I first met Julia Albu, one of the Grand Dames of the PR industry, some 25 years ago… writes Melanie Walker. Larger than life with a voice to match, Jooooolia was definitely one person who I would always say yes to whenever she asked me to get involved in the ‘Hat Day at the Races’ […]

The South African Police Service (SAPS) and concerned friends and family have called on fellow South Africans to please help in finding missing Eastern Cape grandmother Denise Bartlett, who was abducted from her home in Sterkstroom on Monday evening. (UPDATE 9 February 2018: Awesome news as E. Cape granny Denise Bartlett has been found alive!) […]

The number of deaths caused by South Africa’s deadly Listeriosis outbreak is still escalating. According to the latest update Listeriosis has claimed 107 lives in SA, up from 61 exactly a month ago. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) announced on Tuesday that a total number of 852 laboratory-confirmed Listeriosis cases have been reported, […]

As South Africa works out exactly what the state of the nation is, the Office of the ANC Chief Whip and DA Leader Mmusi Maimane have welcomed the postponement of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) as announced by the Presiding Officers today. The ANC Caucus said it will await the outcomes of the […]

In line with Level 6 drought measures, Deputy Mayor Alderman Ian Neilson today announced that the February 2018 water and sanitation accounts of Cape Town water users will reflect a tariff increase. He said: “This is an absolutely necessary step to reducing household demand and to ensure that the City can continue to supply water and […]

The African National Congress said in a statement Monday that it condemns in the strongest possible terms the assault of protestors by a grouping outside the ANC Headquarters, Chief Albert Luthuli House, earlier today. “Regardless of what some may deem as provocation by the Black First Land First Movement who intended to march to Luthuli […]

The long-awaited Land Audit Report reportedly reveals that Black South Africans only directly own 1.2 % of the rural land in the country, and 7% of formally registered property in towns and cities. Opposition party, the DA, said it welcomes newspaper reports of the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform’s Land Audit Report, which […]

KENYA – One of the world’s top ivory and rhino horn trade investigators, Esmond Bradley Martin (75), was found murdered at his home in Langata, Nairobi on Sunday. He was allegedly working on a new report exposing the illegal trade. Esmond, an American geographer, had travelled the world identifying ivory and rhino horn markets and […]

Two siblings in Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal tragically died on Saturday night after playing with their father’s licensed firearm. The incident occurred at 23h50, according to the South African Police Service (SAPS). The SAPS said an 11-year-old boy was playing with the firearm when a shot went off and struck his two-year-old sister. “The victim was taken […]

A 17-5 halftime lead wasn’t enough to help South Africa’s Blitzboks retain their Hamilton Sevens title in New Zealand on Sunday. A great comeback by Fiji saw the Pacific Islanders winning 24-17 in a game which saw each side down to six men at various stages during the game. It was the 17th time that […]

Minibus taxis in South Africa have been filmed using the pavement as an extra lane! Gauteng photographer, Susan Harwood, captured the action on film in William Nicol Drive in Johannesburg on 30 January 2018 at 06h40. Her initial post was apparently removed after receiving 3,500 shares and being sent to the ‘powers that be’ to […]

The South African graduate whose heartfelt tweet of gratitude to her father made national headlines last year, when she thanked him for taking her to university “even though you are a security guard”, has sadly lost her father to an illness. Alfred Mabanga passed away on 25 January in hospital. Just as his daughter Thobile (Thoby) […]

South African veteran actor David Phetoe has passed away at the age of 85. He died at a Johannesburg hospital on Thursday. Phetoe was well known for his prominent role on the SABC drama, Generations as Paul Moroka, father to Karabo (Connie Ferguson) and Archie Moroka (Sello Maake ka Ncube). Channel 24 reports that the […]

A huge rescue operation was launched Thursday in South Africa to rescue 1,100 miners trapped in a Free State gold mine. According to a Sibanya-Stillwater spokesperson, 300 have so far been rescued, but hundreds remain underground. UPDATE FRIDAY 07H30 – All trapped miners have been safely rescued. The miners at Sibyane Gold’s Beatrix Mine – […]

New water restrictions kicked off in Cape Town, South Africa, this morning, with residents now only allowed 50 litres per day per person, in a desperate bid to stave off Day Zero… currently set at 16 April 2018, when the taps will be turned off. Local blogger – Girl Unplugged – filmed the following scene […]

A beautiful, yet sad, video filmed on Clifton Beach in Cape Town shows the impact that the longest ever drought in recorded history is having on all those who live in the Western Cape region of South Africa. A desperately thirsty bird drinks from the hand of local Cape Town resident Joel Graham. Joel posted […]

The allegations made by US-based company Viceroy Research that South Africa’s Capitec Bank is operating as a loan shark – and which Capitec have dismissed as factually incorrect – are serious and should be investigated by the SARB (South African Reserve Bank), says David Maynier, DA Shadow Minister of Finance. Viceroy released a report on […]

Making the most of a second chance in life will be Wian Sullwald’s main motivation when he lines up to race at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia later this year. Former world junior champion, Sullwald is one of five triathletes who have been selected to compete at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold […]

A 75-year-old trophy hunter from Croatia has been killed by a stray bullet whilst taking part in a hunt on an alleged ‘canned lion’ farm in South Africa. “Hunter killed while hunting canned lions at Leeubosch Lodge, North West Province, South Africa,” said the producers of ‘Blood Lions’, a documentary which exposed the ‘canned lion’ […]

Hundreds of people joined outside the civic centre to protest against the City of Cape Town’s management of the water crisis. The Cape Town Water Crisis Coalition (CTWCC) is calling for government to remove water management devices, to stop any drought levy or water tariff increase plans and no privatisation of water supply. Shaheed Mahomed […]

A 56-year-old man has been stabbed to death in the Table Mountain National Park in South Africa, in the latest in a spate of attacks on the mountain. The incident occurred on Sunday at the Echo Valley, above Kalk Bay. The man was walking with his wife near Boyes Drive, in St James, Muizenberg, Western […]

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane has written to ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his capacity as Leader of Government Business, requesting an urgent meeting to discuss how they can best work together to tackle the immediate drought crisis in the City of Cape Town, and to defeat Day Zero. Maimane said in a press statement […]

At first most people thought it was fake news (due to headlines involving Hermanus), but turns out it’s real – a 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck (quite far) off the South African coast on Sunday afternoon local time. In fact two powerful earthquakes in the region were recorded on Sunday. The earthquakes, south west of Africa, […]

South Africa’s Blitzboks failed to defend their Sydney Sevens title on Saturday as they were soundly whitewashed 29-0 by Australia in the final on Sunday. Victory meant it was the first time that Australia have won a title on home soil in 16 years. It also meant a double day to remember for the host […]

Ian Neilson, JP Smith and Priya Reddy respond to readers’ questions… We asked readers to send questions about the water crisis for the City of Cape Town to answer. We selected and edited the best ones. Ian Neilson (Deputy Mayor), JP Smith (Mayco Member for Safety & Security and Social Services) and Priya Reddy (Director […]