Almost two years ago I photographed a fire that threatened St Francis Bay as well as Cape St Francis… writes Christopher Scott. People feared the inevitable, but all was saved. A close shave as some would say. Today 18th December 2018, a week before Xmas I saw a posting ‘FIRE in St Francis Bay, houses […]

Fire fighters have been battling a runaway fire that has destroyed approximately 15 houses in the seaside resort of St Francis Bay, near Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Strong gale force winds of at least 60kmh were hampering efforts, but in the past hour the Kouga Municipality has reported that the […]

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) has confirmed that Tristan-Lee Niemand and another six South Africans detained in China have been released from prison and will be deported this week. The department said in a statement the South African mission in Shanghai has informed Minister Lindiwe Sisulu that the seven South African nationals […]

The U.S. military said on Monday it had killed 62 militants in six air strikes on Saturday and Sunday in the vicinity of Gandarsh in Somalia’s south-central Banaadir province. The military’s Africa Command (Africom) said four strikes were carried out on Saturday, killing 34 militants, and two more on Sunday, which killed 28. “Africa Command […]

A manhunt has been launched in the Western Cape, South Africa, after an armed robbery on a farm in Phillipi by a gang of eight to 10 men, in which they allegedly shot the foreman in the back. He tragically succumbed to his injuries on his way to hospital. One of the suspects was also […]

JOHANNESBURG – South African retailer Edcon – owner of well known outlets like Edgars, CNA and Jet – has asked shopping mall owners to give it a two-year 41 percent reduction in rent… in exchange for a small stake in the company, as it battles to survive, according to a Sunday Times report. Citing a […]

It appears stealing is becoming a family business in South Africa with everyone from mum and dad to children getting involved. As Jingle Bells plays in SA malls, and tinsel sparkles all over, the festive shopping season is in full swing – and thieves are gearing up for the action too. Last week an exasperated Spur […]

Things are looking a little brighter at Sun City today after a monster hail storm hit yesterday afternoon, 15 December 2018, damaging large parts of the hotel – including around 200 rooms – and resulting in two people being taken to hospital. Sun City confirmed on Sunday morning that Sun Central and the Valley of Waves […]

South Africa’s famous Sun City was hit by a major hail storm on Saturday that resulted in extensive damage, and several grumpy hotel guests who didn’t feel the hotel was well equipped to handle the storm. Sun City confirmed in an official statement Saturday evening: A hail storm hit the North West region of the […]

A joint operation between police and a farm watch patrol in Limpopo, South Africa, has led to the arrest of two of three suspects in the tragic murder Friday morning of retired attorney Johan Kruger (57), who was shot dead on his farm, in front of his wife. SAPS said that two suspects in their […]

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has confirmed that the body of a 75-year-old French national has been recovered from a yacht which ran ashore this morning near Southbroom, on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. SAPS said: “Earlier this morning at 06:30 members from Port Shepstone Search and Rescue Unit, K9 Search and […]

The Royal Regiment of Scotland yesterday paid tribute to a South African soldier who passed away in the early hours of Wednesday morning at Fort George barracks at Ardersier, near Inverness in Scotland. He was just 26. The Royal Regiment said: “It is with the greatest sadness that we must inform you of the tragic […]

Another South African farmer was tragically murdered today. This time it was retired attorney, Johan Kruger, who was killed Friday morning on his farm in Alldays, Limpopo. An elderly couple were also murdered on their farm in the Western Cape while they slept. According to AfriForum’s Ian Cameron, Kruger was shot in the head and […]

The South African government has expressed concern at the growing number of South Africans detained abroad. In a statement this week, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said over 800 South Africans are currently in prisons across the world for visa-related violations, drug-related charges, as well as various other offences. Earlier this week, […]

The rand is the fourth worst performing currency against the dollar in 2018 and among the most volatile, but it remains a favourite for investors chasing high yields and willing to risk short-term losses for sizeable net returns. Implied volatility on South Africa’s rand rose by its most this week since the last finance minister […]

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s Famous Brands said on Tuesday its UK-based unit Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK) has closed 14 out of 17 under-performing stores following the approval of a restructuring plan by creditors. A string of British store groups have either gone out of business or announced plans to close shops this year, as […]

The launch this morning of a drive-through bar on one of Joburg’s busiest roads – the notorious William Nicol Drive – had many people in South Africa up in arms. And understandably so – this is a country where drink driving is a MAJOR problem (the worst in the world!) and there are far too […]

The eThekwini Council in South Africa just spent a whopping R2-million, according to the DA, on a trip to Colombia that never happened. The Durban delegates – all 59 of them! – were unable to board the plane in Brazil for the final flight to Colombia because they didn’t have the correct visas! The Democratic […]

DAR ES SALAAM – Ten opposition parties in Tanzania say proposed amendments to a law governing political parties would criminalise their activities. Critics of President John Magufuli, who was the darling of social media when he first came to power in 2015, say he is increasingly cracking down on dissent with restrictions on the political […]

On Monday, about 15 people gathered outside the Wynberg Magistrate Court in South Africa to protest the bail hearing of the man accused of attacking 63-year-old Dianne Case. Case, an award-winning children’s book author and community worker, was stabbed 14 times. According to Case’s daughter, Maxine, on the afternoon of 28 November the doorbell rang. […]

The case against controversial Nigerian pastor, Timothy Omotoso has been postponed to February 2019… because the defence team submitted copies instead of original documents to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in their petition. Many say this is yet another delay tactic in the case which has seen thousands of South Africans rally to support […]

JOHANNESBURG – The South African government needs to “bite the bullet” and bail out struggling state-run power firm Eskom, which has asked for R100 billion ($7 billion) in government support, the chief executive of Rothschild & Co in South Africa told Reuters. Rothschild advised Eskom in 2008 when it last received a major cash injection […]

JOHANNESBURG – The chairman of KPMG South Africa on Monday appealed for the firm to be seen as a changed business, following months of efforts to regain public trust after becoming embroiled in major corruption scandals. In an open letter published in South African newspapers, KPMG South Africa’s executive chairman Wiseman Nkuhlu said the local […]

While Eskom is currently not implementing Stage 1 load shedding, the risk of load shedding across South Africa remains high for Monday. “Eskom will not implement Stage 1 rotational load shedding from 9 am today. However, the electricity system remains tight and the risk of load shedding still remains high for today should power station […]

Animal protection groups have joined forces to persuade Johannesburg Zoo in South Africa to move a 39-year old female elephant called Lammie – who is living a lonely, sad existence since her mate died in September – to a sanctuary. The groups are the Humane Society International / Africa, the EMS Foundation and the Elephant […]