The Weekend View

Dozens of university  campuses across the United States were THIS WEEK taken over by students protesting against the war in Gaza. More than a thousand demonstrators have been arrested in the protests, as universities and police struggle to deal with dismantling student camps. Students have launched rallies, sit-ins, hunger strikes and, most recently, encampments against the war demanding that thei...

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has lambasted the Democratic Alliance for what it calls an attack on workers rights. The DA, in its economic policy, proposes to scrap or phase out the national minimum wage. The party this week also staged a protest outside COSATU's headquarters in Johannesburg, opposing the minimum wage. The party asserts that should they win in the upcoming Ma...

In our Sunday Morning discussion we explore the impact of vandalism and theft on public infrastructure and what needs to be done about it. To discuss this Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Mthobeli Kolisa, Chief Officer for Infrastructure Delivery, Spatial Transformation & Sustainability at the SA Local Government Association - SALGA - and Chumile Sali from ASIVIKELANE, an initiative that gives a voice t...

After successful performances in 15 countries over the past 17 years, one of the Philippine's longest running theatre shows is finally making its way to the South African stage. Siddhartha the Musical is set to perform at the Joburg Theatre on the 11th and 12th of May. The already fully booked show will be free to the public. There will, however, be several other performances at various schools in...

Section 27, Equal Education, and the Legal Resources Centre are urging Parliament to reinstate clauses in the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill to prevent unfair discrimination in language and admissions policies against learners and hinder their access to public schools. The organizations, in a statement, says that the proposed changes by the National Council of Provinces will water down import...

 Israeli officials are increasingly concerned that the International Criminal Court - ICC - is planning to seek arrest warrants for their military and political leaders on suspicion of war crimes. Reports suggest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could be among them. The ICC has been investigating Israel's actions in the occupied territories for the past three years and recently the war in Gaza wh...

Registered voters had an extended deadline of MIDNIGHT last night to apply for special votes. The application process was open to voters who can't travel to their voting station on election day because they are physically infirm, disabled or pregnant, or are unable vote at their voting station on election day. The Electoral Commission had earlier distanced itself from a widely circulated message c...

Health and safety is an important component of all workplaces and the South African legislation creates certain obligations on employers to create a safe workplace and to report on any injuries during the course and scope of work. The Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA) has recently had several amendments which will be coming into law shortly. On Wednesday, South Africa...

The ANC's relationship with its former President Jacob Zuma has been ruptured, according to Zuma's predecessor.  Former president Thabo Mbeki says Zuma has betrayed the liberation movement and must no longer be considered a comrade. Mbeki was in Soshanguve,Tshwane to persuade voters to give the ANC another chance. Zara Groenewald file this report.

The World Food Programme is sounding the alarm that time is running out to prevent starvation in Darfur, Sudan where intensifying clashes around El-Fashir are preventing efforts to deliver life-saving humanitarian aid. In a briefing from Nairobi to Correspondents in New York, WFP Spokesperson for Sudan Leni Kinzli said civilians in the region were already facing devastating levels of food insecuri...

A massive increase in the number of vacant teaching posts should be a significant concern for every parent of a school going learner. This is according to Paul Esterhuizen, CEO of School-Days who also believes that the high number of vacant teaching posts is a self-inflicted one and South Africans need to hold ministers accountable. Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga recently revealed that...

The 2024 City Nature Challenge is in full swing THIS WEEKEND during which a series of nature walks and events have been organised throughout the challenge which started on Friday and ends TOMORROW. Originating as a friendly competition between San Francisco and Los Angeles in the US in 2016, the challenge has blossomed into a worldwide phenomenon, with cities across the globe joining forces to obs...

South Africa's journey toward democracy began in the early 1990s with the end of the apartheid era. This era marked a significant shift in the country's political landscape, with the setting aside of racial segregation and acceptance of multiracial democracy. On April 27 1994, the first democratic elections were held after which Nelson Mandela, became the first black president. This election was t...

Thirty years since the dawn of democracy in South Africa and in a year of national elections, UNICEF South Africa has just released a manifesto calling for children and young people, to be put front and center in the country's development. Under the theme -  'Manifesto for Every Child in South Africa 2024: Time to PROTECT and PRIORITIZE, the manifesto urges government, the private sector, academia...

 Mamelodi Sundowns' search for continental glory came crumbling down LAST night after the they lost 1 -nil against Tunisian giants Esperance in the second leg of the CAF Champions League semi-final played at Loftus Versfelfd Stadium in Pretoria LAST NIGHT. Esperance went into the game with a slender 1-0 lead from the first leg in Tunis last weekend. Esperance will go head-to-head in two legs of th...

As South Africa marks 30 years of Democracy TODAY, SABC News is gearing up to launch a programme dedicated to marking this important milestone. In the build-up to the first episode of the SABC News' Democracy 30 Project, The Weekend View looks at what South Africa looked like in the days leading to 27th April 1994. Despite incidents of violence and bomb blasts in certain parts of the country, poli...

The Mayor of New York City Eric Adams has hoisted South Africa's flag at a ceremony marking the 30 years of freedom and democracy in the Big Apple. The event, hosted by the Consulate General of South Africa and the Mayor's Office for International Affairs, saw the country's colours emblazoned in lower Manhattan with music and entertainment that was unmistakably Mzansi. Sherwin Bryce-Pease reports.

Mamelodi Sundowns went down 1-nil against Tunisian giants Esperance in the first leg of the CAF Champions League semi-final played in Tunis LAST NIGHT. The two clubs are battling for a place in the final of the Champions League in a two-legged affair. The return leg will be played at Loftus Versfelfd Stadium in Pretoria, next Friday. On top of that -- Sundowns and Esperance are also fighting for a...

Tributes continue to pour in for the struggle stalwart Dr Motsoko Pheko who passed away on Friday at the age of 93. The former PAC leader was a renowned lawyer, author theologian, academic and historian.  Dr Pheko served as the party's member of parliament for ten years, and served in different portfolio committees including Foreign Affairs and Safety and Security. President Cyril Ramaphosa has ex...

Ahead of South Africa's national elections on the 29th of May, citizens are imploring political parties to make the energy crisis a top priority in their election agenda.  According to a recent survey conducted by Nguvu Collective, 85.5% of respondents chose load shedding as the topmost issue that needs immediate resolution. The survey also revealed that load shedding is a key deterrent for women'...

The United States rejected a fairly broad consensus in the Security Council on THURSDAY when it vetoed a draft resolution that would have recommended the State of Palestine's full membership to the United Nations. Twelve countries including Russia, France and China backed the measure which drew two abstentions from the United Kingdom and Switzerland. But it was left to Washington's veto to sink an...

The world's largest election got underway in India on YESTERDAY. The election - which will be held in several phases across two months - will see nearly 1 billion eligible voters cast their ballot. It's widely expected incumbent Prime Minister - Narendra Modi - will win but the opposition claims the polls are already not free and fair. Neha Poonia has more from New Delhi. 

Explosions that echoed over the Iranian city of Isfahan YESTERDAY were described as an Israeli attack, but Tehran has been playing down the incident and indicating it has no plans for retaliation - a response that appeared gauged towards averting region-wide war. Iran media reports say 3 drones were shot down. The limited scale of the attack and Iran's muted response both appeared to signal a succ...

Ahead of World Creativity and Innovation Day TOMORROW, Aware.org,  an organisation dedicated to promoting and supporting the responsible use of alcohol, has unveiled an innovative digital tool called The Drunk Goggles simulator. It is designed to help South Africans understand the dangers of drinking and driving and encourage them to prioritise safety by only driving sober. The simulator uses cutt...

It seems to have become the order of the day for South African political parties to want to become embroiled in workplace issues. This initially gained prominence with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), which involved itself in the affairs of two companies, the Calgan Lounge in 2018 and Gordon Road Spar in 2021- and to which the Labour Court took a strong stance. According to law firm, Cliffe De...