A second couple has died in South Africa after making up a batch of home-brewed drink to get round the country’s alcohol ban on buying or selling alcohol during lockdown. Western Cape couple Melvin Afrikaner, 54, and his wife Winnie, 50, were rushed to hospital on Friday after reportedly downing several bottles of potent home-made […]

Some of South Africa’s greatest musicians from the last few decades are uniting to perform a unique ‘Lockdown Legends’ online concert that will raise much-needed funds for the SA music industry, and entertain South Africans at home with famous household names. The event – on 7 June 2020 – will feature many of the legendary […]

The International Space Station of NASA can be viewed from various points in South Africa over the next week, but remember that it’s early in the morning while it’s still dark. The ISS is visible because of the sun reflecting off its exterior. In Cape Town, look up during the early morning hours from about […]

It is around 2pm on a cold afternoon in Tsakane in Gauteng, South Africa. Two friends, Musa*, 12, and Thato*, 11, are trying to sell the last of the stock of cigarettes and rizlas which they hide in their pockets. They are not wearing warm clothes or masks, and they haven’t showered or had breakfast […]

South Africa’s COVID-19 cases rose to 17 200, with the Northern Cape which has the least number of infections in the country, recording its first death. “Regrettably we report a further 26 COVID-19 related deaths. This brings the total national deaths to 312,” Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said on Tuesday. On Tuesday, South Africa […]

R0 is on everyone’s lips these days, and it is a critical measure of the epidemic that guides predictions and policies. Yet how R works is widely misunderstood and this leads to inappropriate conclusions. I hope this article will clarify some misunderstandings… writes Max Price. But I must emphasise the examples here are for the […]

Some parents in South Africa may heave a sigh of relief as Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga announced on Tuesday that SA schools will reopen on 1 June 2020, with Grade 7 and Grade 12 learners returning to the classroom. “Independent and public ordinary schools will open, even in the metropolitan areas,” the Minister said. […]

At least seven employees of the SA Revenue Service have tested positive for COVID-19, four of them in the Western Cape and one still in ICU, SARS has said in a statement. SARS said it learnt ‘‘with concern” that by yesterday two more two additional positive COVID-19 cases had been found. It said that besides […]

The Unemployment Insurance Fund has paid out over R14 billion in benefits to employees affected by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. The total amount disbursed since 16 April is now just over R14 billion. This excludes normal payments the UIF makes, which are R1.849 billion, said UIF Commissioner, Teboho Maruping. On Monday, the UIF, which falls […]

The National Health Insurance (NHI) has become an idealistic concept known as “imaginary.” It’s become the idea onto which all South Africa’s aspirations for healthcare have been projected. The dream of a system that is fairer, less divided and more efficient. It’s even been called “pie in the sky.” Steve Reid reports. It’s clear that […]

The Free State government has identified 25 quarantine facilities to accommodate people who have had contact with COVID-19 patients. “We have 10 quarantine facilities that are state-owned whilst 15 are privately-owned. The rest will be announced once ready for occupation,” Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela said. Addressing a media briefing on Tuesday, on the province’s […]

Wildlife is thriving off Simon’s Town during lockdown and “life’s a beach for these locals”, according to the City of Cape Town, South Africa. This beautiful Southern Elephant Seal was photographed early yesterday morning, Monday 18 May 2020, at the Simon’s Town harbour by Dave Hurwitz.  The seal was first sighted yesterday, according to the City, […]

South Africa’s confirmed COVID-19 cases now stand at 16 433 with 475 071 tests having been conducted. In a statement on Monday, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said of the 475 071 tests conducted, 14 198 tests had been conducted in the last 24-hours. South Africa also reported a further 22 COVID-19 related deaths, bringing the total number of deaths […]

The Class of 2020 at a South African school in KwaZulu-Natal – Felixton College near Empangeni – have put together a moving video message to President Cyril Ramaphosa. Watch below. “We are blown away by a few of the Felixton College (Felixton, Zululand) Grade 12 pupils who put together this message entitled ‘Hope is not […]

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of universal health coverage. That is the message underlined by President Cyril Ramaphosa who was addressing the virtual 73rd Session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) on Monday. The pandemic should propel countries to act with greater urgency to make it a reality. “In this final decade towards […]

With the sale of alcohol banned for over seven weeks, the illegal booze trade has mushroomed and prices rocketed. People who used to frequent shebeens in the southern Cape, say syndicates have stepped in and are charging exorbitant prices for conventional brands of alcohol. In response, people have started to brew their own liquor at […]

In Africa, the wildlife conservation industry has dealt with many a challenge, from political, economic, social, impacts of urbanization and even disease outbreaks. However, most of these challenges, have been contained to parts of the continent. Whereas with the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), we have experienced unprecedented challenges the world over… writes Dr Duncan […]

Whether you’re looking for triumph over adversity, and underdog classic or silly antics on or off the field, SuperSport is serving the best sports movies of all time every evening from 8.30 pm. Subscribers, livestream them on DStv Now at now.dstv.com or pick your choice of football, motorsport, golf, boxing or even surfing movies on […]

The country’s first public advocate for children and guardian of their rights will take up her post from 1 June, Western Cape Premer Alan Winde announced today. The Children’s Commissioner is Christina Nomdo. Winde said this was an incredibly important role, as the person was tasked with monitoring, researching, investigating, lobbying and reporting on children and […]

When Zizipho Chwethisa, a cashier at a supermarket in the Bayside Mall, Table View, was told by telephone that she had tested positive for Covid-19 at Dunoon Clinic, she didn’t know what to do. She stayed in her one-room shack, which she shares with her husband, for five days. Then she contacted her ward councillor, […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has said that the government recognises that there have been criticisms of the way it has handled the lockdown and every South African has a right to to take this matter to the courts. “There has been, and will continue to be, robust and strident critique of a number of aspects of […]

Small, medium and macro enterprises in South Africa should watch out for fraudulent agencies purporting to be entities of the Department of Small Business Development and trying to extract fees out of them. “It has come to the attention of the department that an unknown company is requesting food producers and agro-processors to send through […]

Crime in the Cape Town city centre during lockdown has dropped by 73 percent compared with last year, according to statistics released by the Cape Town Central City Improvement District. Only 94 crime incidents were reported from 26 March 2020 to 15 May 2020, compared with 340 during the same period last year, said CCID […]

More than 15,000 small-scale farmers in South Africa have been approved for the COVID-19 Agricultural Disaster Fund, says Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister, Thoko Didiza. Didiza said that 55,155 applications were received from smallholder and communal farmers, with the highest number of applications received from the Eastern Cape Province, followed by the Northern […]

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa will today, Monday, 18 May 2020, address the virtual 73rd Session of the World Health Assembly (WHA), at the invitation of the Director- General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom. President Ramaphosa has been invited to participate as a guest alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who toured […]