Newsbreak

By Newsbreak Executive Producer, Salma Patel - A new agriculture programme launched by the US Consul General in Durban- in collaboration with the Durban University of Technology and a Mandela-Washington Fellow- wants to empower young farmers with skills to turn their crops into cash. The Agri-Youth Entrepreneurship Program aims to benefit young, emerging farmers and their families by empowering th...

By Newsbreak Presenter, Taresh Harreepershad. health experts are appealing to South Africans to refrain from social gatherings and adhere to all Covid-19 precautionary measures as the country battles to curb the highly transmissible delta variant that is now circulating in the country. Gauteng is currently the epicentre of the third wave with more than 11-thousand of the 17-thousand-958 new infect...

By Newsbreak Presenter Taresh Harreepershad. COVID-19 infection rates across South Africa are expected to surge over the next few weeks. This emerged during a briefing by the National Department of Health on Friday 25 June 2021. Scientists say the third wave infection rates have already surpassed those of the first and second waves. The Department has implemented a plan to increase vaccinations in...

By Newsbreak Producer, Rachel Vadi. A suspect accused of raping a minor in Phoenix, north of Durban - is currently appearing at the Verulam Magistrate Court. It is believed that the suspect was the minor's daily driver to and from school. Durban North Cluster police spokesperson, Captain Louise Naidoo

By SABC News Editor, Minoshni Pillay and Newsbreak Producer, Taresh Harreepershad. The KwaZulu-Natal Parents Association says educators are being marginalised following the temporary exclusion of SGB employed teachers from the COVID-19 vaccine process. The vaccination of teachers across the country kicked off this week. In KwaZulu-Natal, state paid teachers are being prioritised as per their human...

By Newsbreak Senior Producer, Genevive Lanka. The Reach for a Dream Foundation has stirred their way into the Guinness World Records for the most people cooking online at the same time. About 2000 people, together with celebrity chefs David Higgs and J'Something participated in the virtual event last night. However, the exact number of qualified participants will be released once the adjudication...

By Newsbreak's Shanell Daniel - A group of Durban University of Technology students named 'DUT Ninjas', have done the university proud after bagging first prize at the KwaZulu-Natal InnovTechExpo 2021 (Makerthon) competition. Andile Chonco, Mpendulo Xulu, Nkosinathi Mkhonto, Mbali Nongalo and Sanele Doyisa mastered their creation of an innovative wearable device, to help curb the spread of Covid-1...

By Newsbreak's Taresh Harreeparshad - How good are your spelling skills? Well you could put it to the test- and help ease the lives of children in Palestine. Islamic Relief will be holding The Spell It Game tomorrow evening, to help raise funds as part of their humanitarian work in Gaza. Regional event coordinator Iman Zulu says it's a light hearted way to make an impact on the hearts of those aff...

By Newsbreak's Taresh Harreeparshad - The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) acting executive director Prof. Adrian Puren says provinces that do not have sharp increases in COVID-19 cases as seen in Gauteng need to immediately reduce movement. Given the screeching spike in daily infection rates in the Third Wave and slower than expected rollout of vaccinations, Prof. Puren has urg...

by Newsbreak Producer, Tashlan Naidoo - The HAWKS are probing details of a shipping container that was found with over 500-kilograms of cocaine worth over R234-million at Isipingo south of Durban. The bricks of contraband were found in 26 bags in what is believed to a animal food shipping container. Hawks spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Philani Nkwalase says this bust is a major blow to drug traf...

by Newsbreak Producer, Taresh Harreeparshad - Will the South African electorate continue voting along similar lines- and complain at the result afterward? With just months before the Local Government Elections, the electorate is confused about who to give their vote to. The ruling party has been losing ground at local level - they recorded their worst performance at the 2016 polls with just over 5...

by Newsbreak Producer, Genevieve Lanka - The family of slain Durban academic Dr Rivendra Narain claims that police are dragging their feet in the investigation into the murder case. The 38-year-old senior Mathematics lecturer from the University of KwaZulu-Natal was killed at his home in Tongaat, north of Durban in April last year, in a suspected home invasion. A laptop and two cellphones were tak...

Teachers in KwaZulu-Natal have heeded the call to get the Coronavirus vaccine. Provincial Education MEC -- Kwazi Mshengu -- accompanied by his Health counterpart -- Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu -- visited a vaccination site at the KwaMashu Sports Centre, north of Durban. They say teachers in the province have shown a willingness to be vaccinated. Nonkululeko Hlophe reports...

by Newsbreak Producer, Genevieve Lanka - The late Professor Mzilikazi Khumalo has been hailed as a national hero who showcased indigenous African music on a global stage. Khumalo was also among a team of academics that served on the committee that composed South Africa's national anthem, by amalgamating the Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika prayer with Die Stem. The 89-year-old academic died earlier this wee...

by Shanell Daniel - REPTILES - the cold-blooded creatures often feared by many can be loved once false beliefs are shed. Conservationist, Dingo Dinkelman has partnered with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife in offering a training programme, where he shares his insights and experiences with reptiles. In this week's Green Scene, Dinkelman explains how the programme scales new heights on reptile education...

by Newsbreak Producer, Hoosen Ebrahim - The retired Master of the Supreme Court of KwaZulu-Natal, Mohammed Farouk Vahed, has passed away. A qualified attorney and conveyancer, Vahed headed the High Court at Pietermaritzburg since the late 90's. The funeral prayer will be held at the Marlboro Musjid in Gauteng today at 10 am. He is survevd by his wives, Zulekha and Hajera and children Yusuf and Zee...

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - From the glory days of Manning Rangers F.C to local teams such as the Summerfield Dynamos, local leaders say sport in Chatsworth, particularly among the youth, has taken a downward spiral. According to Devan Pillay, Chairperson for the Ward 69 Sport Committee, a lack of funding is holding back many talented youngsters from realising their true potential. He s...

By Newsbreak Producer Genevieve Lanka - As South Africa battles rising unemployment rates, a new employment centre has been opened in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, aimed at assisting local youth enter the job market. The centre was launched by Minister of Employment and Labour - Thulas Nxesi - at the AmaJuba District Municipality. It will provide services such as career counselling, assisting youth cr...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - As many communities throughout the country receive access to optical fiber, many residents say they do not fully understand the concept and how to make full use of it. In this week's TechnoTouch, Technology Expert, Preetesh Sewraj, explains how optical fibers permit transmission over longer distances and at higher data transfer rates than electrical cables do...

By Newsbreak Senior Producer Genevieve Lanka - More than 127-thousand teachers and support staff are expected to receive the COVID-19 vaccine over the next two weeks in KwaZulu-Natal. According to the provincial Department of Education, 70 vaccination sites have been earmarked for the massive drive across the province. The teachers follow on the heels over people aged 60 years and older who are no...

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - Humanitarian aid organisation, the Gift of the Givers (GOTG), says it's receiving an alarming number of urgent calls from hospitals and general practitioners in Gauteng for oxygen concentrators. Founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman says this is because many doctors have resorted to treating COVID-19 patients from home due to the lack of bed space at hospitals. The prov...

By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - Teacher union - NAPTOSA - has slammed smaller unions who call for the total shutdown of schools, as the country grapples with the third wave of the Corona virus. The Educators Union of South Africa in Limpopo, say they are planning to close schools forcefully this week. This is due to the increasing number of coronavirus cases at schools in the province. Howe...

By Newsbreak Senior Producer Genevieve Lanka - The South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) in KwaZulu-Natal says there's been no clear indication from the Department of Education on how the vaccination programme will be rolled out tomorrow. The union met with the provincial department last night, but according to KZN secretary, Nomarashiya Caluza, teachers have not been told where the vacc...

By Newsbreak Producer, Tashlan Naidoo - Frank and honest dialogue will be key to bridging racial divides in the United States. This is the view of Jaclyn Cole - Public Affairs Officer at the US Consulate in Durban. This weekend, the United States marked Juneteenth, which is a federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. However, as the Black Lives Matter movement g...

By Newsbreak Producer, Shanell Daniel - Staying healthy while staying indoors is now possible, as fitness junkies take their workout routines to the world wide web. From home or at the office during lunch breaks, alone or with a group of online friends - virtual workouts have become the new normal. In this week's Medical Monitor, Fitness Expert, Zaheda Misser, explains how online workouts help bui...