The Weekend View

Mozambique's police chief Bernadino Rafael has been sacked, following allegations of brutality during October's disputed election and its aftermath. He has denied claims by prominent opposition figures that he had worked with criminal groups to kidnap and kill  close to 300 civilian protesters in recent months. The country's new President Daniel Chapo, who took office last week, announced Raf...

The Furore over the 30 percent matric pass mark continued THIS WEEK with Build One South Africa - BOSA - leader Mmusi Maimane announcing that his party had joined hands with some of those who are calling on government to scrap the system. Maimane says  a 30% pass mark does not prepare learners to be ready for employment after school. He says he has received a petition signed by some parents a...

A new year of lunar exploration kicked off THIS WEEK, when two robotic landers and a small rover began their journeys to the moon. A SpaceX rocket lifted off on Wednesday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, launching two separate, uncrewed missions to the lunar surface. One of the missions, Blue Ghost, was developed by a US -based company Firefly Aerospace while the other mission, Resilienc...

South Africa has been facing a severe unemployment crisis that affects millions, particularly the youth, for nearly a decade. And so it comes as no surprise that there is also a crippling shortage of medical professionals with experts in the field saying this is unacceptable.  The shortage results in a strained healthcare system. Dr Bulela Vava, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity in South Afri...

A ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas is set to come into effect THIS MORNING with a hostage release to follow hours later, opening the way to a possible end to a 15-month war that has upended the Middle East. While the ceasefire deal has been welcomed around the globe,  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu LAST NIGHT threatened to resume the war against Hamas should talks for a s...

TOMORROW (January 20),  Donald Trump will assume the presidency of the United States of America for the second time. The world will be keenly watching the changing of the guard between the returning president and Joe Biden as he has already promised to "make heads spin" with the speed of his decision-making immediately after his inauguration. Many of Trump's initial orders are expected to foc...

With the resurgence of online shopping in South Africa, online shoppers  are being urged to remain vigilant as online scams are on the rise. Industry experts say fraudulent activity has increased across the country. With platforms like Temu and Shein, criminals have found new opportunities to exploit unsuspecting consumers. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Garry Marshall, CEO of the South African Expre...

Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF party THIS WEEK announced a plan to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa's term in office by two years until 2030. A Zanu PF parliamentarian on WEDNESDAY confirmed that efforts are being made by the ruling party and a faction of the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) to amend the Zimbabwe Constitution in order to extend the term of office of the president. The...

Police ended their rescue operation at the abandoned Stilfontein mine in the North West THIS WEEK, bringing out all the survivors and retrieving all the bodies after hundreds of miners were trapped for months in the mine while working illegally. Police announced on Thursday that 246 survivors had been rescued and 78 miners were confirmed dead. The announcement brought a sudden end to a disaster th...

The announced closure of ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA), long steel production from the Newcastle blast furnace could significantly affect the South African automotive sector, a cornerstone of the country's economy. That is according to the National Association of Automotive Component and Allied Manufacturers. NAACAM says AMSA's short-notice announcement that the plant will close at the end of...

Spanish football giants, Real Madrid Foundation, in partnership with Generation Schools, is launching their world-renowned football academy in Imhoff, Cape Town. Enrolments for the 2025 academic year will open soon. The partnership marks a significant milestone in South African sports education, as the academy will be offering young athletes the opportunity to experience elite-level training guide...

The Netball Proteas will play a three match series against Jamaica kicking off TODAY in the capital, Kingston. This is a start of two important overseas tours which will see the Proteas going to England after facing the third ranked side in the world, Jamaica. To talk about this we have roped in Netball Analyst Sandisiwe Guzana 

The Foundation for Education and Social Justice Africa says it  has received an alarming number of reports of under and unqualified educators, including students, hired to teaching posts at some independent or private schools across the country.  As the new academic year approaches, the foundation is calling on schools across the country to prioritize transparency by disclosing the quali...

Matric results are expected TOMORROW, and while there's much excitement, there will be those who will not succeed on their first attempt. For some,  failing matric is unbearable and they resort to taking their own lives. But with  proper support systems in place , learners can overcome such setbacks and achieve their goals. For example, the Department of Basic Education Second Chance Mat...

The ANC must either renew itself or face the risk of perishing. These are the words of ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa who delivered the party's January 8 Statement at the Nelson Mandela Park in Khayelitsha in Cape Town on Saturday (11 January). The ANC's annual January 8 Statement comes at a time where the party has lost its electoral majority for the first time in thirty years. However, Ramaphosa...

The news of the winding up of ArcelorMittal South Africa long steel business operations in Newcastle Works and Vereeniging , does not bode well for the South African industrialization agenda. This is according to Don Consultancy Group , Chief Economist , Chifi Mhango. The closure set to take effect at the end of January, will result in approximately 3,500 direct job losses, with industry experts w...

The ANC's deputy Secretary General, Nomvula Mokonyane, says it is all systems go for the party's 113 celebration in Cape Town TODAY. The event, where ANC President Cryil Ramaphosa will deliver the party's January 8th statement, will take place in Khayelitsha, just outside Cape Town. Mokonyane spoke to the media after a site visit to the Mandela Park sports field, where the event will be held. The...

The National Financial Ombud Scheme has sent out a warning following a spike in fraudulent transactions due to the ease of use of tap-and-go bank cards.  The Scheme's bank division is now asking bank card users to be vigilant as fraudsters may try to use the tap-and-go function on cards and phones to make unauthorised transactions. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to  Nerosha Maseti ,Lead Ombud for t...

Police in Johannesburg are still on the lookout for up to 30 men whom they believe escaped through a smashed window before police swooped on a suburban home housing trafficked foreign nationals. This after they managed to rescue 26 undocumented Ethiopian nationals who were being held captive without clothes at the house by suspected human traffickers. According to preliminary information from the...

Gauteng traffic police are on high alert TODAY as holidaymakers continue to return to the province and their places of work this weekend. The N1, N3, N4 and N14 into Gauteng are expected to be busy throughout the day. Law enforcement say they will intensify focus on public transport and visibility. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Gauteng Traffic police spokesperson Sello Maremane 

The Border Management Authority - BMA - is THIS WEEKEND turning it's full attention to the northern border with Zimbabwe, a hotbed of illegal migration and goods smuggling.  The authority has pledged to manage the increase in the number of travellers returning to South Africa through the Beitbridge Border Post in Musina and is also using drones to prevent people from entering the country ille...

Many families had added cheer during the festive season when they welcomed new babies over Christmas and New year. But with the bundles of joy also came some unsavoury news that among the new mothers were scores of teenagers under the age of 16, with the youngest being a 12-year-old girl from the Eastern Cape who gave birth on New Year's Day. A 13-year-old also became a mother on Christmas Day in...

Orlando Pirates secured a 3-0 victory over Stade d'Abidjan in their CAF Champions League group stage clash at Orlando Stadium in Soweto LAST NIGHT. A first-half strike from Relebohile Mofokeng and second-half goals from Patrick Maswanganyi and Deon Hotto earned the Buccaneers three crucial points at home. After beating the Ivorians, Pirates have ascended to the summit of the league table, amassing...

The city of Cape Town will today host the iconic Tweede Nuwe Jaar Street Parade. Following the Klopse Jol at Athlone Stadium, the parade promises a spectacular display of vibrant costumes, ghoema beats, and electrifying performances as 20,000 performers from 18 troupes march from District Six to Bo-Kaap. With up to 100,000 spectators, this event celebrates Cape Town's rich cultural heritage, roote...

TODAY is World Braille Day. It is observed annually on January 4th to highlight the significance of braille as a vital communication tool for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. The United Nations General Assembly officially recognized this day in 2019, coinciding with the birthday of Louis Braille, the inventor of the braille system. However, here in South Africa, the blind community...