It’s been a fantastic day for South Africa as local and international businesses have come to the inaugural South African Investment Conference bearing gifts in the form of investment commitments to the tune of R290 billion ($20 billion). “This R290 billion is what we have now in our hands and these are in addition to […]

The damaging side-effects of a drug to prevent and treat malaria are under investigation this week on South Africa’s top current affairs programme, Carte Blanche (which is now available around the world). This week’s episode also covers food waste (a third of perfectly good food is wasted because it looks less than perfect!), botched boob […]

Two South African actors from Gauteng have found a brilliant way to deal with whatever bad news blows their way – through humour and song! Marissa Claasen and Thiart Li have teamed up to create “PUN-demonium” with their regular video songs, posted together with positive hashtags like #enoughsaid #proudlysouthafrican and #Laughatyourself. Thiart says: “Even though SA […]

South Africans have been sharing a beautiful video showing an incredibly talented Capetonian singing opera, while restaurant diners watch and video him. It was posted on Facebook by Nicolene Smith on Thursday, after lunching with her parents at Ons Huisie in Bloubergstrand. Nicolene said she felt it her “duty” to record and share. “What a […]

After 8 years of living in Australia, we as a family have decided to move back to South Africa… writes Stuart Turner. In this better part of a decade we have made friends, dived into the culture, had a thousand barbeques, frequented pubs, changed cities, done road trips, changed jobs, had 3 more children, made […]

With landscapes as varied and beautiful as its culture, South Africa is a melting pot of diverse cultures and creeds. South Africa is home to eleven official languages, which truly emphasises the multi-cultural and multilingual nature of the country. So to help you better understand and immerse yourself in such a complex yet rich culture, […]

Amongst the more depressing aspects of Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s maiden budget speech to the South African parliament on Wednesday (details here), there were some highlights… Sanitary pads are to be added to VAT free items which will come as welcome news to over half the population! Sanitary pads – along with bread flour and […]

I woke up the other day and realised we moved to South Africa just over two years ago… writes Phil Maloney from Canada. Two. Years. In dog years, I’ve been in South Africa longer than the Spice Girls were a band. It’s been all kinds of crazy and all kinds of wonderful (but mostly all kinds of crazy). […]

Europe made a step forward in the fight against plastic on Wednesday with a move to ban popular throw-away plastic items like straws and cotton buds… and a greater burden to be placed on manufacturers to recycle; all in a bid to help clear up ocean pollution. Under the proposal by European Union (EU) lawmakers […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s state pension fund and a local black investment firm have bought a majority stake in Africa’s biggest cattle company for R5.2 billion. The Public Investment Corp. (PIC), Africa’s largest investment fund and the biggest investor in South Africa’s economy, said on Tuesday it had bought a majority share in Karan Beef […]

You don’t need a DStv subscription, or even to live in South Africa, to get the very latest episodes of these hugely popular Afrikaans shows – brand-new episodes land on Showmax express from the kykNET broadcast every week! Here are five series you can stream right now: 1. Boer Soek ‘n Vrou, S11 | Express […]

Fish Hoek Beach in South Africa looked more like a scene out of hit movie Avatar on Tuesday night… as a result of ‘red tide’ which transforms in the evening into a spectacular blue magic known as Bioluminescence. Photographer Robyn Gwilt was there to capture these beautiful pictures of the rare and natural phenomenon. “This […]

JOHANNESBURG  – South Africa’s biggest supermarket chain, Shoprite, said on Tuesday it would pay customers for reusing its newly introduced recyclable bag… as it joined domestic rivals in efforts to curb plastic pollution. Supermarkets have come under increased pressure to cut their use of plastic as images of littered oceans and beaches become commonplace, shocking […]

Local South African film-maker – Joshua Bradley – is thrilled at having his movie screened in the United States next month. The movie – Nommer 37 – is set to premier in cinemas in Los Angeles and New York on 2 November 2018. The crime thriller, set in the Cape Flats, was funded by the Department of […]

Americans are clamouring to buy a $2 lottery ticket that could make them one of the richest people in the world… with a fortune GREATER than South Africa’s gross domestic product! Tuesday night’s Mega Millions lottery jackpot stands at a whopping $1.6 billion!! Wouldn’t it be great if a South African expat, living in the […]

South Africans were blown away – in the wrong way – this week when the SARS Chief Officer for Digital and IT Mmamathe Makhekhe-Mokhuane appeared on SABC to “clarify” the halt to the SARS modernisation programme in 2014… after news that it could cost up to R1-billion to fix the South African Revenue Service’s IT infrastructure. […]

The Department of Environmental Affairs has urged community members to assist the police and conservation authorities to combat rhino poaching. “Community members are the eyes and ears of the police. They are the people who hear or even know about illegal activities such as wildlife crime and rhino poaching,” the department said. The call follows the […]

This week’s episode of Carte Blanche investigates some of the hottest current topics in South Africa –  how millions were siphoned off at VBS bank, painful decisions around fighting for the right to choose to die, the bankrupt municipality, Maluti-A-Phufong, and if DNA Phenotyping can really help pinpoint the identity of an unknown assailant? The show […]

A crowdfunding campaign has been created for Mar-Louise (29) and André Pretorius (31) from Howick, Kwa-Zulu Natal in South Africa, who were involved in serious accident at Karkloof Falls on Saturday 6 October 2018 whist enjoying a day out with their three-year-old son Liam. Whilst taking in the scenery, André wondered too close to the edge of […]

Watch this brilliant version of English superstar Ed Sheeran’s hit ‘Shape of You’, performed by flutist Wouter Kellerman with the Ndlovu Youth Choir in South Africa. Kellerman, a Grammy Award-winning SA flutist (flautist), producer and composer, said: “We had such a great time covering Ed Sheeran’s song ‘Shape of You’ with the amazing Ndlovu Youth […]

The last time I was in South Africa was five years ago for Christmas… but a few weeks ago I stepped aboard South African Airways’ new Airbus A330-300 to head home for a week’s holiday. Based on news reports, I was expecting the worst. But what a joyful surprise it was! Both SAA and SA. […]

South African Luke Davids has the world at his feet after winning the 100m gold medal at the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires. The 17-year-old charged home in a wind-assisted 10.15sec to join Akani Simbine as a major 100m champion for 2018 after Simbine led Team SA home 1-2 at the Commonwealth Games earlier this […]

South Africans have had mixed reactions to a video posted on Sunday showing two guys weaving through the traffic on Grayston Drive in Sandton, Gauteng… on a trolley. “Nothing serious, just some guys on their way to Sandton via Grayston Drive on a trolley!” wrote Intelligence Bureau SA, when they uploaded the video. The two […]

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan – who are currently in Australia – are expecting their first child in the spring of 2019, around a year after their glittering wedding injected Hollywood glamour into the British royal family. Kensington Palace announced Monday morning: “Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very pleased […]

Quite some time ago, I promised that I’d write about ten things I love about South Africa before I’m allowed to whine and moan again… writes Phil Maloney. This series wouldn’t be complete without talking about natural beauty all over the dang place here. Everywhere I turn, I see stunning views that take my breath away. […]