A new Covid-19 variant C.1.2, has been identified in South Africa. This SARS-CoV-2 variant of interest (VOI) is of concern as it is associated with increased transmissibility, neutralisation resistance and disease severity, according to recently published research. It was identified in SA in May, and is now in another 10 countries. According to the US […]

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says the amended 2021 school calendar will be retained as is. The Council of Education Ministers (CEM) met on Friday to discuss the options. Motshekga reported that: “Three options emerged from the consultations, and these were presented to the CEM for consideration. In the end, CEM agreed that the amended 2021 […]

Louzanne Coetzee produced the performance of her career to win a 1500m Paralympic silver medal, in a race where she left everything out there on the Olympic Stadium track. The 28-year-old was competing in her sixth major championship event since 2013 and was understandably emotional after winning silver in a career-best 4min 40.96sec in the […]

Louzanne Coetzee, with her guide Erasmus Badenhorst, progressed to Monday’s final of the women’s 1500m (T11) at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics on Sunday. She took 3.43 seconds off her previous best set at the 2017 World Championships. Coetzee had been DQ’d in the 1500m at Rio 2016 but stamped herself as a medal favourite here […]

South African NPO Ladles of Love has officially broken the world record for the longest line of food cans. The 6,7km line of cans in Cape Town not only breaks the record… but will also go a long way to feeding hungry people! The line consisted of over 90,000 cans from the heart, and in […]

It’s been in existence since the 1500s but the Kaaps language, synonymous with Cape Town in South Africa, has never had a dictionary until now. The Trilingual Dictionary of Kaaps has been launched by a collective of academic and community stakeholders – the Centre for Multilingualism and Diversities Research at the University of the Western […]

Watch South African double-amputee Ntando Mahlangu‘s amazing world record-breaking final leap at the Tokyo Paralympics. Ntando jumped an incredible 7.17m to win GOLD for South Africa in the men’s T63 long jump… and break his own world record. Stream the Tokyo Paralympics on Showmax Pro. Subscribe before 31 August and get an extra month free!  WATCH […]

South African athlete Anrune Weyers has scooped GOLD at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics in Japan, putting SA on the medal board… and causing us to shed a few tears of joy for her, as she tearfully dropped to her knees in gratitude after crossing the finishing line. Weyers sped to victory in the women’s T47 […]

South African Athlete Ntando Mahlangu broke the world record with a final leap of 7.17m to win Gold in the men’s T63 long jump, a matter of minutes after Anrune Weyers had sped to the women’s T47 400m gold in 56.05sec. This put Team SA on the medals table at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, with […]

South Africa is expecting to receive at least 2.2 million more Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses today, donated by the USA. Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla announced the news yesterday, saying the doses are being donated via the COVAX facility – an international group lobbying for the equal access to and procurement of vaccines. Phaahla said […]

South Africa’s Department of Sports, Arts and Culture Minister, Nathi Mthethwa, has finally announced the financial incentives for medal winning Tokyo Games 2020 Paralympic and Olympic athletes and their coaches. The announcement means that Olympic swimming sensation Tatjana Schoenmaker, who broke a world record in the pool on her way to bagging silver and gold […]

Here’s what’s coming up on Carte Blanche this week – you can watch the show on Sunday 29 August in South Africa on DStv Now or stream it overseas in most countries on Showmax International from Tues 31 August if you’re abroad. INVESTIGATE Drivers’ Licence Jam As the grace period to renew drivers’ licences was […]

The winners of the prestigious Rhino Conservation Awards were officially announced this week during an online event to honour the incredible people and organisations across Africa, who play a vital role in protecting our endangered species, and ensure our natural heritage is safeguarded for future generations. Patron of the Awards, Prince Albert II of Monaco, […]

Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla has again urged all South Africans over the age of 18 to get vaccinated against COVID-19… as the country is expected to enter a fourth wave of the virus in November. In an update to the nation on the vaccination rollout, Dr Phaahla said: “We have opened [vaccinations] for everybody above […]

Police have arrested seven suspects in connection with the recent shocking murder of senior Gauteng Department of Health finance official, Babita Deokaran, who was a key whistle-blower in the Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) scandal. The swift breakthrough in the case – thanks to information received by the investigating team – was confirmed by National Police […]

On the third day of staying in the Paralympic village bubble “it” finally dawned on me. “It” wasn’t the sheer visual aspect of the 4 000-plus Paralympians with disabilities all in the same environment of towering 17-storey apartments and surrounded by a 4km perimeter fence… writes GARY LEMKE in Tokyo. Admittedly, that is the initial […]

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a Yellow Level 2 impact-based Warning for snow, and says it is valid for today (Fri 27 Aug) into tomorrow, for parts of the Western and Northern Cape provinces. “These conditions will spread to the Eastern Cape and KZN high-ground from overnight tonight into tomorrow (Saturday),” said […]

While South Africa has established a good foundation in research and development, the continued poor performance in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) remains South Africa’s number one hindrance to innovation, according to the latest SA Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators Report which was launched yesterday. The report, commissioned by the National Advisory […]

Nando’s has done it again. South Africa’s favourite peri-peri chicken restaurant chain has launched an advert today that reminds locals that in a world of fake news, there’s one thing you can always rely on – a great Nando’s ad that’ll make you laugh! The video commercial features a very pregnant-looking woman who allegedly had […]

A Cape Town-based diamond jeweller – Shimansky – has dazzled the City of Lights, Las Vegas… scooping a first ever win for a South African jewellery brand at a prestigious international awards show. Shimansky was last night awarded the Best in Gold Award at the international Couture Design Show Awards 2021 in Wynn, Las Vegas. This […]

South African expat Jaco van Gass has won Gold for Great Britain at the Tokyo Paralympics in Japan today. The former soldier won the C3 3000m Individual Pursuit… and broke a World Record. After racing to victory in the velodrome, the humble athlete – who grew up in Middelburg in Mpumalanga – deflected the glory […]

South African Airways (SAA) has announced that it expects to resume operations on the Johannesburg – Cape Town route, and other African destinations, on 23 September. The carrier has not taken to the skies since early last year, partly due to the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent hard lockdown, as well as the […]

South African Police Minister Bheki Cele says police have so far arrested 42 people for their alleged role in what he called the racially motivated murders in Phoenix, in KwaZulu-Natal. Speaking on Wednesday at a debate in the National Council of Provinces on the recent public violence, looting and destruction of property, Cele said: “A […]

Three vleis are still closed to the public because of sewage spills… By Liezl Human.   Cape Town’s three large vleis, Zandvlei, Zeekoevlei and Rietvlei, remain closed for recreational use because of high E. coli levels. Over 6,000 people have signed a petition calling for the City to release water quality tests. Zandvlei has been closed for […]

Like many others he lost his home during lockdown and lived rough… By James Stent. Walter Nyamugama used to live in a tent. Now, he lives in a shared house, spacious and with a beautiful view of the Muizenberg promenade. “Sometimes I’m sitting here and I can’t believe it,” he says, seated in a bright, […]