A multi-stakeholder team, comprising members of South African Police Services (SAPS), SA National Defence Force(SANDF), traffic officials, SASSA and Ambulance services, has been assembled by the Limpopo Department of Cooperative Governance – following the warning of severe tropical storm “Dineo”… The South African Weather Services (SAWS) issued an alert about Dineo which formed in the […]

The South African Rand has raced to its highest in almost 20 months, in a six-day winning streak (its longest since September), following positive sentiment towards emerging market currencies. It comes on the same day that the SA Competition Commission announces that 17 banks will be prosecuted for price-fixing. Of the Rand’s high today Bloomberg said […]

PRETORIA –  Following the horrific murder of a family of four on a farm in Mpumulanga, South Africa, on Tuesday, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for the reintroduction of rural safety units. A man and his wife, along with both his parents, were found murdered, with bullet wounds, at their farm house in Modderbult yesterday. According […]

Two separate reports have revealed that Eskom’s loadshedding ‘problems’ in 2008 were in fact – allegedly – deliberate… in a ploy by top management figures, at South Africa’s national power provider, to line their own pockets. The two probes into the blackouts – by Dentons and Deloitte – which were commissioned by Eskom and conducted […]

The latest update on Dineo, the Severe Tropical Storm which is expected to hit the Kruger National Park later this week, is that its track has become more westerly and it is likely to reach Tropical Cylone status within the next six to 12 hours before making landfall in Mozambique this evening. According to Kevin Rae, Chief […]

Cape Town’s dam levels are at a 37 year low… and yet, according to authorities and many living in Cape Town, not everyone is taking the water situation seriously. Somerset West vlogger Nic Red decided to do something about it – by filming four of the major dams with a drone. He says: “Take a look […]

A regular visitor to the Kruger National Park in South Africa has captured some tender, cruel and heartbreaking footage of a lion playing with his prey… a bleating little newborn antelope. The video was filmed by Graeme Mitchley, Deputy Principal at an Edenvale school, and uploaded by Latest Sightings. Graeme told Latest Sightings, when he […]

The tropical weather system expected to affect parts of Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces – including the Kruger National Park – in South Africa later this week, is still on course and expectations are now that it will reach Tropical Cyclone stage. Yesterday the South African Weather Service (SAWS) had reported that it was “not expected to intensify to […]

A tropical weather system, bringing floods and heavy rains, is expected to affect parts of Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces, including the Kruger National Park, later this week. If the storm develops as expected, it will be called Dineo. (IMPORTANT – VIEW LATEST CYCLONE DINEO UPDATES – PHOTOS & VIDEOS.) The South African Weather Service (SAWS) […]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Jazz and R & B singer Al Jarreau, a seven-time Grammy winner whose hits included “We’re in This Love Together” and “Moonlighting,” died on Sunday in Los Angeles at age 76, just days after announcing he was retiring from touring because of poor health. (Scroll down for South African Arts Minister’s comments.) […]

Tributes to South Africa’s rugby hero, Joost van der Westhuizen, were paid at all Six Nations’ Championship matches  in Round Two of 2017 – with a minute’s applause in Cardiff, Rome and Paris. The organisers said the tribute was to mark “the passing of the great South African scrum-half”, and called him a “rugby legend”. […]

Virginia Machpelah suffered from Alzheimer’s. She was fun-loving, a good person, a fellow South African… and tragically she was also one of the 94 victims of the Gauteng Health Department’s #LifeEsidimeni blunder. On Wednesday night her sister Christine Nxumalo said: “She loved kids and was just generally a very good person who didn’t do nothing wrong, really. […]

45 white doves were released for every year of Joost van der Westhuizen’s short life. And beautiful tributes were delivered for the rugby hero, who became a legend when he fought a disease so bravely and publicly… and reached out to help others affected by the same Motor Neurone Disease (MND) with his J9 Foundation. Sports Minister […]

A different battle was fought on the streets of SONA (State of the Nation Address) in Cape Town, South Africa yesterday – one that saw ANC school children aggravate EFF supporters, resulting in police using unnecessary force to disperse children no older than 15… writes JUSTIN SULLIVAN. An elderly man raising his hand to a younger […]

The State of the Nation Address (SONA) 2017 in Cape Town, South Africa, was a lot of the same old same old. Chaos. Brawls. Political parties kicked out of parliament (EFF). Parties walking out (DA). Buthelezi wearing his feather. Lots of pointing, and even more ‘points of order’. Swearing, insults and fists being thrown. And although […]

NAIROBI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Experts are divided on the impact of Madonna’s adoption of four-year-old twins from Malawi, saying it could fuel child trafficking in Africa or provide relief to the country’s overcrowded orphanages. [By Katy Migiro] On Tuesday, Malawi’s High Court granted the 58-year-old U.S. singer permission to adopt the girls, following her […]

WASHINGTON – A former Wits Executive Director, Dr Eugene Sickle, has been arrested in the United States for money laundering committed in relation to HIV/AIDS programs being supported in South Africa by USAID (US Agency for International Development). USAID announced the arrest of the top South African doctor this week. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. […]

Last year we promised that we will find rhinos in need of urgent help and give you the opportunity to help rescue them 1 by 1, writes LOUISE JOUBERT, founder of SanWild Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa. Our Saving Big Boy appeal in 2016 helped to save a beautiful white rhino bull from falling victim to a […]

Fire fighting services reacted fast to a wildfire that was rapidly spreading at the base of Table Mountain this afternoon. The fire was allegedly ignited after a car caught alight. JUSTIN SULLIVAN was there and captured the photos on this page (apart from the car pic). According to Philip Prins from SANParks’ Table Mountain National Park (TMNP), the fire […]

The question many South Africans are asking today, is why President Jacob Zuma has authorised the employment of 441 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) for service in cooperation with the SA Police Service (SAPS) “to maintain law and order” at the Opening of Parliament, where Zuma will deliver his State of the Nation Address (SONA) […]

Opposition parties have reacted with outrage to the announcement that the army will be on hand to help “maintain law and order” at the Opening of Parliament on Thursday, where President Jacob Zuma will deliver his State of the Nation Address (SONA) 2017. Both the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) condemned […]

Heartbreaking footage has been taken of a tame rhino calf – an orphan – who was shot and seriously wounded by poachers in Polokwane, South Africa, over the weekend. The little rhino, called ‘Vrystaat’, was shot twice. And while his horn was being brutally hacked off, he tried to stand and escape… and was shot again […]

Joost van der Westhuizen’s estranged wife, Amor Vittone, posted a heartfelt message Monday afternoon for her “first love”, the former Springbok legend who died today – at the age of 45 – after a long and brave battle with Motor Neurone Disease (MND). She said: “Dis met n seer en swaar hart, dat ons afskeid geneem […]

It is with a heavy heart that we announce that Joost van der Westhuizen has passed away. He died at the age of 45. His J9 Foundation announced at about 14h25, Monday afternoon: “It is with great sadness that we confirm the passing of Joost. He passed away in his home surrounded by his loved […]

Five suspects arrested for human trafficking were set to appear before the Newcastle Magistrate’s Court this morning. The five, aged between 18 and 35, were arrested on Friday after the Hawks rescued 72 foreigners, who were allegedly trafficked from Swaziland and Lesotho. The foreign nationals were labour exploited in one of the factories in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal. […]