Newsbreak

By Newsbreak Presenter and Producer, Taresh Harreepershad On #NewsbreakTalk we discuss the impact of #Section189 on the lives of people, and the future of the media industry

by Newsbreak Producer, Taresh Harreeparshad - The South African Hindu Dharma Sabha has lodged about 10 complaints at the South African Human Rights Commission over alleged hate speech about the Hindu festival of Diwali. This follows several rants posted on social media- that have been turned and defamatory and inciteful. In one incident in Gauteng a video emerged, showing a group of people telling...

By Newsbreak Producer, Rachel Vadi A man has died after allegedly being shot in the head - when he attempted to run away from a rock-throwing incident on the N12 freeway along Lenasia, south of Johannesburg last night. According to Director of local security company, Lethal Force Security, Shahim Ismail, the man was travelling with his wife when a tyre was thrown at their car. He adds that the wif...

By Newsbreak Producer Rachel Vadi and Taresh Harreepershad EFF members are protesting outside the Brackenfell High School in Cape Town over allegations of racism at the school. Earlier this morning chaos erupted when police fired water cannon and stun grenades at the protestors. It's not clear at this stage what triggered the violence this morning. Protests at the school have been ongoing, followi...

By Newsbreak Presenter Taresh Harreepershad Staff at the SABC are continuing with lunchtime pickets at offices across the regions- despite the SABC Board saying that it will suspend the Section 189 process for a period of seven days. Yesterday worker union CWU issued a strike notice over the possible retrenchment of 400 staff. Newsbreak speaks to Durban-based SABC journalist Minoshni Pillay

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - The Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (CASAC) says that former president Jacob Zuma and his legal team's walk out of the State Capture Commission yesterday, constitutes as a criminal offence and could result in his arrest. This comes after the Comission Char Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo refused Zuma's request for him to recus...

By Newsbreak Executive Producer Salma Patel - Lobby groups and community activists are urging people of Indian origin NOT to get involved in campaigns that further divide and polarize the nation. Social cohesion Advocate, Dr Raj Govender says it IS important to educate the broader society about the contributions made by the 1860 Indentured Labourers. He goes on to say that getting involved in raci...

By Newsbreak Executive Producer Salma Patel - Party leader of the African Democratic Change (ADC) - Visvin Reddy, says not all people of Indian origin are financially stable and campaigns based on race could have dire consequences for those who do not have access to the basic necessities...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - With Gauteng recording the highest number of confirmed Coronavirus infections to date, a R5-million donation towards 20 critical care beds at the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital, has been welcomed. Acting Gauteng MEC for Health, Jacob Mamabolo, officially opened area 366 at the hospital where the additional beds have been added. This through a family donat...

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - A Delhi-based non-governmental organisation are to host a virtual tribute to the late South African struggle icon Priscilla Jana. Jana passed away on the 10th of October at the age of 76. She was known for representing the likes of former president Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Ahmed Kathrada, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Desmond Tutu and Solomon Mahlangu. Sec...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - Rescue authorities are searching for a woman in Umlazi, south of Durban, after she was swept away during heavy rainfall in the area last night. Meanwhile, in Pietermaritzburg residents experienced heavy rainfall with pictures circulating on social media, showing hailstones the size of tennis balls. Spokesperson for the Department of Cooperative Governance and...

By Newsbreak South Asian Correspondent Rana Senn - Indian police have arrested a pedophile who abused 50 children for 10 years and sold explicit content to online customers across the world. The scandal has horrified most Indians and prompted calls for more vigilance - but rights groups say it also exposed indifference to crimes targeting minors through social media. Rana Senn reports

By Newsbreak Producers Tashlan Naidoo and Taresh Harreeparshad - The SABC Board is expected to meet later today- as pressure is mounting on the public broadcaster to retract retrenchment letters to staff. 400 permanent staffers are expected to be retrenched as a cost cutting measure. The South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) will meet with SABC management today, saying the jobs bloodbath w...

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo and Hoosen Ebrahim - Pietermaritzburg residents experienced heavy rainfall yesterday with pictures circulating on social media, showing hailstones the size of tennis balls in highly populated areas around the capital of KwaZulu-Natal. The sudden hailstorm started at 3pm and within minutes had damaged property and vehicles. Meanwhile, Weather forecaster at the S...

Communications and Digital Technologies Deputy Minister Pinky Kekana says SABC Board and Executive members should personally pay the costs of cases they lose in courts. Kekana made the opening remarks as SABC appeared before Parliament's Communications Committee. The SABC Board, Executives and the Ministry appeared before the committee last night. There was also tension between some board members...

By Newsbreak Producer Taliesha Naidoo - In a shocking statistic, plastic in the oceans could outweigh fish by the year 2050. That's according to a report by the World Economic Forum. Already, the ocean is filled with about 165 million tons of plastic. And, that figure is expected to increase to at least 937 million tons in 30 years. Meanwhile, to compound matters further, a recent spill of plastic...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - Power utility Eskom has released a warning to members of the public regarding electricity voucher scams being promoted on social media platforms. According Eskom Spokesperson, Sikonathi Mantshantsha, individuals dupe people into paying for so called "affordable electricity" through the use of electronic fund transfers. Mantshantsha urges members of the public...

By Newsbreak's South Asian Correspondent Rana Senn - Good news out of India now, as the country reported fewer than 30,000 new coronavirus cases for the first time since July. Meanwhile, India's recovery rate also outpaced new infections. The announcement brought hope in the Covid-weary country where the number of infections has crossed 8.9 million and capital Delhi is still grappling with a deadl...

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - Following the use of fireworks during Diwali celebrations and the thunderstorms experienced at the weekend - the Durban & Coast SPCA have rescued close to 40 dogs and cats that have gone astray. SPCA Marketing Manager Tanya Fleischer says the amount of lost pets they have found over past few days has more than doubled this year. She now urges owners to microc...

By Newsbreak producer Taresh Harreepershad - The SABC Board remains divided on whether or not to implement Section 189 and retrench 400 staff members. In a board of eleven, five want the process scrapped while six believe it is a lucrative way to turn the public broadcaster around. Yesterday SABC News staff made an impassioned plea to top management to halt the retrenchment process. The five membe...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - The impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on the less fortunate in the Eastern Cape has left many communities in dire need of assistance for basic necessities. To aid them, a donation of R16-million has been made to humanitarian non-profit organisation, Gift of the Givers. Founder of the organisation - Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman says the donation - made by Implats, which...

By Newsbreak Executive Producer Salma Patel - Staying with the theme of 1860 this week - Durban author, nursing lecturer and nurse, Rabia Khan, has launched her new book entitled "Truro Nurses: A South African calling". This is the first book of its kind that documents the story of nursing, dating back to the dark days of indenture. Khan says although the book is published, many more stories relat...

By Newsbreak Executive Producer Salma Patel - A white VW Polo with black roof racks is believed to be targeting homes in the Overport area in Durban. A resident, who was the victim of a home invasion, was shot in both legs by gunmen driving that very car. Imtiaz Sayed from private security company, eThekwini Secure, says home owners need to "think like criminals" and thoroughly secure their homes....

By Newsbreak Executive Producer Salma Patel - A Johannesburg comedian and entertainer has launched a lobby group urging South Africans of Indian origin - in Durban only - to stay at home on the 12th of December to highlight the plight of the Indian-origin community. The "Park by the Pozie" campaign is the brainchild of Karou Charou, who has launched the lobby group called, The National Indian Cong...

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - Constitutional law expert Professor Pierre de Vos, says Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo is likely to refuse the request by former President Jacob Zuma to recuse himself from the State Capture Inquiry. Zondo is today expected to make the announcement after reviewing the argument put forth by Zuma's attorney - Advocate Muzi Sikhakhane. The attorney says his...