Newsbreak

By Newsbreak Producer Genevieve Lanka - The South African Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Coalition has welcomed a decision by the Press Council of South Africa's Appeals Panel, in dismissing a leave to appeal ruling by the Press Ombuds relating to a cartoon published by the coalition. The cartoon, depicting a greedy boss and a hungry worker, was published during strike action between work...

By Newsbreak Producers Tashlan Naidoo and Hoosen Ebrahim - Experts in the legal Cannabis industry are predicting that market shares could double in value in the next three years. Both the Department of Trade and Industry and the Agricultural Research Council say South Africa could be responsible for up to 70% of the African continent's cannabis production. Although the regulatory landscape remains...

By Newsbreak Executive Producer Salma Patel - All inbound international flights to the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius have been suspended following reports of ten new local cases of COVID-19. Mauritius was one of the few countries that reported zero infections from mid-April to December last year. The country also started its vaccination programme this week, with close to 45,000 people already g...

By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - The Coronavirus pandemic has forced many non-profit-organisations to shut their doors due to a lack of funding. Five welfare homes have closed their doors in the Western Cape alone, with other provinces set to follow suit if funding continues to decrease. Senior lecturer at the University of Stellenbosch Business School Dr Armand Bam says the these statistics...

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - Another man has been gunned down near the home of the slain alleged drug lord, Yaganathan Pillay or Teddy Mafia. The victim, 52-year-old Ravi Vurden was killed in a drive-by shooting. A link between the late Pillay and the victim has not been established, however, police spokesperson, Captain Nqobile Gwala says investigations are underway...

By Newsbreak Senior Producer Genevieve Lanka - Former President Jacob Zuma's failure to file answering affidavits to the Constitutional Court in his contempt of court case will not deter the Court from ruling on the matter. According to the Executive Secretary of the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (CASAC) - Lawson Naidoo - Zuma was not compelled to file. Zuma was giv...

By Newsbreak Producer Rachel Vadi - Gender-based violence against elderly women has come under the spotlight once again - with the alleged rape of a 67-year-old woman from Phoenix, north of Durban. As protestors gathered outside the Verulam Magistrate Court yesterday - the suspect was denied bail. But CEO of The Association for the Aged (TAFTA), Famida Shamam says more needs to be done within the...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - Just under a teaspoon of salt a day is all that's needed to maintain a healthy intake. That's according to dietician, Kashmira Sewgambar as today marks the start of "World Salt Awareness Week". Eating too much salt can contribute to high blood pressure, which is linked to conditions such as heart attack, stroke and kidney problems. In this week's Medical Moni...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - Cape Town can expect its first proper rainfall for the year as a cold front moves in from Wednesday this week. According to the South African Weather Service, a warning has been issued for the Mother City. Forecaster Xolani Matlou, says residents should be extra cautious as heavy rainfall is likely in the coming days...

By Newsbreak Producer Genevieve Lanka - Any failure to protect key witnesses in the State Capture Commission will put in serious jeopardy the work of the commission. This is the view of Foreign Policy Analyst with the Institute for Global Dialogue - Sanusha Naidu. She says attacks on witnesses is an international trend, particularly in controversial and high profile cases. Her comments come in the...

By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - The ANC Top Six has agreed to afford former President Jacob Zuma time and space to deal with the Constitutional Court and the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture with his legal team. Zuma met virtually with the ANC's top leadership last night. The meeting was called to discuss Zuma's defiance of the Constitutional Court order, among other things. Zuma wa...

By Newsbreak Producer, Rachel Vadi - Teaching and learning has been disrupted at Greenbury Secondary School in Phoenix, north of Durban following allegations of racism among teachers. Learners at the school continued to protest this morning after the school was closed on Friday. It is alleged that the protest was incited by teachers on Friday afternoon over the teaching of certain subjects. Spokes...

By Newsbreak Producer, Rachel Vadi - Bail has been denied in case against a man charged for the rape of a 67-year-old woman in Phoenix, north of Durban. Forty-nine year old accused - Gavin Pillay - appeared briefly in the Verulam Magistrate Court today. Pillay is accused of robbing and raping the pensioner in her home last weekend. Members of the community, who protested outside court today, have...

By Newsbreak Senior Producer, Genevieve Lanka - Former President Jacob Zuma's refusal to meet with the ANC's Top 6 this morning at Luthuli House in Johannesburg, is yet another sign of the weaknesses plaguing the ruling party. This is the view of the Democracy Development Programme's Brian Bhengu. The meeting was thought to discuss the situation between Zuma and the Commission of Inquiry into Stat...

By Newsbreak Senior Producer Genevive Lanka - Dealing with gender-based violence requires a more holistic and intersected approach. This is according to Gender Activist Lisa Vetten. As today marks International Women's Day, Vetten says the issues facing women do not occur in a vacuum. She says they are shaped by very specific socio-economic and historic factors that need to be addressed

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - Two suspects aged 40 and 47 are expected to appear at the Durban Magistrates Court today after being arrested for possession of drugs with an estimated value of R1.5 million. According to KwaZulu-Natal police, an operation was carried out over the weekend on Bhoola Road, in Effingham Heights, north of Durban. The two suspects were found in the process of manu...

By Newsbreak Producer Taresh Harreeparshad - People over the age of 75 will be given first priority when phase two of South Africa's COVID-19 vaccine rollout begins. According to the National Department of Health, the second phase of vaccinations could begin at the end of April. To date, over a 100,000 health-care workers have been vaccinated in phase one of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine drive. De...

By Newsbreak Producer Rachel Vadi - Hundreds of community members are expected to protest outside the Verulam Magistrate Court today - in hope that justice takes its course for a man accused of raping a 67-year-old woman in Phoenix. The suspect was initially denied bail when he made his first appearance at court last week. It is alleged that the suspect raped the pensioner after he broke into her...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - KwaZulu-Natal police have clamped down on a 47-year-old suspect caught withdrawing cash from different South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) cards at an ATM on Anton Lembede Street, in Durban. Police confirmed that 70 SASSA cards were seized from the suspect and close to R8,000 in cash was also recovered. Further investigations led to the suspect's res...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - Today marks International Women's Day - set aside on the global calendar to celebrate and mark the progression of women throughout the world. This year's theme is #ChooseToChallenge. The focus will look to help put an end to gender-bias and discrimination, as well as to accelerate gender parity. Newsbreak's Shanell Daniel speaks to CEO of People Opposing Wome...

By Newsbreak Talk Producer and Presenter, Taresh Harrepershad - According to the National Department of Health the second phase of vaccinations could begin at the end of April. Deputy Director General, Doctor Anban Pillay explains how phase two will work.

By Newsbreak Talk Producer and Presenter, Tareh Harreepershad - Snaking queues outside the Department of Employment and Labour offices pose the risk of covid-19 slithering into our communities. But how else do you sort your UIF claims? #NewsbreakTalk discuss alternative ways for you to process your UIF claims with UIF Operations Manager, Simenyiwe Munchu

By Newsbreak Producer, Rachel Vadi - Its been a harrowing week for a 67-year-old Durban pensioner who was allegedly raped by a man known to her in her home in Phoenix, north of Durban. According to a relative, who asked to remain anonymous, the trauma of the incident has forced her to flee her home. She says the woman suffers vivid memories of the brutal attack. She says she is still receiving med...

By Newsbreak Producer, Rachel Vadi - A 26-year-old suspect is expected to appear in the Durban Magistrates Court today on charges of possession and dealing in drugs. Police spokesperson, Captain Nqobile Gwala says the suspects was arrested at a flat in central Durban following information from community members. She says the drugs to the value of R400 000-00 was being packaged for distribution to...

By Newsbreak Senior Producer, Genevieve Lanka - The ruling against Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng is an important precedent, not just in South Africa, but internationally also. This is the view of the former co-chair of the Law Society of South Africa and legal expert, Krish Govender. Govender has welcomed the Judicial Conduct Committee's finding that the Chief Justice had contravened parts of the...