Newsbreak

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Rachel Vadi - The eThekwini Municipality is providing relief for ratepayers that may have incurred arrears during the last three months of lockdown. Municipality Spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela says ratepayers have until the end of the month to apply for the COVID-19 special relief payment. What residents can now do is to enter into a credit agr...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Matthew Veeran - Pietermaritzburg has been selected as an International City of Peace - one of 272 cities worldwide and the only one selected in South Africa. Each "City of Peace" is awarded the title for its sterling efforts in community peace-building. Pietermaritzburg is the capital of KwaZulu-Natal and is known for it's rich history and var...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Executive Producer Salma Patel - Organ donation can help many people live better and longer. One such patient is 50-year-old Pravina Vather of Pietermaritzburg - who became the first heart transplant recipient in the country to fall pregnant AND successfully deliver a baby. Vather celebrates the 21st anniversary of her heart transplant this year AND her...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - The Apollo Secondary School in Chatsworth, south of Durban has been closed after a staff member tested positive for the coronavirus. Reports suggest the teacher had been at school last week, before experiencing symptoms of the virus. As a precautionary measure, the school has been shut down with staff and other employee's under...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - Principal of the Solvista Secondary, in Phoenix north of Durban - D.R. Naidoo, says it was smooth sailing for close to 200 matric learners at the school. Solvista Secondary has produced some of the country's top achievers and scored a 99% matric pass rate in 2016. Naidoo explains the "new normal" that learners will have to adhe...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Rachel Vadi - Shrouded in controversy over health care issues, many schools are opening their doors today amid the current COVID-19 pandemic. HOWEVER - a group of learners from Greenbury Secondary School in Phoenix, north of Durban have decided to take matters into their own hands and help themselves. The Rotary "Interact Club" are embarking on...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Rachel Vadi - With more police officers and personal testing positive for the coronavirus, the Phoenix Police Station was closed once again during the week. KZN police spokesperson, Brigadier Jay Naicker says they expect the station to be fully operational once again from today. Brigadier Naicker says all officers are being regularly tested and...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producers Taliesha Naidoo and Tashlan Naidoo - In our 1860 commemoration this week, we look into the history of the Indian classical dance industry, how it came to South Africa, evolved and continues to create social cohesion in many communities for close to two centuries. This November will mark 160 years since the Indian indentured labourers came to t...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Taliesha Naidoo - The national lockdown is cutting the hopes of survival for the hair and beauty industry in the country. Hair salons, beauty therapists and cosmetology studios have been closed since March 27, when the nationwide lockdown came into effect. Since then, nearly 70,000 people have signed an online petition launched by the Employers...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Taliesha Naidoo - Four people have been killed in a collision at Madadeni near Newcastle in the north of KwaZulu-Natal. The tragic crash involved three light motor vehicles. One passenger sustained critical injuries and is being treated at a local hospital. KZN police are investigating the cause of the accident. Emergency Medical Rescue Service...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - Some unemployed South Africans are frustrated and have expressed disappointment with the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), after not receiving their R350 social relief grant payments. Some say that they've applied for the grant over a month ago and still have not received any feedback from SASSA...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Matthew Veeran - The Fair-Trade Independent Tobacco Association (FITA) say their appeal against the ban on tobacco sales is due to be heard at the Pretoria High Court from next week Tuesday. FITA want wants the court to set aside the ban on tobacco sales that was implemented by government at the start of lockdown - over 70 days ago. The current...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Taresh Harreeparshad - Early Childhood Development - or ECD centres are being better capacitated this Child Protection Week. The Department of Social Development has partnered with the Nelson Mandela Foundation to assist unregistered ECD centres to comply with minimum standards as per the Childrens Act. Chief Director of ECD, Isabella Sekawana...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Taresh Harreeparshad - The newborn baby that was found abandoned in Chatsworth yesterday will fall under the care of the Chatsworth Child Welfare. That's according to chairperson Logan Naidoo. Yesterday the baby boy was found on Havenside Drive by local residents. Police have opened a case of child abandonment and placed the baby in the care of...

SABC News and Current Affairs — Government will appeal the judgement handed down in the North Gauteng High Court, that lockdown regulations which kicked in for level 4 and 3 are invalid and unconstitutional. This was announced by Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu following a cabinet meeting specially convened to discuss the matter in Pretoria yesterday. Busi Chimombe reports...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Taresh Harreeparshad/Tashlan Naidoo- A young medical doctor tragically passed away after the vehicle he was traveling in veered of the roadway and crashed into a tree on Northern Drive at Phoenix north of Durban. Dr Viraag Hansrajh and his passenger succumbed to their injuries and died on scene during the early hours of this morning.

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel -Continuing to carve his mark in the culinary industry is Director of the South African Chefs Association, Coovashan Pillay. SA Chefs is a non-profit industry body that represents the interests of chefs, cooks and caterers at all levels, with a focus on skills development, the celebration of culinary professionals and transformin...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Taresh harreeparshad - The woman who found the baby, Gugu Mbulu, says when she saw the little bundle of joy- he was laying naked in the cold, with umbilical chord still attached. She says she just prayed that she could save his life...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Taresh Harreeparshad -A new born baby boy was abandoned on the side of Havenside Drive in Chatsworth, south of Durban this morning. According to police- the baby was discovered by passers by. The baby was rescued by community members and immediately handed-over to the South African Police Services on the scene. Police spokesperson Nqobile Gwala...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - The National Chairperson of the South African Medical Association (SAMA) - Dr. Angelique Coetzee says that the judgement is in line with the National Department of Health guidelines on how to treat patients who are positive with COVID-19...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Taresh Harreeparshad - COVID-19 patients may not be forced into state quarantine facilities. This follows a Pretoria High Court ruling yesterday. The case was brought forward by lobby group AfriForum - who argued that forcing a patient to quarantine in a state facility was an abuse of state power. The Department of Cooperative Government and Tr...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - Learning institutions and businesses that want to get the most production done under the current lockdown can take advantage of Veedo - a reverse billed, data free video conferencing system. The newly launched system works in the same way a toll free line would - you call and the charge goes to the said company. Partnering comp...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - There has been widespread confusion regarding the announcement that recreational fishing is now permitted under lockdown level three. The announcement was confirmed by Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Barbara Creecy earlier this week. While the regulations have been announced, it has not yet been gazetted, meaning t...

SABC News and Current Affairs — By Newsbreak Producer Taresh Harreeparshad - The inequalities shown during the COVID-19 pandemic is an example of why the "Black Lives Matter" movement is critical to address. That's according to political analyst Dr. Rama Naidoo. The Black Lives Matter awareness movement gained mass traction on social media - after an unarmed black man named George Floyd was killed...

SABC News and Current Affairs — by Newsbreak Producer, Tashlan Naidoo - Meanwhile...KwaZulu-Natal Education department spokesperson Kwazi Mthethwa defended the amounts paid for the various PPE, saying the pricing guidelines came from national treasury...