Thanks to South Africans abroad, there are a lot of Greeks, Aussies and various other nationalities who know what a ‘braai‘ is and can say “gaan kak in die mielies” (ja, that’s the most popular Afrikaans phrase we teach our foreign friends!)…but when they visit our shores they don’t know the more important words…like babelaas, bakkie […]

Some of it is obvious, like the view from Table Mountain, and some of it is not, like street vendors and school uniforms. I grew up in Germany and now live in the USA. Here are the 30 things I remember most fondly from our expat life in South Africa: [vc_button title=”1″ color=”default”] Hadedas Hadedas […]

If you’re a South African abroad and don’t have the time or the budget for a holiday to South Africa this summer/winter (depending where you are)…pull on your favourite South African rugby shirt, turn up the volume and enjoy a 12-minute holiday vicariously through SA expat Kimberly Aldworth. Kimberly recently got back from taking her […]

Congratulations to Ogilvy & Mather (O&M) Johannesburg for being awarded a Gold Radio Lion at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity last night. The award was for the ‘Night Before the Project’ radio advertisement for Suntory Lucozade South Africa. Mariana O’Kelly, co-ECD of O&M Johannesburg, said “Cannes this year has been incredibly tough so […]

Trevor Noah isn’t the only South African ‘Trevor’ export to hit US shores. First there was Trevor Jones (now 66), an orchestral film score composer from Cape Town whose credits include ‘The Last of the Mohicans’. And then there was fellow musician and film score composer Trevor Rabin (now 61) who is again making news this […]

The big question being asked in South Africa today is “where were you on that epic day 20 years ago?” Yes, it’s been two decades since former President Nelson Mandela walked on to that rugby field in his #6 Springbok jersey with the chants of the crowd accompanying him…”Nelson…Nelson…Nelson”. South Africans are being invited to […]

Check out the compilation (above or below) of photos and video of Johnny Clegg performing at two recent concerts…including footage where he’s joined on stage by his old Juluka partner Sipho Mchunu. Earlier this month Clegg reminisced about the old Juluka days when “our music was banned or restricted on national radio, as well as shows being […]

It’s been four months since young filmmaker Howard Fyvie traded in his rental home in Woodstock for a bunk bed in DuNoon, a township on the fringes of Milnerton. And now that the “Honeymoon period has officially worn off”, he has some insider tips on how to navigate a township… The 27-year-old says: “I’ve started to see […]

Dear Friend, It has been an eerie thing for me these past few years: sort of a déjà vu experience to watch the news and read about Ferguson, Eric Garner, Baltimore riots, McKinney and, most recently, the horrific shooting in Charleston. I’ve been watching #blacklivesmatter trend on Twitter: grief and outrage and opinions from every corner. […]

A well-deserved congratulations to Cape Town photographer Eric Nathan whose shot of the Mother City at night has earned him the top prize at the International Earth & Sky Photo Contest. But, as exquisite as his photo is, it also highlights the effect light pollution has on our skies and the need to reclaim and reconnect […]

Check out South African professional skydiver JeanJacques Wallis – in the white wingsuit – as he explores the Drakensberg mountains in KwaZulu-Natal like never before. The skydiver from Pretoria Skydiving Club, who last brought us incredible GoPro footage of base jumping from a derelict building in Pretoria, has this time teamed up with fellow South […]

Check out the video below from Durban comedian Carvin H Goldstone tuning the “ou’s” and joking about the “chow”. The homegrown talent jokes about losing weight, KFC and the difference between various South African cultures. This skit comes from his latest one-man stand-up show “Coloured President”. Durban-based comedian, Carvin, is becoming one of the country’s most […]

Kevin Anderson will face Scottish Andy Murray in the Finals of the Aegon Championships at Queens Club in London this afternoon. The South African, with the legendary big serve, has enjoyed a great tournament this week – triumphing over Australian Lleyton Hewitt in the first round before making world headlines when he knocked out recent French […]

Happy Father’s Day to all fathers out there, young and old – may you always be an inspiration to your kids! If there’s anyone who for any reason doesn’t see or call their dad as often as they might, I pray that this little poem will serve as a gentle reminder that time isn’t always […]

Well done to swimmers in the Western Cape who braved the winter waters for a full 30 minutes today in the Annual Polar Bear Challenge at 4th Beach Clifton. It was a “stunning day, with ‘pleasant’ 11 degree water,” according to Fish Hoek professional photographer Robyn Gwilt. Here are her (and friend Jennifer Anderson’s) photos to […]

Hillbrow, Jo’burg’s inner city Tenderloin district, was never a nest of angels… In the late 1970s and 80s, it was the most cosmopolitan piece of real estate in South Africa. You had your excellent Hillbrow Records, your Mi-Vami shawarma place, Estoril Books, your globe-trotting tattoo artist down in the basement shopping area on Pretoria Street […]

Unilever has launched a #BrightFutureSA campaign which features a video that starts with a child saying “you’re never too young to make a difference” before introducing us to several inspiring kids, from all over the world, who have ideas that truly could make a difference. The campaign then invites others to get involved and to help create a brighter future […]

Here’s a shout out from Carina McAlpine for her neighbour who bravely risked his life to rescue her during an assault…even though at that stage they were just polite neighbours who barely knew each other. Carina posted the following message to Facebook with the photo above: “Ladies and gentlemen…please salute my neighbour, Joseph Hlengane Hlongwane, who […]

An artisanal beer-making tsunami has hit South Africa in the last few years and resulted in 135 craft breweries that have popped up throughout the country (see infographic below). The below quote is the top definition of what constitutes a craft beer in the tongue-in-cheek Urban Dictionary. [quote_center]CRAFT BEER – “An explosion of art and science coming together to build […]

Many of us probably think of Hillbrow in Johannesburg as a no-go zone, but Nick Bauer and Mike Luptak are making a point of taking people to its very heart. And to Ponte City too. And beyond. Through their company, Dlala Nje, Bauer and Luptak offer two increasingly popular tours – This is Hillbrow and The Taste […]

In the beginning the Lowes had everything. Two great jobs. Two beautiful girls. Kristi and Jenna. Everything pretty much on track. Now so much of that is gone… Ten days ago 20-year-old Jenna Lowe passed away.  During the last few months of her life her family moved from the Western Cape to Johannesburg to be near their […]

KwaZulu-Natal’s Durban curry is on its way to global fame thanks to Erica Platter and Clinton Friedman whose book ‘Durban Curry: So Much of Flavour’ was placed second in the Best Book of the Year category in the prestigious Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2015. Proving that local is more than just lekker, ‘Durban Curry’ secured its top three […]

The iconic, mysterious and magical African baobab, probably the most identifiable and prehistoric-looking tree on earth, suddenly seems to be coming into its own in the 21st Century. Several companies are getting the name of the tree out there – literally – selling products that take advantage of its health and medicinal properties. One company even promotes the […]

To commemorate Youth Day, 16 June 2015, a collection of well-known South Africans have shared their words of wisdom to their younger selves. The video, compiled by the Expresso Show, is a fun look at what celebrities like musician Elvis Blue, cricketer JP Duminy, actor Soli Philander and TV personality Bonnie Mbuli would say to their 16-year-old […]

As arguments reverberated around South Africa on what should have occurred regarding the International Criminal Court (ICC) request to arrest Omar al-Bashir, the Democratic Alliance (DA) used the moment to re-highlight its recently launched #Vision2029 campaign. In a tweet  posted minutes after it was confirmed that the Sudanese President – who is wanted on charges related […]