MYSTERIOUS: Mpumalanga - What They Never Told You

South Africa’s small sugar farms are producing less than they could: study finds ways to boost them

South Africa has around 25,653 small-scale sugarcane growers, making the industry a lifeline for rural communities in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal provinces. By generating 65,000 direct and 270,000 indirect jobs, its agricultural and milling operations support more than a million livelihoods in these areas. But the productivity of many small-scale growers…

The Conversation · Aug 16

Plastic waste is harming livestock in South Africa: smallholder farmers using communal land set out the support they need

Agriculture is the main source of income for communities in rural Mpumalanga, in the north-east of South Africa. Goats and cattle graze freely across open, communal grasslands. But plastic bags, food wrappers, bottles and other plastic materials have become part of this environment. When the dry season arrives and fresh…

The Conversation · Aug 9

South African Pastor Amputates Thief's Hands In What Is Deemed 'Thou Shalt Not Steal' Taken Literally

Shocking 2025 verdict: Apostle Solomon Mhlanga jailed for life after machete attack on thief Dumisani Mahlangu in Mpumalanga

International Business Times UK · Nov 27, 2025

Leopard DNA study in South Africa traces ancestry to ice age – and will guide conservation

An ice age almost one million years ago led to a meeting between leopards from central and southern Africa that were searching for grassland. New research into the leopards’ genetics – their mitogenome – has revealed that the descendants of these two groups are the leopards found today in South…

The Conversation · May 15, 2024

Silicon is used in construction, microchips and more – 'green' methods could help extract it from sugarcane waste

In some parts of South Africa’s Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, sugarcane fields stretch as far as the eye can see. The crop is more than just a treat for those with a sweet tooth: in 2017 the country’s sugar industry had an estimated value of more than R12 billion; of…

The Conversation · Oct 18, 2022

Man dubbed country's 'dumbest criminal' arrested after he applies for police job

Thomas Ngcobo, 40, had been on the run for seven years after he was wanted for stealing hardware products worth more than £1,000 that he was meant to deliver to clients in 2015

Daily Mirror · Aug 19, 2022

VIDEO: Good Morning Elephant: Family Of Elephants Walking In Front Of Hotel Room Filmed By Guest

Getting up for a morning coffee is not always a memorable experience, but in South Africa your morning routine might come with a side of sporting elephants.

Zenger · May 23, 2022