I heard someone say recently: “this variant is really catchy”. My family can bear testimony to this. We have just had a markedly quiet Christmas and new year, all of us holed up with positive Covid-19 results. This came as an unwelcome surprise – no doubt as it has to the more than one million […]

UK celebrity Gregg Wallace, best known for presenting MasterChef and being a food expert, says there’s nothing quite like a South African braai. In a new series for ITV – ‘South Africa with Gregg Wallace” – it’s clear that Gregg fell in love with the country: its foods, its people, the wildlife, the culture, the […]

Tributes have poured in for NATU President Allen Thompson who has sadly passed away, after reportedly being infected with Covid-19. Thompson was elected President of the National Teacher’s Union in 2018. Elijah Mhlanga, Communications Director at the Department of Basic Education, tweeted: “I am terribly shocked and saddened at the news of the passing of […]

A suspected drug kingpin has been fatally shot in KwaZulu-Natal, according to local reports. The man – named as Yaganthan Pillay, and nicknamed Teddy Mafia – is reported to have been shot twice at his home in Durban suburb, Shallcross. He was taken to a Chatsworth hospital where it is believed he passed on shortly […]

There will be no ‘family meeting’ tonight in South Africa. The Presidency has confirmed that there is no truth to the rumour that President Cyril Ramaphosa was to address the nation tonight, Monday 4 January 2021. Rumours had been flying on social media that President Ramaphosa was due to announce even stricter restrictions, and that […]

Three suspects are expected to appear before the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court after they were caught smuggling 73.5 kg of gold at OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) in their hand luggage. The gold bars were detected by a security scanner which identified irregular images. A multi-disciplinary team was alerted by the security officials, and the […]

The price of petrol in South Africa is set to increase by between 40 and 43 cents a litre this week. In a statement on Monday, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) said the price of 93 (ULP and LRP) will go up by 43 cents, while that of 95 (ULP and LRP) […]

Captain Jaco Mol, South African National Parks (SANParks) Chief Pilot, on Sunday night posted a message to the SANParks Kruger National Park group on Facebook, addressing rumours about the SANParks helicopter accident on Saturday morning. The accident, which damaged the Airbus AS350B-3+ (Squirrel) helicopter, occurred during take-off from Cape Town International Airport. SANParks said the […]

South Africa’s Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize announced that as of today, “the total number of confirmed #COVID19 cases is 1 100 748; the total number of deaths is 29 577 and the total number of recoveries is 903 679.” Today’s stats show a 32% positivity rate. There were a further 402 deaths overnight, with […]

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize on Sunday 3 January 2021 presented South Africa’s COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy. This follows several calls for an urgent rollout of vaccines, including a petition from health workers that has been signed by over 6,000 supporters. Dr Mkhize explained: We have always said that the second wave is going to come and […]

Millions of South Africans are mourning the deaths of two prominent sports people – Athletic South Africa former President, Leonard Chuene and former Kaizer Chiefs captain, Ryder Mofokeng. Chuene died on Friday, 1 January 2021 while Mofokeng passed away on Saturday, 2 January 2021. “What a sombre way to welcome 2021; two respected sports people […]

A South African safari guide has produced a stunning wildlife video, with a special New Year 2021 message. The video has been going viral on WhatsApp, but nobody knows who the guide behind the voice is. (If you know – please let us know at admin@sapeople.com so that we can give full credit for this […]

Eskom and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation are working to extend the life of the ageing Koeberg nuclear plant for another 20 years. How safe will this be for Cape Town? In tonight’s episode of currents affairs show Carte Blanche, presenter Claire Mawisa seeks answers. Africa’s only nuclear power station, situated just outside Cape […]

Police in Limpopo, Polokwane, are hunting suspects who attacked South African Police Service (SAPS) members yesterday, Saturday 2 January. The suspects threw stones injuring SAPS members and damaging their vehicles, and helped arrested suspects escape. Limpopo’s Acting Provincial Commissioner of Police, Major General Jan Scheepers, has strongly condemned the incident and ordered that the suspects […]

“We call on the Department of Health to act urgently, transparently and decisively now to obtain vaccines and to implement vaccination, so as to reduce death and illness, and bring the pandemic under control.” So reads a letter started by Professor Heather Zar, a leading public sector paediatrician at Cape Town’s Red Cross Childrens Hospital […]

The South African variant of Covid-19, which has already been identified in Australia and the UK, has now been found in isolated patients in France, South Korea, Switzerland and Japan. The new mutation – known as 501.V2 variant – which genomics scientists first identified in Nelson Mandela Bay, was announced by SA Health Minister Dr […]

The missing woman in Parys, Rita Hawkins, was found this morning by a passer-by. The South African Police Service (SAPS) had yesterday issued a call for assistance in locating the 53-year-old who had last been seen running barefoot towards the Vaal River. SAPS said she was found this morning near the Vaalriver in Parys at […]

Hundreds of birds died on New Year’s Eve in Rome, Italy, allegedly killed by the shock of celebratory fireworks and firecrackers, although this has not been confirmed. The birds, mostly starlings that fill the southern European skies at this time of year, are believed to have been startled when people set off fire crackers near […]

In South Africa’s latest Covid-19 update on Friday night, Health Minister Dr Zwelini Mkhize revealed that with 16,726 new cases reported on New Year’s Day, this represents a positivity rate of 33.4 %, SA’s highest daily positivity rate. Dr Mkhize said in a statement on 1 January 2021: “As of today, the total number of […]

History was made today in South Africa with drastically reduced trauma cases being seen in hospitals on the first day of the year. South Africa’s stricter lockdown 3 regulations – including an alcohol ban and curfew of 9pm – are what probably led to a significant reduction in trauma cases this New Year’s Eve. An […]

The South African Police Service (SAPS) in Parys is seeking assistance in finding a missing woman who was last seen running barefoot towards the Vaal River. Police said the missing person, Rita Hawkins (53), is from Bellville and was visiting her aunt in Parys. “She was last seen on Wednesday, 30 December 2020 at about […]

A magical floral fireworks video has been going viral on WhatsApp in South Africa, and around the world, as the planet ushers in 2021… filled with hope and appreciation for the beauty in nature. The video begins with the message ‘Happy New Year / Naturally’ and ends with ‘2021’. In between it features amazing footage […]

This week Carte Blanche investigates a shipping provider who went into liquidation in 2020 and COVID-19 got the blame… while many emigrating South Africans suffered. Shipping Swindle It’s estimated that more than 20,000 South Africans emigrate every year. Finding a reliable service to courier a life’s worth of possessions and valuables is one of the […]

Enjoying the festive season, these monkeys in Umdloti, just north of Durban, appeared to be having some quality family time when Andrea Ben captured these cute photos of them “monkeying around” yesterday. Vervet monkeys are regular visitors to many gardens along the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) coast, and residents have been encouraged by Monkey Helpline to plant […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has delivered the following New Year Message to all South Africans: As we reflect on the year that now draws to a close, we see a world that is fundamentally different to anything we have known before. There is no corner of the earth, nor any part of our country, that has […]