The Weekend View

While the world's attention is focusing on the desperate humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the World Food Programme THIS WEEK warned that the war in Sudan threatens to trigger "the world's largest hunger crisis". The WFP said on Wednesday that more than 25 million people scattered across Sudan, South Sudan and Chad are trapped in a spiral of food insecurity as the brutal civil war shows no sign of easi...

 A 2023 report by the South Africa's Financial Services Regulation Board outlined a multitude of ways consumers are protected in the insurance industry.  According to industry experts , while this regulation was well received by the industry, many consumers still do not have the access to information on how they are protected by industry regulation. Many people know that there is a Consumer Protec...

The United States was earlier THIS WEEK  upbeat that talks on a ceasefire and release of hostages in Gaza could still reach an agreement between Hamas and Israel in time for the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which begins TOMORROW. Negotiators from Hamas, Qatar and Egypt - but not Israel - were still trying to secure a 40-day ceasefire in talks in Cairo, Egypt but YESTERDAY Hamas announced that...

The IEC's deadline for political parties and independent candidates who intends to contend in 2024's general election to submit their candidates list has come and gone. Last week,  the IEC warned independent candidates and political parties that if they miss the deadline and fail to comply with what is needed to be eligible to contest 2024's general elections there will be little or no room to neg...

The African Christian Democratic Party - ACDP - will today launch its manifesto for the 2024 National and Provincial election. Party leader, Rev. Kenneth Meshoe, is expected to unveil the manifesto at the Ellis Park Indoor Arena in Johannesburg. The party, which is a member of the opposition Multi Party Charter, says it's manifesto seeks to offer effective solutions for the many concerns people ha...

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) YESTERDAY raided SAFA house in a search and seizure operation. The raid follows reports allegations of fraud and theft amounting to R1.3 million. For more Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale...

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing the future of work. It is estimated that 50 % of jobs that exist will disappear as companies adopt new AI-driven technologies. Education expert Dr. Alex Asakitikpi, Senior Researcher at The Independent Institute of Education's Varsity College warns that much more must be done to ensure that the public sector, and especially students in public schools and...

The 11 parties in the Multi-Party Charter - MPC - THIS WEEK unveiled a plan they believe will make Eskom's years of underperformance and load-shedding a thing of the past. ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba presented the plan on behalf of the MPC which revolves around reforming Eskom, establishing an open energy market and ensuring a just transition to a renewable energy future. President Cyril Ramaph...

After 10 years in the making, construction of the largest private renewable energy plant in South Africa is soon set to start. The Impofu Wind Farms, to be built in Kouga, Eastern Cape will comprise three 110-megawatt wind farms. The plant is expected to significantly change the country's renewable energy landscape when it opens  next year. Bongiwe Zwane spoke  to  Mark Tanton, CEO at Red Cap Ener...

Gauteng has a new police chief. Maj-Gen Tommy Mthombeni has been appointed as the province's police commissioner and Maj-Gen Maropeng Johanna Mamothethi as divisional commissioner responsible for visible policing and operations. They have both been promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general with effect from YESTERDAY. Announcing their appointment yesterday evening, national police commissioner Gen...

The Pan Africanist Congress - PAC - is launching it's  National Elections Manifesto at the Orlando Communal Arena in Soweto TODAY.. The party says their manifesto will mainly talk to the problems of the African people. Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to  PAC Secretary General Apa Pooe

Another political party that is launching it's 2024 election manifesto TODAY is the United Democratic Movement - the UDM. The party, will be unveiling its election manifesto at Midrand's Gallagher Conference Centre in Gauteng. The party has been in the opposition benches for over 25 years. Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to UDM leader General Bantu Holomisa

The deputy minister of Small Business Development, Dipuo Peters, has been suspended for a period of one-month without pay. President Cyril Ramaphosa YESTERDAY suspended her following a sanction adopted by Parliament's Joint Committee on Ethics and Members Interests that found Peters had breached the Code of Ethical Conduct in her former portfolio as Minister of Transport. Peters served as transpor...

South Africa's 5th largest party, the Freedom Front Plus, will TODAY launch it's election manifesto in Pretoria. In previous elections the party actively campaigned against Black Economic Empowerment and affirmative action accusing the systems of breeding corruption. Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to Wouter Wessels, FF PLUS Head of Elections and National spokesperson....

The four financial services ombuds' offices - the Ombudsman for Banking Services , the Credit Ombud ,  the Ombudsman for  Long-Term Insurance  and the Ombudsman for Short-Term  have now come together under the newly formed National Financial Ombud Scheme (NFO). The NFO Scheme which commenced its operations YESTERDAY - (1st march 2024) will be a one-stop, all-in-one dispute resolution service made...

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women globally. In sub-Saharan Africa, it's the leading cause of female cancer with 11,000 South African women getting it every year and according to experts half of whom die due to the historic cost and complexity of treatments. Studies also show women living in poverty, in lower-income countries or living with HIV are disproportionally affected...

Namibian President, Hage Geingob will be laid to rest TODAY at the Heroes' Acre in the south of the capital, Windhoek. Geingob, succumbed to cancer on the 4th of February at the age of 82. President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to be among the 18 heads of state attending the funeral.  Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to Freelance Journalist based in Namibia, Isack Hamata

The DA has threatened to launch a contempt of court application to force the ANC to hand over MORE documents from its cadre deployment committee meetings. On Friday the party gave the ANC an ultimatum of Saturday to hand over all the documents as directed by the Constitutional Court. DA Leader John Steenhuisen said, at a media briefing in Cape Town on Friday, that hey will also institute a crimina...

Today - 24th February - is exactly two years since Russia launched it's invasion of Ukraine, and the war is no closer to ending than it was in the weeks after Russian troops and equipment began pouring into Ukraine. The last two years have bore witness to fighting at a scale the world has not seen in Europe since the World Wars, as well as thousands of dead soldiers, civilians, and destroyed lives...

Parents of children that died at Enyobeni Tavern in East London have expressed disappointment at the sentence handed down to the Enyobeni tavern owners by the East London Regional* Court in the Eastern Cape. The couple, Siyakhangela and Vuyokazi Ndevu were YESTERDAY fined five thousand rand or a hundred days in prison after they were found guilty of selling or supplying intoxicating liquor to pers...

R7.4 Billion will be allocated to continue to support the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative. During the State of the Nation Address , President Cyril Ramaphosa revealed that the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention (PYEI) has created over 1.7 million work opportunities, providing vital employment avenues for young individuals. Meanwhile, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) this week, r...

The African National Congress is possibly facing the most challenging election to date. Rising unemployment, load-shedding and the emergence of new political parties are expected to give the ruling party a tough time in the 2024 general elections. ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa, who has also not been without any controversy, will unveil the party's 2024 election manifesto at the Moses Mabhida Stadi...

The media is crucial in ensuring a healthy democracy and citizen participation. It is an important link between the government and its people.   Experts suggest that a democratic election is impossible without media. The media has a role in creating spaces where voters participate in debates and discussions . In addition , create platforms where policies, information about parties , candidates and...

The U.N. Security Council says its concerned by the escalating violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It strongly condemned the recent offensive by M23 rebels near Goma. Thousands of people are fleeing their homes and many more are displaced as fighting intensifies. This comes as South Africa has deployed at least 2,900 soldiers to assist the government of the Democratic Republi...

Health non-governmental organisation, Right to Care, is calling on men to circumcise, use condoms and seek treatment to help reduce sexually transmitted infections (STIs) which are on the rise. This comes at the back of warnings by health officials of increases the transmission of STIs and HIV infection. In Gauteng alone, over 165 000 males presented at public health facilities across the province...