Mopane worms

By Andrea Zanin 27-09-23 18:07

I grew up in Limpopo. Fat Baobabs cast shade in dusty daytimes, giving way to drawling Acacia silhouettes and bright orange sunsets. Before the evenings succumbed to bright starry skies that expanded for eons, we went foraging. I’d tag along with the older kids and grownups as they headed into the bushveld on the prowl […]

The robber’s grave

By Andrea Zanin 24-08-23 17:00

The robber’s grave was turned the other way. A scarlet letter on the landscape. On our school trip to Pilgrim’s Rest in the Eastern Transvaal (now Mpumalanga) we learnt about the gold rush, did some panning, bought some guinea fowl curios, saw the majestic Mac Mac, Horse Shoe and Bridal Veil Falls—but the robber’s grave. Legend […]

Carlton Sky Rink

Carlton Sky Rink (Johannesburg #1995)

By Andrea Zanin 08-08-23 18:12

If you fell on the ice, you had to make fists because some super-jock speed skater would almost certainly skate past you at that exact moment and chop your fingers off. An arm if you were super unlucky. Everybody said so. It happened to people who knew people. No, really. No matter. We were in. […]

A pineapple is never just a pineapple

By Andrea Zanin 23-05-23 20:53

When I was growing up my family took plenty of road trips, from Grahamstown to East London or King William’s Town (where my sister and I were at boarding school) or Port Alfred, Kent-on-Sea and Port Elizabeth. On those roads during pineapple season, would be African mamas, men, teenage girls, young boys, sometimes whole families […]

The license, the queue & the photocopy machine

By Andrea Zanin 11-04-23 22:59

If you’re over 60, on a Wednesday you have privilege of appointment to renew your driver’s license at the licensing department in Edenvale. My license was due to expire so I decided I would take up the offer… writes Clare Paterson. I devised the perfect plan… …the department opens at 9am and I had a […]

Parktown Prawn

Boesak, parsley and a parktown prawn

By Andrea Zanin 14-03-23 16:47

There’s nothing like a Parktown Prawn in the car on the way to school. “We’re going!”—mom bellows from the other side of the house. I lightning myself out of bed. Throw on my uniform (luckily, it’s summer—no tie), lurch for my school bag (praying I packed accurately the night before), will an apple into my […]

South African Students Hindered by Alleged Discrimination at Ukraine Border Posts

DIRCO’s Alleged Incompetency in Ukraine Revealed in Open Letter to All South Africans

By SAPeople Contributor 06-04-22 10:00

Proudly South African expat Hayley Reichert is gatvol. Below is her passionate letter to all South Africans, revealing alleged incompetency she has witnessed within SA’s foreign affairs department, DIRCO, whilst trying to aid South Africans in escaping Russia’s attack on Ukraine.  Dear fellow South Africans, Our government does not care about us, and they care […]

Buyiswa-Zibi-tribute-domestic-South-Africa

SA Expat: In Memory of Our South African Domestic Worker

By SAPeople Contributor 22-01-21 12:52

I wrote this on my personal Facebook page a few days ago, and from the responses realised that other South African ex-pats might be also affected by, or experiencing, this dynamic and so thought to share it writes Sandy Jonker Geyer. Last Tuesday COVID-19 took a much-loved member of our family. Buyiswa Zibi, a beautiful […]

Trevor Romain: Kindness is Contagious

By Trevor Romain 03-07-19 12:01

Kindness is contagious. Especially with children, writes South African expat, best-selling author and motivational speaker Trevor Romain. It’s amazing how empathetic children can be, especially when inspired to be so. Over the years of working with children, I have discovered that sometimes all a child needs, to be empathetic and kind, is permission and a […]

karen landi

#ThisIsMyStory by Karen Landi…

By SAPeople Contributor 08-10-18 12:50

I am writing this story for me. I have always written, and it has always helped to offer insight and gain perspective. It is cathartic and, right now, I know that I need it to heal. I am writing this story for Mick, Alessia and Claudia. I had never, ever wanted to live as much […]

Foreign Photographer’s Tragic Discovery During South African Safari

By SAPeople 01-05-18 16:34

Rupak Hattikudur moved to South Africa from India three years ago. In that time he has taken beautiful photographs of South Africa’s wildlife in the bush… BUT yesterday he witnessed the other side of what’s happening in the bush to our wildlife. The tragedy of poaching. This is his story… My mother and I woke […]

joburg

Why I Moved From the World’s Most Liveable City to Johannesburg

By Guest Contributor 14-09-17 11:19

“Why on earth would you do that?” It was the question that surprised me from many Australians who thought I was mad to move to South Africa… writes Ed Charles. After all, isn’t Australia full of South Africans trying to escape that terrible country (and crime-ridden Johannesburg in particular)? Well, not quite. But let’s rewind […]

Zanzibar

Zanzibar Dreaming – A South African’s First Visit

By Marguerite Coetzee 31-12-20 20:08

Flying over the ocean blue to an island called Unguja, I imagined Zanzibar to be a stereotypical island paradise – bleached beaches, coconuts falling from palm trees, sickly sweet pineapple drinks with those unnecessary little umbrellas – but with the influence of Africa, slavery, and the spice route. Water like liquid sapphire Captures fragments of […]

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