A Boxing Day story, posted on Facebook by Gauteng resident Tshepo Judge Dijana, has gone viral in South Africa for its warm Christmas spirit… which Tshepo hopes will last the whole year long. Tshepo began his post: “Thoughts on racism: Just had the most interesting encounter!” Tshepo had pulled up to help “the most unlikeliest characters […]

The last few weeks, I have found ample reason to curse my ill-timed blog migration project. Here I was chasing down broken links when in reality I was meant to buy Christmas presents and decorate the house… writes Eva Melusine Thieme aka Joburg Expat, named after the blog she created while living as an American German expat in South […]

In a move that underscores his commitment to conservation, His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales – aka Prince Harry – has formally joined African Parks as their President. The appointment was just made public Wednesday morning in a statement released by Kensington Palace.  African Parks is a conservation NGO, founded in 2000, that manages national […]

Durban enjoyed a bumper weekend with more than 1,686,174 people visiting various beaches around the City during the long weekend, 23-25 December 2017. According to eThekwini Municipality it was a fun-filled and incident-free weekend with no drownings reported, thanks to a great team of lifesavers, police and municipal workers. In a media release, the Durban […]

The UK’s Economist newspaper has selected South Africa’s Nkosi Sikelil’iAfrika as the best national anthem in the world. The newspaper describes the key ingredients to a national anthem as including a “rousing tune to quicken the pulse, some pathos to moisten the eyes and that inexplicable something to make it stand out from all the […]

The Khoisan 4 have returned home to a hero’s welcome after Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa showed he’s the man who cares… by stepping up today, 24 December 2017, to receive a  a memorandum from the Khoibushmen Liberation Walkers, who had been camped outside the Union Buildings in Pretoria this month. Lisa Marcelle Hold, who shared […]

Elon Musk‘s space exploration company – SpaceX – launched its Falcon Heavy rocket on Friday night… and launched UFO debates in parts of America, as shocked citizens tried to work out what they were seeing in the sky. For many it looked like an alien spacecraft. South African born and bred entrepreneur, Musk, took to […]

As is the annual tradition, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco welcomed all the young Monégasque children to the palace on Wednesday for a visit from Santa Claus, and a fun Christmas dance and magic show in the ‘throne room’. And on Friday evening they posted 2017’s royal Christmas Card (see below)… featuring their […]

The Commonwealth Games Trials in Durban came to an end on Thursday with an impressive 47 qualification times for next year’s Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast Australia. Those times were swum over six days of red-hot competition and spread amongst 29 athletes – 17 of them men and 12 women. The 2018 Games will take place […]

It is summer time in the southern hemisphere and locals and tourists are flocking to the coast to enjoy the sunshine, salt air and some of the best beaches this part of the world has to offer. In southern Africa it’s also the time when great white sharks migrate closer to Cape Town’s shore to […]

Mama Rosie describes her job as a “calling”, not a job. She says her purpose in working is not  to earn money. “God has called me to do this,” she says… and her reward is the “smile of these children when they’re saying Mama to me, and thank you”. ‘These children’ include over 5,000 who […]

After going viral a year ago with a brilliantly choreographed video that caught the attention of US star Meghan Trainor, Capetonian choreographer Rudi Smit has created a new video that showcases the best of South African dance moves. This time the moves are made to the sounds and beat of Dutch artist Dopebwoy’s ‘Cartier’, released […]

As a South African living abroad, have you ever had difficulties expressing yourself to someone from a different country? Even an English-speaking country? And the way they pronounce the words is slightly different to the way you do? It can lead to some interesting misunderstandings… writes Audrey Kruger. Disclaimer: Unfortunately some of the “misunderstandings” are […]

Talented South African choreographer, dancer, actor and teacher – Lungelo Ngamlana – who grew up in one of Cape Town’s oldest townships, has been choreographing shows around the world. Nan Melville caught up with him in New York… I met Lungelo at New York Tisch Drama School where he, together with fellow South African music-maker, […]

As Cape Town’s Day Zero has been brought forward to 29 April 2018, South Africans in Joburg have kindly sent litres of water down to their compatriots in the Western Cape. 10 Litres of Kindness is the brainchild of Shaun and Vikki Lee Harry who are originally from Cape Town themselves. The couple, who’ve been […]

Award-winning writer, and Nelson Mandela’s authorised biographer, Charlene Smith was the first journalist to ever interview Cyril Ramaphosa. She thinks it was in 1982 or 1983. Here Charlene recalls some of her memories with the new ANC President over the years… He’d just formed the NUM [National Union of Mineworkers] and the offices were two […]

Christmas has come early for South African supermodel, Candice Swanepoel, who announced this week that she and Brazilian fiancé Hermann Nicoli are expecting their second child. The South African expat, who is based in New York, was reportedly already two months pregnant – just not showing – when she took to the Shanghai, China, runway […]

According to South Africa’s opposition parties – the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) – nothing has changed with the election of Cyril Ramaphosa as ANC President… and the “corrupt premier league” is still at the centre of the organisation. EFF Commander in Chief Julius Malema tweeted: “Nothing has really changed, the core […]

Team South Africa Roller Derby is heading to the Roller Derby World Cup in Manchester, in the UK, in February, and really needs our help to get there. Their fundraiser on Thundafund ends today – there are some really cool rewards and super cool advertising deals for potential sponsors. Here’s everything you never knew about […]

The value of the Rand has risen all day as the chance of Cyril Ramaphosa becoming the new ANC leader became apparent… and as the news was confirmed Monday evening that Ramaphosa is the leading party’s new President, the Rand stood at R12.73 to the US dollar, and R17.10 to the British pound. People around […]

We love our local gems on Showmax… especially since they’re available to watch anywhere in the world, bringing a little bit of home right into South African expats‘ living rooms!  These two stunning Afrikaans movies are shining at the moment and racking up plenty of views! Trouvoete and Mossie van Wyk  are fun, feel-good films, […]

The jokes have already started on social media as South Africa waits to hear who will be the next leader of the ANC: President Jacob Zuma’s Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa or his ex-wife Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma The 54th ANC National Elective Conference has been packed as 4,776 ANC delegates gathered to vote for the top six […]

Most of the rest of the world just can’t get used to South Africans’ habit of kissing on the lips… and so a photo of Winnie Mandela greeting Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma with a kiss on the lips – at the 54th ANC National Conference at the NASREC Expo Centre in Johannesburg on December 16, 2017 – […]

Few in Cape Town have done more to introduce foodies, chefs, distillers, brewers and tourists to wild food, particularly fynbos – the vast category of indigenous plant life that covers the Cape’s mountains – than forager/cook Roushanna Gray, whose interactive workshops fall under the name Veld and Sea. Roushanna makes foraged food look sexy, with dishes like edible […]

A man who lives in Limpopo, according to his facebook profile, has shared a small but powerful story that has gone viral in South Africa. It’s a story of generosity of spirit, South African uBuntu – and the impact even the smallest act of kindness can have on our fellow man. A few days ago […]