If you put anything on the Internet these days, it lives forever and sometimes gets accidentally revived annually on social media when the same month in which it was originally released comes around again. Two years ago, in January, this hip hop version of ‘Ys Ys Baba’ was posted. This month it’s going viral again […]

The Cape Town Minstrel Carnival also known as ‘Tweede Nuwe Jaar’ is celebrated annually on 2 January. The colourful costumes, face paint, music and comical dancing bring this unique Cape Town event to life. Many thousands of people perform in the parade in one of the South African city’s biggest tourist attractions. The face painting process […]

“Love Thy Neighbour… But Don’t Get Caught!” is the catch phrase behind a brilliant new South African movie, ‘Keeping Up with The Kandasamys’. Shanti Naidoo and Jennifer Kandasamy are matriarchal rivals of neighbouring families in the South African film, whose young adult children become romantically involved. And the last thing these two Chatsworth mothers need […]

President Jacob Zuma has joined the gospel fraternity in expressing deep sadness and his heartfelt condolences on the passing of gospel sensation and multi-award winning singer, Sifiso Ncwane, who passed away today, 05 December 2016. The gospel legend died Monday morning at Fourways Life Hospital, after suffering kidney failure. “The passing of Mr Ncwane is a […]

Popular French songstress Jain has released ‘Makeba’, a song that honours the late South African singer and civil rights activist, Miriam Makeba… aka Mama Africa – and showcases SA and South Africans in a brilliantly creative visual production. Watch children dance and Joburg’s buildings go up… and down. The 24-year-old singer-songerwriter, born Jeanne Galice, says: “Miriam […]

South African comedian Trevor Noah has been promoting his book “Born a Crime” in the UK this weekend. In the video below he speaks to interviewer Krishnan Guru-Murthy, from Channel 4, about his book, what the Trump presidency will mean for America and the world, and about growing up in South Africa as a mixed […]

You’ve lived in London for 10 years and you’ve finally decided to move back to South Africa with your young family to be closer to the grandparents. But what do you do with your lovingly painted, renovated and lived-in nest egg in London? The Accidental Landlord: The Keys To Letting Out Your Own Property With […]

Here’s a little premature Christmas Cheer from South Africa from South African YouTuber and dancer, Kelly KiKx. Kelly, who is taking part in a local SA YouTube-related competition says: “I have passion for making the world smile, laugh and enjoy the ups and downs of life!” Enjoy… Watch Premature Christmas Cheer from South Africa

PRETORIA – American musician Mos Def just discovered that saying ‘sorry’ means being able to leave South Africa. After he apologised “unreservedly” for trying to use a World Passport, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) announced in a media briefing on Tuesday that the apology is accepted, the charges dropped, and he may now leave the country. The artist – whose […]

Walking through an informal settlement, you are greeted by children wanting to show off their ability to speak English, Maskandi music crackling from car speakers, and caged chickens calmly awaiting their fate. Mutters, murmurs and audible exclamations of “abelungu!” White people! Handshakes and hand holding, followed by more handshakes. You pass through a white-washed entrance […]

Sandi Durnford-Slater met with PJ Powers in London 10 days ago to discuss the world according to PJ. In typical PJ fashion, she brought with her a warm, South African breath of fresh air to a cold, drizzly Wednesday afternoon in Brixton… Many people back home believe that those who leave South Africa are traitors. You seem to have […]

The author of ‘Bridge Over Blood River: The Rise and Fall of the Afrikaners’, Kajsa Norman, will be in conversation with John Battersby at an event in Trafalgar Square, London on Thursday evening, 19 November 2016. The book suggests that 20 years after the fall of apartheid in South Africa, the white Afrikaner minority “fears […]

According to South Africa’s Suzelle DIY, these are the top fun things to do in Sydney, Australia: Drink coffee. Everywhere you go you’ll find good coffee because it’s “coffee culture”. Eats bananas. They love their bananas and you’ll get lots of banana bread. Exercise. You have to keep up with the people in Sydney, in […]

South African Tourism welcomed sleep advocate and Huffington Post and Thrive Global founder Arianna Huffington to South Africa with this beautiful version of ‘Thula Baba’, the popular Zulu lullaby sung to many South African children to help them sleep. SA Tourism said: “Hi @ariannahuff, we wanted to share a special South African welcome just for […]

Idols SA has confirmed that Gareth Cliff has resigned as a judge on the popular M-Net entertainment show. “We are grateful for his contribution to the show over the last 11 seasons and we wish him well with his future endeavours,” said Idols SA. Earlier Monday, the presenter had updated his Facebook status, saying: “It’s […]

This morning a producer from the BBC World Service contacted me and asked if I would say a few words about El Cohen as part of a global tribute. I was very happy to do so, so she asked me whether Cohen was as popular in South Africa as in other parts of the world. […]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Leonard Cohen, rock music’s man of letters whose songs fused religious imagery with themes of redemption and sexual desire, earning him critical and popular acclaim, has died at age 82, a statement on his Facebook page said. “It is with profound sorrow we report that legendary poet, songwriter and artist, Leonard […]

Cape Town held its 22nd International Kite Festival over the weekend, with awesome creations flying high in Muizenberg, as seen here in photos taken by ZAAHID APPOLES. The annual festival attracts kiters from around the world, as well as thousands of locals who come to enjoy the kites and family entertainment. The event is hosted […]

A small-town South African theatre student, who describes himself on Pinterest as a “big dreamer”, has uploaded an awesome cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Tougher than the Rest”. Elandré Schwartz posted the video a couple of days ago and it’s already had over 120,000 views on Facebook. Watch below. Elandré wrote: “Dankie Bruce. #springsteen #afrikaans #USA […]

The first trailer for ‘Mandela’s Gun’ has just been released, ahead of its world premiere on Friday night, 28 October, when it opens the inaugural Joburg Film Festival. The film stars SAFTA-winner, Tumisho Masha, as the first South African to play Nelson Mandela in the lead role of a major film. Mandela’s Gun is both a spy thriller […]

South African expat ELSA BROWNE, who lives in the UK, is one of the first people on the planet to have read Trevor Noah‘s book ‘Born a Crime’, which will only hit stores in mid-November. As most people get their first peek at the book’s contents this week, with the New York Times publishing an excerpt, […]

The Triplets Ghetto Kids first caught the world’s attention a couple of years ago with their awesome moves in Eddy Kenzo’s Ugandan hit ‘Sitya Loss’. Since then their dance moves have been viewed by millions, and this week they were announced as the winners of an international entertainment award! TGK say: “2016 has been an amazing year for […]

If you’re looking for a taste of home, savour this video – with majestic scenery, wonderful wildlife, South African sunsets… and to top it all, a reading of ‘The Real Africa’ poem that will give you goosebumps. The footage was filmed around Durban, St. Lucia wetland and the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve. Rhys Scott-Dawkins produced the video for his company, […]

The old Top Gear team reckon they visited South Africa the most “because the three of us like coming here more than anywhere else in the world”. During an interview in South Africa, when Jeremy Clarkson was still part of the team, he and teammates James May and Richard Hammond said they can’t even decide which city is […]

South Africa’s most iconic rock singer, PJ Powers, will tour the UK to launch an online mentoring programme for disadvantaged South Africans… in an initiative that would make Nelson Mandela proud; and which is set to inspire a new way of giving that lets South African expats contribute to the homeland they still love so […]