South Africa has once again come joint first with New Zealand in the 2019 Open Budget Index (OBI), conducted by the International Budget Partnership (IBP) through an Open Budget Survey. SA ranked first out of 117 countries. The global results reflect a modest improvement in budget transparency, reversing the decline seen in 2017 results and […]

A slew of countries ranging from the US to Brazil to Singapore to South Africa have decided to give people money in response to the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. While the amounts and details of the grants have varied, these governments have all made it clear that such payments are a short-term […]

The South African Post Office (SAPO) has commenced with the process of rolling out cashless ATMs that will serve as additional payment points for the payment of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) grants. On Monday, the Post Office unveiled the first cashless ATM to pay SASSA social grants within the premises of Kagiso […]

Tobacco companies want access to minutes of behind-closed-door meetings where ministers voted on Covid-19-busting regulations. In its urgent application lodged in the Pretoria High Court on Monday, Fair-Trade Independent Tobacco Association, which represents eight tobacco manufacturers, are challenging the further ban on the sale of cigarettes in the second phase of the lockdown which began […]

With winter fast approaching and confirmed COVID-19 cases now at 7 220, Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, has urged South Africans to continue to stay home to ease the burden on the country’s healthcare system. “Stay home if you do not have to venture out,” said the Minister on Monday. Seven more fatalities have been […]

A Swiss man living in South Africa who fashions himself as a kind of lion whisperer and says his mission is “to  bring animals into people’s hearts” is coming under attack for his behavior with lions and his posts on social media, especially after a video surfaced a few days ago of him hitting one […]

“People emerge from their homes as the big military machines roll by. It’s more of a parade than a patrol. It’s something to look at and they’re bored. Loudspeakers blare words of warning: ‘Wash your hands, stay one meter apart…,’ as kids climb over each other to get a better view.’ Tom Brown goes on […]

An ANC councillor in Limpopo was caught red-handed selling fake travel permits to people for as much as R800, according to the National Prosecuting Authority. Less than two weeks ago, another ANC councillor in Limpopo was arrested for breaking the lockdown regulations by having a birthday party, videos of which were posted online. In the […]

An earlier decision by government to allow the sale of cigarettes during the COVID-19 lockdown was rescinded after the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) consulted medical experts and various role-players. President Cyril Ramaphosa said this on Monday after sections of society implied that Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma had arbitrarily gazetted the […]

For those looking from the global North, African literature is often marketed in a narrow way, comprising worthy stories of resistance, written in an uplifting and sober realist mode. Seen from the continent itself, this view has long been brushed aside by the effervescence and animation of ongoing literary experimentation and creativity. I approached literary […]

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Africa is now 6 783, with a further eight COVID-19 related deaths. This is an increase of 447 cases from Saturday’s 6 336 COVID-19 cases. The eight reported deaths are from: Western Cape 2, Eastern Cape 4 and Gauteng 2. This brings the total deaths related to […]

With a number of workers set to return to work from Monday under level 4 of lockdown, the Labour Department has drafted the minimum guidelines for employers to ensure the workplace is safe for returning employees. These guidelines come as government gradually reopens the economy under level 4 of lockdown while ensuring that the spread […]

A Spar supermarket in Cape Town, South Africa, has made the ultimate sacrifice to support small business owners in its area. The Palm Grove Spar announced on Friday that it would be closing its stationery section the following day (Saturday), and asking customers to instead support “Hein and his team at PenCafe Stationers. The thoughtful […]

South Africa has a total of 6 336 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with seven new deaths and 2 549 recoveries. “The total number of tests conducted to date is 230 686, of which 13 164 were done in the last 24 hours. This is the highest number of tests done in a 24-hour cycle to date,” […]

The Western Cape has a higher incidence of Coronavirus cases than other provinces because it has been rigorously targeting and tracing potential cases and identifying clusters, rather than testing randomly, according to Premier Alan Winde. The province has recently been identified in the media as the “epicentre” of the pandemic in South Africa because of […]

Enter the Durban covid-19 lockdown, a cinematic display of city scenes which will forever be etched in our history… writes Kierran Allen. In this outworldly moment in history let’s appreciate the time we have to adapt and develop new ways in which we go about our everyday lives. We can only beat this as a […]

Mourners in the UK have gathered to pay tribute to a South African expat nurse – Josephine Manini Peter (55) – who passed away on 18 April from COVID-19 which she contracted in the line of duty. A video, posted by political analyst and community development activist @somadodafikeni, shows the sad situation of a funeral […]

South African comedian Trevor Noah is reportedly personally paying the salaries of 25 of his crew from The Daily Show. Variety magazine has reported that the South African expat told the furloughed staff members in New York that he’ll cover their salaries until normal production resumes. While Trevor is still producing a remote show from […]

Watching this video about South Africans celebrating New Year’s Eve 2020 in Paris is a stark reminder of how different life is right now, just a few months later… but is also a reminder of how essential it is to cherish every moment. Even the one right now! South African traveller and filmmaker Michael Odendaal […]

Re-emerging from the ruins of the economy-crippling COVID-19 pandemic presents South Africa with an opportunity to arise with a renewed economy that addresses the country’s social deficiencies. This was the potent message delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa in a livestreamed address on Workers’ Day. President @CyrilRamaphosa delivers #WorkersDay message https://t.co/sfInIsdact — Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) […]

At the start of lockdown South Africans rallied to support President Ramaphosa, grateful for his leadership in steering the nation away from disaster and tragedy. But now, it appears, many are starting to get impatient… perhaps disappointed by the rewardless transition to Level Four, which – apart from a three-hour jogging window early in the […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared days of national mourning for the struggle stalwart Denis Goldberg who passed away in the early hours of Thursday. In terms of this declaration, the National Flag is to fly at half-mast at every station in the country from Friday, 1 May 2020 to Monday, 4 May 2020, as a […]

Alcohol consumers in South Africa are getting plastered on pineapples after the nationwide alcohol ban in lockdown sparked a craze of turning the tropical fruit into powerful home-brew. Supermarket bosses have revealed that TEN times as many pineapples are being sold at TWICE the price since off-licences and bars were closed down 5 weeks ago […]

Depending on where you were today during the first hours of freedom for walkers, joggers and bikers since lockdown began 35 days ago, it was chaos or total quiet. Much attention on social media focused on the Sea Point Promenade in Cape Town, where a larger than usual crowd came out. Bloubergstrand was almost as […]

In a salute to the frontline workers in the fight against the Coronavirus the members of the Cape Town Philharmonic Youth Orchestra have created an incredible video of Cape Town seen from a drone while they play the “Intermezzo” from the opera “Cavalleria Rusticana.” It is part of a series of lockdown concerts by the […]