KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has announced with “great disappointment” that it has taken the difficult decision to reduce its operations from South Africa to Amsterdam with effect from 13 December 2020. UPDATE 16 December: KLM resumes planned flights after SA authorities revise air crew regulations. KLM said in a statement on Friday: “On 3 December […]

The North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has today set aside the decision to rewrite the Mathematics Paper 2 and Physical Sciences exams, following a leak of the exams papers. Judge Norman Davis ruled in favour of AfriForum and the organisation’s co-applicants who were four matriculants. The court ruled that the decision of Minister Angie […]

For Christmas, South Africa’s the Kiffness has created yet another Corona parody – this time, it’s based on popular Christmas carol, We Three Kings. David Scott (aka The Kiffness) says: “This time of year I’m normally traversing through the country with my two wise bandmates, performing to audiences all across South Africa. Instead, I am […]

Ace Magashule’s former bodyguard has been convicted by the Free State High Court of the theft of a Pierneef painting from Magashule’s office during his term as the province’s Premier. The painting by well known South African painter JH Pierneef is estimated to be worth around R8-million. Although Magashule’s former bodyguard Ricardo Mettler claimed to […]

It’s been a tumultuous year filled with uncertainty, social distancing, lockdowns and travel restrictions with South Africans finding ways to escape, travel and connect with the real world. And What We Watched 2020 – this year’s South Africa viewing trends on Netflix – reflects those high and lows. This year, South Africans more than doubled […]

New COVID-19 cases have grown by 53.4% in the Western Cape in the past seven days, according to Premier Alan Winde; and as trauma cases and Covid-19 cases ‘collide’ hospitals are fast filling up. On top of that, trauma admissions increased by 36.2% in November, said Winde. “When this is combined with a 400% increase in […]

A Pretoria resident has reached out for help in finding a law firm in South Africa that would love to be part of a young student’s amazing story of hope and faith. And judging by the thousands of South Africans who have liked, shared and commented on the post, this good news story is about […]

The Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) in South Africa has made it clear that it will rule against companies that make unproven medical claims, even if those companies are not members of the ARB. ARB is a self-regulating authority, and its members join it voluntarily. There has been an ongoing debate dating back to the ARB’s […]

South Africa is “grappling” with a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases, according to the Health Department, after recording 8 166 more infections, bringing the total number to 836 764 since the outbreak. “Today, we wish to reiterate our plea to South Africans to heed the threat of the rising numbers of COVID-19 cases identified,” said […]

Eskom has ‘urged’ the South African public to reduce their usage of electricity as the system is severely constrained, with a “high probability of loadshedding”. ​The power utility said in a statement on Thursday evening: While no loadshedding is anticipated, Eskom would like to warn the public there is a high probability of loadshedding should […]

Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant deliver riveting performances in The Undoing (screening on Showmax now), but you may not have realised that’s Nicole singing Dream A Little Dream Of Me – in the opening sequence of each episode. Watch below. When Nicole was first asked by the director to sing it, the actress said no. […]

On Tuesday Forbes announced that South African expat Elon Musk has become the second richest person in the world, after his fortune surpassed that of LVMH luxury brand chairman Bernard Arnault (by less than half a billion). The only person with greater wealth is reportedly Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos. UPDATE 7 Jan 2021: Elon Musk […]

Durban-based Creative Director Anthony George Kirkwood was on his way back from a project on Tuesday when he noticed smoke in the distance and could tell there was a “big problem”. What he was seeing was the massive explosion at Zeta Chemicals in Otto Volek Road in Pinetown, South Africa, that has sadly left 13 […]

South Africa’s brand new airline, LIFT, has officially lifted off… and landed to a plane hero’s welcome with a water salute landing at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. The airline will be flying in and out of Cape Town seven days a week. Wesgro – Cape Town & the Western Cape – tweeted “The […]

Miss South Africa organisers announced on Thursday which beauty queens will be representing South Africa on the international stage in the three major pageants – Miss World, Miss Universe and Miss Supranational. Shudufhadzo Musida will represent SA at Miss World Reigning Miss South Africa, Shudufhadzo Musida (24) from Limpopo, who was crowned in October, will […]

Despite a recent slight decline due to the COVID-19 pandemic, greenhouse gas emissions continue to accumulate in the atmosphere. They are projected to rise again once the economy recovers. The current pledges by governments across the world to reduce emissions are insufficient to keep global warming within safe levels (that is, below 2°C). Although with […]

The directors of a mystery non-profit company which has received more than R7-million in Lottery funding have refused to say what the company does. Venalor is a non-profit company which has received more than R7 million from the Lottery. But neither the company nor the National Lotteries Commission will say what the company does or […]

South Africa has officially hit the second wave, with 6 709 COVID-19 new cases reported in the last 24 hours pushing the total number of cases to 828 598. In a special briefing on Wednesday night, Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said the country now meets the resurgence criteria formulated by scientists and modelling teams. […]

A video of a shark caught today by fishermen at Fish Hoek Beach in the Western Cape, South Africa, is going viral. It shows the tender moment a fisherman strokes the shark as he joins fellow ‘trekkies’ to return the shark to the ocean. Maria Wagener, admin of the Fish Hoek Beach Facebook page captured […]

As the Western Cape saw another 91 patients enter hospital in the past 24 hours, the local government is pleading with citizens to refrain from attending large private functions and parties which can so easily become superspreader events. On Wednesday evening, Premier Alan Winde reminded residents that their action can help protect the health system […]

While steady progress has been made in curbing COVID-19 related plunder, non-compliance continued to plague the disbursement of relief funds and procurement of goods and services, an Auditor-General (AG) report has revealed. According to SA News the “sordid tale” is contained in newly appointed Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke’s office’s second COVID-19 relief funds audit. The first […]

Despite rumours, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala says no formal decision has been taken around the possible closure of the South African province’s fabulous and famous beaches over the festive season. “At this stage there is no decision the provincial government has taken or contemplating to take with regards to the closure of beaches. This may […]

Blood samples are to be taken from up to 19,000 people across all provinces, in the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) two-phase nationwide Covid-19 seroprevalence survey. The HSRC has released details of the seroprevalence survey, which joins several other efforts underway or soon to begin. These surveys will bridge a gap in our understanding of […]

PARKTOWN – Police in Gauteng, South Africa, have launched a search for an unknown number of suspects following the fatal shooting of three security guards in Kempton Park. The suspects were allegedly driving in three vehicles on Tuesday, 08 December 2020 – two VW Polos and a Mercedes Benz with unknown registration numbers. Police cannot […]

Residents of parts of the Karoo in South Africa, who have been experiencing a devastating drought, were celebrating yesterday as they received their first early downpour in over six years. Baraka Gifts and Decor in Steytlerville, in the Eastern Cape, described the sense of elation beautifully: I was so very fortunate yesterday afternoon to experience […]