As predicted yesterday a big swell hit Durban today (20 January 2015), creating massive waves and smashing into piers! Mitch Meyer was there to capture it on film. (UPDATE 12 MARCH 2017: If you’re looking for video and photos of the freak tsunami-like waves that hit Durban beachfront on Sunday 12 March 2017, please click […]

When the World Economic Forum (WEF) kicks off tomorrow in Switzerland,  South Africa will once again be represented in Davos by a high level and multi-stakeholder team. Team South Africa. Their message to the 2,500 participants at the annual summit will be: South Africa is open for business and remains an attractive and reliable investment destination. […]

A Gauteng teenager was rescued at Camps Bay in South Africa yesterday evening by an incredibly brave and selfless NSRI (National Sea Rescue Institute) crew, after he became entangled in his kite and was swept out to sea in extremely rough and dangerous conditions. Eighteen-year-old Shane Keenan, from Fourways in Johannesburg, had been flying a large kite […]

We’re always celebrating South Africa’s stunning beaches and sensational safaris…but there are so many other hidden treasures in the land. Here is just one of them – the Sevilla Rock Art Trail. All photographs by Andre Buser (thank you!). Ten Things you should know about the Sevilla Rock Art Trail: 1. Some of the paintings […]

Top South African cycling outfit Team MTN-Qhubeka has received an invitation to participate in the 2015 Tour de France – the first African team ever to do so in 101 years.The 22 teams riding in the race were announced by the Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO) last week. Along with the 17 World Tour teams, five […]

South African batsman AB de Villiers wrote his name indelibly into cricket’s history books when he produced one of ODI’s greatest innings against the West Indies at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium on Sunday. De Villiers hit eight fours and 10 sixes to reach his century in just 31 balls, erasing New Zealander Corey Anderson’s previous […]

As South Africans around the country are plunged into occasional darkness with the latest onslaught of loadshedding, and being bombarded with even darker headlines that there may be no light at the end of this tunnel for a while yet…some South Africans are finding a way to see the brighter, ‘lighter’ side of things…particularly Ursula Botha in […]

A South African production company has filmed a beautiful documentary series that showcases not only the beauty of Africa, but also the hard-working conservationists on this continent who are protecting and caring for our wildlife and our land. They are The Wild Bunch. (Watch the promo reel below.) Thelma Roos and Robert Waldron, from Wild Dog Productions, […]

This morning began with a message from renowned South African writer Max du Preez on his Facebook page declaring he has “ended my association with the Independent Media Group and will no longer write a weekly column for its newspapers.” (Read the full transcription below.) In response to this and other recent media events, Gauteng businessman […]

There is happy news from the Bush today. Thandi, the female rhino that survived a horrific poaching attack almost three years ago, gave birth to a calf this morning at 08h50. The birth took place at Kariega Game Reserve where two rangers witnessed the joyous event. Shortly afterwards wildlife veterinarian Dr William Fowlds observed the mother and her calf from […]

South Africa’s sunny coastal cities have a longstanding and fun tradition to usher in each new year: fireworks over the ocean on New Year’s Eve, and then everyone – but everyone – flocks to the beach on New Year’s Day. YouTube user Chris Wright captured all of this at the Port Elizabeth beachfront in Nelson […]

Durban is stepping out of the shadow of Cape Town, traditionally South Africa’s tourist Mecca. Durbs, as it is affectionately known, is a melting pot of Zulu, British colonial and Indian culture – and it is seventh on the New York Times list of places to visit in 2015. In 1962, Nelson Mandela was captured […]

Former Springbok captain and flank Theuns Stofberg got together recently for a braai and a trip down memory lane with former team-mates and old friends (Johann) de Villiers Visser and Rudi ‘Vleis’ Visagie. Stofberg, who captained the South African rugby team between 1980 and 1984, met up with the two former locks at Visser’s home near Franschoek […]

It’s touted as the toughest and greatest rally in the world, pitting 50 nationalities against each other in some of the world’s most stunning deserts…all united by one core value – “competition and help go hand in hand”. And South African team Johan van Staden and Mark Lawrenson upheld that value when they stopped mid-race […]

Durban has been named as one of the top destinations to visit in one of the world’s most prestigious annual lists – the New York Times ’52 Places to Go in 2015′ list. In fact it’s included in the Top 10 at position #7. And if you have ever met anyone from Durban, you’ll know just how much that […]

Yesterday was declared a public holiday in Monaco as Princess Charlene (36) and Prince Albert (56) joyfully introduced their twins to the residents of the small, but luxurious, principality on the French Riviera. Church bells rang, a military band performed, and crowds – waving flags – clapped and cheered as the couple took to the Palace balcony, each […]

South African writer Max du Preez has called on fellow citizens to quit whinging about the state of the nation’s services…and just get on with a little DIY. Do it yourself. Undeterred by the Presidency’s outrage, expressed in a statement last week, that an article he wrote made a “personal attack on President Jacob Zuma”, Du Preez has […]

There’s a South African wine that’s sure to do well in 2015. Goats do Roam. It’s the perfectly named wine for a year in which the Chinese celebrate the Year of the Goat! And it looks like the marketing opportunity has not been missed by Fairview, the South African winery owned by Charles Back. Elna Black Hough, a South […]

You know the feeling; you are homesick for South Africa and you just want home. Nothing else will do. No other adventure, no prospect of promotion, you just want home. Just for one day…an hour…in such desperate times even a minute would do! As I sit at my desk I can hear the wind howl, […]

After his overseas dream holiday turned into a nightmare, a young cancer sufferer is safely back in South Africa thanks to the incredible support from family, friends, caring strangers and his medical insurance company which chose a human response to a tragic situation. Jordan Smith touched down in South Africa a couple of hours ago […]

South Africans have taken to social media in the past 24 hours in distress over an incident in which a dog was allegedly brutally beaten to death by a guesthouse owner. SAPeople has been inundated with requests to share the story in the hope of bringing justice for the dog, and a community page that […]

Durban’s beaches were packed today in a proud display of colour and celebration as crowds flocked to the beachfront as part of an annual tradition to celebrate New Year’s Day on the famous South African beachfront. Kierran Allen was there to capture these photos, and says “not as many people as last year, but still […]

South Africans around the world have welcomed in 2015 joyously! Here are just some of the messages and fantastic photos from SA People around the world… Hester SophiaEsta Marais‎ So sluit ons saam met vriende 2014 af en ons se aan almal baie voorspoed vir die nuwejaar. Twaaluur vanaf Strandfontein aan die Weskus. (And so we ended […]

Andries Moni, the hard-working gardener with an inspiring work ethic, is back at work in Gordon’s Bay…and has made a video message to thank all those kind, kind people around the world who rallied to help him replace his gardening equipment after it was stolen earlier in the month. If you missed the original story of how […]

As international tourists and South Africans from around the country head to the coast for their summer holidays, the NSRI (National Sea Rescue Institute) has released a selection of photographs to show swimmers exactly what rip currents look like. And even if you’re a seasoned swimmer – it’s worth taking a look because sometimes the […]