Jonathan Plaatjies is 29 years old and unemployed. He lives in Nuwe Begin, just outside Mfuleni, about 30 kilometres from Cape Town’s centre. Plaatjies makes a living by collecting and selling scrap to some of the five or so scrapyards in Mfuleni. After Plaatjies lost his job as a security guard at Stellenbosch University he […]

The Virgin Kitesurfing Armada took place on Saturday near Bloubergstrand in Cape Town, bringing together hundreds of kitesurfers in an attempt to break the record for the ‘Largest Parade of Kitesurfers’. After 3 hours of kitesurfing the World Record was smashed – with a total of 415 kitesurfers completing the one mile course between Dolphin Beach and […]

Under the headline “Saffa Day at Snowmass”, a Colorado newspaper snapped 60 South Africans who are working in Aspen during the winter season, with the South African flag draped on the snow in front of them. The Aspen Times said, “A group of roughly 60 South Africans who are working in the area for the […]

It’s been one of the hottest South African summers…and as we all know, there’s no better way to cool down than with a swim in the pool. Barbara von Etzdorf caught these vervet monkeys taking a dip in her swimming pool on New Year’s Eve! Watch Video: Vervet monkeys swim in garden pool https://youtu.be/6jyWY6Who7M

Two kilometres out of Hout Bay lies Dungeons, South Africa’s world famous big wave spot. Most of us never get to see it, being so far out… But yesterday a group of photographers were taken out to capture the big swells and brave surfers on film. Check out these photos from ROBYN GWILT and FABIAN COETZER… “It was a […]

A low-flying South African Air Force Gripen jet that circled a neighbourhood of Johannesburg on Thursday got people tweeting excitedly and taking videos of the seemingly errant plane. And then it was back again on Friday. “Wonderful to hear and see the #Gripen #Fighterjet flying over Randburg this evening again!” was one tweet. Another tweeter said […]

Muizenberg is the little place that could. So many times over the past decades people have believed that the  beach village way on the other side of Cape Town, the surfer’s corner, one of the oldest resorts in the country, might be on the rise. Well, now it finally seems to be coming true. Countless cars and buses used to […]

When Luyanda Sikhakhane hired her gardener, Bongani Mtolo, she could never have dreamt that the young man who did all sorts of odd jobs, was in fact a qualified accountant. “I hired Bongani to help me with our garden. I had called him in for lunch and was trying to help my little brother with […]

Congratulations to South Africa’s Lucas Sithole for winning the Australian Open wheelchair tennis quad doubles title on Thursday in Melbourne. Sithole and his partner, American former world no. 1 David Wagner, beat British Andy Lapthorne and Australian Dylan Alcott 6-1 6-3 in an 1 hour battle at Melbourne Park. According to Tennis.co.za Sithole –  who lost both […]

Lovelyn Chidinma Nwadeyi has delivered yet another thought-provoking piece on life in South Africa…urging many of us to listen in 2016 and give those who need to talk, to cry, or to be angry the chance to do just that. Speaking on Tuesday evening at the annual meeting of the Stellenbosch University (SU) Convocation, Lovelyn said […]

LONDON – Two South Africans sentenced alongside Nelson Mandela to life in jail were given the Freedom of the City of London on Wednesday in recognition of their fight for freedom and racial equality, as were the lawyers who defended them at trial. Ahmed Kathrada and Denis Goldberg received the award with fellow South African George Bizos and Lord Joel Joffe […]

Dan Mace is a young surfer and film maker from Cape Town who has made some incredible movies already (check his YouTube page for proof), but now it’s #TheRainbowChain that’s on his mind. In a new video the 25-year-old says that even though corruption, crime and racism seem to be at an all-time high in South Africa, […]

The 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day initiative – which has helped bring warmth to thousands of South Africans and inspiration to millions – celebrated its second anniversary this evening at the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory in Houghton where Minister of Sport and Recreation Fikile Mbalula praised the initiative for bringing “positivity and hope” to South Africa. As a […]

South African comedian Trevor Noah has signed a deal with publisher Spiegel & Grau to write a book about his life, which is due for release in November. Noah, who has become an international celebrity since taking over from Jon Stewart as host of The Daily Show in the USA said in a statement: “I […]

Suzelle in her latest DIY video, “How to Make Your Own Greehouse”, heads into the garden (or “gorden”) and lands up in the swimming pool. Watch the video:

British actor Orlando Bloom has revealed that he’s not only a fan of South Africa’s steaks…but also of a lekker South African braai. The well-travelled actor was asked recently where in the world he had enjoyed his most memorable meal. His response was: “It’s impossible to name a particular restaurant but the steaks in South Africa are like […]

When you’re a South African abroad… living in a colder climate sometimes, far from home, and far from the familiar sounds of the ocean and the bush, you can long so desperately to hear them again… VIDEO: “Waves and Blessings” from Cape Town – Sounds of the Ocean RIA VILJOEN, who was on holiday in […]

Kagiso Rabada is not just the Man of the Match. He’s the Man of the Moment whose phenomenal performance today helped propel South Africa to defeat England in the final Test by a whopping 280 runs! Rabada’s second innings return of 6/32 gave him a match return of 13/144 which is the second best in […]

Yes, the boerboel, aka the South African mastiff, is making its first appearance at Westminster, the Westminster Dog Show, that is, the premier dog show in the United States. The Boerboel named Oblio comes from Chesapeake, Virginia, and is apparently about 15 months old. According to a news report late last year, he is the first Bred […]

A ban on the hunting of leopard in South Africa has been imposed by the Department of Environment Affairs for the rest of 2016, and it will then reassess the situation, according to news reports. The department said that conservation authorities in the various provinces were told that leopard hunts should not be authorised in 2016, and […]

A team of young South African high school students has won the prestigious International Moot Court competition in The Hague. Team South Africa competed against scores of talented debaters, aged 14 to 16, from around the world to make it through to the semi-finals against Team USA. The finals took place in the Academic Building of the Peace […]

Patrick van Rensburg, who  lives in Hluhluwe and  makes promo videos for lodges and other businesses around South Africa, wanted to put something more personal together from the  footage he has. “It’s not promoting anyone in particular,” he says. “It’s just a personal expression from me – a Love Letter to Africa, if you like. Feel free to share…” […]

The science fiction dream of living on another planet could become reality for South African researcher Adriana Marais. She is one of the 100 candidates who are one step closer to living on Mars, an initiative of the Mars One Project, should they make it to the next round in the selection process. “When I […]

Congratulations to Kagiso Rabada on becoming the youngest South African to take seven wickets in a test innings. The 20-year-old made South Africa proud today with his performance on day three in the final test against England, at Centurion’s SuperSport Park in Pretoria. Minister of Sport, Fikile Mbalula, tweeted: “youngest fast bowler to get 7 […]

The last month has been a very interesting trial in patience and acceptance, as well as a tremendous learning curve on what South Africa is really like. I live outside the country and thus get all my news on our country via the media…and it’s not good. It began in December with a lost passport […]