Is this really what life has become? Are we prepared to choose typing over talking? The Stop Phubbing campaign to combat the scourge of phone snubbers prompted me to reflect on my own habits and opened my eyes to the invasive nature of technology in the 21st century.

Following a government proposal to make smacking children a criminal offence, a new survey has revealed that most young South Africans think it is acceptable for parents to use physical punishment. What do you think?

South Africa has finally caught up with its more gung-ho neighbours in East Africa, where the existing lack of fixed-line infrastructure has meant that mobile technology was the default choice. However, in possessing an extensive network of fixed-line telephony, South Africa is alone among the major economies of sub-Saharan Africa in having the potential to develop low-cost fixed broadband

A number of clients approach BIC in order to find out whether they qualify for indefinite leave to remain, based on a very long stay in the UK, although often not on visas that can lead to permanent residence. Under the UK immigration rules, there is indeed provision under the Immigration Rules that allows one […]

There are murderers we instinctively greet as monsters. Reading of their exploits and seeking the damaged remnant of human mercy in them both entertains us, and reassures us that, say, the Modimolle Monster is not fundamentally the same as we and our loved ones are. Murderers, or those accused of murder, are entirely more troubling when they are people we emulated.

The Rand has continually weakened over the past week with a similarity to late-June lows of 15.81 GBP/ZAR this morning.

Oscar Pistorius is well-known for transcending difficult circumstances. Here are some of the South African Paralympian’s more memorable quotations.

Oscar Pistorius appeared in court on Monday 19 August, Reeva Steenkamp’s birthday, where his trial date was set for March 2014 and he will face charges of premeditated murder and illegal possession of ammunition.

Oscar Pistorius was licensed to have one gun when he shot dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp but had applied for licences for five more. Here are the guns he wished to own.

Renowned Chef Scott Hallsworth (ex Nobu and Wabi) is set to open his brand new London venue, Kurobuta, this autumn and requires staff to join the dynamic team.

One year on from South Africa’s most bloody act of state brutality since apartheid days, what has been the aftermath of the Marikana massacre, and have living and working conditions for mineworkers changed much since?

From Pretoria, Mandela and his co-accused, who had been incriminated by documents found in the Lilliesleaf raid, were transferred to the prison on Robben Island, remaining there for the next 18 years

Travel and tech start-up Tourism Radio is seeking funds via Kickstarter for a Google Glass-based tour guide

The nation’s capital has joined Cape Town and Stellenbosch in the race to roll out fast internet to the public, to the especial benefit of the poor, in a move that signals a newfound understanding of ‘digital rights’.

Watch the video clip of Bryan Habana running against the mighty A380 on a runway in England and help it to reach 2 million views, at which point British Airways will donate flights worth over R60,000 to FoodBank South Africa, which will be auctioned to raise funds.

The relief felt by many after the recent High Court judgment on the minimum income threshold currently required for spouse/partner visas may have been premature, as the Home Office has announced that it has filed an appeal against the judgement made on the 26th of July.

Local telecommunication behemoth Telkom announced plans this week to open their data network services to non-subscribers across all networks — in the form of 60 minutes free and “unlimited” internet access per person per day at Telkom Mobile hotspots.

The humble gem squash is still a taste of South Africa that is rare in UK supermarkets, but fear not, the wait is over…

Some of the newest innovations in the world are being pushed by South Africans such as Mark Shuttleworth and Elon Musk. Is Mzansi on its way to the forefront of technology?

Mozambican Modi Macia was tied to a police van and driven through the streets before he died in a police cell two hours later. The nine police officers accused of his murder have repeatedly had their bail applications rejected but magistrates say that ‘circumstances have changed.’

Nelson Mandela het ons uit Apartheid gelei, en Suid-Afrika het sodoende die ‘reënboognasie’ geword. Hier is ‘n lys van 10 ‘Madiba-oomblikke‘: tye wat hom die man wat hy is, en ons die nasie wat ons is, gemaak het.

The unnamed woman, believed to be in her fifties, was killed at the Lonmin platinum mine where on 16 August last year 34 miners were shot dead by police.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR | Why the sensationalisation of the media means they so often get it wrong

If the South African public and the diaspora have emphasised Reeva Steenkamp’s life as uniquely tragic, the ubiquity of the violence against women in this country was not lost on Steenkamp herself. She saw herself, prior to being personally victimised, as already deeply implicated in the common fate that awaits 1,095 South African women this year.

An inspirational personal account of Dr William Fowlds’s fight to save the mutilated survivors of rhino poaching, and how this is reshaping attitudes towards a conservation crisis.

Dedicated sexual offences courts and policing initiatives aim to reduce sexual and domestic violence in South Africa – but they face obstacles such as a lack of funding and societal attitudes.

The King Makhado Bravery Award, the highest accolade of the Vhavenda Kingdom, was conferred on Jacob Zuma on Thursday.

This year marks the 57th anniversary of the 1956 march, where 20,000 South African women marched on the Union Buildings to protest against apartheid pass laws.

As the world’s premier internet and software giants compete with local entrepreneurs to bring the internet to rural and urban Africans at meaningful speed – and as the immense creative energies of millions of people are optimised as a result – it is motivating to note that, while governments squat on telecoms monopolies, the message that the status quo is no longer acceptable has hit home at the grassroots.

Agang leader takes on the Economic Freedom Fighters over land expropriation

The raid on Liliesleaf Farm turned into an own goal for the Government as the trialists used the resulting publicity to highlight their political cause; one of Mandela’s speeches — inspired by Castro’s “History Will Absolve Me” speech — was widely reported in the press despite official censorship.

Dutch architecture firm releases designs for a proposed monument dedicated to Nelson Mandela on the side of Table Mountain – masterpiece or monstrosity?

African leaders’ “club of silence” – the refusal to criticise each other or intervene in times of crisis – has kept Robert Mugabe in power up to now. But how has South African president Jacob Zuma gained from support of Mugabe in the face of consistent criticism?

The Economic Freedom Fighters will advocate the ultimate integration of the African continent by eliminating national borders, according to its founding manifesto.

In a sign of defiance against his recent arrest Lunga Nono returns to St. George’s Mall in Cape Town to keep strumming his guitar, as an investigation into the case is launched

The South African Rand has shown its tendency to be one of the most volatile currencies starting the week just below R9.80 to the Dollar and getting as low as R14.92 to the British Pound.

Democratic Alliance condemns President Jacob Zuma for congratulating Robert Mugabe on winning last week’s Zimbabwean presidential election, while international pressure mounts to re-examine results of the ‘farcical’ poll

The transaction, which was completed for an undisclosed amount in July, marks the first occurrence of a Chinese multinational investing in South Africa’s vineyards.

With only weeks to go until the terms of the new Agoa are hammered out in Ethiopia, President Obama has committed himself to a ‘seamless renewal’ of the treaty that has tripled Africa’s trade with the world’s largest economy.

South Africans have a natural ability as far as listening and generally “being nice” goes. Whether you term it Ubuntu, or natural empathy, it communicates itself over the phone and makes a massive difference to a client across the phone line who when they tend to phone in are already often frustrated.

A slow internet in South Africa with low penetration rates is hindering the ability to create jobs in the country

It’s all hands on deck for a new family-run South African nail product company in London.

Unfortunately, the post-2012 rules for bringing your elderly relatives to the United Kingdom are far stricter than before

As the ANC entered the more assertive struggle of the 1960s, Nelson Mandela – now nationally notorious among the white South African public – started to raise funds and build support among the leaders of newly-independent African countries.

Murder accused Shrien Dewani could spend up to ten years fighting his extradition in UK courts, or by appealing to the European Court of Human Rights.

New plans to charge foreigners for using National Health Services in England, including a ‘health levy’, have divided opinion.

The UK Home Office is advised by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) as to which areas of the UK labour market are experiencing shortages. The occupations experiencing shortages of labour are then compiled in the Shortage Occupation List.

Upload your photos that capture the beauty of South Africa and stand a chance to win a pair of tickets from London to South Africa with SAA’s new competition.

South African inflation unexpectedly slowed in June as the Rand rebounded from a four-year low. The inflation rate declined to 5.5 percent in June from 5.6 percent in May. The Reserve Bank held the repurchase rate at 5 percent for the sixth time in a meeting last week.

119-year-old South African Johanna ‘Gogo’ Mazibuko could be the oldest person in the world, shifting Japan’s Misao Okawa from the Guinness World Record top spot.

International Paralympic Committee president claims Oscar Pistorius has been replaced by new stars such as Alan Oliveira, Richard Browne and Jonnie Peacock.

A South African chef who emigrated to New Zealand six years ago has been deemed ‘too fat’ to stay in the country due to the health risk he poses.

Atmosphere in Zimbabwe calm ahead of Wednesday’s elections in which more than six million Zimbabweans will go to the polls to choose a president, National Assembly members and local councillors.

Charlize Theron is recognised for her grassroots work focusing on social issues, particularly in South Africa, where she founded the Africa Outreach Project. It provides funding for a mobile health and computer clinic that visits high schools in rural communities affected by HIV/Aids.

Duduzile Zozo’s mother cannot come to terms with the brutal way in which her daughter’s life was snuffed out at the age of 26. Duduzile is one of the latest victims of what has come to be termed “corrective” rape. Her “sin”, in the eyes of her attacker(s), was being a lesbian.

Despite health risks and widespread complications, one white teenage boy from East London decides to support his Xhosa friend all the way in the controversial rite of passage

The South African Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a panel discussion with high profile speakers in London on Women’s Day, Friday 9 August.

Monyetla’s ability to meets its goals of upskilling the young for the growing BPO industry is one of the ways the South African economy can solve unemployment, according to South Africa’s Department of Trade and Industry.

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, the film adaption of Nelson Mandela’s autobiography, will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Robert Mugabe’s softer narrative is believed to be nothing more than a cunning attempt to soften SADC’s verdict on the upcoming ‘harmonised’ elections in Zimbabwe.

Durban’s welcome to investors is therefore a warm one, although there is currently no large agency exclusively focussed on bringing BPO investment to the city. However, the synergies available to those near the Tradeport will in themselves constitute a major attractor for foreign and domestic outsourcing business.

While 89% of the country’s freight continues to move by road, the fully-finished e-tolling gates over Gauteng highways remain shuttered and drivers wonder who will blink first.

We at TheSouthAfrican.com are looking for a Cape Town based experienced journalist with web writing and subbing skills.

The 42-year-old man was to have appeared in the Johannesburg High Court on Thursday on 122 charges relating to rape, kidnapping, murder, robbery and attempted murder because he allegedly raped his victims knowing he was HIV positive.

After excelling at the extremely demanding team sport of rowing at St Benedict’s College, Mischa decided to make a career of teamwork by signing up for the Royal Marines, which first meant passing what is arguably the working world’s toughest physical challenge.

The KZN staff join the company’s 2000 existing employees in Johannesburg in a company that has experienced 30% year-on-year growth in its five years in South Africa, with plans to expand in Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya as soon as adequate local partners could be found.

British businessman Shrien Dewani’s family said his lawyers would be lodging an appeal against today’s court ruling that he is to be extradited to South Africa to stand trial for orchestrating the murder of his wife Anni.

Part-time writers and photographers wanted to contribute articles and images to TheSouthAfrican.com

The Medical Schemes Act has a formula by which returning South Africans must, for the remainder of their lives, pay punitive premiums of between 5% and 75% to a medial aid because they did not belong to South African medical aid schemes while out of the country

Johannesburg-based genetic counsellor teams up with graphic artist to reveal how she thinks the newborn prince will look as a toddler and a teenager.

Die Wet op Mediese Skemas het ʼn formule waarvolgens terugkerende Suid-Afrikaners boetepremies vir die res van hulle lewens van tussen 5% en 75% by mediese fondse betaal omdat hulle nie aan Suid-Afrikaanse mediese fondse behoort het nie.

As presidential elections loom, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai accuses Israeli company of tampering with Zimbabwe’s voters’ roll in favour of Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party

According to new research in Cape Town, increased great white shark sightings are related to lunar phase and sea surface temperature.

The South African Rand was the top gainer this week among emerging-market currencies, as it caught up with gains seen in other asset classes earlier in the week. The Rand started the week at 9.98 to the US Dollar and 15.08 to the British pound, coming to rest at 9.86 and 15.06 respectively.

Police in Worcester are searching for the mother of a newborn baby boy abandoned inside a shopping bag bearing the distinctive logo of Woolworths South Africa.

South African expats have urged the Australian town of Cooma to update a flag on display from the apartheid era.

Volunteers from the South African embassy in London worked a symbolic 67 minutes at Richard House Children’s Hospice to represent the years Nelson Mandela spent serving his community, his country and the world.

The Brankens, a white family, has recently moved to Hillbrow, Joburg’s most feared suburb. What can we learn from them?

Nelson Mandela is spending his 95th birthday with his family at the Medi-Clinic Heart Hospital, to which he was admitted on 8 June for a recurring lung infection. Share your birthday wishes for him here!

An extremely respected authority in the field of periodontics, Peter Galgut talks to us about his passion for dentistry, what he would change about the NHS, and whether it’s all true about ‘British teeth’

A stunning five-part series chronicling Madiba’s life story from rural beginnings to election as South Africa’s first democratic president and a documentary exposing the 13-year process, from 1977 to 1990, when South Africa’s apartheid government agonised over Mandela’s release.

A Wimbledon-based South African has invited other London South Africans to walk home from work on Mandela Day, Thursday 18 July, to honour Madiba’s long walk to freedom – why not join him?

In the lull that followed the Apartheid state’s embarrassment at the outcome of the Treason Trial, Nelson Mandela briefly became notorious in the media for travelling the length and breadth of the country disguised as a chauffeur, coordinating resistance and laying the groundwork for the Umkhonto weSizwe resistance organisation. The decision to embrace armed resistance was a major turning point for the ANC that marked a definitive break with the Luthuli era.

Business process outsourcing has been, for India, a way of leapfrogging the lack of physical infrastructure and spreading wealth wherever talent and language skills cluster. Could this same model work among dispersed rural populations? We explore the implications for rural South Africa in this two-parter.

Business process outsourcing has been, for India, a way of leapfrogging the lack of physical infrastructure and spreading wealth wherever talent and language skills cluster. Could this same model work among dispersed rural populations? We explore the implications for rural South Africa in this two-parter.

Zimbabweans hail “their own Julian Assange”, a Zanu-PF party insider who reveals alleged state secrets on a blog that has become very popular since it was created in March.

If you are an entrepreneur looking to settle in the UK, there is good news for you. The Tier 1 Entrepreneur immigration category is a relatively easy way for entrepreneurial non-EU citizens to settle in the UK.

Robert Mugabe has allegedly hired a Lebanese murder squad to carry out an assassination of Jacob Zuma and South African diplomat Lindiwe Zulu, to make it look like an accident.

The trial of a South African former theology student accused of murdering four people in Ohio and New Mexico has been postponed till October.

Although there was a great deal of worry about this last week, other factors that might contribute to the stabilisation of the Rand, is a consolidation in commodity markets like gold and platinum and the news that China was set to achieve growth of 7% for 2013.

A former Durbanite has been convicted and jailed in the UK for money laundering part of the proceeds of a £5.7 million international fraud scheme.

His work in explosives and Improvised Explosive Devices puts Brad in the frontline of counterterrorism and counterinsurgency efforts in Afghanistan. Here he discusses his rigorous training, support for the troops and the impending withdrawal of British troops from Germany

Channel 4 reporter Inigo Gilmore speaks to the wife of Andries Tatane, a South African activist killed by police in 2011, and reveals compelling new evidence of the police’s role during and after the Marikana massacre in 2012.

The long-awaited trailer for Nelson Mandela’s biopic has finally been made public – and British actor Idris Elba is already tipped for an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of the South African icon.

Former South African Deputy President takes over as the head of UN Women in August.

Most people know that the world’s first heart transplant was performed in Cape Town by Dr Chris Barnard, but did you know that other South African inventions include the CAT scan, Q20 and ‘Kreepy Krawly’?

Julius Malema loses another house but launches his new political party

New smart ID cards to replace South Africa’s green barcoded ID books will be launched on 18 July

Many disappointed as a mysterious corpse thought to be an alien-like creature turns out be be only a baby baboon… but some people are still not convinced.

According to a CNN report, South Africa’s emerging middle class have quickly matured as a retail market. To reach them, corporates have adopted an entirely new, uniquely African, platform.