One day after Eskom’s soaring debt was disclosed to the public and the same week that unemployment figures reached record highs, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government has come under fire for spending R100,000 for each of 35 delegates to attend an International Labour Organisation meeting in Geneva in June. In a statement today, the DA said […]

As pressure mounts from all sides on the public protector Busiswe Mkhwebane and questions are raised about her ability to be the government’s legal watchdog, parliament will in September discuss a request to investigate her fitness to hold office and then “map out a way forward,” it was announced today. Numerous public statements about Mkhwebane’s […]

The South African arms manufacturer Denel, trying to claw its way back from years of maladministration and alleged deals benefiting the Guptas, is taking legal action to recover losses made during that time, according to the CEO Danie du Toit. In a statement today Du Toit said Denel had already received several reports concerning improper […]

In a BBC report this week, the British broadcaster labels Cape Town ‘Murder Town’ and describes it as a well-known “tourist hotspot where 8 people are murdered a day”, calling it one of the most divided and dangerous cities in the world. Watch the video below, and then read the article by Athol Williams, award-winning […]

CAPE TOWN – In a huge blow to South Africa’s double Olympic champion Caster Semenya,  the Swiss Federal Tribunal reversed a ruling that temporarily lifted the IAAF’s testosterone regulations imposed on her. This means the South African athlete will not be able to defend her 800-metres title at the World Championships in September, a spokesperson […]

JOHANNESBURG – Nicky Newton-King, Chief Executive Officer of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), has announced her retirement after eight years at the helm of Africa’s biggest securities exchange, the JSE said on Tuesday. Chairman Nonkululeko Nyembezi said in a statement: “During 2018 Nicky indicated to the board a desire to step down, both for reasons of […]

The mammoth task of unbundling Eskom has been given to the chief of the South African Institute for Chartered Accountants, Freeman Nomvalo, who the Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan today named as the utility’s new chief restructuring officer. In a statement from the institute, Nomvalo said its board had agreed to a request from […]

Adding to the battles facing the public protector Busiswe Mkhwebane, her deputy has said she didn’t consult him on the controversially “flawed” ABSA-SARB report, and that there were lessons to be learnt from the recent setbacks Mkhwebane has been dealt in court. “I don’t know anything about the Absa report, sitting here as the Deputy […]

JOHANNESBURG – South African power utility Eskom announced on Tuesday that its annual loss has widened to R20.7-billion ($1.46-billion) in the 2018/19 financial year… a massive increase from the already discouraging R2.3-billion in the previous year. Eskom Chairman Jabu Mabuza said: “Today Eskom releases results that, while expected, are unfavourable. The organisation disappointingly incurred a […]

Since the Economic Freedom Fighters’ launch in 2013, it has only had one leader, Julius Malema, although according to party chairman Dali Mpofu that could change as early as December. After Mpofu was interviewed by Power FM’s Aldrin Sampear today, the radio station said the advocate believed it was unlikely Malema would stand as president […]

South Africa’s unemployment rate has risen to 29 percent, the highest level record since the quarterly labour force survey was introduced in 2008, although it had reached 29,3 percent in 2003, the Department of Statistics announced today. A total of of 15.5 million people are not economically active, about 2.7 million of them discouraged work […]

Officials may throw statistics around and claim that South Africans are moving abroad faster than Herschel Jantjies scored his try for the Springboks – 8 professionals apparently leave for every 1 that arrives (according to Carte Blanche) – but the stories of South Africans, particularly young families, happily moving back to their homeland continue to […]

The director of a film festival in Mexico has asked the Mexican government for permission to screen a South African film in the coastal town of Tulum’s main plaza… because he believes it’s that important! Tulum World Environment Film Festival director Cesar di Parra said at an awards ceremony on Sunday: “We believe the message […]

Over a thousand people were left homeless and one person died after a fire swept through Cape Town’s Masiphumelele’s Wetland informal settlement in E-Section in the early hours of Monday morning. The fire, said by residents to have been caused by a candle in one of the shacks, started at about midnight and was ultimately […]

Every day on SAPeople’s Facebook page there are hundreds of conversations between people who would not normally have a chance to communicate with each other… between those who live in SA and expats; between people of different ages, and different cultural backgrounds. The hope of course is that we can listen to different opinions and […]

South African Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan announced on Monday that Jabu Mabuza has been appointed as acting group chief executive officer (GCEO) of Eskom following a board meeting earlier today. Gordhan said in a statement: I have informed the Eskom annual general meeting this afternoon of my decision to appoint Mr Jabu Mabuza as […]

The population of South Africa rose by 900,000 in the past year, and now stands at 58.8 million, according to figures released today by the Statistician General Risenga Maluleke. He said the main driver of population growth was births, but immigration also contributed. Of the total, 51 percent were female and 49 percent male. About […]

South African conservationists have welcomed news that Vietnam authorities have seized more than 125 kg of rhino horn in its crackdown on wildlife trafficking in Southeast Asia, although it is tragic that this is a reactive rather than proactive response to the demand for rhino horn. It’s too late for any rhino who were killed. […]

In the face of news headlines in Australia claiming that Nando’s is in crisis with stores shutting down, and is a “very cruel” company that has left many of its franchisees broke, Nando’s South Africa told SAPeople the company in Australia has celebrated its most successful year yet, and has only closed underperforming restaurants. According […]

PRETORIA – In another blow to the public protector, a judge of the North Gauteng High Court today interdicted Busiswe Mkhwebane or her office from enforcing remedial action she had recommended the president take against Pravin Gordhan, pending a judicial review of Mkhwebane’s report against Gordhan. The decision was handed down by Judge Sulet Potterill, […]

The family of the Ukranian tourist who was murdered on Sunday morning whilst hiking in Table Mountain National Park, in Hout Bay, has revealed that the father of three – named as Ivan Ivanova – was in South Africa on a business trip, and had stayed for two extra days to rest. A Western Cape […]

JOHANNESBURG – The Presidential Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture has proposed amending the South African Constitution to allow the government to seize land without compensation… but only in limited circumstances. The recommendations in the final report were released Sunday by Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Thoko Didiza, and members of the […]

The internet’s falling in love with a video mash of Trevor Noah and Whitney Houston. In the video – created by social media user Myster Giraffe – it appears that Trevor is impersonating Whitney singing her 1987 hit “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”. And he’s ‘singing’ it well! The face swap video has already been […]

JOHANNESBURG  – Helen Zille (68) is to join think tank The Institute of Race Relations (IRR), the former Democratic Alliance (DA) leader announced on Sunday. The ex-Premier of the Western Cape – who stepped down in June, after two terms – tweeted today: “I am very pleased to be part of the IRR South Africa […]

A new facility that rehabilitates wild animals that have been injured or abandoned, with a view to returning them to the wild, has been opened at Shamwari Private Game Reserve, outside Port Elizabeth. At the R5 million (or $350,000) facility, the animals are treated before being released back to the wild, Shamwari said in a […]