The Weekend View

The South African National Consumer Union (Sancu) says it is concerned by the recent rise in cell phone-related complaints. The Union has added that some of the nearly 500 complaints they have received have been for amounts as much as R18 000 in relation to data and aitime charges. We spoke to Sancu vice chairperson Ina Wilken...

Global investors have quizzed President Jacob Zuma about the rationale behind the sacking of Nhlanhla Nene as finance minister during his meeting and captains of undustry on the final day of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. On Thursday, ratings agency Standard and Poor's warned that South Africa's credit rating will be downgraded if further policy mistakes are made and if growth con...

The Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism in partnership with stakeholders such as the Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality and the Limpopo Tourism Agency have launched the 11th annual Marula festival in the town of Phalaborwa. Over the past eleven years, the festival has showcased local brewers of Marula beer as well as bi-products of Marula such as achar, jam and cooking oil. We caught up...

As the drought continues around the country, farmers are seeing their debts with banks escalating to an unprecedented 125-billion rand. The ongoing drought has seen rainfall plunge to record low levels. Crops have withered in the fields and farmers have been discouraged from planting. Farmers are now expecting to harvest their smallest corn crop since 1995. Government has allocated over 300 millio...

Residents of a small geographically isolated town in rural Northern Cape say they are yet to rip the fruits of the country's 21 year old democracy. Goodhouse is a small former citrus farming town on the Orange River, over 100 km north east of Springbok with a population of just over 250, less than ten precent of whom are employed. The community says government has been promising to provide service...

A Johannesburg clergyman says he feels vindicated, after the United Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa dismissed misconduct charges against him for blessing same sex marriages. Reverend Martin Young, a minister at the St Columba's Presbyterian Church in Parkview, says he is cautiously optimistic about the church court's findings. A final decision on gay marriages will be made when the church h...

This week on The Editors we engaged Cape Argus Editor, Gasant Abarder; SABC Deputy Political Editor, Mahlatse Gallens; Sowetan Political Editor, Meopone Malefane and SABC Economics Desk Editor, Thandeka Qubule on the top stories of the week that was and the week ahead....

The United Democratic Movement is looking to reenginneer itself as it celebrates 18 years of existence. The party is starting early - using the weekend's congress to launch its 2016 local government manifesto and to fine tune its game plan in what is expected to be a fierce contest. President Bantu Holomisa is again standing for reelection - arguing he is no political dinosaur and in fact he is at...

A public spat between interim President of the newly launched Forum of Journalists for Transformation, Piet Rampedi and Wits HOD and veteran journalist Prof Anton Harber has once agin shone the light on media transformation and diversity in South Africa. Just a day after the launch, Rampedi took to social media to question Harber's credentials, adding that Harber could not be the face of a tranfor...

This year marks the 24th year of the 16 Days of Activism against gender based violence. This is an international awareness raising campaign that was initiated in 1991 and coordinated by the Center for Women's Global Leadership. The campaign's main aim is to bring attention to issues of racism, sexism, cultures of violence, homophobia and it calls for the implementation of human rights obligations.

The education, health and public works sectors still have the worst audit outcomes. The auditor general, Kimi Makwetu says this is extremely concerning as the bulk of the national budget goes to these three sectors which should provide essential and basic services to the millions of South Africans. He says if there is no action taken to remedy this, there is likely to be no improvements. Makwetu m...

Messages of condolences have been pouring in after more than 120 people were killed in attacks in and around Paris last night. French President, Francois Hollande has declared a national state of emergency and closed France's borders. Bate Felix is a journalist with Reuters in Paris and describes what that country is experiencing at this time...

Elvis Presslin, The Star Newspaper editor, Kevin Richie and Farmers Weekly editor, Alita Van Der Walt talk about the top stories that made news this week and look ahead to next week

The Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa, NECSA, says the building of nuclear power plants in the country will go ahead as there is no other option available. NECSA CEO, Phumzile Tshelane says government will make a decision on the way forward soon. Last month Treasury allocated 200-million-rand on researching nuclear energy funding models. Tshelane says the purchasing of nuclear power deals...

A second video clip has emerged in the case involving four Krugersdorp police officers implicated in the execution-style killing of a suspected robber. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) told Members of Parliament on Wednesday that officials became aware of the existence of the video this week, but they have yet to verify its authenticity. According to Ipid's Robbie Raburabu s...

President Jacob Zuma yesterday announced that there will be a zero percent increase in university fees next year. President Zuma was speaking after meeting with student and university leaders at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. We spoke to Mpho Netshivhungululu, a former Bcom Finance student at the University of Johannesburg who had to drop out due to unaffordable fees as well as Wits Senior Lectu...

The Gauteng Health Department has called for communities to unite in the fight against alcohol and drug abuse in the province. This comes as AA celebrates its 33rd Soweto Rally today at the Uncle Toms Community Hall in Soweto. According to statistics from the South African Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (SACENDU), alcohol is a dominant substance abused in Gauteng. We spoke to the direc...

Elvis Presslin speaks to incoming SRC president, Nompendulo Mkhatshwa, STATS SA manager, Elizabeth Makhofola and Mbulelo Bikwana, chairperson of the University councils chairpersons forum on issues of University funding. This after WITS management and students agreed to a suspension of the 10.5% tuition fee increase

A joint military exercise begins in the Northern Cape this Sunday and will end on the 7th of November. The AMANI AFRICA joint military exercise is aimed at evaluating the state of readiness of the African Standby Force and its Rapid Deployment Capability. We spoke to Public Information Officer for the exercise, Captain Jaco Theunissan...

A twenty-year-old woman has appeared in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate's Court on a charge of human trafficking. She was arrested for trying to sell her own child online for five thousand rand. Meanwhile...Johannesburg will be one of nine cities around the world to host a simultaneous walk to bring awareness to the international issue of human trafficking. The 'Walk For Freedom' follows internati...

Elvis Presslin speaks to Economics reporter, Francis Herd on the SABMiller - the global beer giant founded in South Africa - accepting "in principle" a new takeover bid from rival brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev.

With October been Transport Month, South Africans are being encouraged to find alternative means of transport. Last week Gauteng launched the Ecomobility initiative, while another alternative is carpooling. Transport month is used to raise awareness on the important role of transport in the economy and to encourage participation from civil society and business, including the provision of a safe an...

Elvis Presslin spoke to Presidential spokesperson, Bongani Majola and Kathleen Hardy, attorney representing 36 family's of Marikana killings in August 2012 on government's commitment to engage legal representatives of the claimants

Health minister, Aaron Motsoaledi and Dr Kim Faure on a study by the CDDEP on the overuse of antibiotics worldwide

The National Consumer Commission has launched a preliminary investigation into a number of businesses that the Reserve Bank suspects of being pyramid schemes. The commission says the nine initiatives popular travel club, WorldVentures and Instant Wealth Club are suspected of contravening the Consumer Protection Act (CPA). We took to the streets to ask ordinary South Africans what their understandi...