The spectators to the 110th anniversary celebrations of the African National Congress (ANC’s), South Africa’s governing party, looked bored. The dancers roped in to entertain its dwindling faithful were lackluster. Indeed, even during the singing of the national anthem, some in the audience could not even be bothered to stand up… writes Hussein Solomon, University […]

Rhino poaching in South Africa is at a critical level despite the “deafening” silence from official government communications and mainstream media, according to one of southern Africa’s most dedicated, well-respected wildlife vets, Dr Dave Cooper. Referring to the violent killing of rhino as ‘murders’ rather than the mild, mundane word ‘poaching’, Dr Cooper has issued a massive […]

Sidney Poitier, the first black man to win a Best Actor Oscar (for ‘Lilies of the Field’), has sadly died at the age of 94. The news was announced by the Bahamian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday. Tributes have poured in from around the world for the brilliant actor, director and activist, a man […]

The DA has today revealed “damning” new evidence that the ANC cadre deployment committee reserves certain positions on the boards of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) for “party cronies whose CVs appear to be kept in a database separate from other applicants”. “This evidence, contained in meeting minutes of the ANC cadre deployment committee dating from between […]

South Africa’s COVID-19 cases have now surpassed 3.5 million after 9 860 people tested positive on Thursday across the country. According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), this means there are now 3 504 554 confirmed cases since the outbreak, representing a 21% positivity rate. Data shows that the Western Cape recorded the […]

The Minister of Justice and Correctional Service, Ronald Lamola, has strongly condemned the attack on the Constitutional Court buildings on Wednesday morning. This comes after a 36-year-old suspect allegedly went on a rampage and smashed windows using a hammer at the highest court in the land in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. It was reported that the man […]

South Africa recorded 11 106 new COVID-19 cases and 110 deaths, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said on Wednesday. This means the country now has 3 494 696 confirmed infections and 91 561 fatalities since the start of the pandemic. According to the latest data, KwaZulu-Natal continues to report the highest number of […]

A mother and her two children managed to escape a frightening attempted hijacking in South Africa on Monday, just after leaving the Kruger National Park to head home to Pretoria. Bullets were fired at them as they fled for their lives, with two unfortunately injuring one of the children. The family has been named by […]

A 36-year-old suspect was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly smashing the windows at the Constitutional Court buildings in Braamfontein, Johannesburg with a hammer. South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Netshiunda said: “It is reported that police fired a warning shot after the suspect continued to break the windows even after being ordered […]

South Africa logged 139 new COVID-19 related deaths on Tuesday, the most recorded in one day since the widespread Omicron variant outbreak. According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), this means there are now 91 451 official deaths since the start of the pandemic. In addition, the institute said there were 8 078 […]

A 49-year-old suspect appeared at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday morning in connection with the devastating fire that engulfed the South African Parliament on Sunday until late last night. The suspect, Zandile Christmas Mafe from Khayelitsha, is facing five charges including housebreaking with intent to steal and theft, two counts of arson, possession […]

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) – South African firefighters struggled on Monday to extinguish a new blaze at the complex housing the two chambers of the national parliament in Cape Town, a day after a devastating fire swept through the Parliament buildings. By Wendell Roelf. Police charged a 49-year-old man with arson and other offences including theft […]

The Presiding Officers of Parliament have assured that all efforts will be made to limit any disruption to the business of Parliament following the fire that gutted parts of the precinct on Sunday. In a statement, the Speaker of the National Assembly (NA), Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, and the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), […]

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) – The sprinkler system at South Africa’s Parliament appears to have been tampered with, according to authorities investigating the devastating fire that broke out on Sunday morning. The fire which broke out in the early morning caused extensive damage, collapsing the roof and gutting an entire floor in one building, and a […]

The DA has urgently requested an independent investigation into the devastating fire that ravaged large parts of Parliament today. The Democratic Alliance also applauded the speed and efficiency with which its Western Cape Government and the City of Cape Town reacted. In response to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s remarks that “we do have one city that […]

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has called the fire today (Sunday 2 January) at SA’s Parliament in Cape Town a “terrible and devastating event”; and said a man is being questioned in custody. Speaking from the scene, President Ramaphosa said: “Well, this is devastating news, it’s a terrible and devastating event. […]

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) – A blaze erupted at the South African parliament early on Sunday, with flames bursting from the roof of a building and a plume of smoke that could be seen from miles away, and after several hours firefighters had partially contained the fire. By mid-morning, smoke was still billowing from one of […]

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) – President Cyril Ramaphosa lauded the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu as “our moral compass and national conscience” as South Africa bade farewell at a state funeral on Saturday to a hero of the struggle against apartheid.  By Wendell Roelf. “Our departed father was a crusader in the struggle for freedom, for justice, […]

South Africa has recorded at least 9020 new cases of COVID-19 over the past 24-hour cycle, with a positivity rate of 26%. This brings the total number of cases to 3 433 554. COVID-19 related deaths have increased by 81, with official fatalities now reaching 90 935. The excess deaths are reportedly more than double that […]

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu has died at the age of 90… by P. Pratap Kumar, University of KwaZulu-Natal. Archbishop Tutu earned the respect and love of millions of South Africans and the world. He carved out a permanent place in their hearts and minds, becoming known affectionately as “The Arch”. When South Africans woke up […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed, on behalf of all South Africans, his profound sadness at the passing today, Sunday 26 December 2021, of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu. Archbishop Tutu, the last surviving South African laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize, passed away in Cape Town at the age of 90. President Ramaphosa expressed his […]

South Africa’s beloved Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has passed away at the age of 90, with the country’s president heralding him as a “patriot without equal”. The news was announced on Sunday (26 Dec) by the Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba. “It is with great sadness that I have to announce that our dearly […]

The mortal remains of Corporal Tebogo Edwin Radebe, who died after an attack by insurgents in Mozambique earlier this week, will be handed over to his family on Thursday at the Air Base Force in Waterkloof, Pretoria. The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) was deployed in Cabo Delgado province as part of the Southern […]

South Africa reported 21 099 new daily Coronavirus cases, the highest since the week began. This means the country now has 3 353 106 confirmed cases, while the death toll stands at 90 587 after 99 more people lost their lives. According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), KwaZulu-Natal, which is currently the […]

A freak storm pelted Pietermaritzburg in KZN, South Africa, yesterday afternoon at around 15h30, causing localised flooding and damage. The severe thunderstorm – with heavy rains and large golfball-sized hail – lasted half an hour, but left lasting damage. Some trees and power lines fell, parts of roofs were blown off and windows and vehicles […]