Thanks to the water saving efforts of many Cape Town residents, Day Zero has now been pushed back four days to 16 April 2018. Mmusi Maimane, whose own family has cut down to 40 litres per day, said: “Pushing back Day Zero by 4 days may not seem like a lot. But actually it is […]

Facebook says they are making changes and it wants you to see more local news on your news feed from your news sources in your local city or town.  This, they say, will allow you to see the news that has a direct impact on you. “If you follow a local publisher or if someone […]

Tourists are still being encouraged to visit Cape Town, despite Day Zero looming (when taps will be turned off on 12 April 2018) and international headlines about South Africa’s Mother City running out of water. (Please see Tourists FAQ about the water crisis in Cape Town below.) Jayne Dickson, a British tourist, said she is […]

US President Donald Trump says he does not want elephants being “killed and stuffed and brought back” to the United States. Speaking in an interview with Piers Morgan, filmed in Switzerland, and aired on ITV on Sunday night, the President appeared to confirm that the ban on importing African elephant body parts – which had […]

A 75-year-old trophy hunter from Croatia has been killed by a stray bullet whilst taking part in a hunt on an alleged ‘canned lion’ farm in South Africa. “Hunter killed while hunting canned lions at Leeubosch Lodge, North West Province, South Africa,” said the producers of ‘Blood Lions’, a documentary which exposed the ‘canned lion’ […]

Hundreds of people joined outside the civic centre to protest against the City of Cape Town’s management of the water crisis. The Cape Town Water Crisis Coalition (CTWCC) is calling for government to remove water management devices, to stop any drought levy or water tariff increase plans and no privatisation of water supply. Shaheed Mahomed […]

An overjoyed Ladysmith Black Mambozo announced their Grammy Award on Twitter with capitals: “WE WON THE GRAMMY AWARD FOR BEST WORLD MUSIC ALBUM!! SHAKA ZULU REVISITED. Our 5th Grammy Award. Such an honor. Thank U Grammy Awards. Thank U fans and friends. Thank U South Africa!!” The South African band was performing on stage in […]

A 56-year-old man has been stabbed to death in the Table Mountain National Park in South Africa, in the latest in a spate of attacks on the mountain. The incident occurred on Sunday at the Echo Valley, above Kalk Bay. The man was walking with his wife near Boyes Drive, in St James, Muizenberg, Western […]

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane has written to ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his capacity as Leader of Government Business, requesting an urgent meeting to discuss how they can best work together to tackle the immediate drought crisis in the City of Cape Town, and to defeat Day Zero. Maimane said in a press statement […]

During the early hours of Jan. 31, there will be a full moon, a total lunar eclipse, a blue moon and a supermoon – all at the same time! None of these things is really all that unusual by itself. What is rare is that they’re happening all together on one day. (Update: See photos […]

At first most people thought it was fake news (due to headlines involving Hermanus), but turns out it’s real – a 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck (quite far) off the South African coast on Sunday afternoon local time. In fact two powerful earthquakes in the region were recorded on Sunday. The earthquakes, south west of Africa, […]

Reports today that the ANC is negotiating an exit deal for President Jacob Zuma is nothing but “betrayal to the people of South Africa whose lives have been worsened during his tenure as the president”, according to the DA. DA National Spokesperson Refiloe Nt’sekhe stated in a press release Sunday that “President Zuma and those […]

South Africa’s Blitzboks blasted past arch-rivals England 33-12 to book their place in the HSBC Sydney Sevens quarter-finals in Australia on Saturday. After an easy tournament-opener victory against Papua New Guinea (50-0), coach Neil Powell’s men sailed past Spain, 38-0 in their first match of day two… Rosko Specman snatching two tries. Their second Pool […]

Ian Neilson, JP Smith and Priya Reddy respond to readers’ questions… We asked readers to send questions about the water crisis for the City of Cape Town to answer. We selected and edited the best ones. Ian Neilson (Deputy Mayor), JP Smith (Mayco Member for Safety & Security and Social Services) and Priya Reddy (Director […]

While most of South Africa received rain today, including the Karoo… unfortunately the Western Cape and Northern Cape were very much ‘plunged’ into sunshine-y brightness amidst a never-ending drought (the longest in recorded history)… As Day Zero approaches rapidly (now set for 12 April, when residents’ taps will be turned off), Western Cape Premier Helen […]

Here are the latest hot topics due for broadcast on Carte Blanche this Sunday, and available for South Africans living abroad from Tuesday – 30th January 2018, if they’re a subscriber of Showmax International. Life Esidimeni Hearings Continued Former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu was finally in the hot seat at the Life Esidimeni Arbitration hearings […]

The folk in the Karoo, South Africa, are happily sitting on their porches this afternoon, listening to the rain as it soaks the soil and replenishes their souls… Stormy conditions were expected over most of the country on Friday, with some severe thunderstorm warnings issued for parts of the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Lesotho. WATCH […]

A South African architecture firm has created one of the most exquisite new homes on the French Riviera. The luxury residence – in St Tropez – is billed as a “modern  interpretation of Côte d’Azur living”. The prestigious project, in one of the world’s most sought-after destinations for the rich and famous, landed in the […]

The Free State Provincial Government has committed to fully cooperate with the Hawks as they investigate matters relating to allegations of impropriety at Vrede Dairy Farm, which is at the centre of allegations involving the Gupta Family. The commitment comes as search and seizure operations by the Hawks are currently underway at the offices of […]

The Drakensberg Boys Choir School has paid tribute to “the late great” South African musician, Hugh Masekela, who passed away earlier this week – at the age of 78 – after a long battle with prostate cancer. During the video – performing ‘Stimela’ (Coal Train) – a young boy can be heard saying: “Dear Mr […]

The trial of KwaZulu-Natal alleged rhino poaching “kingpin”, Dumisani Gwala and his co-accused is set to finally start on 22 May 2018, almost three and a half years after their initial arrests. Gwala, together with his co-accused, Aubrey Dlamini and Wiseman Makeba, faces a combined 10 charges relating to the illegal purchase and possession of […]

The South African Government’s focus on anti-corruption strategies in the protracted battle to protect the rhino is starting to yield dividends, with 21 officials arrested for poaching related offences… and a slight decrease in the number of rhino it claims were killed by poachers during 2017. There’s also news that SA will be sending rhino […]

Today the DA laid charges of incitement to violence at the Vereeniging Police Station against Facebook user, Aubery Thamasanqa Mabele, who called on President Jacob Zuma to “give him a gun to defend our democracy… one bullet, een Boere kind” while checking in at Hoerskool Overvaal.   In another post he asked for a “menu […]

The North Gauteng High Court has ruled that the reappointment of the former Eskom Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Brian Molefe, was unlawful and has been set aside. The court found that Molefe’s claim of early retirement was contrived and therefore invalid. Molefe was also found to not be entitled to a pension pay out […]

Western Cape Premier Helen Zille told BBC Newsnight on Thursday evening that today’s crisis in Cape Town was not meant to hit for another ten years. She said the weather services got it wrong… because of climate change. “This drought could never have been foreseen,” Zille said. “The South African Weather Services have said to […]