Su Birch

#the-most-beautiful-wine-destinations-in-the-world" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">qz.com/most-beautiful… The Cape wine lands are the only Southern Hemisphere wine lands in this list?

@lolsielove Thank you for your heroic efforts

Yesterday was an incredibly difficult and emotional day for our Station 42 crew. Our crew responded alongside emergency services to devastating flooding along the Old N1 between Worcester and Rawsonville, where families were left trapped on rooftops as floodwaters rapidly rose around them. Despite dangerous and exhausting conditions, our crew worked tirelessly to help bring more than 20 people to safety — including babies, toddlers, children, elderly residents, a blind man, and a paraplegic woman. Families and their animals were evacuated in relays using rescue craft, ladders, and sheer determination. Our rescuers spent hours wading and swimming through flooded terrain, pushing through strong currents, cold water, exhaustion, and emotionally overwhelming scenes to reach those still waiting for help. Yesterday, however, our hearts were heavy. At least three lives were sadly lost in this tragedy, and while every possible effort was made, not all animals could be reached before conditions became too dangerous. We continue to hold onto hope that many survived as waters begin to subside. To our Station 42 crew — thank you for your courage, compassion, and unwavering commitment to saving lives, no matter the conditions. The emotional toll these operations take is enormous, yet you continue to show up when people need you most. We are deeply proud of every single crew member who stood shoulder to shoulder during this operation. Please keep all affected families, rescue teams, and communities in your thoughts during this heartbreaking time. 💙 #NSRI #Station42 #FloodRescue #SavingLives #RescueCrew

@karynmaughan @DIRCO_ZA Wishing you a safe journey and a speedy recovery

Thank you also to @DIRCO_ZA for everything they did to help me. I fly home on Tuesday, where I hope to heal and recuperate. Plus read the Phala Phala judgments. 😊 3/3

On 26 April, I was meant to fly home from Rome after a conference/holiday. Instead, I ended up being taken to hospital in an ambulance and later receiving surgery for a serious medical condition. By God’s grace, I am being discharged this morning. After two weeks in hospital. 1/3

@tiisetso_metlae Wow!

Lesotho now😍

@zilevandamme Some great wines there

The South African babies at Norway’s Vinmonopolet. Yes, I always take photos like a proud parent. 😂 Alcohol can only be bought through the state-owned alcohol company here (I know, I know), and they pick which wines get stocked. There’s always a dedicated South African section alongside France, Italy, the US, and Germany. Big dawgs. 🍷🍾

Take the time to *look* at these.

Travel scam alert … Trivago might also be affected cos they are sister Booking agents

Would you book a night’s stay on Robben Island? I had to read the headline twice because it felt too surreal to be real. Former prison guard houses may be turned into tourist accommodation. At first, it sounded like satire… but it’s not. A pilot project is already underway, and the idea is gaining traction. But this isn’t just another development opportunity. Robben Island is a place of deep historical weight. A site tied to pain, resistance, suffering and sacrifice. A place where history is not separate from the land… it is the land. And just like that, it’s being reframed as somewhere you can check in. Where do we draw the line between preservation and commercialisation? Read my full article below.

@VolodyaTretyak 😂

What is the name of such interior style? 🤔

@Tariro_Masayiti @CrayfishLodge @Hildegard_W Congratulations!

Tonight I opened our very 1st wine from the farm, the 2023 Landskein Horizon Sauvignon Blanc. Intense aromas of kakiebos/wild marigold, bright citrus & sweet melon. I held it back to age & it’s drinking beautifully now. A special moment for me personally, and for Landskein. Now available at The Parlour at #LandskeinWines #StanfordWineRoute #SouthAfricanWine

A special place where Danish and South African talents flourish wantedonline.co.za/travel/2026-04…

Stellenbosch is your best bet thedrinksbusiness.com/2026/04/how-mu…

@yousef_ki1 👏

Do you stand with Francasca Albanese? Raise your hand 👋🏼 or drop a dot (.)

@WandileSihlobo How dependent is SA on fertiliser from the Gulf?

Continuous inclusion of South Africa in AGOA is critical. The U.S. authorities will soon resume the conversations about the reauthorization of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). South Africa will seek continuous inclusion as this programme is key until we get a trade agreement with the U.S. And I know some criticised the value of AGOA when we still had the “Liberation Day” tariffs on, which eroded its benefits. At the time, without AGOA, South African products exported to the U.S. would typically face an additional 3.4% tariff on top of the “Liberation Day” tariffs, which were 30%, bringing the total to 33.4%. Now that the tariffs are down to 10%, as agriculture, we are at the same level as our competitors in South America, including Chile and Peru. This places South Africa in a better position than the second half of 2025. We can compete fairly. We are approaching the citrus export season and have ample wine supplies. If the tariffs remain at these levels for some time, we may have a better export season to the U.S. Had we not been included in the AGOA extension, we would now be facing a 13.4% tariff (10% plus the MFN tariff of 3.4%), which would put us on the backfoot comapred to the likes of Chile and Peru. Of course, AGOA is not the end of the road; the idea is to have a formal trade agreement with the U.S. post these uncertain times. For South Africa’s agriculture, the U.S. remains an important market, accounting for 4% of our agricultural exports. In 2025, our agricultural exports to the U.S. totalled US$504 million, down 3% from the previous year. This slight annual decline doesn’t suggest that the previous 30% “Liberation Day tariffs” didn’t have a negative impact on our agricultural sector; we benefited from substantial exports in the second quarter, where there was a 90-day pause, and we have plenty of citrus products to export. South African agricultural exports to the U.S. include citrus, berries, grapes, wine, fruit juices, apples, pears, apricots, and nuts. -wandile

Congratulations @brucejackwines on winning gold for for Ghost in the Machine thedrinksbusiness.com/master-medalli…

The Garden Route has officially been ranked the world’s best road trip Scoring 90.6/100, it beat iconic routes like Route 66 and the Amalfi Coast. A big win for South African tourism!: capetownetc.com/things-to-do-c…

South Africa is making waves on the global stage again… and this time, it’s our beaches stealing the spotlight. A new report by Travelbag, highlighted by Forbes, has ranked the world’s most popular beaches… and right at the top are 2 proudly South African gems. Taking the number one spot globally is Boulders Beach: famous for its African penguins and those iconic granite boulders. The beach pulled in around 27,000 reviews and over 111,000 monthly Google searches. And right behind it, in second place, is Cape of Good Hope Beach: wild, dramatic, and undeniably beautiful, even if it’s not your typical swimming beach. The rankings looked at global hotspots across the US, Thailand, Mexico and the Caribbean… but Cape Town came out on top. We don’t just live in a beautiful country… we live in one of the most sought-after destinations in the world. And while the views are incredible, there’s also a deeper story... especially at Boulders Beach, where the African penguin colony continues to draw attention, even as the species faces serious challenges. Still… for now, it’s a proud moment. 2 South African beaches. Number 1 and number 2 in the world. Not bad at all. This story is available on Good Things Guy. It was written by the talented Savanna Douglas, one of our “goodies. ❤️🇿🇦 goodthingsguy.com/travel/two-sa-…

Really good interview on South African wine today grapecollective.com/site-soil-soul…