South African musician and film score composer Trevor Rabin (62) is to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, along with fellow members of British super group ‘Yes’. The SA expat proudly told Rolling Stone magazine that “you’d probably know better than I, but I think I’m the first South African!” On Facebook, Trevor wrote: […]

MIDRAND – A total of 845 fatalities have already been recorded on South African roads between 1 December and 19 December, says Transport Minister Dipuo Peters. Addressing the media on Tuesday, Minister Peters said the number of fatalities has increased by 17% compared to the same period in the previous year.  This devastating figure comes despite efforts to campaign for […]

As South Africa sent condolences today to victims of the probable terrorist attack that struck in Berlin on Monday evening, an SAPeople follower from Germany has described the feelings her country is currently going through. Cornelia H. from Munich, who loves spending her holidays in “beautiful South Africa”, says: “Germany is in a state of shock. Everyone is […]

Prince Harry opened up about grieving and carrying on his mother Princess Diana’s legacy in a documentary – ‘Prince Harry in Africa’ – aired on ITV in the UK on Monday night.  Speaking about his mom’s death 19 years ago, the prince said: “For a huge part of my life I didn’t really want to think […]

The number of tourists to South Africa has increased in the past year, and Germany has knocked the UK off the number one spot of the country whose tourists visit SA the most, according to the latest Tourism and Migration report by Statistics SA (Stats SA). The Big 5 are: Germany, UK, USA, France and The […]

HOUT BAY – It was a sad and unusual scene today in Cape Town, South Africa, as a juvenile whale carcass was towed to shore in Hout Bay and away for safe removal. National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) had received a call at around 09h25 about the sighting of a whale, suspected to be entangled […]

A paddler in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa, was lucky to escape unharmed from a very close encounter with what is believed to have been a 4-metre Great White shark… that took a rather large bite out of his paddle-ski! Ben Swart (55), from Pretoria, was with two friends – Nick Bester and Ronald Pronk – when he […]

Conflict on campuses, hint of justice for miners, a heated election, our most successful Olympics, and other stories on GroundUp this year Accusations against police are commonplace in South Africa. Police work under stressful conditions for mediocre pay. Accusations of brutality are often too glibly made. However a description of officers assaulting a homeless man and […]

After last week’s Inquiry into the collapse of good governance at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), Professor Mbulaheni Obert Maguvhe has resigned as Chairperson of the Board of the country’s national broadcaster.  On Monday the Presidency announced that President Jacob Zuma has received and accepted the resignation of Professor Maguvhe.   “The President has thanked Professor […]

Like many South Africans, President Jacob Zuma began his holiday programme this weekend. But while many of us head to the beach, the President’s holiday will include activities that promote youth development and the care of senior citizens. As with every festive season, Zuma will spend it in his home village of Nkandla, in KwaZulu-Natal. This weekend […]

A teenager has tragically drowned at Paradise Beach Lagoon in Jeffreys Bay. The local NSRI duty crew were activated at 08h46 following reports of a drowning in progress. The 16-year-old male, from Port Elizabeth, had been playing beach ball with his friends when he slipped into a hole underwater and disappeared. According to Rieghard Janse van […]

South Africa’s Miss World contestant, Ntandoyenkosi Kunene (24), will not be bringing home the Miss World title, but while Ntandoyenkosi may not have made it into the Top 20 tonight at the pageant’s Grand Final… she has made it into South Africans’ hearts. Miss Puerto Rico Stephanie Del Valle was crowned Miss World 2016 on Sunday […]

Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa has extended “deepest sympathies” to the family, friends and colleagues of City of Cape Town Transport Official Steven Otter who was murdered in the early hours of Friday morning. Otter (43) passed away from stab wounds after confronting intruders at around 4am in his new Harfield Village home, which […]

ALEPPO, Syria/BEIRUT (Reuters) – The evacuation of the last opposition-held areas of the Syrian city of Aleppo was suspended on Friday after pro-government militias demanded that wounded people should also be brought out of two Shi’ite villages being besieged by rebel fighters. The second day of the operation to take fighters and civilians out of […]

LONDON – British Airways (BA) has announced that trade union Unite intends to hold industrial action involving one of BA’s five cabin crew fleets on Christmas Day (December 25) and Boxing Day (December 26). BA said: “We are appalled that Unite proposes to disrupt customers’ travel plans on such special days when so many families […]

South African comedian Trevor Noah – who has become an international celebrity as host of The Daily Show in America – has recorded a special thank you message to his fellow South Africans for helping make his book, ‘Born a Crime’, such a success. Trevor uploaded the message below to Facebook and said: “I wanted […]

With less than ten days until Christmas, the holiday spirit is clearly in the air for many as Durban beaches were swamped today by beachgoers enjoying the public holiday in South Africa for Reconciliation Day, 16 December. The South African Police Service’s (SAPS) #Airwing took these aerial photos of Durban beachfront earlier today – as the long […]

ZEERUST – Friday’s Reconciliation Day celebrations at Gopane in North West, South Africa, were called off after President Jacob Zuma had to be driven away during a freak storm. The violent storm with strong winds ripped through the marquee as the president was discussing compensation efforts for the families of the Markana massacre victims. He said part […]

ZEERUST – Friday’s Reconciliation Day celebrations at Gopane in North West, South Africa, were called off after President Jacob Zuma had to be driven away during a freak storm. The violent storm with strong winds ripped through the marquee as the president was discussing compensation efforts for the families of the Markana massacre victims. He said part […]

ALEPPO, Syria/BEIRUT (Reuters) – The evacuation of the last opposition-held areas of the Syrian city of Aleppo was suspended on Friday after pro-government militias demanded that wounded people should also be brought out of two Shi’ite villages being besieged by rebel fighters. The second day of the operation to take fighters and civilians out of […]

Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies has welcomed the R150-million Chinese investment at the Dube Trade Port which will build local capacity in the manufacturing of fibre optic cables and generate employment opportunities for locals. Yangtze Optics Africa Cable  is a R150-million investment to set up and operate a modern optical fibre cable manufacturing plant […]

Tributes poured in for 702 talk radio host John Robbie today as he presented his last show after 30 years of entertaining, annoying and inspiring South Africans. Many said they will miss the voice that has kept them awake in the Johannesburg traffic for years, and that neither talk radio nor the mornings will ever […]

Dec 15 (Reuters) – Facebook Inc said on Thursday it will roll out a number of new tools to prevent fake news stories from spreading on the social media network. The company will make it easier for users to flag fake articles on their News Feed, and will also work with organisations such as fact-checking […]

While the South African Broadcasting Commission (SABC) Inquiry has kept South Africans shocked and entertained this week as one revelation after the next piled up, it has been lauded as a brilliant example of how great the country can be when Ministers from different political parties put South Africa first. Chairman Vincent Smith and the panel that […]

South Africa’s Minister of Social Development, Bathabile Dlamini, must be suspended immediately, pending a full investigation into allegations that the invalid contract, awarded to Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) to distribute social grants to 17 million vulnerable South Africans, benefitted her friends, says DA Shadow Minister Bridget Masango. Masango says that today’s AmaBhungane report, published on […]