International and local tourists on holiday in Umhlanga, along with the area’s residents, appeared to stick to the rules yesterday – Day of Reconciliation – and remained off the beach as per the new government regulations for KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) beaches. Drone Dad captured amazing photos and video of the Apocalyptic-like scene on Wednesday afternoon, 16 […]

According to the Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa has missed the second deadline for a deposit on the Covax Vaccine Facility, and Finance Minister Tito Mboweni perhaps mislead Parliament when he denied SA had missed the first deadline. “Securing a supply of the vaccine for South Africa as soon as possible should be government’s number […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has filed court papers in the Western Cape High Court challenging a decision taken by South Africa’s national government to close the beaches in the Garden Route District for the entire festive season (16 Dec to 3 Jan). “We had provided President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma with an extended […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it will lay a complaint with Parliament’s Ethics Committee against the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, after he appeared to issue unlawful operational instructions to South African Police Service (SAPS) officials to shut down a film shoot at Camps Bay beach on Wednesday. The incident occurred yesterday when the Police […]

The latest weekly report by the Department of Water and Sanitation shows that dam levels in the Eastern Cape are sitting at 51% after the recent torrential rains. “With more rains expected in the run-up to Christmas, it is likely that the levels may soon soar to 55% and beyond,” the department said on Wednesday. […]

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 infections has increased to 883 687 after 10 008 new cases were recorded, the latest data showed on Wednesday. According to Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, the country has breached the 10 000 mark for new cases. The last time South Africa recorded over 10 000 new cases was on […]

With some viruses, once you have been infected and have developed antibodies, you will be immune to that virus for life. Past infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, does not, as far as is known at this stage, guarantee protection against future infections. It’s not absolutely clear whether this virus may become dormant […]

Five parents – whose children have allegedly been disadvantaged by Netball South Africa (NSA) – have agreed to be part of AfriForum’s court case at the International Netball Federation (INF), where the organisation has a case against discrimination in school netball. This signifies progress in the case for AfriForum, who were last month informed by […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it has granted an extension to the Presidency to justify the Garden Route beach closures, following a formal written request from the Presidency. The DA had issued an ultimatum with a deadline of 17h00 today (Wednesday) or the party would approach the courts for urgent relief. However, the DA said […]

A solar-powered computer lab in the Overberg town of Barrydale has opened up new opportunities for learners and students who have little or no access to the internet. The lab was set up in November by Net vir Pret, in partnership with the University of Cape Town’s Students’ Health and Welfare Centres Organisation (SHAWCO) and […]

WESTERN CAPE – South Africa’s Minister of Police, General Bheki Cele, will be conducting spot checks along Cape Town’s beaches today, Day of Reconciliation (16 December). The Police Minister and his entourage – including South African Police Service (SAPS) management – will spend the day visiting various beaches in Cape Town to inspect “operational deployments” […]

KLM has announced that its planned flights will now go ahead, following the South African authorities issuing an update to regulations yesterday, 15 December. Last week KLM had announced a reduction in its flights between Amsterdam and South Africa due to new SA regulations which changed the entry requirements for airline crew travelling into the […]

Andrea Bocelli and his 8-year-old daughter Virginia have performed an exquisite version of Leonard Cohen‘s Hallelujah. The hauntingly beautiful rendition was recorded over the weekend in Italy, as Bocelli lifts spirits again just as he did with his record-breaking special Easter concert in Milan. The weekend concert – ‘Believe in Christmas’ – took place on […]

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has until 17h00 on Wednesday (16 Dec) to justify why the national government has decided to close beaches in the Garden Route District in the Western Cape for the entire festive season. If he fails to do so, the DA says it will approach the courts for urgent relief. The […]

South Africa is set to receive initial vaccines from the COVAX facility to cover 10% of its population in the early part of 2021, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced to the nation on Monday evening. The President said SA concluded all the necessary processes to ensure its participation in the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Global Vaccine […]

The Nkombe Rhino Organisation, run by Joe Pietersen, recently completed its 100th dehorning – a final desperate measure to give rhino a chance at survival against poachers. The video below of the milestone event shows viewers a close-up view of the heartbreaking, yet vital, dehorning process which can save a rhino’s life. Anthony Kirkwood, Creative […]

Four people have been murdered in two separate farm attacks in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands in South Africa over the past few days – one was an elderly man who was shot and the others were a family of three who were allegedly brutally murdered yesterday evening. Bill Theron, a retired 85-year-old farmer, was shot dead […]

GAUTENG – Seventeen rhino horns were seized at a warehouse in Kempton Park, South Africa, on Monday. The seizure of the valuable haul was thanks to a multi-disciplinary approach driven operation by Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation, Crime Intelligence, Customs, and Environmental Affairs. The Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (HAWKS) said in a statement on […]

Prof Jean Greyling and his team from Computing Sciences at Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth has received the Vice Chancellor’s Excellence Award, in the category “Engagement Project”. This follows on the Innovation Excellence Award also from the Vice Chancellor in 2019. Prof Greyling is very passionate about introducing learners to software development as a […]

Eskom, South Africa’s state-owned power utility, has a litany of financial and operational problems. In 2017 the Goldman Sachs Group declared it the biggest risk to the South African economy. Several cabinet members have said so too. President Cyril Ramaphosa declared that Eskom is “too big to fail”. The first huge problem is debt of […]

International cricketer, JP Duminy is on a mission to save two young South Africans’ lives. “Right now, there are two young South Africans awaiting bone marrow stem cell transplants, whose families can’t afford the cost of finding a donor,” says JP. “One is a 6-year old boy from Gauteng who has been diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic […]

JOHANNESBURG – DStv has added global streaming service Amazon Prime Video to its recently launched DStv Explora Ultra decoder. DStv customers with a Prime Video membership can now access the entertainment service, ranging from movies and TV series, including Amazon Originals with a click of a button on the Explora Ultra. Prime Video joins an […]

Democratic Alliance Leader, John Steenhuisen, was less than impressed by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcements tonight which included certain beach bans, alcohol restrictions, longer curfew and other guidelines. (View the full SA Festive Season restrictions here.) President Ramaphosa said on Monday that in the areas with the highest rate of infection, beaches and public parks will […]

Following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement on Monday evening about the closure of some beaches, longer curfew, alcohol restrictions and other guidelines for the festive season, the tourism industry appears to support the President’s attempt to protect South Africans’ lives as Covid-19 cases soar and SA experiences its second wave of infections. There is a lot […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered a rather sombre message to South Africans in his address to the nation on Monday evening: “Unless we do things differently, this will be the last Christmas for many South Africans.” Since this is “certainly what we don’t want, we all need to live”, the President announced the following festive season […]