Independent on Saturday

In a few weeks, all roads will lead to eThekwini for the Hollywoodbets Durban July. Africa’s highly anticipated horse racing event, held at the Greyville Racecourse on July 6, will see the cream of the crop showcase their extraordinary fashion skills

In recent years, the spotlight on mental health has intensified, leading to significant strides in improving mental well-being. Researchers and health professionals argue that just like physical ailments, mental health issues require timely and effe

In South Africa, the spotlight often falls on our political leaders, but the women behind these influential men also deserve recognition. Many of these wives have their own impressive careers and play significant roles in their families and communit

Anxiety is the dominant emotion in Pixar’s Inside Out 2, and one can empathise with director Kelsey Mann for having it on the brain. Being in charge of following up on the beloved 2015 Oscar winner would give anyone a panic attack. The kids who grew

Episode four of Showmax’s The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip – South Africa delivers drama hotter than the African sun. The cast members include Beverley Steyn from The Real Housewives of Cape Town, Christall Kay from The Real Housewives of Joh

Ashanti and Nelly are one of Hollywood’s most boo’ed up couples at the moment. The couple rekindled their romance in 2023 after over a decade apart, and in April they revealed they were engaged and expecting their first child together. It has now eme

In a recent speech, UN secretary-general António Guterres called upon “every country to ban advertising from fossil fuel companies”. He urged the professional services and creative industries to “stop taking on new fossil fuel clients, from today, a

The Centre for Rehabilitation of Wildlife (Crow) has made an impassioned plea for donations of money and building materials to help build new primate enclosures. Every “baby season” Crow rescues about 20 or 30 injured or orphaned infant vervet monke

June 24 marks a monumental day in the calendar for every cat parent: World Cat Domination Day. “It’s the day we acknowledge the universal truth that our feline friends don’t just think they rule their parents, their houses, and the world – they absol

Your “clever, secure” password can probably be cracked in less than a minute by tech-savvy hackers anywhere in the world using “brute force” and other methods to decrypt sensitive data. Cybercrime is reaching crisis levels with cyberattacks on major

INITIALLY, she might have been blasé about the science degree she pursued and all its technicalities, which focused on how the laws of chemistry and physics govern micro-organisms. But Mbali Kubheka found an aspect of science that invigorated her. K

A ground-breaking digital system to support University of KwaZulu- Natal students has earned global kudos. UKZN student support services manager Dr Saloschini Pillay won the international award for her development and implementation of the universit

THE Department of Health has sought to allay fears about Mpox, saying the disease is preventable and treatable if people who think they could be infected are clinical evaluation as soon as possible. This week the number of cases rose to 13: seven in

Part of the wall and two watchtowers are the only reminders of the dark and brutal history of the old Central Prison which is the focus of today’s Then and Now feature. The old Durban Central Prison site is now the home of the Inkosi Albert Luthuli I

On August 24, in 79AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted, shooting debris up to 32km in the air. As the ash and rock fell to Earth, it buried the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. According to most modern accounts, the story pretty much ends there: bot

MY FAMILY moved often while I was growing up, living in small flats and even occasionally on a sailboat, so our entire kitchen inventory – including a saucepan, frying pan, stockpot and wok – could fit in one box tucked into the back of our Chevy hat

The Living Room Where: Summerhill Guest Estate, 9 Belvedale Road, Cowie’s Hill Open: Tuesday to Saturday dinner Call: 063 529 1966 The Joburg gang was coming down for the long weekend. We’d booked months in advance. We’d have a swanky dinner at the L

This is an extract from Crash and Burn: A CEO’s Crazy Adventures in the SA Airline Industry by Glenn Orsmond, giving an insider’s tale of the South African airline industry over the past 30 years. Orsmond was at the helm when Comair – which operated

“Dad, I’m hungry.” “Hi, hungry. I’m Dad.” If you haven’t been asleep for the past 20 years, you’ll probably recognise this exchange as a dad joke. The term “dad joke” is credited to a June 20, 1987, editorial in the Gettysburg Times. Writer Jim Kalba

Brand public relations has become a cornerstone of successful business strategy. It’s not just about managing crises or maintaining reputation anymore; it’s about proactively and strategically building a brand’s identity and value over time. If brand

A GROWING number of wild or exotic animals are being forced into captivity in South Africa where they are favoured as pets or used as cash cows by those wanting to make big bucks. From crocodiles to lion cubs and exotic snakes, various wild animals h

Every year the Sardine Run attracts hosts of people and a range of sea creatures. While everyone was excited to collect sardines, one fisherman caught something out of the ordinary. Shavin Smith travelled from Malvern to Margate and ended up doing ba

Perfect weather, a clean sweep for Kloof open water swimmer Matt Pelser, a first-time entry from Lamontville Swimming Academy: it all added up to a gr8 day in the ocean for charity, raising more than R800 000. Pelser, 21, won all eight events over th

It is becoming increasingly clear that spending time in nature can benefit our mental health and wellbeing. A new study shows that you don’t have to actually be in nature to reap the rewards. Simply directing your gaze towards natural elements, even

A MINIATURE donkey named Perry is possibly the most famous donkey alive: He was the model for the Donkey character voiced by Eddie Murphy in the 2001 animated movie Shrek. At Perry’s 30th birthday party last week, more than 200 residents in Palo Alto

The research vessel Martha Jane glided slowly across the teal waters of Sarasota Bay on Florida’s Gulf Coast under a cloudless sky. “There’s 2094!” one of the scientists on the boat called out. “She’s still with us!” The bottlenose dolphin known to

A visit to a zoo in 1936 introduced three-year-old Canadian Anne Innis Dagg to her first giraffe. The meeting set her life path, taking her to South Africa where she broke new ground in animal research while studying giraffes in the wild. After the z

Waking up early on a public holiday Monday of a long weekend isn’t exactly when most people would decide to embark on a road trip but the idea of driving two new Mercedes-Benz CLE and E-Class models down to KZN would certainly make it worthwhile. Arr

The Kia Sonet hit the local market three years ago and has garnered a loyal following in the increasingly crowded compact SUV space. It’s certainly not the cheapest contender in its segment. Yet while you might accuse some of its rivals of feeling a

Earlier this year the Toyota Hilux was given a facelift in markets such as Thailand and Australia, and now that fresh look has made it to South Africa, in Raider form at least. Toyota South Africa has released images of its new Hilux Raider model, wh

At the Rebuffone Gardens on Viale Venezia in Brescia, Italy – the traditional starting and finishing point of the 1000 Miglia – the 1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Super Sport driven by Vesco and Salvinelli was the first to cross the finish line of the 42nd

BELGIUM are in danger of an embarrassing early exit from Euro 2024 as the serial underachievers face a crunch clash with Romania today. After a shock 1-0 loss to Slovakia in their Group E opener, Domenico Tedesco’s side will be pushed to the brink of

AS REIGNING world champions, the pressure will always be on the Springboks to win their Test matches. While they will go out this afternoon at Twickenham to do exactly that against Wales in the season’s first clash, the Boks also want to tick a few o

SA: 163-6 (De Kock 65, Miller 43, Archer 3-40) ENG: 156-6 (Brook 53, Livingstone 33, Maharaj 2-25) South Africa won by seven runs SOUTH AFRICA scrambled to another close victory as they defended a seemingly mediocre 163 to defeat England by seven run

McLAREN’S Lando Norris set the pace in yesterday’s first Spanish Grand Prix practice while Lewis Hamilton led a finely balanced second practice for Mercedes yesterday with Max Verstappen’s Red Bull only fifth. The Briton, a winner in Miami in May, l

IT’S great news that the South African Football Association (Safa) has landed a sponsorship from South African Airways (SAA), the national carrier. This backing will ensure that Safa will have transportation of all the national teams for the next yea

THE Springbok Sevens made a positive start at the Olympic Repechage tournament in Monaco yesterday as they overpowered Mexico 44-0 in their final bid to qualify for Paris 2024. Stand-in head coach Philip Snyman will be pleased by the performance afte

MICHAEL Monsour, owner of Gibraltar football club Manchester 62, has said he was in his “darkest hour” until ground-breaking comments by former France defender Raphael Varane reignited his goal to “save millions of future players’ lives”. Monsour’s m

SPAIN fans – including King Felipe – purred with a growing belief that their team can go all the way and be crowned Euro 2024 winners after an utterly dominant victory over defending champions Italy. “Two weeks ago, I thought it was impossible for Sp

ITALY’s 1993 Ballon d’Or winner Roberto Baggio had a head wound stitched after being struck during a burglary as he watched Euro 2024 at home with his family, Italian media reported yesterday. The 57-year-old was watching defending champions Italy’s

RICHARDS Bay winger Sanele Barns, who will don the colours of Stellenbosch FC next season, has set his sights on representing Bafana Bafana in the run-up to the 2026 World Cup. The 27-year-old midfielder agreed terms with Stellies in January and is s

WORLD number two Carlos Alcaraz said he would speak to the ATP about a “new” shot clock rule being trialled by the governing body after feeling rushed during his defeat by Briton Jack Draper at the Queen’s Club Championships. Alcaraz’s preparations f

THE PROTEAS women will be out to snap a three-match losing streak when they come up against India in the final One Day International (ODI) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru tomorrow (10am, SAT). South Africa have failed to pick up any of the s

Travelling as a group, whether as a family or with friends, has plenty of benefits. It makes the travel experience more fun and allows you to form bonds and build memories with others. Another benefit is that there is safety in numbers. This option

The Hollywoodbets Durban July (HDJ) is around the corner with attendees from all over the country making plans for a quick sho’t left to Durban for the prestigious horse racing event. This year’s HDJ is set to take place on July 6 at the Greyville

While wine tours and sundowners are still popular choices, a growing number of South African travellers are embracing “dry tripping” and choosing to explore destinations and experiences without the involvement of alcohol. According to Flight Centre i

As South African Airways (@FlySAA) slowly tries to regain its dominance of the African skies, it seems not everyone is pleased with the airline. Following an “awful” experience with the airline, media personality Bonang Matheba took to the social me

South Africa is among the leading adventure destinations for travellers from across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa. This was revealed by South African Tourism (SAT) following its Brand Tracker Survey. The survey is an international brand asse