Newsbreak

By Newsbreak Producer Rachel Vadi - Global non-profit company, "Move One Million" will be hosting peaceful demonstrations throughout South Africa this weekend - protesting against social ills they believe the government has failed to address. KZN Conveyor, Kamershen Ponnan says they want the South African government to know that ordinary citizens are no longer prepared to accept the longstanding s...

By Newsbreak Producer Taresh Harreeparshad - Inspiring students to pursue their dreams regardless of the circumstances they face. That's according to Dr. Sooraj Baijnath - receipient of the "Bio-analysis Rising Star Award". Beating scientists from all over the world, the Phoenix-born UKZN academic impressed the Waters Corporation with his study on the long term cognitive impact of HIV/AIDS. Now ba...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - A man believed to be in his twenties has been shot dead at Old Main Road, in Pinetown, west of Durban. According to Spokesperson for Rescue Care Paramedics, Rowen Scandroglio, details surrounding the shooting remains unknown at this stage. Scandroglio adds that despite attempts made by paramedics, nothing could be done to save the mans life...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - Chairperson for the Phoenix Crime Prevention Forum, Umesh Singh, has condemned the killing. He says despite numerous efforts made to curb crime in the area, there seems to be no end in sight...

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - A 25-year-old groom to be, met his untimely death after trying to prevent a house robbery at Westham - in Phoenix, north of Durban. According to local security company Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), Salesh Premlall was watching television during the early hours of yesterday morning when he noticed three unknown men trying to gain access into his neighbour...

By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - Former political journalist - Ranjeni Munusamy is now working in the office of the Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni. The revelation came to light as the Minister posted on Twitter about his speech-writing team, where Munasamy's picture featured. The minister was thereafter speechless when some questioned how he could employ Munusamy - who according to testim...

By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - Medical experts have warned against a second wave of COVID-19, saying it is inevitable, especially with the rapid transmissions at taverns and nightclubs. This is the message from Professor Salim Abdool Karim, Chairperson of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19. Professor Karim was reacting to a number of so-called "super-spreader events". One of th...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - Thirteen people, including a newborn baby, have been killed and four others critically injured in a collision between a truck and a minibus on the R66 between Ulundi and Melmoth, in northern KwaZulu-Natal. It's alleged that a minibus caught alight when it collided with a truck this morning. Two weeks ago 13 people from the same family were killed in a minibus...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - Cycle around the world - virtually... This is the concept implemented by "Bridges for Music" for its fifth annual Amsterdam Dance Event, to help raise funds to build a creative arts school in South Africa. "Bridges For Music" is a non-profit organisation and music school based in Cape Town. The school offers both local and international learners an intimate a...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - The heat wave passing through parts of Johannesburg is expected to break with a maximum temperature of 27 today - and a 30-percent chance of rain for the remainder of the week. This according to forecaster for the South African Weather Service, Edward Engelbrecht. Meanwhile, in KwaZulu-Natal a cold-front is expected to move through the south of the country wi...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - A mobile museum will be on exhibition at shopping malls for people to experience various pieces of history, relating to the arrival of the Indian Indentured Labourers - 160 years ago. It's called the "160 Year Mobile Museum" and is set to travel around the country - exhibiting the uniqueness and early history of South Afrian Indians. En route to Phoenix, nort...

By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - Non governmental organisation "Stop Trafficking of People" (STOP) have urged South Africans to always keep vigilant of their surroundings, following trends that show kidnapping and human trafficking incidents on the rise worldwide. STOP COO Tershia de Klerk says that over 10,000 people are trafficked every year, with a child going missing every five hours. De...

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - The eThekwini Municipality have labelled acts of sabotage at electricity sub-stations within the municipality - allegedly at the hands of angry sub-contractors - as "treason". Areas including Overport, Westville, Mayville and KwaMashu in and around Durban were affected after sub-stations were broken into and set alight, causing power outages and leaving thous...

By Newsbreak Producer Matthew Veeran - A South African company known as Virtual Event Organisers (VEO) are on a mission to change the way in which events and meetings are staged. With the COVID-19 pandemic having affected all events, public gatherings, conferences and exhibitions, the team at VEO feel they have come up with a silver lining. The company uses a green screen studio to inventively cre...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - Several businesses have been shut down by Durban's Environmental Health Department while some were fined for flouting regulations and by-laws in Pinetown, west of Durban. The operation focused largely on non-complying food outlets in Hill Street, Stanfield Road, Dales Avenue and the Pinetown CBD. During the course of the inspection, an eatery on Stanfield Roa...

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo -In a bid to ensure government officials and departments are held to account for fraud, corruption and maladministration in KwaZulu-Natal, an ad hoc committee has been convened to provide oversight for the next year. KZN municipalities and officials have been in the spotlight in the recent past for alleged tender fraud and corruption among other things. Chairpe...

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - A nine-year-old girl was allegedly raped at a carwash at Verulam north of Durban yesterday. It's believed the girl went to a local shop to buy bread for her family when the incident occurred. Events of the incident came to light when the grade three learner was with a female family friend, who noticed that the girl wasn't wearing underwear. Director of local...

By Newsbreak Executive Producer Salma Patel - As scientists worldwide race to find a cure for COVID-19, adapting to the new normal is the best precaution for preventing the spread of the coronavirus. Since the virus is spread through droplets and contact, the Association for the Aged (TAFTA) have launched a special visitor pod that allows for safe visits with the elderly. The two parties are separ...

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - As the country the pandemic and the loss of 2.2 million jobs in the 1st quarter of this year, the steel industry plans on creating 4-thousand jobs and investing almost R20 billion into the sector. Steel manufacturing company "United Heavy Industries" has embarked on a R17-billion investment drive over the next five years. R350 million has already been investe...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - Government has released a revised list of high risk countries, based on a risk categorization model. In its last meeting, cabinet instructed the Ministers of Health, Home Affairs and Tourism to lead a process to review the list. Spokesperson for the Minister of Home Affairs, Siya Qoza, says the review of the list was done in such a way that it strikes a balan...

By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - Environmental activists have expressed concern over the sudden spike in waste - including branches, tyres and other forms of rubbish - surfacing on a tributary leading to the uMgeni River System. Its believed that the current situation is down to years of illegal dumping around the river. Meanwhile, local non-governmental organisation "Litter Boom uMngeni" in...

By Newsbreak Producer Rachel Vadi - The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have heartbreaking implications for senior citizens - who have been living in isolation - cut-off from their family and friends. To combat this secondary implication of the coronavirus, The Association for the Aged (TAFTA) launched a novel idea to bring back the warmth of loved ones while ensuring the three pillars of the new n...

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - A double murder that took place at Canelands, north of Durban this morning may be linked to to previous crimes that have plagued the area in recent months. That's according to director of local security company, Reaction Unit South Africa or Rusa, Prem Balram. Both victims suffered several gunshots to the head and were declared deceased apon arrival. Balram s...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - The community of Phoenix, north of Durban, has been rocked by the fatal stabbing of 30-year-old Yogan Moodley during an alleged domestic dispute with his 27-year-old partner. The incident took place at Cardinal Road, in Stonebridge over the weekend. KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, Captain Nqobile Gwala, says the woman has been arrested and is expected to a...

By Newsbreak Executive Producer Salma Patel - A popular Indian jewellery brand has withdrawn its TV commercial featuring a baby shower for the Hindu bride by her Muslim in-laws. "Tanishq" also put out a public apology after a social media backlash quickly turned into street protests by right wing groups, affiliated to India's ruling Hindu nationalist party...