Nick Pawson

6 days ago | thesouthafrican.com | Nick Pawson |Nicholas Pawson

Environmental authorities are stepping up measures to halt the damaging practice of illegal bark stripping – an activity that has been threatening centuries-old indigenous trees within the Table Mountain National Park. The unsustainable practice of bark stripping involves removing bark from around the entire trunk (also called ring barking), which ends up killing the tree. The bark is used in traditional healing practices, and can fetch up to R200 per piece.

6 days ago | thesouthafrican.com | Nick Pawson |Nicholas Pawson

De Wet Burger of Kambrosig, a dried fruit producer based in Wellington, Western Cape, believes South African dried fruit is the best in the world. South Africa also speicialises in producing dried fruit sweets – a uniquely South African delicacy which Burger says he’s never seen anywhere else. “When travelling abroad, I’ve never seen any dried fruit that I would consider buying,” Burger told FreshPlaza.

1 week ago | thesouthafrican.com | Nick Pawson |Nicholas Pawson

The South African was sent videos and confirmed reports on Friday of a large male baboon moving between houses in Rondebosch. This comes amid concerns of increasing encounters between baboons on the South Peninsula and residents in Cape Town’s southern suburbs. An earlier report, published on Friday morning, urged residents to be cautious after a young male baboon had been seen making his way through Wynberg towards Newlands. In a second video, it appears a trap had been set for the primate.

2 weeks ago | thesouthafrican.com | Nick Pawson |Nicholas Pawson

The Proteas clinched their first major global cricket title on Saturday by defeating Australia in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s. With thousands of Saffas calling London home, it was no surprise that the Home of Cricket was teaming with passionate Proteas supporters from the moment the Test match got underway on Wednesday. At stumps on Day 3, the Proteas were in a commanding position. They were set 282 to win this World Test Championship final, which was Australia’s to lose.

2 weeks ago | sapeople.com | Nick Pawson |Nicholas Pawson

Indian fruit importers singled out citrus varieties like Nadorcott mandarins and Forelle pears as surplus products that are weakening their reputation. Last year, the arrival of 50 to 60 container loads of small-sized Nadorcott mandarins in a short period triggered a price crash to just USD $5–6 (R88–R106*) per box. This surplus also caused the 2025 Nova mandarin season to open at prices 30% lower than the previous year’s value.