A South African scientist has been named one of 20 ‘Youngest Power Women in Africa 2012’ by Forbes Magazine. These are women – all under the age of 45 – who are bringing about positive change on the continent by influencing African business, technology, science, policy and media. Dr Patience Mthunzi, a scientist at the Council for Scientific […]

Award-winning songbird Lira is set to wow the world – she’s received a request to perform at President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration ball on 21 January 2013. Lira, who was born Lerato Molapo in Daveyton, east of Johannesburg, is no one-hit wonder – the singer was discovered in 2000 and since then has been raking in the […]

Humanitarian, businessman and academic Jakes Gerwel, a close friend of former president Nelson Mandela, will be remembered for his humility, and as an icon of the freedom struggle and a literature teacher who inspired hundreds of students. The memorial service for Gerwel, who never recovered from a heart bypass operation and passed away on 28 […]

A Western Cape high school principal’s open letter to South African President Jacob Zuma has gone viral. The letter, penned by Bergvliet High School headmaster Stephen Price, addresses education in South Africa and references a well-known letter written by local celebrity Gareth Cliff a couple of years ago. Both letters are published below… Dear President […]

Less than a week before the passing of one of South Africa’s longest serving photojournalists, Alf Kumalo, MediaclubSouthAfrica.com spoke to his eldest daughter Sibusiso, and the curator of the photography museum he founded. Kumalo died at age 82 at the Charlotte Maxeke hospital in Johannesburg on Sunday 21 October, after struggling with prostate cancer. He enjoyed a […]

Congratulations to Natalie du Toit who won South Africa’s first gold medal at the London 2012 Paralympics yesterday! She clocked a winning time of 1 minute 09.30 seconds in the women’s 100 m butterfly final. The Capetonian swimmer, whose left leg was amputated in 2001 following an accident, has already been congratulated by South Africa’s […]

President Jacob Zuma has called South Africa the “Land of Gold” after the outstanding achievements of swimmers Cameron van der Burgh and Chad Le Clos. In a media statement yesterday, he said: The South African nation is today filled with pride and joy, after one of our finest and youngest athletes, Chad Le Clos from […]

Jonathan Shapiro has been taken to court over some of his most controversial cartoons of the past few years – the most notable being a depiction of several African National Congress leaders in a compromising situation with Lady Justice – but his doggedness has won him the 2012 Freedom to Publish Award. Zapiro, as Shapiro is more […]

As the world’s media scrambles incredulously to report on the upcoming wedding of South African president Jacob Zuma to his fourth wife, his press office has released the following statement setting the record straight on the state funding of his wive’s lifestyles. The Presidency has received enquiries from media houses relating to the pending wedding […]

The long-standing relationship between France and South Africa will be further strengthened over the next two years when the Saisons croisées France-Afrique du Sud 2012/2013 formally kicks off in June this year. The exchange programme was set up at the instigation of presidents Jacob Zuma and Nicolas Sarkozy, who met in France in March 2011. It […]

The African Union (AU) has honoured a South African scientist with the prestigious international Kwame Nkrumah Scientific Award. The high-level accolade recognises Prof Maryke Labuschagne’s contribution to science in Africa. Labuschagne, a plant breeding scientist at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, received the award in the life sciences category at continental level – the […]

Africa’s oldest liberation struggle movement and South Africa’s ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), has turned 100 years old.   Thousands of people descended on the quiet Free State province to the city of Mangaung, also known as Bloemfontein, to celebrate the party’s existence since 8 January 1912. The celebrations were attended by former heads […]

Check out these great photos by Peter Morey, posted on TwitPic, of our South African icon, Nelson Mandela, celebrating his 93rd birthday with his family around him. Nelson Mandela watches with other family, as great-granddaughter Zamakhosi Obiri and grandson Mbuso Mandela gaze at his cake: The former South African President with members of his family, […]

A massive campaign was launched today for Nelson Mandela’s birthday  – in what is a first for South Africa, the country will honour South Africa’s former president by singing “Happy Birthday Tata Madiba” simultaneously at 08h05 on the morning of his birthday, 18 July 2011. And you can join in, wherever you are in the world! […]

The most amazing thing that strikes you as step into Monaco is the number of South African flags flying high. It’s wonderful. The royal principality has truly paid homage to the culture and background of Charlene Wittstock as she marries the Prince of Monaco in a two-day ceremony this weekend. Update: See photos of Charlene […]

US First Lady Michelle Obama delivered a stirring speech to young women at the world-famous Regina Mundi church in Soweto on 22 June 2011, encouraging them to take action and make a difference in society, thus shaping a new generation of leaders on the continent. Obama is on a six-day official visit to Africa focusing on […]

South African President Jacob Zuma has wished the Spar national netball team, Amantombazane, the best of luck ahead of their departure to Singapore on 21 June 2011 to compete in the World Netball Championships. Zuma and Minister of Sports Fikile Mbalula gave the team a fitting send-off at Mahlambandlopfu, the presidential guest house, in Pretoria on 19 […]

Just weeks after casting her vote in the local government elections, struggle veteran Nontsikelelo Albertina Sisulu has passed away, aged 92. The widow of former African National Congress (ANC) deputy president Walter Sisulu died on 2 June at her home in Linden, Johannesburg. According to news reports, she suddenly fell ill, coughing blood, and paramedics […]

On 27 April, Freedom Day, President Jacob Zuma will bestow National Orders on a number of worthy South Africans and citizens of foreign countries. The Presidency released the list of recipients for 2011 on 21 April. Zuma will confer the six categories – each one representing a specific service offered to the country – of […]

Archbishop Desmond Tutu is retiring from public life, he announced in Cape Town today…while also praising South Africans for their contribution to the world. “We surprised ourselves in how we accomplished the World Cup with panache,” said Tutu, during a press briefing today at Cape Town’s St George Cathedral where he announced that he intends […]

by Mary Alexander Leaders across the world extended birthday wishes to former South African president Nelson Mandela on 18 July. US President Barack Obama: US President Barack Obama hailed the “extraordinary vision, leadership, and spirit” of the South African statesman and global icon of freedom. “On behalf of the United States, I wish Nelson Mandela […]

by Ndaba Dlamini, Lucille Davie and Mary Alexander President, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and statesman, Nelson Mandela, the world’s icon of reconciliation, compassion and goodwill, turned 92 on Sunday  18 July 2010. The day was the first international Nelson Mandela Day, as declared by the United Nations in 2009. On the day, people around the […]

by Nosimilo Ramela Families across South Africa are gearing up to embrace the spirit of Mandela Day on 18 July and make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. Primary school pupil Thomas Kedge, from Hyde Park in northern Johannesburg, says he’s very excited about it. He has collected a pile of toys […]

by John Battersby, London In the first African World Cup, the real contest was never going to be won or lost on the playing field – as riveting as that spectacle was. The stakes were always much higher for South Africa, and Africa: it was about transforming ingrained stereotypes of Africa and Africans and radically […]

Today’s Youth Day – when South Africa remembers the young people who lost their lives in the Soweto riots of 1976, fighting against Apartheid and Bantu Education. President Jacob Zuma’s speech at the National Youth Day celebrations at Thulamahashe, Mpumalanga Province is printed in full below (with the best bits in bold for your easy […]