A baby elephant born in an Austrian zoo five days ago has a wild elephant in South Africa to thank for its life! The young female calf, whose name will be announced on 23 July, was conceived through artificial insemination. It’s the second such birth at Vienna’s Schoenbrunn zoo. The baby’s 27-year-old mother Numbi was […]

In a scene that is at once heartening and heart-breaking, children were filmed today on the Cape Flats in Cape Town, South Africa, cheering and clapping as the army rolled into their neighbourhood. For many local residents the army’s arrival today brings reassurance and hope for the future. Their wish is that the army stays […]

CAPE TOWN – South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa said today was the best Mandela Day he had ever had because of what he experienced at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital. “I came here to uplift the spirits of the young people,” he said, holding one of the young patients in his arms, “but […]

NEW YORK – The chief prosecutor for the tribunal pursuing suspects involved in the 1994 Rwandan genocide has told the United Nations Security Council that South Africa continues to do nothing in respect of a suspect inside its borders, despite a year-long series of urgent requests. Serge Brammertz,  prosecutor of the International Residual Mechanism for […]

PRETORIA – The South African central bank cut its main lending rate by 25 basis points to 6.50%, as expected, citing weak economic growth and inflation which has stayed around the midpoint of its target range. The last time the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) cut its repo rate was in March 2018. The SARB […]

CAPE TOWN – British Airways would remain the only airline flying a daily flight between London and Cape Town for the time being, according to Wesgro, although the agency was in regular discussions with other airlines to fly to the city, according to CEO of the Western Cape’s tourism and trade body Tim Harris. A […]

As South Africans and the world celebrate the 10th anniversary of International Nelson Mandela Day today, here’s a collection from South Africans around the world of some of the statues, plaques and rugby shirts (!) that honour SA’s former president. Mandela Day is intended to embody the words of Mandela: “It is in your hands […]

I’m sorry. I wanted to love The Lion King. Especially since it’s set in Africa. I tried so hard. It features South Africa’s own John Kani as the voice of Rafaki. But the film was disappointing in so many respects… writes Cassie Jo. As most of South Africa knows by now, Walt Disney’s newly revamped […]

PRETORIA – President Cyril Ramaphosa has entered the battle between his Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan and the Public Protector Busiswe Mkhwebane by filing a supporting affidavit for Gordhan in the North Gauteng High Court, according to a statement released by the presidency today. Gordhan has applied to the same court for the suspension […]

After reporting on Johnny Clegg’s death on Tuesday 16 July, after a 4-year long, brave battle with pancreatic cancer, we couldn’t write or post anything yesterday. We were just too heartbroken. Like many journalists I had met Johnny (66) a few times, spent time at his home in Joburg and met his lovely wife Jenny, […]

CAPE TOWN – The publicity for the world-famous Mount Nelson hotel – “an oasis of calm within Cape Town’s beating heart” – must have seemed like a cruel joke yesterday after a group of men stormed the lobby and robbed staff and holiday guests, and broke jewellery displays to steal the contents. In an emailed […]

JOHANNESBURG – The inquiry into state capture was adjourned early today until Friday after former president Jacob Zuma’s legal team raised concerns about the kind of questions he was being asked, claiming he had been brought to the inquiry under false pretenses and he would reconsider his participation in the inquiry. Inquiry leader Deputy Chief […]

JOHANNESBURG – There’s good news for unemployment in South Africa, as the SA unit of Ford Motor Co has announced on Wednesday that it will hire an additional 1,200 people to staff an extra shift at one of its vehicle assembly plants. According to a statement from Ford, this will increase production to 720 units […]

JOHANNESBURG – Former South African President Jacob Zuma continues giving testimony at the State Capture of Inquiry in Parktown, Johannesburg today – Wednesday 17 July 2019. As the testimony enters Day 3, Zuma today responding to testimony given by former Public Enterprises Minister Barbara Hogan who told the Zondo Commission that it was Zuma, during […]

When New York was plunged into a blackout on Saturday evening, South African comedian Trevor Noah and a couple of friends from South Africa were hanging out together in his building… but when the lights came back on, they found themselves in a “compromising” position in front of the other residents of the building. Watch […]

JOHANNESBURG – The African National Congress Secretary General Ace Magashule and former cabinet minister Malusi Gigaba were two of the present and former high-ranking party officials supporting Jacob Zuma as he appeared for the second day at the inquiry into state capture. Magashule was there to show his support for the former president, it was […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s iconic singer and songwriter, Johnny Clegg, has sadly passed away today, Tuesday 16 July 2019, at the age of 66. The nation and all the “scatterlings of Africa” will mourn his passing. Clegg was diagnosed with cancer four years ago in 2015. During his career he helped unite South Africans of […]

SANTORINI – A South African animal welfare worker documenting the abuse of donkeys on the Greek island of Santorini was brutally assaulted and threatened with death while filming, international charity Network for Animals said in a statement on Tuesday. Luke Barritt, a campaigner for NFA, and Polish cameraman Wiktor Dobraczynski were seen filming the treatment […]

JOHANNESBURG – Jacob Zuma, the former president of South Africa, has told the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture that he received a death threat after giving evidence on Monday. He said his personal assistant had received a phone call late on Monday from an unknown caller threatening to kill Zuma and his […]

Six men accused of attacking a family, killing two, on their KwaZulu-Natal farm in 2016, have been successfully convicted and sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment. The South African Police Service (SAPS) team involved in the arrests has been praised for their “sterling work”. The attack on Swart Umfolozi farm north west of Vryheid, […]

JOHANNESBURG – It’s Day Two of South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma answering questions in court at the Zondo Commission. Watch the live video stream below. Tthe State Capture inquiry is being held in Parktown, Johannesburg. Zuma’s testimonial began yesterday, and he is expected to continue giving evidence until Friday. The commission was established in […]

Tributes have poured in for former Bafana Bafana soccer player Marc Batchelor who was shot dead outside his home in northern Johannesburg on Monday evening at around 18h30. According to police, Batchelor was shot by two men on a motorbike (or motorbikes) as he was driving his white BMW into his home in Olivedale. Police […]

Jacob Zuma, former president of South Africa, appeared Monday before the Zondo Commission to respond to allegations made against him at the inquiry into state capture. Zuma began with a long, rambling statement, interrupted by a lot of throat clearing, in which he repeatedly referred to a “conspiracy” against him and a “plan” since at […]

The ex-EFF member and firebrand Andile Mngxitama’s Black Land First has been de-registered as a political party after three years because it excludes members based on race, the Independent Electoral Commission said in a statement today. The appeal against BLF had been made by the Freedom Front Plus, led by Pieter Groenewald, a rightwing, predominantly […]

Eskom’s Group Treasurer Andre Pillay has tendered his resignation in the latest high-profile exit from South Africa’s power utility, since its chief executive quit earlier this year. No reason was given for his resignation. As requested by Eskom, Pillay will stay a couple of months until the end of August 2019 “to ensure a seamless […]