Wildlife is thriving off Simon’s Town during lockdown and “life’s a beach for these locals”, according to the City of Cape Town, South Africa. This beautiful Southern Elephant Seal was photographed early yesterday morning, Monday 18 May 2020, at the Simon’s Town harbour by Dave Hurwitz.  The seal was first sighted yesterday, according to the City, […]

The Class of 2020 at a South African school in KwaZulu-Natal – Felixton College near Empangeni – have put together a moving video message to President Cyril Ramaphosa. Watch below. “We are blown away by a few of the Felixton College (Felixton, Zululand) Grade 12 pupils who put together this message entitled ‘Hope is not […]

The country’s first public advocate for children and guardian of their rights will take up her post from 1 June, Western Cape Premer Alan Winde announced today. The Children’s Commissioner is Christina Nomdo. Winde said this was an incredibly important role, as the person was tasked with monitoring, researching, investigating, lobbying and reporting on children and […]

More than 15,000 small-scale farmers in South Africa have been approved for the COVID-19 Agricultural Disaster Fund, says Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister, Thoko Didiza. Didiza said that 55,155 applications were received from smallholder and communal farmers, with the highest number of applications received from the Eastern Cape Province, followed by the Northern […]

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa will today, Monday, 18 May 2020, address the virtual 73rd Session of the World Health Assembly (WHA), at the invitation of the Director- General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom. President Ramaphosa has been invited to participate as a guest alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who toured […]

A young 13-year-old in Cape Town is baking up a storm to help make sure that other kids don’t go starving. As of yesterday she has donated R7,200 to a soup kitchen in Langa. And her buns are so in demand that a friend has now joined the team to bake even more. Teenager Tam […]

South Africa’s ‘Zol’ song – making fun of Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma’s explanation about the smoking ban in SA – has not only gone viral, it’s also topped the Apple Music Charts in South Africa, made international news and become a Friends video meme. The BBC said – in a story titled “South African minister embraces […]

As many people around the world have discovered, quarantine can be an interesting time… especially if you find yourself totally alone, as happened recently to Mark Fay, an Australian tour guide who’s used to having people around him all the time… and never staying still in one place! His mom’s advice to him was to […]

Nursing staff at Karl Bremer Hospital in Belville, Cape Town, were captured on film doing the sweetest South African dance of celebration. South Africa’s Department of Health tweeted the video, saying: “Nursing staff at Karl Bremer Hospital in Belville, Cape Town, celebrate themselves and their hard work in fighting COVID-19.” The Health Dept said: “We […]

This Sunday Carte Blanche investigates how the lockdown is affecting the wine industry in the Cape Winelands, South Africa… and what it will take to recover. With around 600 wineries affected by lockdown, the iconic Cape winelands that earn R49 billion for the country annually are bleeding revenue, jobs and prospects. COVID-19 lockdown regulations saw […]

An Nguni bull has been sold for a record price of R310,000, far above the last record set in 2005, during an auction that was held on WhatsApp. The news was reported last week on the NetAuctions Facebook page. It said the record price was paid for an Nguni bull bred by the Nandi Nguni […]

In a developing story, it can now be confirmed that repatriation flights for South African citizens stuck in India will occur by the end of May from Delhi and Mumbai, with a set preliminary date of May 22nd. (Latest Update: flight delayed and will now depart on the 24th May). Tickets aboard the SAA flight […]

The six-week wait for South Africans stranded in India is seemingly nearing its end, following recently released information by the South African High Commission in Delhi and Consulate in Mumbai. (UPDATE: SA citizens in India to be repatriated on 22 May with SAA) In a letter, forwarded to the public (see below), RSA citizens in […]

The staff at a hotel in Sea Point have rallied together to help feed over 200 people currently housed at a designated safe space under Culemborg bridge in Cape Town, South Africa. The staff at Peninsula All-Suite Hotel launched their  ‘Culemborg Mission’, as they refer to it, last Friday (7 May). It entails a mass […]

“Let backyard food gardens mushroom! Let there be enough food for all to eat.” So says the Facebook profile picture of Food and Trees for Africa (FTFA) facilitator and Agroecologist Tim Abaa, who is fast becoming the poster boy for all those in South Africa who are keen to start growing their own; and whose […]

It’s day eleven seventy thousand, and the lockdown categories have changed. So a re-write is about as overdue as a presidential address, and your wax appointment… writes Kim Nicola Stephens (a Cape Town mom of three, and Sport & outdoor communication consultant). Middle class South Africa in Lockdown Level Four can now be categorised as […]

A UK newspaper has rated South Africa’s ‘Moffie’ as one of the best films so far this year. Following the movie’s successful digital launch in South Africa, Moffie was released for streaming on Curzon Home Cinema in the UK at the end of last month… where is was met with an overwhelming positive critical response […]

In celebration of Africa Day, 25 May, Mall of Africa will be having a virtual concert, “Sessions for Africa Day,” that will include Toya Delazy, Zolani Mahola and Lira. Starting from 7 p.m., the listen-from-home concert is free of charge, Mall of Africa said, but viewers can donate towards supporting local artists and the Attacq […]

I don’t know about you, but I’m getting worried… writes Alan Knott-Craig. The Corona-virus lockdown is getting me down. It’s getting me depressed. It’s making me a bit scared. It’s not the curfew, or the lack of exercise, or too much time in a confined space with my family, or the alcohol & cigarette ban, […]

Helium gas, it turns out, isn’t just for blowing up balloons and making friends laugh with a squeaky voice. It’s actually critical in life-saving industries. And just when world supplies of the non-renewable gas were dwindling – and the need for helium increasing – two South Africans made a miraculous discovery in the Free State. […]

In gratitude to the many South African soldiers who are women – and who will be unable to celebrate Mother’s Day with their children today – a women’s veteran’s organisation handed out female hygiene parcels to over 300 female soldiers on Friday. Former Umkhonto weSizwe and SA National Defence Force (SANDF) member, Granny Seape, said […]

Eskom has received offers from a group of engineers, all former employees, who want to contribute their skills free of charge to help rebuild the organisation. Eskom said in a statement yesterday that the offers were unsolicited, and that many of the group – which one news report numbered at 60 – were former employees […]

A wonderful Bananagram challenge to keep busy during Lockdown has turned into a moving video tribute to South Africa. Professor Jean Greyling, from Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth, was inspired to start his Bananagram challenge when his daughter, who owns ckreate Illustration and Photography, challenged her friends to do something creative each day, based […]

They’re fascinating and thought-provoking, leave our hearts warmed… or seething with rage. Be informed by proudly South African documentaries now streaming on Showmax.  1. How to Steal a Country How to Steal a Country documents the Gupta family’s rise from flea-market shoe salesmen to owners of a controversial business empire in South Africa in fewer […]

Hair stylist Onele Cembi could be the first South African to write a Covid-19 message in his hair! The stylist from KwaNobhuhle, Uitenhage, says he wants to pass on the message about the virus to children and teach them how to spell by “writing” the words in his dreadlocks. “Children seem to be ignorant about […]