Newsbreak

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Matthew Veeran - The sport of Futsal is gaining popularity in South Africa - as the national team makes strides on the continent and abroad. Futsal is a variant of the 11-a-side game and is played on a hard court, smaller than the average football pitch. The game first gained popularity in South America and slowly spread around the world. Today...

SABC News and Current Affairs — Pakistan has announced plans to downgrade diplomatic ties with India over New Delhi's decision to strip Kashmir of its special constitutional status. Bilateral trade was also frozen as a military clampdown in the disputed region kept hundreds of thousands of civilians as virtual prisoners in their homes. A short while ago - Pakistan suspended a rail service linking...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer, Taliesha Naidoo - The case of eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede and her co-accused has been adjourned to15 January next year. Mayor Gumede, Councillor Mondli Mthembu and other accused appeared in court on fraud and corruption charges emanating from a 208 million rand waste removal tender. Meanwhile Gumede and Mthembu's bail conditions have been a...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer, Cebisile Mkhize - More than 600 illegal immigrants and seven police officers have been arrested in the Johannesburg CBD. Gauteng police Spokesperson Mathapelo Peters says the police officers were arrested at the Johannesburg central police station after they were caught allegedly attempting to resell some of the counterfeit goods confiscated d...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer, Cebisile Mkhize - The Durban High Court has heard that Jane Govindasamy and her two daughters were actually murdered on the 20th of September last year instead of the 21st, which was initially believed to be the date of their murders. Forensic pathologist - Dr. Salona Prahladh is testifying at the triple murder trial of Colin Pillay today. Pil...

SABC News and Current Affairs — Military Court proceedings against a female major in the South African National Defence Force for refusing to removing her head scarf has been postponed. Major Fatima Isaacs appeared in the Military Court at the Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town yesterday. She has been charged with wilful defiance and disobeying lawful command. Carmel Loggenberg Roberts Reports...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - The home of Rahim Khan who was shot in an attempted hijacking last week has become a target of yet another invasion. Criminals forced their way into his home on Steelcastle road last night before assaulting his family and speeding off with the BMW, which was involved in an attempted hijacking last week. One of the family member...

SABC News and Current Affairs — Over 600 illegal immigrants have been arrested in Johannesburg. About 1,500 law enforcement and Home Affairs officials have conducted raids in the CBD and seized hundreds of millions of rands worth of counterfeit goods and equipment to manufacture counterfeit merchandise. They also seized seven assault rifles and three pistols. The raid follows last week's riots in...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Cebisile Mkhize - Embattled eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede is returning to court this morning. Gumede is facing fraud and corruption charges in connection with a 208 million rand Durban Solid Waste tender. She is out on 50,000 rand bail. On Tuesday, the African National Congress in KwaZulu-Natal extended Gumede's leave of absence. She has alrea...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Matthew Veeran - With the harsh realities of Climate Change being felt around the globe, drought continues to a major issue for millions around the world. With water being the scare commodity it is, for years countries have developed and implemented water saving measures - but affrodability is still a problem. With this in mind, Vishnu Naidoo -...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - While some drugs are illegal and hard to get a hold of, others can be easily purchased over the counter - making addiction that much harder to fight. Doctor Mags Moodley - a general practitioner in the Greenwood Park area - says Codeine infused medication is a growing addiction - especially amongst scholars. Moodley says Codein...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer, Cebisile Mkhize - Police in KwaZulu-Natal have intensified their search for three suspects following a dramatic shoot-out that ended crashing through a residential fence. The shoot-out ensued after the suspects allegedly broke into a house at the Waterfall area in Hillcrest, south of Durban yesterday afternoon. According to KwaZulu-Natal Polic...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer, Taliesha Naidoo - The body of an unidentified man has been found floating in the water near uShaka beach in Durban this morning. The man is believed to be in his thirties. KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Thulani Zwane says it's suspected that the man was homeless. Zwane says an inquest docket has been opened for further in...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer, Shanell Daniel - Police are currently revealing graphic details of how a Phoenix mother and her two daughters were killed in September last year. The triple murder trial is underway today at the Durban High Court. State witness Warrant Officer Rajesh Naidoo is providing greusome details on the state of the bodies when police attended the scene...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Executive Producer Salma Patel - As the saying goes: Charity begins at home. And that's exactly what mother of two Jennene Naidu believes and hopes to share with the South African family at large. Naidu was recently inaugurated as the new President of the Durban Chapter of Soroptomist International - a worldwide volunteer organization for women who work...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Taliesha Naidoo - Two brothers have been arrested - one for being in possession of a stolen vehicle and the other for being in possession of a hijacked vehicle in Verulam, north of Durban. The suspects were arrested after police received information of a hijacked vehicle in the area. Police traced one of the vehicles to a 29-year-old suspect at...

SABC News and Current Affairs — Indian Kashmir was in lockdown with its residents under virtual house arrest. Markets and offices were shut and so were schools and colleges. Meanwhile as criticism of the crackdown grew, the government in Delhi claimed the rise of Taliban in nearby Afghanistan was one of the reasons for the disputed state's shock break-up. Rana Senn reports from New Delhi...

SABC News and Current Affairs — The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has extended the leave of absence of its eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede. She has already taken two months leave on instruction by the ruling party following her arrest in connection with a 208 million rand waste removal tender. The decision by the party also extended the leave of Newcastle mayor, Ntuthuko Mahlaba who is facing a murder charg...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - The Western Cape will soon implement drone technology in a bid to help fight crime in the province. This kind of surveillance will allow the city to keep an eye on a number of areas across Cape Town in the same time span. It also enables the city to be a step ahead of criminals, especially when it comes to crimes that take plac...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - 72 school learners have been injured when the school bus that they were travelling in overturned in Centocow (centre-cow) near Underberg, KwaZulu Natal Emergency Medical Rescue Services spokesperson - Robert Mckenzie, says several children are in a critical condition while others sustained moderate injuries in the accident yest...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer, Hoosen Ebrahim - Hundreds-of-thousands of pilgrims have decended on the Muslim holy land of Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj or pilgrimage which would begin this Friday. Hajj is obligatory on every Muslim at least once in their lifetime, provided they are physically fit and financially capable. Over 3500 South African citizens have been making...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer, Cebisile Mkhize - Disaster relief organisation - Gift of the Givers commemorates its 27th anniversary today. The NGO was established in Instabul, Turkey on the 6th of August 1992. Gift of the Givers Chairman and Founder, Imtiaz Sooliman says since inception, the organisation has vastly expanded. Sooliman says the journey has been incredible...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer, Taliesha Naidoo - The ANC's provincial executive committee has announced that embattled eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede's special leave will be extended for the second time, as a decision on her future is still to be made. Provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli made the announcement at ANC headquarters in Durban. Ntuli said provincial leaders had...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer, Shanell Daniel - Forensic evidence has been revealed by a DNA expert at the trial against triple murder accused, Collin Pillay. The trial is underway at the Durban High Court in connection with the murder of a mother and her two daughters which took place last year. Pillay allegedly killed Jane Govindsamy and her daughters - Denisha and Rackel...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer, Cebisile Mkhize - Police in KwaZulu-Natal are investigating a case of murder after the body of Saiershen Pillay was found in Isipingo beach, south of Durban. The 20-year-old security guard was found with a gunshot wound to the head on Saturday. KZN police Spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane says the motive for the murder has not yet...