Newsbreak

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - The continued lockdown due to COVID19 has caused stress and frustration for many who may have lost their jobs or loved ones - while feeling as if they cannot cope. The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) will host a free question and answer session with an occupational therapist this afternoon at 1pm. Operations...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Taresh Harreeparshad - The Constitutional Court has declared parts of the Electoral Act unconstitutional - meaning an independent candidate is allowed to contest for national and provincial elections without being a member of a political party. The case was brought by civil society organisation the "New Nation Movement" and others. They sought...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Taresh Harreeparshad - General practitioner visits are on the decline as patients are afraid that they might catch COVID-19 in waiting rooms. That's according to a medical poll conducted by Pharma Dynamics among GP's. It found that, among others, cardiology consultations dropped by 90%. Medical consultant Dr Anna-Marie Grebe says medical practi...

SABC News and Current Affairs — Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says learners and teachers are adjusting well to the COVID-19 environment in schools since they re-opened on Monday. There were concerns over the department's readiness for the resumption of classes as the numbers of coronavirus infections escalate. Motshekga visited three schools in Midrand, north of Johannesburg yesterday t...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - Oceanview Primary at Chatsworth South of Durban has also closed its doors after a teacher tested positive for coronavirus. Apollo Secondary, Clairwood Secondary, Savannah Park Secondary and Deccan Road Primary were the other schools that shut their doors for deep-cleaning and sanitization. Staff and learners at Oceanview Primar...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak producer, Rachel Vadi - KwaZulu-Natal Department MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Bheki Ntuli says it is very worrying that within 10 days of the un-banning of the sale of alcohol during COVID-19 lockdown level 4 and 5, that there have been 63 fatalities and 5 crashes on KZN's roads. MEC Ntuli was reacting to a multi-car pile-up at Jozini in KwaZ...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Rachel Vadi - Yet another school, had to close its doors to education, as a teacher tested positive for coronavirus in KwaZulu Natal. Deccan Road Primary School in Pietermaritzburg suspended lessons just two days after schools across South Africa re-opened amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Community activist and chairperson of the Pietermaritzburg Ga...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Taresh Harreeparshad - Members of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature will compile a report to handover to the Department of Basic Education about how the resumption of schools are progressing. While many schools in the province are adjusting well after opening amid the COVID-19 pandemic - gaps have been identified in the system. These include provis...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Taresh Harreeparshad - Gauteng Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure MEC - Jacob Mamabolo says they have started a process with scholar transport operators to build a recognised relationship. He says they have registered about 5000 operators now to form a database of scholar transport operators...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Taresh Harreeparshad - The Midrand Learner Transport Association is not operational as schools have re-opened. The Association says they have not been given sufficient support by government- and are therefore unable to provide their services until they get proper recognition. Spokesperson Brian Govender...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Rachel Vadi - As COVID-19 grips humanity in health, economic and social uncertainty - the world's oceans may have just had time to recover from years of damage and pollution. This is according to conservation strategist at the South African Association for Marine Biological Research - Dr Judy Mann. She says small parts of the ocean could have s...

SABC News and Current Affairs — Smokers in South Africa are waiting with bated breath for the high court in Pretoria to deliver judgement on the Fair Trade Independent Tobacco Association's case to un-ban the sale of tobacco products. FITA took the government to court saying Regulation 27 of the Disaster Management Act was "irrational" and that no consideration was given to the impact on people's...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrhaim - Business travellers using airports for domestic flights have been urged to arrive at least two hours before boarding time. This is the message from the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) . They say operations are in place to service passengers, but significant changes have been implemented to ensure airports play their part i...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Taresh Harreeparshad - Scholars have not had too much of an impact on taxi operations in local communities. Chatsworth Minibus Association' Leon Loganathan adds that if a taxi driver is found in contravention of COVID-19 regulations, they will revoke their permits...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producers Matthew Veeran and Hoosen Ebrahim - The South African Hindu Maha Saba have reacted to what they deem an "unwarranted and vicious attack" on Hinduism by Evangelist Simeon Bradley Chetty. The Chatsworth preacher took to Facebook recently to share a video of his personal story, where he converted from Hinduism to Christianity. His comments sparke...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - The Department of Basic Education say they are concerned about more schools closing just days after resuming lessons due to positive COVID19 cases. Savannah Park Secondary at Chatsworth south of Durban has become the second school in the area to shut their doors following Apollo Secondary closing on Monday after staff tested po...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Rachel Vadi - Newsbreak also canvassed the views of various principals from schools within the eThekwini Municipality KZN principals . Here's Mrs. Govender - from Sterngrove Primary School in Phoenix, north of Durban and Mr J.S. Govender from Wingen Heights Secondary School in Chatsworth, south of Durban...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producers Rachel Vadi and Matthew Veeran - It's a big congratulations to three of our Newsbreak staff, who will be conferred with post-graduate degrees at Durban University of Technology's Virtual Graduation today. Newsbreak Talk presenter Taresh Harreeparshad and Newsbreak presenter Tashlan Naidoo will each receive their Bachelor of Technology (BTech)...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education - Kwazi Mshengu says the two schools that have been closed in the province due to staff members testing positive for COVID19 are being de-contaminated and will re-open soon. On Monday, the Apollo Secondary School at Chatsworth, south of Durban closed, while Clairwood Secondary School in Durban cl...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - Medium-sized businesses have been the worst affected by the national lock-down over the loss of sales and the management of their staff. This is according to consulting firm "JKH" - which represents around 15,000 medium-sized enterprise in South Africa. Spokesperson Jonathan Kingsley-Hall says the lockdown and risk-adjusted str...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - While non-contact sports have been permitted to train under lockdown level three - a passionate Karate teacher has taken to the virtual world to ensure her students stay on track. Sensei Govender has for over a month been holding online karate sessions for her students aged between 5 and 40-years-old. In this week's Techno Touc...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - The South African National Parks or SANPARKS - has opened its gates at selected parks around the country for day visitors and self-drive excursions. This after two months of being closed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. SANParks spokesperson, Rey Thakhuli told Newsbreak that strict conditions have been implemented, togethe...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Rachel Vadi - Members of the KwaZulu-Natal Parliament have been deployed to various parts of the province to conduct oversight visits to determine school readiness in terms of learners going back to school post lockdown level 5 and 4. Member of the KZN Provincial Parliament, Les Govender has visited schools in Chatsworth and Umlazi, both south...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Rachel Vadi - Hundreds of events around the world usually marks World Oceans Day on 8 June - with beach cleanups the most popular one. But this year, with many countries around the world under lockdown due to the coronavirus, many organisations are celebrating World Ocean's Day - online. Conservation Strategist at the South African Association...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - The US consul-general in South Africa believes there needs to be more conversations between governments in a bid to rid society of racism and oppression. US-Consul General in KwaZulu-Natal, Sherry Zalika Sykes says she is happy that South Africans are speaking out against racial oppression after the murder of African American,...