The Weekend View

President Cyril Ramaphosa says plans are underway to build heroes acre to honour its stalwarts. Ramaphosa addressed the home-coming ceremony in Freedom Park in Pretoria on FRIDAY to honour liberation fighters who passed away in exile in Zambia and Zimbabwe. The remains of 42 struggle heroes have been brought back to the country. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to PAC Treasurer General and Veteran Jaki Seroke...

It's another bumber sporting Saturday with the highly anticipated Betway Premiership clash between Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg. Kick off is at 3pm. TODAY's highlight is the Rugby Championship clash between the Springboks and Argentina in Mbombela, a match that promises to be historic for both South African rugby and lock Eben Etzebeth. The fixture will not on...

The MK Party has dismissed the decision of the Western Cape High Court stopping it's Parliamentary leader Dr. John Hlophe from serving on the Judicial Service Commission as politically driven. In a statement released YESTERDAY evening, the party says it will appeal what it called a 'horror' judgement. It says it will do whatever is necessary to prevent the sitting of the JSC scheduled for Monday 7...

As part of celebrations to mark the soon to end Heritage month, the University of Johannesburg's Food Evolution Research Laboratory hosted a seminar to seek ways of decolonising South African cuisine. The seminar, held at the School of Tourism and Hospitality, was showcasing the nutritional benefits of indigenous foods, and encouraging their wider consumption. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Food Evolution...

Lebanon has warned that Israeli attacks on the country may lead to an "unprecedented" and "devastating" regional war. This after a top Hezbollah military commander was killed in an Israeli air strike on the Lebanese capital Beirut on Friday, in a major escalation that has added to fears of an all-out war. Lebanese officials said at least 14 people were killed and dozens injured in the strike that...

Humanitarian aid organisation, UNICEF,  says school-age children between 5 and 19 years old now account for 33 per cent of mpox cases in Burundi, presenting a new challenge as families prepare for the new school year. It says the rising number of mpox cases among children in Burundi, including children under five, is deeply concerning, and protecting them is its top priority. UNICEF is now scaling...

Los Pumas secured a slim victory over the Springboks with a 29-28 win in a historic Rugby Championship match in Santiago del Estero, Argentina early THIS MORNING. The Boks were undefeated in the tournament until this game. The Boks needed a victory to secure the Rugby Championship title but will now have to hold off Argentina in next weekend's final game in Mbombela. Meanwhile here at home, a long...

The N3 has been REOPENED to clear traffic along Van Reenen as the snow that trapped motorists has reportedly claimed one life. The N3 Toll Concession released a statement LAST NIGHT saying N3 Route Services has now commenced to slowly escort stranded road users out of the area in the southbound lanes towards KwaZulu-Natal. It said graders and rescue teams are continuing to clear a safe passage for...

September marks Heritage Month where South Africa celebrates the nation's diverse culture and rich heritage. This years, the commemoration is under the theme ,  Celebrating the lives of our heroes and heroines who laid down their lives for our freedom. This morning though, we highlight the importance of preserving and appreciating our heritage sites. To unpack this Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Dr. Jane...

Wanted fugitive Michael Lomas, was YESTERDAY successfully extradited back to South Africa and was formally charged for his alleged crimes. A former Eskom employee Lomas was wanted for fraud and corruption in-excess of 1.5 billion-rand, that happened between 2008 and 2018 at the Kusile Power station. He was previously arrested and was granted bail, before fleeing to the UK. He was arrested in Londo...

INTRO:  It's a  'Super Saturday' of rugby TODAY as the Springboks play their penultimate Castle Lager Rugby Championship clash against Los Pumas in Santiago del Estero, Argentina TONIGHT. Boks Coach Rassie Erasmus has made 10 changes to his starting team. A win would be the sixth in succession in the Rugby Championship, which would be the Boks' longest winning run in the competition. The game kick...

There's been mixed reaction to the South African Reserve Bank decision to cut its repo rate by 25 basis points with some welcoming the relief but expressing disappointment at the modest scale. This is the first cut since the Covid-19 global economic fallout four-and-a-half years ago. The repo rate will now be at 8% while the prime lending rate will come down to 11.50%. Meanwhile the automobile ind...

To explore how best should South Africa remember and honour Pravin Gordhan Bongiwe Zwane spoke to political analyst Professor Ntsikelelo Breakfast AND  Neeshan Balton, Executive Director at the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation 

Russian President Vladimir Putin THIS WEEK warned that  any attack on his country by Ukraine using missiles supplied by Western nations is tantamount to NATO directly entering the war.  He said any such move will receive the appropriate response. Ukraine's western allies have long resisted giving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy the green light to use their long-range ballistics against for...

A recent global survey conducted by Theirworld , a global children's charity organisation, has revealed that South Africa faces an urgent crisis in early childhood development. According to the report , 38% of South African primary school teachers believe most children are not developmentally ready when they start school and this places South Africa's children at a significant disadvantage compare...

President Cyril Ramaphosa YESTERDAY officially signed the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) policy into law. The BELA Bill, as it was previously known, makes changes to the South African Schools Act of 1996.  The  act introduces new regulations around schools in South Africa, most notably in relation to compulsory schooling from Grade R, language policies and curriculums, and prohibition of co...

The ANC, PAC, Rise Mzansi and Action SA have lauded Gordhan's fight against corruption while at the helm of the department of public enterprises. During his tenure at the department, Gordhan was responsible for overseeing entities such as Eskom, Transnet, Denel and SAA, amongst others. However, the EFF says that the former Minister's legacy was one filled with the destruction of state owned enterp...

Black Sash in partnership with the London School of Economics, Stellenbosch University Law Clinic, and the National Financial Ombud Scheme South Africa THIS WEEK launched the "Collaborations to curb indebtedness" report in Johannesburg. The report seeks to highlight the issue of indebtedness and makes recommendations to curb involuntary indebtedness, especially among social grant recipients. For m...

Early this year , the Mexican Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice published its annual ranking report of the 50 most violent cities in the world. The report ranked Nelson Mandela Bay (Gqeberha) as the most dangerous city in South Africa,  leaping past Cape Town and Durban.   Meanwhile, announcing the quarterly crime statistics last Friday,  National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola...

TODAY is International Literacy Day and the day is of particular importance to South Africa, a country plagued by a literacy crisis. A recent study has shown that most children in SA are not developmentally ready when they start school. To address this non-profit organisation, Santa Shoebox Project, is installing reading corners in early childhood development centres countrywide. Equipped with a r...

The Springboks came from behind to win 18-12  the All Blacks at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town YESTERDAY. Victory ensured a fourth straight win for the Springboks over the All Blacks for the first time since 1949, secured the Freedom Cup for the first time since 2009 and gave the Boks a firm grasp on their first Rugby Championship title since 2019. and they did this while allowing the HAKA to take p...

President Cyril Ramaphosa was THIS WEEK on a State Visit to China, before he attended the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit which drew around 50 African heads of State to Beijing. Several trade deals were clinched between South Africa and China during the tour. During the summit Chinese President Xi Jinping, pledged $50 billion (over R900 billion) in investment and assistance packages to th...

Parliament's Justice and Constitutional Development committee says it will among other things, seek legal opinion while processing the information given by Minister Thembi Simelane to the committee. Simelane YESTERDAY denied allegations that she had an improper relationship the service provider that was appointed by the Polokwane Municipality, Gundo Wealth Solutions, when she was still Mayo in 201...

The reintroduction of the Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill in Parliament THIS WEEK has unleashed a chorus of warnings by those against the Bill. The Bill is proposing new legislation that will regulate the sale, advertising and use of tobacco products. Critics argue that the Bill is likely to push consumers towards harmful illicit markets. They also say the Bill lac...

South Africans are being urged to be cautious and withdraw from their retirement savings only for emergencies. Financial experts and political parties say citizens will do well to keep in mind that a withdrawal from the savings pot will reduce the final total amount available at retirement and may result in a reduced standard of living.