PRETORIA (Reuters) Updated 14h40 – South Africa’s opposition Democratic Alliance led in three major cities on Thursday as votes were counted in local elections, threatening to deal the biggest electoral blow to the African National Congress since the end of apartheid two decades ago. The ANC – which ended white-minority rule when it won power […]

JOHANNESBURG (Updated at 15h45 local time.) – As the votes are tallied South African opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), is currently leading in Johannesburg and Nelson Mandela Bay but has dropped to a tie with the ANC in Tshwane. All three are key districts which were previously held by the African National Congress (ANC). The ANC […]

PRETORIA – The first lot of votes has been counted in South Africa’s fifth democratic Municipal Elections, which have been described as the most hotly contested since 1994. By 1am, the African National Congress (ANC) had secured 53.47 percent of the votes, the Democratic Alliance (DA) had received 32.95% and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) had only 5.03 percent. […]

It was inevitable that the rumour mill would go into overdrive in the lead up to the Elections today in South Africa, with different parties trying to discredit each other. Two of the biggest stories – that are still being erroneously shared today – involve Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane, and 80,000 stolen ballot papers. […]

PRETORIA – On the eve of Election Day as a first time voter or not, you might still be unsure about how to go about voting in the Municipal Elections. Here are some guidelines… As a registered voter you need not be anxious about the voting process. What is important to remember is that you […]

South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) could lose major cities at local elections this week, including places it has held virtually unchallenged since the end of white-minority rule 22 years ago, Mana Rabiee reports for Reuters. Corruption allegations and massive unemployment are said to be largely to blame for voters becoming disenchanted with the ruling ANC. […]

PRETORIA – The Electoral Commission (IEC) says the stolen ballot papers in Soweto will have no impact on the integrity of the elections. The ballot papers, which were stored in boxes, were stolen out of a delivery truck in Dobsonville on Thursday night. The Electoral Commission has established that the boxes contained ballot papers for Ward […]

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has released a statement on social media urging citizens to reach within ourselves for solutions to global violence. The following is the South African clergyman’s statement in full: Reaching within ourselves for solutions to global violence… by Desmond Tutu, 29/07/16 Two knifemen claiming to be acting in the name of God beheaded an 85-year-old priest […]

Watch South African comedian Trevor Noah let rip on his opinion of Donald Trump’s latest political antics, accusing the Republican presidential nominee of trying to grab the spotlight again “and this time, not for tanning purposes”. After Donald Trump denied any involvement in a Democratic National Convention (DNC) hacking scandal, the billionaire called on Russia to […]

CAPE TOWN – Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko says police have made several arrests in relation to alleged political killings in KwaZulu-Natal and other parts of the country leading up to next week’s municipal elections. The Minister said this when he briefed the media in Cape Town on Wednesday to give an update on the work of […]

The South African Broadcast Corporation (SABC) management has announced that it will reinstate the seven dismissed news employees. The public broadcaster says it has instructed its legal team not to proceed with further legal action in this regard. The SA National Editors Forum (SANEF) has welcomed the decision. The SACP said it will “continue its campaign […]

Congratulatory messages have poured in from around the country for South African National Cricket Team fast bowler Kagiso Rabada after he scooped a record-breaking six awards at the glittering Cricket South Africa (CSA) Awards in Sandton last night. Rabada won the SA Cricketer of the Year, Test Cricketer of the Year, ODI Cricketer of the Year, SA Players’ Player […]

A well known Kruger National Park (KNP) regional ranger, Don English, has been attacked and injured by a buffalo in the famous South African park. The incident took place yesterday at around 10:30 according to South African National Parks (SANParks). In a media release this morning, SANParks said English was conducting a routine buffalo sustainable off […]

After Monday’s snow, floods and a tornado… South Africa’s extreme weather conditions continued Tuesday with a tornado ripping through Tembisa, causing structural damage to the Phumhulani Mall and surrounding businesses. (See videos and pictures below.) According to ER24 Emergency Services several emergency response teams rushed through to Tembisa (north of Kempton Park on the East Rand, Gauteng) this afternoon […]

DURBAN – Photos are flooding social media as a heavy downpour has hit Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. The drought-stricken province has been turned into a flooded wasteland in many areas. Local resident Jean-Marc Tostee uploaded three photos and said: “I have never seen such a dark heavy rain cloud sit so low over Durban in the 22 years we’ve […]

DRAKENSBERG – Parts of South Africa have been transformed into a magical winter wonderland overnight, and more snow is expected. In some areas over a foot of snow has fallen and roads have been closed. According to Snow Report SA more snow is due over Lesotho, Sani Pass and surrounds with heavy snowfall expected from now into […]

MUNICH (Reuters) – An 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman who apparently acted alone opened fire near a busy shopping mall in Munich on Friday evening, killing at least nine people in the third attack on civilians in Western Europe in eight days. The pistol-wielding attacker, identified by Munich Police Chief Hubertus Andrae as a dual national from […]

DURBAN – In a passionate speech at the International Aids Conference in South Africa today, Prince Harry recalled the work of his late mother Princess Diana… honouring her legacy in the fight against AIDS. Speaking in Durban, he said it is thanks to the work of leaders like Nelson Mandela, Sir Elton John and “my mother, Princess […]

PRETORIA – The South African government is set to appeal for a longer sentence for former Olympian Oscar Pistorius. In a strongly worded statement today, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) described the athlete’s sentence for the 2013 murder of his then girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp as “shockingly too lenient”, “startling” and “disturbingly inappropriate”. Steenkamp’s family have […]

It was an emotional return from Mount Kilimanjaro for members of the Trek4Mandela team yesterday, after the tragic passing of rally driver and TV personality Gugu Zulu (38). Team leader and experienced climber, Sibusiso Vilane, broke down in tears at a press conference at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, as he recalled the […]

PRETORIA – The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has announced that all voters who are on the voters’ roll for a voting station WILL be allowed to vote, whether they have an address listed or not. Home Affairs Extends Hours And with just 11 days to go until the first votes are cast in […]

The news of the passing of South African rally driver Gugu Zulu, whilst attempting to summit Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, remains devastating news for the Nelson Mandela Foundation. In a media release today, the Foundation said: “We are trying hard to come to terms with his passing. Our thoughts are with Gugu’s family, his wife Letshego and […]

South African actress Charlize Theron gave an impassioned speech at the opening ceremony of the 2016 International AIDS Conference in Durban, calling out racism as an underlying cause of the AIDS epidemic and insisting that it is not “an honour” for SA to be hosting the AIDS conference for the second time in 21 years. The AIDS […]

The Nelson Mandela Foundation has announced with a “heavy heart” that one of the climbers on the Trek4Mandela team – Gugu Zulu – lost his life early this morning in his attempt to summit Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. In a media release, the Foundation said: “On behalf of the Board and staff of the Nelson […]

PRETORIA – American philanthropist and Microsoft founder Bill Gates delivered the 2016 Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture at the University of Pretoria on Sunday. Gates spoke of how he first heard of Mandela at the age of nine, and first spoke to him in 1994 when Madiba called to ask the billionaire to help fund South Africa’s election. Gates said […]