Right now, the little town of Bedford in the Eastern Cape is frantically a-bustle under its normal serene exterior. The Old Gaol is being festooned. Various kitchens around town are being tarted up. Wine is being ordered in. Guest house duvets are being fluffed. The newly-renovated Duke of Bedford Hotel is looking too grand for […]

The books team at the Sunday Times has put together a list of the top South African books that they believe give readers insight into the country’s transition into a free and democratic nation. Here we highlight the past 20 years of winners of the Sunday Times Alan Paton Award, South Africa’s premier literary award. Named for […]

South African players received a favorable draw when the official draw procedures for the Airports Company South Africa Gauteng Open were concluded on Tuesday at the Gauteng East Tennis Complex in Benoni. Stephane Houdet of France tops the men’s seeds and is scheduled to meet arch rival Gordon Reid of Great Britain in the final. […]

Cape Town is the design capital of the world and in true, cutting edge form, South Africa’s first fashion film event will be hosted in the city. The lavish Mercedes-Benz Bokeh International Fashion Film Festival will run from 5 to 7 June. The Mother City, known for its beauty, vineyards and international jet setters who […]

Two South African women have made their marks as leading powerhouses in the technology industry, earning a place on the respected Forbes 10 Female Tech Founders to Watch in Africa list. Barbara Mallison and Annette Muller have flourished in Africa’s largely male dominated tech scene, after spearheading successful, innovative companies that set a new standard […]

After taking taking on the gruelling, eight-stage Absa Cape Epic, cross country world champion Nino Schurter is working on making a swift turnaround as he prepares for the opening round of the 2014 UCI MTB World Cup, presented by Shimano, which takes place in Pietermaritzburg from 11 to 13 April.  During the exhausting adventure through […]

Top South African female referee and former Springbok women’s rugby stalwart Marlize Jordaan was on Friday named as one of eight international women’s referees to officiate matches at the 2014 IRB Women’s Rugby World Cup in France in August. Sole South African In total, 14 match officials were unveiled by the International Rugby Board (IRB), […]

South African surfer Grant “Twiggy” Baker has been crowned the Big Wave World Tour (BWWT) world champion after racking up more than double the number of points of any of his competitors during the 2013/14 BWWT season. ‘I gave it my all’ “I gave it my all this year, basically put my personal life on […]

Germany’s Robert Mennen and Kristian Hynek of the Czech Republic claimed the overall honours in the Absa Cape Epic on Sunday at Lourensford in the Western Cape, while Denmark’s Annika Langvad and Switzerland’s Arianne Kleinhans lifted the women’s title. The event, the world’s biggest mountain bike stage race, once again attracted the cream of the […]

The Momentum Proteas qualified for the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s World T20 for the first time with a five-wicket win over New Zealand in Sylhet on Monday. It was also a first-ever win for the South African women over the White Ferns in a World Cup.  In three previous Women’s World Twenty20 tournaments, South […]

Johnny Clegg’s current tour of the USA is proving a big hit with nostalgic South African expats scattered across the country (as well as with non-SA fans). A South African fan in Austin, Esme wrote on Clegg’s Facebook page: “Thanks/Dankie for a GREAT show last night in Austin. Both sessions had 50% South Africans there, me […]

After undergoing surgery on his left knee late in 2013, three-time MTB downhill world champion Greg Minnaar returns to the UCI World Cup circuit at the Cascades MTB Park in his hom e town of Pietermaritzburg from 11 to 13 April. Minnaar, a legend of downhill racing, will be the star attraction at the season- […]

South Africa’s top women’s wheelchair tennis star, Kgothatso “KG ” Montjane, added another title to her list of achievements when she won the doubles event at the 25th annual Cajun Classic Wheelchair Tennis Tournament in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on the weekend. The ITF Grade 1 event was contested at the Lamar Tennis Centre from 19 […]

“It’s not easy to talk about Madiba,” Ahmed Kathrada said at the third Mandela Colloquium in Johannesburg this week. And then proceeded to spend almost an hour talking about his affectionate memories of Nelson Mandela, mostly in the present tense – perhaps giving a sense how present Mandela still is in his life, even after […]

Two major wheelchair tennis tournaments are set to be staged in South Africa next month: the Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) Gauteng Open and the Acsa SA Open. Many of the world’s leading players will be in action. The Acsa Gauteng Open will be played at the Gauteng East Tennis Centre at Benoni Lake from […]

Nolan Hoffman claimed his first win in the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour and Cherise Stander her third victory in the women’s race in Cape Town on Sunday. The Cycle Tour, which starts and finishes in Cape Town and takes place around the picturesque Cape Peninsula, is the largest individually timed cycle race […]

Congratulations to Carina Bruwer and the 14 swimmers who braved rough and cold waters yesterday to swim around Cape Point in the ‘Swim for Hope’. All the swimmers who took part in one of the world’s most extreme open water challenges successfully completed the 8 km swim AND broke male and female records along the […]

Andy Birkett and partner Sbonelo Zondi won the 2014 Dusi Canoe Marathon on Saturday, and 23-year-old Birkett joined an elite group of under-25s who can proudly boast their Dusi green numbers – an honour given to those who finish 10 marathons. A handful of youngsters have done 10 Dusis by their mid-20s, some having started […]

South African tennis star Raven Klaasen continued his outstanding start to 2014 when he and partner Eric Butorac teamed up to capture the doubles title at the US National Indoor Tennis Championships in Memphis, USA, on Sunday. Seeded second, Butorac and Klaasen upset the top seeds and world number one pairing of Bob and Mike […]

The Queen’s Baton Relay is in South Africa stirring up enthusiasm for the Commonwealth Games as well as creating fantastic photo opportunities. The Relay symbolises the coming together and showcasing of all 70 Commonwealth nations and territories, in preparation for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow which will be held later this year from 23 July […]

If one is seeking contenders to prevent Chad Ho from extending his run of four successive victories in the aQuelle Midmar Mile, look no further than two-time champion Troyden Prinsloo, who is looking forward to an opportunity to record a third victory in the world’s largest open water swimming event. A two-time Olympian, Prinsloo contested […]

Ladysmith Black Mambazo has dedicated their latest Grammy award to the memory and legacy of former president Nelson Mandela, news agency AFP said on Monday. The traditional isicathamiya group shared the award with “flamenco fusionists” The Gipsy Kings for “best world music album” for their record Singing for Peace Around the World at the awards in Los Angeles in […]

South African wheelchair tennis star Lucas Sithole claimed runners-up finishes in both the quad singles and doubles at the Australian Open, becoming the first African to reach the final of both events at the first Grand Slam of the year.  Sithole faced world number one David Wagner in the final for the singles title, with […]

The Soweto Canoe and Recreation Club (Scarc) is aiming to make waves at this year’s Dusi Canoe Marathon, with a club record 20 members taking part in the event, including former podium finisher Loveday Zondi. With canoeing increasing in popularity among black South Africans, Scarc club captain and coach Nkosi Mzolo is optimistic about the […]

South African tennis star Raven Klaasen is through to the doubles final of the Australian Open after he and his American partner Eric Butorac cruised past eighth seeds Nenad Zimonjic and Daniel Nestor in the semi-finals in Melbourne on Thursday. It has been a marvellous run for the unseeded pair, highlighted by their 7-6, 6-4 […]