This dramatic video of Theewaterskloof Dam in the Western Cape shows how dire the water situation is in Cape Town… where strict water restrictions have been implemented, a naming and shaming policy introduced for water ‘abusers’, and freeway signs flash warnings of how little drinking water is left. The drone footage, filmed by helicopter pilot Stephan […]

A New Zealand family are still reeling after their teenage son was attacked by a cheetah whilst on holiday in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, this week. Well, it appears it’s more Mom who’s reeling… while her 14-year-old son, Isaac, has recovered well and is kind of excited to show off his “cool” cheetah scars to his mates back […]

It has been announced Saturday that there has been a robbery at the Office of Chief Justice (OCJ) Mogoeng Mogoeng in South Africa. The incident, in which 15 computers were allegedly stolen, took place in the administration wing of the Midrand offices on Saturday, in the early hours of the morning. A media spokesperson for […]

A fund has been set up to help repatriate the body of talented boxer and former bank manager Bhekitshe Moyo, who tragically died by suicide in London, as he faced deportation by immigration officials. Bhekitshe’s body was found in a park in South London in the early hours of 7 March 2017; and his mother is desperate to retrieve […]

COSAS leads protest against Johannesburg mayor… writes Ihsaan Haffejee. Thousands of school students poured out of trains at Johannesburg’s Park Station on Friday and made their way up Rissik Street to Metro Centre in Braamfontein where the office of Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba is located. The protesters were led by the Congress of South African […]

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) – Airbnb expects to maintain its rapid growth in Africa this year and double its customer numbers to 1.5 million, its Chief Executive Brian Chesky and regional head told Reuters on Friday. The number of people using the online room rental service on the continent rose by 143 percent to about 765,000 […]

It’s just become a little harder for South Africans – and other nationalities – to emigrate to popular expat destination Perth, Australia! As promised in his election campaign, new Western Australian (WA) premier Mark McGowan MP has made the first move to make it easier for Australian locals to find work in Perth, by removing […]

NEW YORK/SINGAPORE (Reuters) – China Petroleum and Chemical Corp (Sinopec) is nearing an agreement to buy a majority stake in Chevron Corp’s South African assets, which are estimated to be worth $1 billion, two people familiar with the transaction said. The sources said Sinopec, Asia’s largest oil refiner, was the last bidder remaining, and close […]

After years as a virtual prisoner in her home, 72-year-old Beauty Qamata can breathe fresh air again Two weeks ago, GroundUp told the story of 72-year-old Beauty Qamata who lost her legs to diabetes and for years has spent her days alone and trapped in her shack in Bacawa informal settlement near Mdantsane, East London. She has no […]

After last week’s alarming poaching onslaught around South Africa that resulted in the death of 13 rhino in a 24-hour time period (of which the South African Department of Environment has still made no comment!), here are some fantastic photos this week celebrating an unsuccessful poaching attack. Pilanesberg National Park and Wildlife Trust posted the photos […]

DA Leader Mmusi Maimane has referred Western Cape Premier and former DA leader Helen Zille to the Federal Legal Commission for investigation, following a series of tweets this morning, which may have violated the DA’s social media policy for public representatives, according to a statement from the Democratic Alliance (DA). Zille has already issued an […]

FREETOWN (Reuters) – A Christian pastor has found one of the world’s largest uncut diamonds – weighing 706 carats — in Sierra Leone’s eastern Kono region. The stone, a photograph of which was posted on the president’s official website, is being stored in the country’s central bank, government sources said. A local chief from Kono […]

Western Cape Premier and former Democratic Alliance (DA) leader, Helen Zille, has caused another Twitterstorm as she tweets her views on the ways in which South Africa benefited from colonialism. Several Twitter members – including Eusabius McKaiser – called on current DA leader Mmusi Maimane to comment following Zille’s tweets which included “Would we have had a transition […]

The impassioned speech by Mosiuoa ‘Terror’ Lekota in Parliament on Tuesday, calling on the Members of Parliament – regardless of race or party membership – to speak up against those who say words which “make South Africans kill each other”, has gone viral. Lekota is being heralded as the ‘voice of reason’ and – thanks to […]

Days after the devastating fire that raged through Imizamo Yethu informal settlement in Hout Bay Valley on Friday night, the Cape Town community has united to support those left homeless. Cape Talk filmed these heartwarming scenes below as organisers were overwhelmed by generous and abundant donations from Capetonians. “The community has come out in full force to […]

Just like your average South African expat, comedian Trevor Noah had a jol in the snow after Storm Stella blasted through his new hometown of New York, leaving a two-foot blanket of the white stuff behind. The storm brought blizzard conditions, causing trees to fall and power to be cut. Transport was disrupted in several places, including […]

NAIROBI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – British Olympic champion Mo Farah is supporting a charity appeal, launched on Wednesday, for 16 million people facing starvation in East Africa, including Somalia where he was born. The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), an alliance of 13 leading British aid agencies, are raising funds for South Sudan, Somalia, Kenya and […]

The topic of murder was debated in South African Parliament on Tuesday. According to the Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa has a “shocking murder rate” with 18,673 murders recorded during 2015/16… which averages out to about 51.2 murders per day. “We have become so accustomed to this that we don’t even blink an eye anymore when […]

In one week Florence Mudzivo’s life has changed radically for the better… thanks to knocking on the right door (and to hard work, perseverance and the kindness of South Africans!). The 53-year-old Zimbabwean widow sadly lost her husband in 2011 and was left alone to single-handedly provide for her four children and one grandchild. With […]

An Emergency Medical Services (EMS) employee was shot dead during an armed robbery incident at the Odi EMS base, Tshwane District in Pretoria on Saturday, says Gauteng Department of Health. According to the department, the paramedic was shot in the abdomen while on duty. He was then taken to hospital but succumbed to his injuries […]

Only five African cities feature in the top 100 rankings in regards to quality of living, according to Mercer’s 19th Quality of Living ranking… and three of those are in South Africa! Five Africa cities managed to remain in the top 100 rankings in regards to quality of living, with Port Louis in Mauritius topping the […]

It’s official. New BBC research – which included South African participants – reveals that watching nature programmes makes you happier! BBC Earth, the BBC’s global factual brand, has today published findings of an international study titled The Real Happiness Project showing nature programming’s direct impact on the mood and wellbeing of its viewers. The research […]

PRETORIA – The Department of Water and Sanitation has officially lifted water restrictions in Gauteng. The department announced on Monday that it has published in a government gazette the lifting of water restrictions in Gauteng. The department said that the lifting of the water restrictions follows the recent rains that flowed into the Integrated Vaal River […]

Durban, South Africa, has lost the right to host the Commonwealth Games in 2022… although the South African Sports Minister said they have received no official notification yet. In a statement published in the media on Monday (see below), the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) said it had completed its review of the final information submitted […]

At least 500 children, possibly many more, have reportedly been left homeless and without any possessions after a huge fire ravaged Mandela Park, in the Imizamo Yethu informal settlement, on Friday night and Saturday… but thanks to the efforts of some Capetonian teenagers, the children will hopefully soon have clothes, shoes and stationery. The teens accompanied their […]