Three years ago, South African teenager Veronica Venter started passing out randomly. She would just faint, fall and be out for a while. These episodes are still ongoing. She can hear everything going on around her when it happens, but she cannot respond. Just like a heart attack. And when she recovers her legs are often […]

PRETORIA – To commemorate  World Penguin Day, here’s a collection on this page of fantastic photos from Southern African John Dickens… who is currently working as a zoological field assistant (with leopard seals and fur seals) on Bird Island, South Georgia. John was born in Zimbabwe and moved to South Africa in 2004 where he studied at […]

These photos show the transformation of a field just outside Bloemfontein over the weekend… a field that was filled with up to or over a million people (according to the organisers), gathered together to pray for their beloved South Africa… On the eve of National Day of Prayer… an empty field awaits… 1,300 hectares had […]

Meet the woman who is uncovering the truth behind the illegal rhino horn trade, like you’ve never seen it before… Bonné de Bod, an award-winning television presenter and filmmaker shares what she has learned on her three-year long investigation unveiling the dark truths behind the rhino horn trade. Bonné shares her incredible story detailing the ups […]

It’s been a fantastic day of running for over 135 South Africans – as well as 40,000 other participants! – in the London Marathon today, Sunday 23 April 2017. Here’s a collection of photos from a beautiful, sunny day in the UK… as well as the unofficial results for South African competitors (scroll down). The 25.2 mile marathon […]

As South Africans from across the nation gathered together in prayer on Saturday afternoon, at a farm just outside Bloemfontein, a spirited gust of wind blew a mini whirlwind across the meeting… evoking a sense of miraculous wonder amongst the crowd. Pastor Angus Buchan’s facebook page uploaded the video below and said: “This was a wind that […]

South Africans from around the country have  trekked  to a farm near Bloemfontein  to pray today for  their beloved South Africa. Here are some of the photos being shared on social media in  the hours before Pastor Angus Buchan will lead  the congregated crowd in prayer… His team said  today on Facebook: “We cannot explain […]

At a time when the world is hearing so much negative news about South Africa’s political crises, BBC’s former Africa Bureau Chief Peter Burdin says we should look to the youth for the real story… Burdin, an international journalism lecturer and BBC editor, was nominated this week – by the South Africa Chamber of Commerce in the […]

A model of the spectacular “Kirstenbosch – South Africa” Exhibit for this year’s famous Chelsea Flower Show was unveiled at a launch at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden yesterday. Designed by the award-winning team David Davidson and Raymond Hudson, the exhibit will provide a glimpse of all nine of South Africa’s biomes to the over 150,000 people […]

Yikes. South Africans Roger Purchase and Les Davis were riding in the Bavaiaanskloof Game Reserve, near Port Elizabeth, when they encountered a somewhat “bad tempered” lone Buffalo Bull… What ensued is captured on film by Les. Fortunately nobody was injured! According to Roger, solitary bulls like this are sometimes called “Dagga Bulls” or “Dagga Boys”. […]

The 2016/2017 Fire Season took its toll on the Western Cape in South Africa – 17,000 fires were reported and damage is estimated to have exceeded R500 million with 142 fatalities. To try and prevent this tragedy recurring next year, a new project is being launched… “I’m excited to announce the launch of the Before the Burn […]

Are you a Benonian living abroad? If so – the Benoni City Times would like to share your story. They say “once a Benonian, always a Benonian”. And that counts for stars like Charlize Theron who was born here, and Charlene Wittstock – now Princess Charlene of Monaco – who grew up here. The City Times will be […]

PRETORIA – Deputy President Cyril Ramphosa says he is supportive of Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba and his team who are heading to the United States of America (USA) for the forthcoming International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Spring Meetings. Yesterday in Pretoria, Gigaba briefed Ramaphosa on his scheduled visit which will also include further interactions with […]

Immigration is not for the faint of heart. You have to really want to make it work and be willing to go to extreme lengths to do so, or else you will become one of the statistics of South Africans returning to their home country… writes guest contributor ADELE. According to statistics, almost half a […]

Five dune buggies took a unique offroad trip through some of the most beautiful kilometres of South African soil – Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve, near Port Elizabeth. The adventurers included Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University student Matthew Watson and Anna Lindstrom, Grace Gnahn, Madi Lacy, Matt Watson, Nick van der Merwe. They said “the experience was unlike any other” […]

South African professional surfer Jordy Smith has won his first Bells Beach title, making a dream come true… and chipping his tooth in the process. Jordy beat friend and fellow competitor Brazilian Caio Ibelli in the final in Victoria, Australia, on Wednesday; and was so excited he started pretending to ring the legendary bell whilst still […]

To mark the 120th anniversary since Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika was composed (in 1897) and the 112th anniversary since the death of its composer Enoch Sontonga, here are some of our favourite videos of the African melody being performed… Sontonga, who died on 18 April 1905 at just 32, wrote the first two stanzas of Nkosi Sikelel iAfrika. It’s a […]

It’s all systems go as South Africa gets ready for a National Day of Prayer this Saturday, 22 April 2017… and South Africans abroad are invited to join in to make this an even more powerful day of prayer, asking God for “restoration and peace in our nation”. Expats in cities like Perth have arranged gatherings […]

It’s a very difficult thing on occasion to ignore what’s going on around you. Or at least, not to react too negatively towards it. Being one who doesn’t read the newspaper or watch the news on TV, I pretty much get wind of happenings on social media (cue Facebook and Twitter…) With everything that’s been […]

If you’ve always dreamed of swimming with dolphins, here’s a chance to experience it vicariously… Mike Kirk uploaded this fooage, filmed in KwaZulu-Natal last week – at Umdloti Beach, near Durban – on 12 April 2017. Surfing with Dolphins at Umdloti Beach, South Africa https://youtu.be/8_2zeuAhElQ

Lungile Gongqa became the first Capetonian to win the annual Two Oceans Ultra Marathon in 44 years, racing to victory in the Mother City on Saturday in a time of 03:09:43. It was an exciting close call between the South African and Warinyane Lebopo, from Lesotho, in the last few kilometres of the 56 km race. In third […]

George Airport in the Western Cape is doing it again. Last year it made headlines globally when it launched a 750Kw plant to become the first airport in South Africa that will get a lot of its power from solar energy… and this year it has received exemption from the South Africa Civil Aviation Authority […]

Siyabonga Duma, 28, wants to inspire other young people. The Port Elizabeth artist is making a living by turning beach sand into sculptures. The unemployed 28-year-old, who moved from Durban last year, displays his work at PE’s popular Hobie and Kings beaches. Every morning he and his 22-year-old brother Sizwe wake up early to collect sand […]

On Wednesday evening, a small but passionate group of South Africans in London congregated in solidarity with those who marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa. And on Saturday, a separate group will protest outside UK PR firm Bell Pottinger’s London office. The Democratic Alliance (DA) Abroad group in London, who arranged the candlelit […]

The first few months of 2017 have been both exhilarating and concerning for many South Africans. We have witnessed some great moments and some terrifying ones… writes JUSTIN SULLIVAN. I tend to expose the hard truths of reality sometimes (with photographs from the Western Cape fires to children in townships), and even though it may […]