The Weekend View

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has resorted to drastic action to stop the widespread poaching of rhinos in the region. They have started an immediate programme to dehorn hundreds of rhinos in the province's largest rhino reserve. This follows the killing of 325 rhinos in the province last year, with more than 300 of the animals poached in the Hluhluwe-uMfolozi Park alone. The KZN slaughter accounted for ne...

The Umkhonto WeSizwe Party - MKP- has expressed disappointment after the Electoral Commission of South Africa announced that it had approached the Constitutional Court to appeal the Electoral Court ruling, which found former president Jacob Zuma can run for elections despite a 15-month prison sentence. The party has accused the IEC of going out of its way to exclude Zuma from the ballot saying the...

Several opposition parties were THIS WEEK left hot under the collar after fellow opposition and DA leader John Steenhuisen labelled some of them as 'popcorn parties' and  ' mercenaries " for campaigning in Western Cape. Parties such as Rise Mzansi, GOOD and ActionSA were not impressed by the comments and had a few unkind words for the DA leader. Steenhuisen's attack on smaller opposition parties c...

 There is nothing inherently socially beneficial about taxes. Taxes are the legal codification of a long-standing social norm: that citizens should contribute to the common well-being of the society that they live in. This is according to Dr Sansia Blackmore, a Senior Lecturer at the African Tax Institute at the University of Pretoria's Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. She says  taxes...

Johannesburg will host the third edition of the Africa Business Connect forum in  August of  this year. The forum will bring together local and international companies, investors,  economic development stakeholders, as well as government and institutional representatives. It also aims to be a platform dedicated to the promotion of business opportunities to participants, access to an international...

Tensions have escalated in the Middle East. This after Iran launched a drone and missile attack on Israel. Witnesses have described the sound of explosions in the skies above Jerusalem as air defences intercepted multiple drones. Israel says it will retaliate. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to SABC's International Editor Sophie Mokoena  .

Ground-breaking DNA study suggests that South African leopards may be unique. This is according to the study on African leopards  published in the journal PeerJ by a team of international scientists led by Professor Yoshan Moodley of the Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture at the University of Venda and Dr Declan Morris of the University of Adelaide,...

The controversial e-tolls on Gauteng highways were finally terminated at midnight on Thursday putting an end to a system many motorists had refused to buy into and pay for in many years. Transport Minister Sindiswa Chikunga and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi led the celebrations as the government officially terminated the e-tolls. On Wednesday, Chikunga confirmed that e-tolls would be scrapped but...

The City of Johannesburg took the fight back to the opposition after a row and public outrage erupted THIS WEEK following reports that the city spends over R3 million a month on VIP protection for top officials. The Mayor is reported to have up to 10 bodyguards who work in shifts of 5 each. Among those who are also benefiting from the splurge include the speaker and several MMC's. The DA and Actio...

In these challenging economic times, where consumers are struggling to make ends meet, loyalty programmes have emerged as a lifeline for many. The attraction of these loyalty programmes  lies in their ability to offer tangible benefits that ease financial burdens. These can be  cashback rewards, discounts, or points that can be redeemed for essential items. While these incentives empower consumers...

Limpopo Gambling Board and police THIS WEEK confiscated illegal gambling machines from foreign-owned spaza shops. Five suspects were arrested and were expected to appear in courts in Sekhukhune and Mopani districts. The suppliers of the illegal gambling machines are not known. Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to Limpopo Gambling Board CEO, Gregory Makoko 

 President Cyril Ramaphosa this week (Wednesday) signed the Judicial Matters Amendment Act of 2023 into law. This is in line with recommendations made by the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector, including Organs of State in the Zondo Commission.  Corruption is one of the greatest impediments to the country's growth and develop...

TODAY marks the 30th commemoration of the 1994 Rwanda genocide.  Every year in April, the country enters a 100-day period of commemoration during which Rwandans reflect on historical divisions between the country's main ethnic groups - the Tutsi, Hutu and Twa.   Almost a million men, women and children, mainly ethnic Tutsis but also moderate Hutus, were killed in the 100 day murderous onslaught th...

Government THIS WEEK unveiled a roadmap to end the highly controversial but lucrative captive lion breeding industry. With about 7,800 animals in 348 breeding facilities, South Africa has the largest number of captive lions in the world. Environment Minister Barbara Creecy told a press briefing on Wednesday that, recomendations from a panel of experts she appointed to formulate steps for the indus...

Zimbabwe YESTERDAY introduced a new gold-backed currency called ZiG, which stands for Zimbabwe Gold. Central Bank Governor, John Mushayavanhu said the ZiG would be structured and set at a market-determined exchange rate. This is the latest attempt to try to stabilise an economy that has lurched from crisis to crisis for the past 25 years. The currency replaces a Zimbabwean dollar that has lost thr...

COSATU and its affiliate, the Communications Workers Union YESTERDAY marched to the National Treasury offices in Pretoria in support of workers at the South African Post Office - SAPO - and SABC. Workers at SAPO have been forced to face delays in their salary payments with six-thousand workers also facing retrenchments. Employees of the SABC are still in dispute over the payment of salary increase...

Banyana Banyana lost one-nil to Nigeria in the first leg of the Paris Olympic Qualifier played at the MKO Abiola stadium  in Abuja YESTERDAY evening.  The Super Falcons converted a penalty in the 42nd minute. That match  was not broadcast due to issues outside of the SABC's control. The second leg will be played on Tuesday, at Loftus Versfeld in Tshwane. Banyana Banyana will need to overturn the o...

ActionSA says it will be taking action against South Africa's unregulated polling industry and those in the media who have become enablers of political disinformation under the guise of legitimate polling. The party cites an article published on the 10th of March, it says 3 media outlets published a poll without any reference to the origin of the poll.  Action SA believes that polls in South Afric...

The National Assembly THIS WEEK approved the Expropriation Bill as amended by the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) with a vote of 205 in favour and 108 against. The bill makes provision for the expropriation of property, without compensation, if deemed in the public interest. It's adoption means it will now go straight to the president for signature and on to South Africa's statute books. The...

Starting from TOMORROW Eskom will be implementing  a 12.7% electricity price increase, as approved by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa). The power utility in October 2023 applied to Nersa for the approval of its Retail Tariff and Structural Adjustment Application and the schedule of tariffs for the period from  the first of April 2024 to  the 31st of March 2025. For more Bongiw...

Limpopo MEC of Health, Dr Phophi Ramathuba YESTERDAY verified that the sole survivor of THURSDAY's* tragic bus accident is in good health. Ramathuba also confirmed that nine of the deceased are identifiable, however the remaining bodies would have to undergo DNA analysis. For the latest Bongiwe Zwane spoke to  MEC Ramathuba 

 The Easter holiday has also seen thousands of cross border travellers throng the country's border crossings as they visit neighbouring countries. With it also comes an increase in illegal border crossings, illicit cross border trade and human trafficking. To look at the situation on the county's borders Bongiwe Zwane spoke the Commissioner of the Border Management Authority - BMA , Dr Michael Mas...

The horrific Limpopo accident that killed 45 pilgrims from Botswana on their way to the Easter service in Moria on Thursday evening has highlighted the dangers of holiday driving. Provincial and Metro Police Departments have also been intensifying roadblocks across the country to ensure road safety. Despite their blitz several fatal road accidents have been reported throughout the country.  For th...

How many times have you been really satisfied with the service you get as a consumer? For many of us it's not that many. In this current harsh economic environment one would have thought businesses will go all out to impress their customers to deserve their hard earned cash. Every interaction between a customer and a business holds the potential to either fortify or fracture the relationship. From...

The biggest and popular consumer Lifestyle Exhibition Event in South Africa is in full swing. The Rand Easter Show started on Thursday and ends on Monday April 1st.  The theme for this year is – Bringing Families Together.  Held annually over the Easter period, the family-friendly gathering offers a wide-range of shopping experiences at their various exhibitions. For more Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Ad...