The Weekend View

 Eskom says Unit One at the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station will be synchronised to the grid by end of this month. The power utility has stated that the steam generators on the unit have been successfully replaced and it will soon start supplying electricity to the national grid. We spoke to energy Expert and a Professor of Physics at the University of Johannesburg, Professor Hartmut Winkler...   

South Africa TODAY plays two World Cup matches on two continents as the Springboks and Proteas seek glory against England in Paris and Mumbai. At 10h30 this morning the Proteas will face England in an ICC Men's World Cup encounter. The South Africans will be looking to redeem themselves after Tuesday's loss to the Netherlands. And at 9 pm in Paris the Springboks will clash against old rivals Engla...

Pro Israeli and pro Palestinian groups in South Africa THIS WEEK held separate protests in cities across the country. Holding flags and banners with messages of solidarity with either Israelis or Palestinians, they marched to express their anger with the war. As the death toll from the war mounts, people and organisations in Africa are wading into heated debates surrounding the conflict - with the...

The anticipated full ground offensive into Gaza by the Israeli army is dominating global news this morning following yesterday's announcement by the Israeli military that it is planning an attack by land, air and sea.  This as more than a million Palestinians in the northern half of the Gaza Strip faced yesterday's Israeli deadline to relocate to the south. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyah...

 The Springboks will tonight line up against hosts France in their eagerly anticipated Rugby World Cup quarter-final at the Stade de France in Paris at 9 pm.  With a place in the semi-final up for grabs, many are expecting the match-up to be contested with all the ferocity and quality of a final. The Springboks have selected an experienced team to meet Les Bleus who have lived up to the expectatio...

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation  - Dirco - YESTERDAY confirmed that two South Africans have been killed in the conflict between Israel and Hamas..Hamas fighters kidnapped at least 150 people and took them into Gaza during attacks on Israel which started last weekend and has killed 1,300 people. More than 1,500 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched retaliat...

Former President, Thabo Mbeki has accused the governing ANC of paying lip service to efforts to renew the party despite resolving to do so at its 2017 conference. The diagnostic report delivered by the then Secretary-General, Gwede Mantashe said the ANC faced diminishing public trust as members of the party faced allegations of corruption and the party was confronted by factionalism. The 2022 conf...

Education quality assurance council, UMALUSI says they are ready for the upcoming matric exams. More than 720-thousand candidates have been registered to sit down for the grade 12 exams which are set to start on the 30th of this month  until the beginning of December.  UMALUSI has also issued a stern warning against  cheating during the upcoming exams. The council briefed the media yesterday on th...

 Poor financial habits can lead to money related trauma. This is according the National Debt Advisors. It says the conversation around money and mental health is becoming increasingly important in dealing with monetary struggles. This Mental Health Awareness Month,  National Debt Advisors is advising consumers to acknowledge the psychological impact that poor financial planning has on other types...

The Israeli army is this morning asking residents of several areas of the Gaza Strip to flee their homes in preparation for revenge attacks against Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed vengeance on Palestinian militants. Hamas launched a wave of rocket attacks and sent fighters into Israel yesterday morning in the biggest escalation in decades. Some 250 people in Israel have been kil...

The devastating fire that claimed the lives of six soldiers at the Lohatla combat training centre in the Northern Cape is reported to be under control. Three soldiers were injured in the blaze which started on Friday.  Bongiwe Zwane spoke to SA Army spokesperson Major General Mercuur 

The Interfaith Forum of South Africa will tomorrow meet at a conference to come up with, what it says, will be bold new plans to save South Africa. The conference will be chaired by Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana, General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches and brings together 10 other religious groups. The meeting, to be held from Monday to Wednesday, comes at a time when the country is l...

While the fight against avian flu continues, the rabbit population in Gauteng is under threat from the Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (HRD) Virus. Both wild and domestic rabbit populations are at risk from theh virus. So far, affected areas include Meyerton, Vereeniging, Valley Settlements, Henley on Klip, De Deur and Apple Orchards. The Gauteng Agriculture and Rural  Development Department is warnin...

Healthcare costs in South Africa have  increased sharply over the past few years posing significant challenges for medical aid schemes and their members as well as a creating a cost-of-living crisis for many consumers. Medical schemes say they are trying to  prioritise their members' wellbeing while striving to keep cost increases as low as possible. Profmed CEO Craig Comrie  joins us on the line...

In a space of just three months, seventeen political parties have registered with the IEC. That means more than 540 parties could potentially contest next year's elections.  The IEC expects the number to increase. The election body says not all the parties will be represented on the ballot box, as some may not meet the required criteria. Some of these newly established parties are led by former AN...

The 2023 Global Organized Crime Index released earlier this week has revealed that South Africa is one of the worst countries in the world regarding organised crime. The report highlights that the country has experienced a decade-long increase in criminality, undermining democratic processes through organised corruption and violence for hire. The criminal economy is fuelled largely by networks wit...

Transnet CEO Portia Derby has resigned. Her resignation yesterday follows a year of lobbying by business and, more recently, organised labour, as the performance of the state logistics company crumbled under her watch. A statement released by the board also announced that Transnet chief financial officer Nonkululeko Dlamini had also resigned. To look at  what lies ahead for the rail and ports gian...

The DA wants ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula to face imprisonment for contempt of court. This comes after the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) this month dismissed an attempt by the party to appeal an earlier ruling from the Johannesburg High Court that the ANC must hand over its cadre deployment records to the DA. The ANC had earlier indicated that it will turn to the Constitutional Court in a...

According to a 2022 report by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation over the last 12 years, South Africa has endured the most extreme weather events out of all African countries, with 33 disaster events between 2010 and 2022. Meanwhile, the Summer season is historically hail season in the northern parts of South Africa, with an average of six to eight hail days recorded each year in parts of Gauteng and Lesot...

 A week after parts of the Western Cape were lashed by heavy rains and winds and the resultant floods, thousands of people are still feeling the devastation and disruption of the disaster. Initial assessments of the flood damage are estimated at 1.4 billon rands. At least 11 people are known to have died in the Heritage Day long weekend storm. Whilst reconstruction of bridges and other damaged inf...

 Vote counting is underway in eSwatini, following yesterday's parliamentary elections in which political parties are banned from contesting.  Over 580,000 registered voters cast their ballots to choose 59 members of the lower house of parliament, which plays only an advisory role to the monarch.  Analysts say with most candidates loyal to the king, the election is unlikely to change the political...

Food is a cherished avenue for cultural expression. From the popular braai or shisanyama to biltong, bobotie, Durban curry, Cape Malay cuisine or tripe - each bite is a journey through South Africa's culinary history and heritage. This Heritage Day we are joined in the studio by an Alexandra based chef who specializes in traditional African foods. Chef Mpho Ramokone is the founder of "Skop Sundays...

Exploring the state of our heritage sites and national monuments, and whether in their current condition, they are the best vehicles to express our national heritage we are joined by Dr Mabuyi Gumede, Senior Lecturer  and Programe Coordinator  in the Cultural Heritage Tourism  Programme at UKZN,  AND Dr Ndivhoniswani Lukhwareni, CEO of the National Heritage Council of South Africa.   

The DRC this week asked United Nations forces in the country to withdraw by the end of the year saying the peace keeping mission had failed to maintain peace.  President Félix Tshisekedi told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday that he had instructed his government to bring forward the start of the UN withdrawal from December 2024 to December 2023. Tshisekedi said the mission - known as MONUSCO -...

Parliament this week passed a bill which will expunge criminal records for those convicted of breaching Covid-19 lock-down laws. South Africa had some of the world's toughest restrictions, which saw more than 340,000 convicted for not wearing masks, consuming alcohol and breaking curfew, among other violations. If the bill sails through those who admitted guilt and paid fines will now have their r...