President Cyril Ramaphosa has honoured the late King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu with a declaration that His Majesty be accorded a Special Official Funeral Category 1. This funeral will entail ceremonial elements provided by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). The President has also authorised that the National Flag be flown at half-mast at every […]

Stage 2 load shedding in South Africa is set to continue until 5am on Wednesday, Eskom has announced. However many Cape Town residents are doing it a little easier as the City of Cape Town has pledged to “protect its customers as far as possible”. Cape Town is implementing Stage 1 in many areas of […]

South Africa now has 1 529 420 confirmed COVID-19 cases after 1 006 people were confirmed to have contracted the virus in the last 24 hours. According to the latest data, the new infections represent a 4% positivity rate. Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, confirmed that 65 patients lost the battle to the respiratory disease, pushing the […]

Repairs at the Genevafontein site in George, South Africa – where an SUV was swallowed by a sinkhole on Saturday – have been delayed following heavy rains. George Municipality said in a statement on Sunday evening that the rain and stormwater have caused a small mudslide into the work site. The Municipality said: “It has […]

It’s a big night for Trevor Noah and music tonight, Sunday 14 March 2021… as the South Africa comedian hosts the Grammy Awards, live at 8pm ET, 5PM PT and available in SA to watch on DStv’s 1Magic (103) at 3am (Mon morning). DStv will repeat it again at 20h30 on Monday evening. This is […]

South African mining magnate Patrice Motsepe is set to become the eighth president of CAF – the Confederation of African Football – since 1957. He’ll take over from Ahmad Ahmad after a two year ban was placed on Ahmad by FIFA – Federation Internationale de Football Association, world football’s governing body. Motsepe must work with […]

Masizame Junior Primary School in Centane near Butterworth, Eastern Cape, has one broken toilet for girls and teachers. The boys have no toilet at all. Masizame Junior Primary School in Centane near Butterworth has 175 learners and one broken toilet. Several grades have to share a classsroom. When the wind blows too hard, classes are […]

Popular South African actor Menzi Ngubane has sadly passed away at the age of 56. No official statement appears to have been released yet, but his passing has been confirmed by Mzansi Magic. Mzansi Magic tweeted: “Today we join the nation in mourning the loss of a true titan of the industry. An unforgettable and […]

Truffles are one of the most expensive foods on earth. The international price is a staggering R30,000 a kilogram… and here in South Africa we have only a handful of farmers who grow them. This Sunday, Carte Blanche meets one of the pioneers in SA, as well as a farmer breaking all the conventional rules! […]

For those who are experiencing night tremors, heart palpitations, chronic depression and the drizzling shits from indecision on which side to take, here is an elixir of prose to calm your shattered nerves…. writes Chris Moerdyk, in his latest popular The Lemongas* Chronicles. HARRY AND MEGHAN – *LEMONGAS ! By Chris Moerdyk. Just think of […]

Perhaps it is fitting that the portraits of the “Big 5” animals are featured on South Africa’s banknotes because there is a price on their heads, as well as a price on their severed tails, feet, horns, and other dismembered body parts… writes Ingrid Newkirk, president and founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of […]

Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu, who has passed away at the age of 72, was the longest reigning of all Zulu kings on record. This was the 50th year of his incumbency… writes Gerhard Maré, University of KwaZulu-Natal. His reign spanned turbulent decades in South Africa. He assumed the throne at the height of apartheid, and went […]

The university says there are over 1,600 students with debt, amounting to R88 million… By Ashraf Hendricks UCT students marched to the Kramer Law building to protest against financial exclusion. The action follows protests by students in Johannesburg this week over the same issue. UCT says there are over 1,600 students with debt at the […]

Some funeral parlour owners in Cape Town are pleading with the Mozambican authorities to release their colleague who was arrested while transporting a body last month… writes Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik. The owner of a Cape Town funeral parlour was detained in Mozambique last month. The reason for his arrest is unclear, but a colleague who spoke to […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has congratulated its Chief Whip in Parliament, Natasha Mazzone MP, on receiving the Italian Order of the Star, an equivalent of a knighthood in Italy. The honour was bestowed upon Natasha for her leadership in Parliament and fighting for a just society in South Africa. The award recognises the preservation and […]

British Airways (operated by Comair in South Africa) has announced the reopening of bookings for flights between Johannesburg and Victoria Falls for travel starting on 13 May 2021. This is fantastic news for travellers, with the Victoria Falls currently at its fullest in years, living up to its nickname Mosi-oa-Tunya (which means ‘The smoke that […]

The South African Mint, an agency of the South African Reserve Bank, has announced the circulation of a new R2 coin. “The wait is over! We are happy to announce there is a new R2 circulation coin you will soon be seeing in your change. The final edition in the SA25 Celebrating 25 years of […]

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa issued a statement recently (29 January 2021) arguing that the hunting industry is key to South Africa’s economic growth, and accusing conservation pressure groups of “cultural imperialism”. The statement appeared on the Professional Hunters’ Association of South Africa’s website. Here is the full transcript: HUNTING INDUSTRY KEY TO ECONOMIC GROWTH […]

King Goodwill Zwelithini KaBhekuzulu sadly passed away on Friday morning, in hospital, at the age of 72. South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has led tributes, saying he is “deeply saddened” by the news of the passing of Isilo Samabandla, King Goodwill Zwelithini KaBhekuzulu. “This sad news come at a time when we had all been […]

An all-female crew took to the African skies yesterday, and celebrated by posting a couple of photos to Facebook page, Women in Aviation. Captain Denise Semedo – who spent six years based at Lanseria Airport outside Joburg, South Africa – said: “All-female crew today on the Phenom 300. Praise the Lord!” Captain Semedo told SAPeople […]

Natasha Mazzone, Democratic Alliance (DA) Chief Whip, has been recognised for her leadership skills in South Africa and given the honour of The Star of Italy, the country’s equivalent of Knighthood. Ivan Meyer, DA Federal Chairperson, tweeted a message of congratulations to Mazzone, the daughter of an Italian, on Thursday afternoon. He said she received […]

In line with several countries around the world, South Africa’s National State of Disaster has been extended to mid-April. Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, has gazetted the extension. In a statement on Thursday, the Ministry of CoGTA said this means that the current measures contained in the regulations to save […]

In the aftermath of the police killing of a bystander, Mthokozisi Ntumba, during a student protest on Wednesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa says the South African government will not abandon its students. Addressing the National House of Traditional Leaders in Parliament on Thursday, the President said: “We will not abandon our students. We will fund their […]

The contracts of more than 5,000 Community Healthcare Workers (CHW) in the Eastern Cape will be terminated at the end of March… writes Mkhuseli Sizani. The contracts of over 5,000 community health workers in the Eastern Cape will be terminated at the end of March. The provincial health department says it has run out of […]

Gauteng state mortuaries had 1173 unidentified bodies last year, and a further 120 bodies that were identified but were buried as paupers as they were unclaimed. This was revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi in a written reply to DA questions in the Gauteng Legislature. According to Mokgethi, there is an increase every year […]