DOHA, QATAR – Qatar Airways says it has paid out over R200-Million since March 2020, honouring its obligation to passengers who had travel plans impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The airline said in a statement on Wednesday that this demonstrates its commitment to the SA market. The airline said it also helped repatriate over 12,000 […]

Following the recent massive fire that destroyed over 1,000 homes in Masiphumelele and led to the City of Cape Town declaring it a local disaster, the government has called on the public to assist where they can. Here’s a first hand account from volunteer Lynn Duddy… When you arrive it is a bit overwhelming, like […]

South Africa has recorded 339 more COVID-19 related deaths bringing the death toll to 25 246, says Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize. A total of 9 501 new cases have been reported in the past 24 hours pushing the country’s cumulative COVID-19 figures to 940 212. Covid-19 Deaths by Province in SA The Eastern Cape […]

The North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria today ruled against the motion to have the COVID-19 beach ban regulation declared unconstitutional. This means that all beaches in the Eastern Cape, as well as on the Garden Route in the Western Cape, will remain closed until 3 January; and that all beaches in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) will […]

News that British Airways has announced plans to suspend 13 destinations, including the direct Durban – London route, has been met with disappointment by KwaZulu-Natal’s (KZN) Economic Development and Tourism Department… as well as understanding. The department’s Ravi Pillay has warned this will hamper growth of international air services into the province post-Covid-19, but said […]

South Africa has made a down payment to secure the COVID-19 vaccine for 10% of the country’s population. “The National Department of Health and the Solidarity Fund are pleased to announce that a down payment of US $19.2 million USD (R283 million) has been made to GAVI (the Vaccine Alliance) to secure South Africa’s entry […]

The Western Cape High Court has extended beach opening hours, but has judged in favour of keeping the Garden Route’s beaches closed for the festive season, as announced by South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa last week (along with all beaches in the Eastern Cape). The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it notes the ex tempora judgement […]

Three African Painted Dogs in KwaZulu-Natal have been successfully collared to assist with their conservation. Monitoring the endangered species is essential – with only about 550 African Painted Dogs left in South Africa, every individual counts, writes Janelle Barnard… An afternoon of darting and collaring African Painted Dogs on Somkhanda Community Game Reserve almost became […]

Only a massive global rollout of an effective vaccine can end the Covid-19 pandemic in the short term. The vaccine is being rolled out in the United Kingdom and United States. It’s expected to become available in Europe imminently. This is where things stand in South Africa. The Department of Health is playing its cards […]

Germany plans to ban all passenger flights between Germany and South Africa with an emergency order. Israel has implemented a similar ban on flights from SA. Both Germany and Israel, along with several other countries, have also closed their borders to the UK. German Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Sunday: “Tomorrow we are planning […]

Israel has closed its borders to South Africa because of the new Covid-19 strain that is believed to be driving SA’s second wave of infections. Israel has also stopped all flights from the UK and Denmark, it was announced on Sunday afternoon by the Israeli Prime Minister. SA has highest proportion of Covid-19 variant in […]

The Department of Water and Sanitation has warned South Africans against flocking to the country’s dams and rivers as an alternative to the beaches, following a government ban on the use of some SA beaches to minimize the impact of COVID-19. This week President Ramaphosa announced the government’s decision to bar public access to all […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it has found out that once again, Minister Dlamini-Zuma has decided to overrule President Ramaphosa through the latest amended regulations published on the 17th of December 2020. “This time, Minster Dlamini-Zuma has unilaterally decided to change the closing time for restaurants, bars, gyms, cinemas, theatres and museums from 10pm to […]

Holiday accommodation spots on the Garden Route have suffered devastating cancellations, especially in Knysna and Sedgefield, according to a survey. One third of owners say they have lost 50% of their bookings for the festive season. Some have lost over 80% of their revenue. According to the survey, run by online accommodation booking system provider, […]

South African National Parks (SANParks) announced on Friday that items believed to be those of missing Field Ranger, Checkers Mashego, who went missing in the Stolsnek Section of the Kruger National Park during the evening of 17 November 2020, were discovered by a search party in the same section during the late afternoon of Wednesday, […]

Colin Gertse, a 57-year old South African family man and pastor from Montagu, travelled to the US in March to earn money as a truck driver and create a better life for his family back home in SA… but sadly, in October he suffered an aneurysm. Colin is currently in critical care in a St. […]

In a special Carte Blanche broadcast, South Africa’s top current affairs show takes Christmas to the next level with celebrated musician Belinda Davids as she helps the show unwrap some of the great developments to have emanated out of a year of global upheaval and suffering. With Davids’ characteristic four octave vocal range, Carte Blanche […]

A massive fire, fuelled by gale force winds, tore through approximately 1,000 dwellings in Masiphumelele informal settlement yesterday. An appeal has been issued by the City of Cape Town to please donate essential items to the Living Hope organisation (details below) in Masiphumelele, near Fish Hoek. Fortunately nobody was injured. Several Western Cape fire and […]

Cape Town residents have taken to social media to praise the body corporate of a well-known housing complex in Kensington for hiring unemployed people from a nearby informal settlement to do their renovations. The Kensington Place Body Corporate plans to unveil the newly renovated complex on Saturday, 19 December. This is the first time in […]

International and local tourists on holiday in Umhlanga, along with the area’s residents, appeared to stick to the rules yesterday – Day of Reconciliation – and remained off the beach as per the new government regulations for KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) beaches. Drone Dad captured amazing photos and video of the Apocalyptic-like scene on Wednesday afternoon, 16 […]

According to the Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa has missed the second deadline for a deposit on the Covax Vaccine Facility, and Finance Minister Tito Mboweni perhaps mislead Parliament when he denied SA had missed the first deadline. “Securing a supply of the vaccine for South Africa as soon as possible should be government’s number […]

A team of mercenaries plunge into a rural part of Africa, rescuing a hostage from ruthless terrorists. They make quick work of the bad guys until their extraction helicopter is shot down during the firefight. The team treks to a nearby site to await rescue, but stumbles across something much worse: a rogue lion with […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has filed court papers in the Western Cape High Court challenging a decision taken by South Africa’s national government to close the beaches in the Garden Route District for the entire festive season (16 Dec to 3 Jan). “We had provided President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma with an extended […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it will lay a complaint with Parliament’s Ethics Committee against the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, after he appeared to issue unlawful operational instructions to South African Police Service (SAPS) officials to shut down a film shoot at Camps Bay beach on Wednesday. The incident occurred yesterday when the Police […]

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 infections has increased to 883 687 after 10 008 new cases were recorded, the latest data showed on Wednesday. According to Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, the country has breached the 10 000 mark for new cases. The last time South Africa recorded over 10 000 new cases was on […]