Armed men have killed at least six rangers and wounded several others in an ambush in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) Virunga national park. This park is a sanctuary for endangered mountain gorillas. Staff working in the park have often come under attack. Judith Verweijen and Esther Marijnen – experts on armed mobilisation and […]

The African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team (AVATT) has confirmed the acquisition of provisional 270 million vaccine doses for African countries, with at least 50 million being available for the crucial period of April to June 2021. The 10-member AVATT, which was established by African Union Chair, President Cyril Ramaphosa in August, on Thursday confirmed this […]

The Department of Basic Education has made the decision to delay the opening of schools by two weeks, announced Dr Reginah Mhaule, Deputy Minister of Basic Education, in a media briefing on 15 January. This decision includes both public and private schools, including those private schools that have already opened. School management teams (SMT’s) will […]

Minister of Small Business Development, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, says she is “appalled” at the “misinformation peddled” by the Democratic Alliance (DA) about the expenditure of the small business COVID-19 relief funds. The DA recently issued a statement claiming the Department of Small Business Development has only allocated 8% of the funds meant as COVID-19 relief for […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has made four senior appointments in the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). “These appointments are essential for the efficient functioning and rebuilding of the NPA as part of the fight against serious crime, including sexual and gender-based crimes and corruption, and as a contribution to deepening the capability of the state,” the Presidency […]

South Africa had a record 10,907 excess deaths from natural causes in the week of 30 December to 5 January, according to the 11 January mortality surveillance report from the Burden of Disease Research Unit at the South African Medical Research Council. In total, 20,063 people died in one week. The latest mortality surveillance report […]

JOHANNESBURG – Following the announcement today that Emirates will be temporarily suspending flights to and from South Africa from Saturday – 16 January – until and including 28 January 2021, the Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) South Africa has issued a statement to reassure its stranded Emirates customers that Flight Centre will get them home. […]

South Africa’s Information Regulator met Facebook South Africa on Wednesday to discuss the social media company’s revised WhatsApp privacy policy. WhatsApp’s new private policy sparked a global outcry – with SA expat billionaire (and richest man in the world) Elon Musk suggesting a change to Signal – after the Facebook-owned messaging app alerted its 2 […]

Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister, Thoko Didiza, says she is greatly saddened to learn about Professor Mohammad Karaan’s passing. Karaan was a former Dean of the Faculty of AgriSciences at Stellenbosch University (SU) and a champion of agriculture and rural development. The department has described the Professor as a giant in South Africa’s […]

AfriForum has instructed its legal team to consider possible legal action after the banning in South Africa of the use of controversial Ivermectin that was developed for human consumption as treatment against COVID-19. The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) banned the medication which is currently only available in South Africa as a livestock […]

As Eskom announced its plan this morning to implement Stage 2 loadshedding for the next few days – from noon today, Thursday 14 January, until 23h00 on Sunday (17 Jan), a collective ‘ARGH’ could almost be heard around the country from a nation of usually good-humoured, mainly optimistic folk, who are simply fatigued with Covid […]

A study published in the journal Nature by Serina Chang and her colleagues in November 2020 used American cell phone data to identify the places where people are most likely to contract SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. Using anonymised cell phone application location data from the SafeGraph Covid-19 Data Consortium, mobility data from Google and infection data from The New York […]

COVID-19 is showing no signs of slowing down in South Africa, with the death toll now exceeding 35 000.   The Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, reported a new record for most COVID-19 deaths in a single day since the outbreak. This after 806 people lost their lives to the respiratory disease on Wednesday. According to the […]

The Harare Magistrates Court has dismissed a bid by journalist Hopewell Chin’ono to have a charge against him of “spreading falsehoods” declared invalid. The Harare Magistrates Court has upheld charges of “spreading falsehoods” against an award-winning Zimbabwean journalist. Hopewell Chin’ono was arrested on Friday and remains in custody. This week Chin’ono tried to challenge the […]

COVID-19 continues to rise in South Africa, with 13 105 new cases, representing a 26% positivity rate. Meanwhile, 755 more people died due to COVID-19 related complications on Tuesday, bringing the death toll to 34 334 to date. Gauteng, which has become SA’s Coronavirus Epicentre once again, recorded the highest number of Covid deaths in […]

In his address to the nation on Monday night, President Ramaphosa claimed that his government has been working on vaccine acquisition for six months, which would have been since July last year. Yet there is much evidence to suggest this is simply not the truth… writes Democratic Alliance (DA) Leader John Steenhuisen. We cannot fully […]

20,000 people have been arrested and/or fined in South Africa for breaking Lockdown regulations, leading Police Minister Bheki Cele to urge South Africans to please adhere to the adjusted Covid-19 lockdown regulations which include the mandatory wearing of masks in public and beaches being off limits. In a statement, Cele noted with great concern the […]

The Gauteng Provincial Government is gearing up for the worst-case scenario as the second wave of COVID-19 infections rears its ugly head in the province. Addressing the media on Tuesday, Premier David Makhura said Gauteng is now the second most affected province in the country in terms of active Coronavirus cases after KwaZulu-Natal. The province […]

South Africans in the UK loved last week’s safari episode of ‘South Africa with Gregg Wallace’, and tonight’s episode is sure to delight homesick South Africans again… watching Gregg make Koeksisters, savour boboti and taste the best of SA’s wine. The show – showcasing Cape Town’s stunning Table Mountain, colourful Bo-Kaap and fabulous Franschhoek is […]

A South African family was surprised to discover a pride of lions has made itself at home on their patio near Hoedspruit! Although probably not as surprised as the comfortable lions were when they spotted the human intruders! Watch the video below to see the moment the lions scatter when they see the humans enter. […]

As South Africa battles the second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic, President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced the country will remain on Adjusted Alert Level 3 Lockdown. The country has been on Adjusted Lockdown Alert Level 3 since December 29, when the resurgence in infections started. Addressing the nation on Monday, President Ramaphosa said it was […]

The minstrel museum may finally be opening in Cape Town seven years after the National Lotteries Commission awarded a multimillion-rand grant to establish the facility. The new Cape Town Museum and Restaurant awning only recently replaced one for the Pensyl Sporting Club. Photo: Raymond Joseph The “Carnival Heritage Museum” to celebrate Cape Town’s rich minstrel […]

Yes, there’s a ‘family meeting’ in South Africa tonight! President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation on developments in SA’s Covid-19 response at 20h00 this evening, Monday 11 January 2021. South Africans have been waiting and wondering when the President would next address the nation, following meetings in recent days of the National Coronavirus Command […]

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has called on the public to disregard conspiracy theories linking the deployment of Fifth-Generation (5G) technologies and infrastructure to the spread of the novel Coronavirus. In a statement issued on Monday, the authority said this narrative should be ignored as it was aimed at bringing instability and […]

Responding to a plea for prayers, and inspired by a video of people praying outside a hospital in Mitchell’s Plain in Cape Town, a local group across the country in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal, is also lifting spirits with prayer outside hospitals in their area… and encourages others to do the same around the country. It helps […]