued!) Businesswoman and beautician Kimberley Sue Endecott, 35, and Ugandan driver Jean Paul were on a […]

Kruger National Park (KNP) rangers have helped a family reach  closure in South Africa by recovering the remains of their relative, a suspected poacher who was killed by an elephant and then allegedly eaten by a pride of lions. With the help of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Komatipoort and Skukuza, the rangers […]

DA Gauteng Premier Candidate Solly Msimanga has issued an invitation for President Cyril Ramaphosa, Gauteng Premier David Makhura and former Johannesburg Mayor Parks Tau to join him and current Joburg Mayor Herman Mashaba at a townhall meeting to address the residents of Alexandra on Thursday 18 April 2019. Following the burning and riots in Alex […]

HONG KONG – Hong Kong authorities said they seized 82.5 kilograms of rhino horn and cut pieces worth $2.10 million, the biggest haul in five years, as the Chinese controlled territory tries to tackle growing trafficking in endangered species. The move comes after seizures by Hong Kong earlier this year of 40 kilograms of rhino […]

At the Home Affairs offices in Pietermaritzburg, you can get to the front of the queue if you pay R300. “We stand for you in the queue and you have to pay us R300,” GroundUp was told by a woman who was part of a group sitting on the side of the road outside the […]

It was flying musical chairs at an SABC-hosted elections debate in Hout Bay, South Africa, on Friday morning as supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Land Party and Black First Land First (BLF) got into a heated debate, apparently over proposed land reforms. Referring to the “horrific scenes” of chairs and other objects being […]

Thousands of residents of Alexandra in Johannesburg shut down the township on Wednesday morning, demanding that Mayor Herman Mashaba address them on solutions to problems with overcrowding, water and electricity. Residents started blockading streets in Alexandra with burning tyres and garbage at about 5am. Protesters marched down London road, moving towards the N3 highway, and […]

Police in South Africa have confirmed that an arrest has been made after a video depicting the assault of a child at a crèche went viral on social media. In the video, a woman assaults a minor while hurling expletives at the child. The video, which went viral on social media last Thursday, caused an […]

While the South African government says it is doing all it can to keep the lights on, and admitting that “only” Stage 1 load shedding is anticipated for the busier winter season, Australians have freaked out over just an hour of power cuts tonight and demanded better service. South African expat Stephen Kramer, who now […]

Julius Malema’s firing of what looked like an assault rifle at the EFF’s five-year anniversary in July 2018, has set off imitators around South Africa, threatening public safety, claims civil rights organisation AfriForum. AfriForum cited three subsequent incidents involving firing shots in the air, all of which occurred in March 2019. In one, the owner […]