The Health Department has activated an emergency operations centre to deal with the global outbreak of the Coronavirus. “The emergency centre was activated last night and is now currently operational. We are busy building up the staff numbers but from last night, activities have started,” said Health Minister Zweli Mkhize as he detailed the country’s […]

Dr Yasmin Ibrahim was a brilliant anaesthesiologist. She was also a cancer survivor and philanthropist; a true friend and the youngest of a large family who were so proud of her achievements. Tributes from friends, family and colleagues have described the amazing qualities of Dr Ibrahim (45), a practising Specialist Anaesthesiologist in Johannesburg, whose life […]

Botswana registered its first ever suspected case of corona virus on Thursday, 30 January 2020. The suspected case was registered at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport upon arrival using Ethiopian Airways from China, the Botswana Government said in a press statement. “The suspect case is still under isolation at Block 8 Clinic and investigations are […]

Eskom CEO, Andre de Ruyter, today warned South Africans of more “intensive loadshedding” to come as the power utility battles to come to grips with the country’s energy crisis. But there is a plan and light at the end of the tunnel! Eskom will be changing its maintenance philosophy and will “enter into a long-term […]

Parliament announced, on Thursday, that it has extended the deadline for public comment to 29 February on the land expropriation with compensation proposal, apparently bending to pressure after numerous submissions were blocked by parliamentary IT servers for “unacceptable content”. The extension comes after several people attempting to make submissions to the designated parliamentary email address […]

A giraffe from Africa – destined for a breeding centre at Thailand’s biggest safari park – has tragically died after making a desperate bid for freedom. The 5 to 7 metre high giraffe had escaped shortly after landing at Bangkok’s main airport, along with a smaller giraffe (4 metres)… but authorities were only able to […]

Following the advice of the Emergency Committee today (30 January 2020), the WHO Director-General has declared the outbreak of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. In China, more than 7700 cases have been confirmed, and 170 people have died. Over 120 have recovered and been discharged from hospital. There are 82 […]

In listing 32 wild animal species as farm animals under the Animal Improvement Act in 2019, the Department of Agriculture went against the recommendations of the government’s own scientific authority. The scientific report on wildlife breeding was called for by the former Minister of Environmental Affairs (DEFF) and authored by 14 of the country’s top wildlife scientists. […]

About 80 activists took part in an Extinction Rebellion protest outside The Westin hotel in Cape Town during the annual Southern African Coal Conference on Thursday. Business executives, lobbyists, and government officials gather every year to discuss the future of coal mining, processing and trading at the conference. The protesters want to encourage the switch […]

Watch below as tennis stars Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal (number one in the world) speak about how they can’t wait to play at the Match in Africa in Cape Town, South Africa, on 7 February. Federer, whose mother is a South African expat, said on Facebook: “I am so excited to be playing my […]

Children at a Centre in Pretoria, many from abusive families, experienced a wonderful late Christmas this week when South African Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane presented them with school uniforms and toys, each parcel gift-wrapped with their name on it. The Minister’s generous gifts – which were largely donated by residents and businesses in the area […]

The deepening of economic growth and the predicament of the country’s state-owned enterprises (SOEs) – like Eskom and SAA – are expected to be taking centre stage at the Cabinet Lekgotla being held by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Presidential Guest House in Pretoria this week. Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu outlined the government’s […]

It could be romantic cande-lit dinners and baths for South Africans tonight, as Eskom says its power system is “under stress” this morning, Thursday 30 January 2020, and the country faces the risk of load shedding this evening. The power utility issued a power alert this morning, revealing that it is using diesel generators currently […]

The Development Bank of Southern Africa will provide South African Airways (SAA) with funding of R3.5 billion to assist the national carrier in addressing its liquidity challenges. “Discussions held with financial institutions have been fruitful with the Development Bank of Southern Africa offering to provide the next tranche of PCF [post commencement funding], for a […]

Interested parties have been reminded they have until Friday to comment on legislation amending Section 25 of the South African Constitution. Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee to Initiate and Introduce Legislation Amending Section 25 of the Constitution on Tuesday reminded all the stakeholders of the approaching deadline. This comes as written submissions are sought on the […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged governments around the world to put their differences aside and work together to achieve world peace and prosperity. The President made the remarks while addressing nine Ambassadors and High Commissioners as he received their Letters of Credence from their respective countries to serve in diplomatic missions in South Africa. “A world […]

The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), which works tirelessly to combat illegal trade and support conservation, has welcomed the decision by Chinese authorities to ban the trade of wild animals in a bid to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The EWT said in a statement on Wednesday that it is calling for the Chinese government […]

Many South African citizens in China are apparently trapped in Wuhan, the centre of the Coronavirus outbreak, because of a “state of dysfunction” at the South African Embassy, according to the DA’s international body, DA Abroad. Phones are going unanswered. Unclear directions are being given. And there’s no Ambassador at the helm. Wuhan City – […]

Thousands of trophy hunters from around the world will gather next week in Nevada, USA for the world’s largest trophy hunt convention, held by Safari Club International, at which “trophy hunter” Donald Trump Jr. is also scheduled to speak, according to Humane Society International, Africa. One of the hunts up for bid is apparently a […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has written to the Chairperson of the Trade and Industry Portfolio Committee, Duma Nkosi requesting that an urgent committee meeting is held to get to the bottom of the corruption scandal which has consumed the National Lottery Commission (NLC) and threatens to derail it. This follows further allegations by GroundUp that […]

South African comedian and host of the Daily Show, Trevor Noah, has tweeted a challenge to tennis star Roger Federer and businessman Bill Gates regarding the much-anticipated ‘Match in Africa’, to be played on 7 February in Cape Town, which will raise funds for children’s education on the planet. And he’s not joking! Trevor – […]

Siyamthanda Mtyeku studied for matric in the one-roomed shack he shares with four other people in Marikana informal settlement in Cape Town, South Africa – and passed with seven distinctions. The 18-year-old Siyamthanda Mtyeku had to contend with loud music pumping from the shebeen across the road. Some days the food he was given at […]

A company in which the wife of the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the National Lotteries Commission is a director received R4.8 million from the Lottery in 2017. The grant was awarded to Zibsimanzi, a non-profit company. This was within months of Rebotile Malomane, the mother of three of NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba’s children, being […]

Table Mountain National Park Fire Manager Philip Prins has confirmed that the Noordhoek Wetlands fire, which began on Sunday, was started deliberately. Not only that, but others were started too… Prins told Cape Talk: “That fire was started deliberately. While they were busy fighting that fire, they could see people walking in the area and […]

South Africans – from Johannesburg to Howick, East London to Clarens – have been swept away in the past couple of days by mesmerising scenes of millions of white butterflies floating through the streets and gardens of the city… all flying in a north-easterly direction. It’s the annual mid-summer migration of the Brown-Veined White Butterfly. […]