Fabulous South African soprano – Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha – has won the Song Prize at the prestigious BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2021. The 27-year-old rose to victory – against finalists from Madagascar, Wales, South Korea and Austria – with a mix of popular Lieder, South African song (in Xhosa!) and spirituals. “Masabane Cecilia […]

Despite video interviews, sworn statements and even the BBC reporting on the record-breaking birth of ten babies in South Africa to a mom from Tembisa township, it turns out it was all a hoax. The mother – Gosiame Sithole – apparently was not even pregnant, according to several reports in SA. Pretoria News, owned by […]

The Late Late Show host, James Corden, has released extra footage from the popular Friends Reunion (watch it in SA here)… that includes the actors singing along to the TV show’s theme song, the Rembrandt’s “I’ll be there for you”. In the extra video, broadcast last night, James is seen heading to the Warner Brothers […]

Kenneth Kaunda, the former president of Zambia, who has died in hospital in the capital, Lusaka, at the age of 97, was the last of the giants of 20th century African nationalism… writes Gavin Evans, Birkbeck, University of London. He was also one of the few to depart with his reputation still intact. But perhaps […]

The City of Cape Town has been selected from 630 applications, from 99 countries, as one of 50 Champion Cities to Advance in the Global Innovation Competition. The Comp is aimed at identifying the Most Transformative Urban Solutions during the Covid-19 Pandemic.  Cape Town was named as one of the 50 finalists in the 2021 Global […]

A keeper was mauled to death yesterday by a rogue Siberian tiger at a predator park near Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) in South Africa, after the electric fence to its enclosure was turned off for maintenance. The tiger then went on to kill another tiger. Jasper, a male Siberian tiger, scaled the 12-foot high fence […]

The tenth anniversary of the royal wedding of Prince Albert II of Monaco, to former South African athlete Charlene Wittstock, is being commemorated in the principality with the issue of three new stamps. The first features a photo of the couple on their wedding day 10 years ago, in July 2011. The second is a […]

Botswana has announced the discovery of a diamond which they say is the third largest in the world. The whopping 1,098.3 carat diamond, was found on 1 June 2021. Holding the precious stone, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi commended Debswana Diamond Company’s discovery, their largest to date. The largest diamond ever was discovered in South Africa […]

JOHANNESBURG, 16 JUNE 2021 – Following the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa last night that South Africa is now in Lockdown Level 3, with a stricter curfew (of 10pm) imposed, the Flight Centre Travel Group has reassured its travellers that they will still be able to board their flights and complete the last leg of […]

South Africa’s Deputy President David Mabuza says negotiations with the manufacturers of Sputnik V and Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines are at an advanced stage. The Deputy President said this when he responded to oral questions in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Tuesday. “Further interventions being implemented to save lives are ongoing. Negotiations with vaccine […]

Youth Day today (16 June) in South Africa is a day to pay tribute to the youth and recognise the power they have to initiate change. This year, the youth from Youth For Lions are celebrating the recent announcement made by Minister Creecy of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment on their decision […]

Algoa Bay in South Africa has been awarded the Whale Heritage Site accolade, making South Africa the only country in the world with two accredited sites. Whale Heritage Sites are a global accreditation scheme developed by the World Cetacean Alliance and supported by World Animal Protection, that recognise a community’s commitment to respect and celebrate […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa, on the advice of the National Coronavirus Command Council, has tonight announced a move to Lockdown Level 3 as South Africa is suffering under a third wave of the coronavirus pandemic. See all new regulations below. What does Level 3 Lockdown mean? The new curfew is 10pm – 4 am Non-essential places […]

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa is addressing the nation Tuesday evening, 15 June 2021, with an update on SA’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The address comes after a meeting of the National Coronavirus Command Council, the President’s Coordinating Council and Cabinet. EFF Leader Julius Malema has tweeted a prediction that Ramaphosa will be introducing […]

The dogs he walked would anticipate his arrival and recognise him when he arrived at the gate… writes Kimon de Greef. One dog would “do backflips,” her owner remembers. Others barked and raced around, wagging their tails. The name on his refugee permit was Kevin Ilunga Nkongolo. Many residents of Milnerton knew him as Kevin. […]

Aspen says it will release 300 000 Johnson & Johnson (J&J) doses earmarked for teachers soon. In a statement released this week, Aspen said it was “extremely disappointed” to learn that specific batches of the J&J manufactured at its Gqeberha production site have to be destroyed. This is due to the good manufacturing practice risk of […]

South Africa recorded 5 552 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, representing an 18.5% positivity rate. According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), Gauteng continues to drive the third wave with 3 720 new infections reported, accounting for 67%. The province is followed by the Western Cape after 446 people were confirmed to have contracted […]

A new era will kick off for South African rugby when the Sharks, Stormers, Lions and Bulls join 12 PRO14 clubs for the United Rugby Championship, which will start in September 2021 in a brand new, world-class 16-team league. SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux called it a “watershed moment in South African rugby history”. The […]

Two South African Police Service (SAPS) dogs were tragically killed whilst fighting crime in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, yesterday. A third was helicoptered to the vet in critical condition (watch below). Three suspects were also fatally wounded during the shoot-out with police. IPSS Medical Rescue said on Tuesday morning: “We mourn the loss of two […]

Over 1,000 fortune hunters have driven from all corners of South Africa to a village near Ladysmith, in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), in the search for diamonds… after the alleged discovery of the precious stone in the area. Crowds of people, men and women – carrying spades and pick-axes – have flocked to KwaHlathi since Saturday to […]

My Octopus Teacher, the Oscar-winning South African documentary about a Western Cape man’s special friendship with a female octopus, has spawned numerous videos and spoofs. Here’s the latest video that’s been going viral on social media – showing viewers on the UK’s Gogglebox watching the Netflix show. Their comments are classic. When well-known SA writer Max […]

South Africa detected 7 657 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, representing a 17.2% positivity rate. According to the latest data from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), the majority of the new infections were logged in Gauteng after 4 891 people were confirmed to have contracted the virus. Meanwhile, the Western Cape recorded the second-highest […]

Queen Elizabeth II wowed the world yesterday with her delightful choice of outfit for her breakfast meeting with US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill. Photos of a beaming Queen were flashed around the globe… and it didn’t take South Africans long to notice that matching her smile, was a dazzling brooch she was […]

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has decided not to release the long-awaited Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccines for use in South Africa. However, SAHPRA said about 300 000 doses from batches that have been cleared by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) meet the requirements and will subsequently be released and […]

Novak Djokovic made history on Sunday evening in a thrilling men’s finals match at the Roland Garros 2021 French Open. The Serb – who is the world’s number one tennis player – fought from two sets down to became the first man in Open Era to win each major at least twice! He is just […]