Here’s what’s coming up on Carte Blanche this week. You can watch the show today, Sunday 25 December in South Africa on DStv Now OR stream it overseas in most countries on Showmax from Tuesday 27 December if you’re abroad. Solo’s Strength Solomzi “Solo” Nqweni was a man with big dreams: he’d moved to Scotland […]

Eskom has announced a loadshedding-free Christmas Day for South Africans. The power utility said on Saturday afternoon: « Loadshedding will be suspended at 05:00 on 25 December until 05:00 on 26 December. Thereafter, Stage 2 loadshedding will be implemented until 16:00 on 27 December, whereafter Stage 3 loadshedding will be implemented.« Eskom said the suspension […]

South African police have been called upon to leave « no stone unturned » in the pursuit of criminals who kidnapped two engineers in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) last week. The Department of Water and Sanitation said the hijacked engineers had been contracted by the Mhlathuze Water Board. They were apparently working to restore water infrastructure in […]

South African sprinter Neo Mosebi preps himself for another typical day at SPIRE Academy – first, a morning training session, followed by a day’s worth of schoolwork and classes, a second-afternoon training session, and then returning back to his dorm for a few minutes of relaxing before returning to his schoolwork in preparation for the […]

Forty-seven white-backed vultures have been killed in a mass poisoning incident in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. Another five were injured. One of the key reasons for poisoning of vultures is for use in the traditional medicine trade. The gruesome discovery of the birds – some with their heads removed – was made on Sunday (18 […]

A Cape Fur Seal has been rescued near a busy shopping mall, after it appeared to be on a mission to join the last-minute Christmas shoppers in Athlone, Cape Town. WATCH videos below. The Cape of Good Hope SPCA Wildlife Department, which carried out the rescue, joked: “It seems not even Cape Town’s wildlife is […]

The GroundUp RoundUp: A Year in Photos: 1. Zubaida Adams and her family have been trading at the Salt River Market for more than 50 years. Traders at the historic Salt River Market are concerned about their livelihoods after being excluded from new City of Cape Town development plans. 2. Plant poaching has become big […]

Stage 6 loadshedding will be implemented from 20:00 tonight, until 05:00 tomorrow morning, according to the latest alert from Eskom. (See separate Cape Town schedule below.) The power utility promised that Stage 4 loadshedding will resume at 05:00 tomorrow morning until further notice. “This is necessary to ensure sufficient generation capacity is available tonight to […]

A Field Ranger in the Kruger National Park (KNP) was unfortunately severely injured by an elephant shortly after 08h00 this morning (Tues 20 December). The unnamed ranger was on patrol in the Pretoriuskop Section, in the south-western part of the Kruger, when the incident occurred, according to the South African National Parks (SANParks). « Preliminary […]

Brisbane’s famous cricket pitch – the Gabba – has received a ‘below average’ rating from the ICC, and has received one demerit point. The dismal rating follows the first Test between South Africa and Australia, which was held at the Queensland venue, and which received much criticism from both sides. Australia won the match by […]

South Africa’s Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has issued an alert to residents and holiday travellers of rabies in high-risk areas in the country. Rabies is particularly common in the following areas in South Africa, said the department: KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) – particularly the coastal areas Eastern Cape – particularly the coastal areas […]

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was re-elected leader of the governing African National Congress (ANC) on Monday, overcoming the “Farmgate” scandal (referring to the robbery and subsequent cover-up at his Phala Phala farm) and paving the way for him to contest the presidency again at 2024 elections. By Kopano Gumbi, Alexander Winning […]

A freak wave at Durban’s North Beach, KZN (KwaZulu-Natal), on Saturday afternoon tragically claimed three lives and left 17 people seriously injured. According to the KZN Premier, 35 lifeguards worked diligently in a mass rescue effort, and paramedics treated more than 100 people involved in the tragedy. KZN Emergency Services spokesperson Robert McKenzie told the […]

A wild elephant in the Greater Kruger, South Africa, joined a couple of Mbizi Lodge guests from Belgium at the lodge’s swimming pool last week! “It was a magical experience,” Wilfried Schildermans told SAPeople. He, and his wife, Linda Gevaerts stayed cool, calm and collected while the elephant enjoyed a pleasurable drink from the pool. […]

A scientist with terminal cancer, who lives in Oxford in the UK, has posted a tweet that has stopped social media users mid-scroll, and elicited an outpouring of love, well wishes and compassion. On Sunday morning, Professor Mark Stokes – who describes himself as a scientist, dad and not a robot – published the following […]

LUSAIL, Qatar (Reuters) – Argentina won their third World Cup in extraordinary style on Sunday, beating France 4-2 in a penalty shootout after Lionel Messi scored twice in a 3-3 draw that featured a hat-trick for Kylian Mbappe as the holders recovered from 2-0 down after 80 minutes. By Mitch Phillips It was an incredible […]

South African swimmer Chad le Clos has achieved what had appeared impossible… winning the 100m Butterfly today to become double World Champion at FINA (World Aquatics) in Melbourne, Australia. Just days ago Chad won the 200m Gold… after four years of a dry spell. Chad won back the 100m Gold in a time of 48.59, […]

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s ruling African National Congress nominated just two candidates to run for its top job on Saturday, leaving President Cyril Ramaphosa facing the health minister he suspended over corruption allegations in a party vote. By Tim Cocks and Alexander Winning The winner will have the ANC’s blessing to run for president […]

Christmas arrived early at an orphanage in Johannesburg today, as the UK’s former Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse, and her sister Phemelom, popped in to have a dance lesson with the girls! Ilamula House was opened by The Winnie Mabaso Foundation in 2014, for vulnerable, abused and orphaned girls in Mid Ennerdale. Global star […]

As movie fans across the world stream into cinemas to watch blockbuster sci-fi movie, Avatar: The Way of Water, which was released this week, visitors to the Tokyo Disney Resort are being treated to a taste of Pandora… and that taste includes South African favourite – Rooibos! Chefs at the resort have created exotic tastes […]

Thanks to wildlife Christmas baubles, created by talented artist Diana Wilkinson, a little orphaned rhino calf has been adopted by the funds raised. The 6-week-old calf, Ukuthula, whose mother was ruthlessly poached, will now get another chance at life at the Zululand Rhino Orphanage. Diana is no ordinary artist. She has made headlines around the […]

Here’s what’s coming up on Carte Blanche this week. You can watch the show on Sunday 18 December in South Africa on DStv Now OR stream it overseas in most countries on Showmax from Tuesday 20 December if you’re abroad. Relentless Scammers It was touted as the opportunity of a lifetime. But little did one […]

The Kruger National Park (KNP) has reminded guests that Rest Camps in the famous South African park are also subject to the National Loadshedding schedules, and has supplied some recommendations on how to prepare to best handle possible power cuts during your visit to the Kruger. Whilst most South Africans are probably experts at handling […]

A Fish Hoek home, adorned with 200,000 Christmas lights, is bringing joy and the festive spirit to Cape Town, South Africa. Photos of the house at 3 Lady Grey Street have gone viral around the world as Reuters reports that visitors of all ages have “come in droves” to enjoy the spectacle. Matthew Haines and […]

South African comedian Trevor Noah has been announced as the host of the prestigious Grammy Awards for 2023, the biggest night in the music industry. This is the third time that the SA expat – who recently left The Daily Show – has been selected as master of ceremonies. Trevor’s the cover star of this […]