Newsbreak

By Newsbreak Producer Matthew Veeran - Seven South African schools have been selected to showcase their teaching approach, as the inaugural World Education Week gets underway soon. In partnership with the the Jakes Gerwel Fellowship, the first of its kind event aims to accelerate the achievement of the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 4 - that being "Quality Education". A total of 100 schools fro...

By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has rejected an application by Action SA to register as a political party. According to the IEC, there is a similarity of the party's symbol to that of another party already registered. The new party was launched by former City of Joburg mayor, Herman Mashaba, at the end of last month. Head of the IEC in KwaZulu-Nata...

Amnesty International says it will close down operations in India, accusing the government of targeting human rights groups in the country. The authorities rejected the allegation and say the organization has been bringing in foreign funds illegally which had invited action from the previous administration as well...

By Newsbreak Executive Producer Salma Patel - What started off as a wild goose chase culminated in the arrest of suspects who may have been terrorising Westville and surrounding areas. Asad Patel the Westville CPF Chairperson says what was initially thought to be a home invasion turned out to be a robbery at gunpoint. Patel says now people are being asked to come forward to check if there are any...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - The Automobile Association (AA) is calling for an extension of the validity of driving licenses from five to ten years - provided that motorists have their eyes tested by registered professionals at least every five years to ensure their vision is good enough to remain safe on the road. Adding to this, the AA believes that current license renewal processes ar...

By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - As the world sees a resurgence in COVID-19 cases - countries have been forced to introduce stricter lockdown regulations to curb the spread. KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala has called on citizens "not to drop their guard" and continue to adhere to government's regulations - to mitigate the risk of a second wave. Countries across Europe have been severely...

By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - Local film "Kings of Mulberry Street" has scooped yet another award, this time at the BUFF Film Festival in Malmo, Sweden. The Durban production was named Best Children's Comedy. The film has been a surprising hit overseas and it caught the attention of international judges, due to it's tone and themes. Writer, Director and Producer - Judy Naidoo explains how...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - A manhunt is underway for the suspect responsible for the murder of a woman in her thirties and a two-year-old child, believed to be hers, at Mount Royal, north of Durban. According to spokesperson for local security company, KZN VIP, Gareth Naidoo, upon arrival at the scene, the mother and child were found with lacerations to their bodies - resulting in the...

By Newsbreak Producer Matthew Veeran - Local non-governmental organisation "Turquoise Harmony Institute" have been recognised by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) as a pioneer in Sustainable Development Goals. The recognition relates to a women empowerment project - first envisaged in 2016 - that helps refugee and migrant women with language and integration lessons. The classes, which run...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - Authorities have arrested one of five suspects involved in a house robbery at Ashford Place, in Essenwood, Durban. Spokesperson for local security company "PT Tactical" - Dhevan Govindasamy says the suspects had been fleeing the scene upon arrival leading to a shootout when one suspect was shot. Reports also suggest that the vehicle they were travelling in wa...

By Newsbreak Producer Matthew Veeran - With Hypertension numbers rising at an alarming rate in South Africa, Pharma Dynamics have partnered with the Heart & Stroke Foundation to launch a comprehensive chart - to monitor salt consumption. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends no more than five milligrams or half a teaspoon of salt intake per person per day. But it's often difficult for peo...

By Newsbreak Producer Taresh Harreeparshad - President Donald Trump did not answer questions that were fundamental to the health of the US nation. That's according to Honorary Prof. at the International Relations University of Wits - John Stremlau. He was reacting to the first US Presidential debate between incumbent Donald Trump and Joe Biden. The debate saw Trump stonewall responses on key issue...

by Newsbreak Producer, Hoosen Ebrahim - The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a warning for a severe thunderstorm over parts of Gauteng this afternoon. Motorists have been cautioned with severe flooding expected to affect low lying areas in the province. Weather forecaster Kgolofelo Mahlangu says lightning and heavy winds is also predicted - which could lead to some damage this eveni...

by Newsbreak Producer, Taresh Harreeparshad - Police in KwaZulu-Natal have made another breakthrough in the war against drug trade in the province. A 38-year-old man was arrested in Richards Bay, north of Durban on charges of possession of drugs with an estimated street value of 80-thousand rands. Police spokesperson, Nqobile Gwala says the suspect was found with twenty-seven packets containing pu...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - "Living in a drug-infested area like Chatsworth, is like living in the Wild West, where guns blaze at funerals and innocent lives are lost". These are the sentiments of Chairman of the Chatsworth Anti-Drug Forum, Sam Pillay, ahead of a case expected at the Durban Magistrate's Court today - after six men were arrested in connection with a series of drug-relate...

By Newsbreak Executive Producer Salma Patel - A 34-year-old suspect - who had allegedly kidnapped his 12-year-old neighbour at Cornubia in Durban, has now been arrested - this time in Dundee in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands. The story made headlines and caused a social media stir when it emerged that the man - who is married with four children - allegedly kidnapped the young girl and was found in Ric...

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - The Imam Haron Foundation say they are disappointed that 51-years after his death, his killers have not been found and prosecuted. Imam Abdullah Haron was killed in detention allegedly at the hands of the then state security branch on the 27th of September 1969. He was born in 1924 at Newlands in Cape Town, where he went on to become a well known freedom figh...

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo and Shanell Daniel - The discovery of the bodies of two women in the bushes at "P Section" in KwaMashu, north of Durban, has rocked the community. According to KwaZulu-Natal police, the women are believed to be in their twenties. The incident follows the brutal discovery of the body of a four-year-old child - Sanelisiwe Mhlongo - in the same area on Friday. New...

By Newsbreak Producer Matthew Veeran and Shanell Daniel - A documentary calling into question the ethics behind social media engineering and algorithms, explores the dangerous human impact of social networking with some tech experts sounding the alarm on their own creations. The docudrama focusses on the exploitation of users for financial gain. It also highlights how users develop an addiction to...

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - A bizarre and desperate attempt to hide the truth is how experts have labelled former President Jacob Zuma's request for Deputy Chief Justice, Raymond Zondo to recuse himself as the chairperson of the state capture commission. On Monday Zuma's legal team penned a four-page letter to Zondo accusing him of having adopted a biased posture towards their client. Z...

SABC News and Current Affairs — The High Court in Johannesburg has sentenced former crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli and co-accused Mthembeni Mthunzi to five years imprisonment. The case relates to the 1999 murder of Oupa Ramogibe who allegedly had an affair with Mdluli's customary wife - Tshidi Buthelezi. For the latest - our SABC News reporter Sashin Naidoo summarizes the court proceedings...

SABC News and Current Affairs — by Newsbreak Producer, Shanell Daniel - Two-point-two-million jobs have been lost countrywide in the second quarter. That's according to Statistics South Africa. The unemployment rate has increased to 23-point-three per cent from 30-point-one per cent in the first quarter. There were four-point-two-million people unemployed in the second quarter, compared with seven...

SABC News and Current Affairs — by Newsbreak Producer, Shanell Daniel - Power utility Eskom says CCMA hearings are underway to address workers' demands calling for labour brokers to be removed. Employees who have been temporarily employed through labour brokers are protesting at service stations at Mpumalanga. Eskom spokesperson, Sikonathi Mantshantsha, says issues pertaining to salaries are also...

SABC News and Current Affairs — by Newsbreak Producer, Hoosen Ebrahim - Funeral proceedings have begun at the family home of Cape Town struggle stalwart, businessman and community activist Dr. Anwah Nagia who has died due to COVID-19 complications. Reports suggest that Nagia contracted the virus in hospital. The 62-year-old was actively involved in several humanitarian projects, fighting for the o...

SABC News and Current Affairs — A member of the ANC Provincial Executive Committee and his stepson appeared at the Nelspruit Regional Court in Mpumalanga, facing charges of rape. It is alleged that the two suspects raped two eight year-old girls who are biological daughters of the ANC executive member. SABC Reporter, Mthobisi Mkhaliphi was in court and filed this report...