South African tennis star Lloyd Harris, seeded 30th, has been drawn to meet Australian wildcard Aleksandar Vukic in the opening round. Harris, the world No 32, has never faced the 160th-ranked Vukic on the ATP Tour but will be wary of the Australian who made a name for himself earlier this week when he beat […]

A South African pulmonologist, Anita Graham, said on Thursday (January 13) that she was still seeing serious COVID-19 disease in people who are unvaccinated or have co-morbidities during the current infection wave being driven by the Omicron variant. “We are still seeing very serious infections and admissions in patients who are unvaccinated and also in […]

In a first for the African continent, three maritime-focussed nano-satellites from South Africa are expected to be launched into orbit on Thursday afternoon by SA expat Elon Musk’s Space-X in the USA. The three nanosatellites – the first to be entirely developed on the African continent – will be launched from Cape Canaveral at about […]

South Africa has recorded 6 762 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24-hour reporting cycle, bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 3 540 891. According to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), this increase represents a 15.5% positivity rate. A further 181 COVID-19 related deaths have been reported, bringing total fatalities to 92 830 to date. “The […]

A wildfire in South Africa’s Kleinmond, a coastal town in the Overberg region of the Western Cape Province, has been contained after wreaking havoc for days, destroying property and causing widespread damage to vegetation and plantations with nearly 4,000 hectares burnt. Overstrand Municipality’s mayor Dr Annelie Rabie announced Thursday morning, Day 6: “The fire remains […]

Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said on Wednesday evening: “I have noted the comments made by the Acting Chief Justice Zondo and they will be engaged with at an appropriate time in an appropriate platform.” Judge Raymond Zondo held a press briefing on Wednesday afternoon to respond to a scathing opinion piece by Sisulu, attacking the […]

The African hero rat (HeroRAT) Magawa, who made the world a safer place by sniffing out over 100 landmines during his career in Cambodia, before retiring last year, sadly passed away over the weekend, at the age of eight. In September 2020 the tiny, huge hero made international headlines when he became the first rat […]

The Department of Health has called on all South Africans who experience any adverse events following immunisation to immediately report to their nearest health facility or vaccination site. The call follows a viral video in which a male patient, suffering from what appears to be throat cancer, instead claiming it’s a result of a Covid-19 […]

Tourism Minister, Lindiwe Sisulu, has welcomed the lifting of travel bans to Southern Africa by the European Union (EU), but said the damage has already been done and it comes after peak tourism season. On Monday, EU states agreed to lift the travel bans, which were imposed following the onset of the COIVD-19 Omicron variant. […]

Parliament fire suspect, Zandile Mafe, has been referred to a mental institution for 30 days for mental observation, according to a ruling by the Cape Town Magistrates Court. Mafe, who has been accused of setting fire to South Africa’s 138-year-old Parliament building earlier this month, was today (Tues 11 Jan) also charged with terrorism. National […]

Durban paddlers Quinton Rutherford and Brett Hadiaris set a new Guinness world record for the longest distance paddled in a double surfski in a 24-hour period when they completed a brutal 219 km paddle from St Lucia to Durban on Monday. Rutherford, who recently set the equivalent Guinness world record for a single ski, and […]

Proteas fast bowler Kagiso Rabada will celebrate a special landmark today when he wins his 50th Test cap for South Africa. Aged 26, the paceman continues to marvel and break all sorts of records during his journey as a Test cricketer. Rabada already has 226 wickets to his name after last year becoming the fastest […]

The interim board of South African Airways (SAA) says it will implement all of the recommendations of the State Capture report and subsequently go after those who embezzled any monies from the airline. The first tranche of the report – which was released and handed over to President Cyril Ramaphosa last week – deals extensively […]

Floods around South Africa’s eastern coastal city of East London, in the Eastern Cape, have killed at least 10 people and left hundreds homeless in the OR Tambo district since the weekend. According to the SABC, hundreds of shacks were washed away and hundreds more severely damaged, as rivers burst their banks and roads were […]

An incredible series of photos taken at Augrabies Falls in the Northern Cape, South Africa, on Friday (7 Jan) have captured the sheer intensity of the cascading waterfall and the magnitude of man against nature. The photos were taken by Upington Town and Regional Planner LEN FOURIE, a regular visitor to the Falls who loves […]

The National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) says South Africa recorded at least 4 482 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, bringing the cumulative number of cases to 3 526 054. A further 82 deaths as a result of complications related to the virus have also been recorded. This brings the total number of people who […]

Tennis legend Novak Djokovic has been cleared by a judge to play in the Australian Open where he hopes to break a world record. The Federal Court today overturned the Australian Government’s decision to cancel the Serbian sportsman’s visa. Judge Anthony Kelly ordered the immediate release within 30 minutes of Djokovic from immigration detention, finding […]

A 53-year-old Eastern Cape police diver and recipient of bravery awards, Captain Pierre Marx, has tragically drowned during a rescue operation in Nahoon River. Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nomthetheleli Mene, expressed shock and devastation at the loss of one of the South African Police Service’s (SAPS’) proficient divers; and said his untimely passing has sent […]

You can watch Carte Blanche on Sunday 9 January in South Africa on DStv Now or stream it overseas in most countries from 11 January if you’re abroad. Here’s what’s coming up this week: REPORTAGE  Parliamentary Pyre Who would set fire to South Africa’s historic Houses of Parliament – and why? With the chamber of […]

The spectators to the 110th anniversary celebrations of the African National Congress (ANC’s), South Africa’s governing party, looked bored. The dancers roped in to entertain its dwindling faithful were lackluster. Indeed, even during the singing of the national anthem, some in the audience could not even be bothered to stand up… writes Hussein Solomon, University […]

Rhino poaching in South Africa is at a critical level despite the “deafening” silence from official government communications and mainstream media, according to one of southern Africa’s most dedicated, well-respected wildlife vets, Dr Dave Cooper. Referring to the violent killing of rhino as ‘murders’ rather than the mild, mundane word ‘poaching’, Dr Cooper has issued a massive […]

In the final days of 2021 the South African government eased its COVID regulations. On December 30th the government scrapped a curfew that had been in place since March 2020. It also initially announced an easing around quarantines and contact tracing but subsequently reversed these plans. Nevertheless, its approach sets a new trend in how […]

Sport, Arts and Culture Minister, Nathi Mthethwa, has commended the New York-based auction house Guernsey’s for agreeing to suspend the auction of the key to former President Nelson Mandela’s prison cell at Robben Island from going under the hammer. According to the department, the key that was scheduled to be auctioned online this month, seven […]

Sidney Poitier, the first black man to win a Best Actor Oscar (for ‘Lilies of the Field’), has sadly died at the age of 94. The news was announced by the Bahamian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday. Tributes have poured in from around the world for the brilliant actor, director and activist, a man […]

The South African Parliament announced in a statement on Friday that this year’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) will now be held at the Cape Town City Hall on 10 February 2022. This comes after a fire that started on Sunday engulfed Parliament and was contained after two days. The Presiding Officers, who met […]