Newsbreak

By Newsbreak Producer Taresh Harreeparshad - The exorbitant increase of food prices is unethical during a pandemic. Those are the views of the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity Group. They have collated data to show that the price of food items has increased by up to 17 per cent during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Groups Mervyn Abrahams says consumers must not remain silent about unethical...

By Newsbreak Producer Taresh Harreeparshad - National Consumer Commission (NCC) will investigate seven major suppliers of garlic and ginger on allegations of price gouging. This follows widespread complaints from consumers about high prices of ginger and garlic. Newsbreak's Taresh Harreeparshad asked the Commissions Head of Investigations, Prudence Moilwa if the problem arises at the supplier OR r...

By Newsbreak Producer Rachel Vadi - With over twenty years experience in the media industry, Yogas Nair has now been appointed as the Internal Press Ombudsman of one of South Africa's largest print publishers. Born on the north coast of Tongaat, Nair will head up the department through which readers can register their complaints over a particular story, or request for it to be investigated interna...

By Newsbreak Talk Producer and Presenter, Taresh Harreepershad - The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has launched an investigation into allegations of price gouging relating to garlic and ginger. This follows an outcry by consumers carried in the media including social media platforms regarding alleged excessive prices of both products by various suppliers. The law defines price gouging as an u...

By Newsbreak Talk Producer and Presenter, Tareh Harreepershad - The highly publicised meeting between EFF leader Julius Malema and former President Jacob Zuma at Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal ended without any of the two parties revealing details of the discussions. Malema and his entourage arrived in a helicopter at Nkandla at around midday. He was accompanied by former EFF national chairperson advoca...

By Newsbreak Rachel Vadi The emotional trauma mourners go through during a Covid-19 regulated funeral was highlighted yesterday, when an official at the Verulam Crematorium was allegedly physically and verbally attacked by a mourner. In the incident, Vice-chairperson of the Verulam Crematorium Board of Management, Vish Roopnarian was allegedly assaulted when he attempted to direct mourners to a Co...

After a few years of intense political rivalry and seeking to remove Jacob Zuma from the union buildings, Julius Malema has reached out to the former President. If the EFF statement on Zuma's constitutional court ruling is anything to go by, Malema may be in a bid to persuade the former President to rethink his decision to shun the constitutional court which ordered to him appear before the State...

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation has labelled as rude, condescending and misplaced, a letter written to the presidency by law firm "Kirshen Naidoo and Company" demanding that President Ramaphosa apologise for not thanking the Indian government for the procurement of vaccines. Executive Director Neeshan Balton says the letter lacks credibility and has since writt...

By Newsbreak Producers Taliesha Naidoo and Matthew Veeran - President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially conveyed his gratitude to the Government and people of India for its gift to the world in the form of vaccines and scientific knowledge. In a telephonic conversation with the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, applauded India for its solidarity with South Africa in fighting the pandemic. Actin...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - Disgruntled members of the community are calling for a halt to fibre optic installations in parts of Phoenix, north of Durban. Allegations suggest these new cables are interfering with water and electricity supply at many homes. Foresthaven resident, Yugendra Naidoo says contractors working in the area damaged water pipes and electricity cables while installi...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - Councillor Lyndal Singh has deemed the protest a "smear campaign" against her. She also says that she has been in communication with private fibre optic contractors and the municipality, regarding the issue...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) is calling for a 60-day consultation period after Unitrans Passenger announced that three of their operators are going to close this month. Greyhound, Magic Bus and Megabus Midrand are likely to get the chop- after Unitrans Passenger, said that it was negatively affected by South Africa's Covid-19 tra...

By Newsbreak Producer Taresh Harreeparshad - Retailers could be charged up to ten per cent of their annual turnover if they are found guilty of pricing ginger and garlic too high. The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has launched an investigation into allegations of price gouging relating to ginger and garlic. For several weeks now consumers have been complaining about the exorbitant prices of g...

By Newsbreak Producer Matthew Veeran - With World Cancer Day being commemorated globally today, alarming statistics show that workplace Cancer claims increased by 60% and now represent a whopping 16% of all claims. The data was compiled by Momentum, who analysed income disability claims over a 10 year period. These figures now paint a concerning picture for South African employers, with businesses...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - Social media has been inundated with South Africans calling for humanitarian aid organisation Gift of the Givers to be nominated for the "2021 Nobel Peace Prize" - for their COVID-19 relief work. This after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that SA would be nominating the Cuban medical brigade for the award - a move that was met with mixed reactions to say...

By Newsbreak Producer Taresh Harreeparshad - The growing cost of ginger has left a sharp taste in the mouth of many consumers - so why not grow your own? Ginger- rich in it's anti-viral and immune boosting properties has been touted as an effective way to stay healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this weeks Green Scene curator at the Durban Botanic Gardens - Martin Clement explains how you can...

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - The South African Hindu Maha Sabha has noted with disappointment an eatery using symbols of the Hindu faith for alleged commercial purposes. The establishment, formerly called "Holi Cow" has been in business for the last eight years in Johannesburg, serving everything from curries to cakes. Maha Sabha President Ashwin Trikamjee says the use of the red dot on...

By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - With South Africa fast tracking efforts to flatten the Coronavirus curve, the South African Medical Association (SAMA) has dismissed what they call "fake news" being circulated on social media around vaccination. This comes as health care workers are registering to be vaccinated. Chairperson Dr. Angelique Coetzee says that front-line health workers are curren...

By Newsbreak Producer Rachel Daniel - The historic relationship between South Africa and India has been further solidified with the arrival of the first shipment of one million Covid-19 vaccines from the Serum Institute of India on Monday. This is according to the Consul General of India in Durban, Anish Rajan - who says the sharing of the vaccine was a natural progression in the bilateral associa...

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - Durban based doctor Naseeba Kathrada says yesterdays court order that anti-parasitic drug Ivermectin can be administered to patients without having to await approval is not as clear cut as it seems. Lobby group Afriforum obtained the court order with the consent of the South African Health Products Regulations Authority (SAHPRA) to administer Ivermectin in ca...

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - With numerous COVID-19 deaths among active social media users, questions have been asked about what grieving families should do with accounts of lost loved ones. According to Yavi Madurai, Managing Director of Black Box Theory, these accounts need to either be closed or memorialised, to avoid them being hacked and used for illicit and fraudulent purposes. Mad...

Several parents have protested outside a school in Durban, accusing the school's governing body and the teachers of racism. According to the parents, applications for admission to the school are usually turned down if the learner is Black. The parents also allege that learners from other racial groups, especially those who are White, are given first preference. Khalesakhe Mbhense reports...

By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - The tourism industry could take years to rise from the ashes and gain momentum to reach its full capacity. That's according to Chief Executive Officer at the Tourism Business Council of South Africa - Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa. He told Newsbreak that although the he welcomes President Cyril Ramaphosa's announcement in easing restrictions, the sector is still marr...

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - The National Liquor Traders' Council says they will continue to strictly monitor alcohol trading facilities on the ground in an effort to make sure that COVID-19 regulations are being adhered to. This follows the partial lifting of the ban on the sale and transportation of alcohol. Liquor is now permitted to be sold between 10am to 6pm from Monday to Thursday...

By Newsbreak Producers Tashlan Naidoo and Shanell - It's often said that "sunshine is the best medicine" but is it really, especially during the second wave of the pandemic? Following the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa concerning beaches and parks now open, members of the public have shared mixed reactions. To close off the programme, lets find out what these people had to say...