Update@Noon

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan ways of exporting Russian grain via routes "that would not be susceptible to Kyiv and the West's sabotage", Russia's foreign ministry said on Tuesday. A year-old deal to permit Ukraine to export grain from its Black Sea ports despite Russia's war in Ukraine lapsed on Tuesday after Russia suspended its partici...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has officiated at the unveiling of one of two statues of late struggle icon, Nelson Mandela at his birthplace of Qunu, outside Mthatha in the Eastern Cape. Speaking on the statues, Nelson Mandela Museum CEO, Vuyani Booi earlier said the figures aim not only to pay tribute to Mandela, but also to contribute to local economic development and create opportunities for the you...

The two like-minded parties Pan Africanist Congress of Azania and the Azanian People's Organization have joined forces in an attempt to garner support from voters in the upcoming 2024 general elections. The two parties met in a joint Election Summit at the weekend in Johannesburg to map out their election pact for the polls. For a look at how this pact will work and what impact it is expected to h...

The high court in Johannesburg has ruled to invalidate the decisions, resolutions, and election results that arose from the ANC's Ekurhuleni Regional conference held in May 2022. As a consequence, the ANC has been ordered to cover the costs associated with the application. now that the high court has ruled that the ANC conference outcomes be set aside and therefore invalid - what happens next and...

The high court in Pretoria has postponed to Tuesday the trial of 5 men accused of murdering soccer star Senzo Meyiwa. Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng is now taking over and is presiding over the trial.  The trial was postponed last month after judge Tshifhiwa Maumela fell ill and was also suspended following allegations he failed to deliver numerous reserved judgments, with some dating as far back as 201...

A sizeable number of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) college graduates are still waiting for their certificates. Students, mostly from disadvantaged family backgrounds have raised concerns on Update at noon, complaining about the delays in the issuing of their certificates. They allege that some TVET colleges are withholding their certificates due to outstanding fees or at t...

The Constitutional Court says investigations by the suspended Public Protector, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane into President Cyril Ramaphosa could not expose the president to a conflict of interest in her suspension. This is according to Deputy Chief Justice Mandisa Maya who over-turned the decision of the Western Cape High Court which had declared Mkhwebane's suspension as invalid. Ramaphosa had su...

 Police Minister, Bheki Cele together with police commissioner, General Fannie Masemola and his top brass from KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Gauteng have addressed members of the media on the continuing torching of trucks in the various provinces. This follows the latest incident where three trucks were set alight, this time on the N2 between Ermelo and Piet Retief in Mpumalanga. This bri...

The demerit system on licenses back on track after Transport department won with point system in the Constitutional Court. The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has suffered a defeat in its bid to have the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) Act declared invalid and unconstitutional. Outa had won its case in January last year when the Pretoria High Court ruled that bot...

 Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka has gotten the most nominations for the job of the new Public Protector. This is as the ad hoc Committee met this morning to discuss the nominations and applications. The committee has since adopted to publish the list of the nominated individuals for public comment. Ad Hoc Committee chairperson, Cyril Xaba explains.

Three more trucks have been set-alight by unknown suspects along the R574 road between Lydenburg and Sekhukhune in Limpopo. This follows the torching of two more trucks on the N2 between Richards Bay and eMpangeni on the North Coast. Its alleged a group of armed men attacked the truck drivers and robbed them of their belongings while waiting on a queue along the stretch of the freeway. Sakina Kamw...

Police in KwaZulu-Natal are investigating a case of armed robbery, malicious damage to property and attempted murder following the torching of two more trucks on the N2 between Richards Bay and eMpangeni on the North Coast. Its alleged a group of armed men attacked the truck drivers and robbed them of their belongings while waiting on a queue along the stretch of the freeway, torching of six truck...

The South African Post Office has been placed in business rescue by the North Gauteng High Court. This is after it was placed in provisional liquidation in February  due to its failure to pay rent and other liabilities.  Meanwhile, the Acting Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Enoch Godongwana has welcomed the decision of the North Gauteng High Court  and says this decision will...

 The situation in Tshwane University of Technology TUT is quite tense as students have embarked on a protest action, academic activities have been affected from campuses like Soshanguve, Pretoria west and Emalahleni. Student bodies say among their concerns is persistent delays to pay out monthly students allowances by NSFAS. They're calling on the ministry of Higher Education to swiftly intervene....

Johannesburg residents and surroundings are advised to stock up on water ahead of scheduled water cuts. Rand Water will implement a planned maintenance to tie-in two valves from tomorrow to Friday the 14th of July. The 58-hour project will be undertaken to replace multiple valves at the Vereeniging Water Treatment Plant, Eikenhof Booster Pumping Station and Zuikerbosch Water Treatment Plant. The l...

At least five trucks have been set alight in the early hours of the morning on the N4 near Waterval Boven in Mpumalanga. This follows the torching of six other trucks on the N3 in kwaZulu-Natal yesterday, in what has been described as a coordinated attack on the road freight sector. The motive for the attacks is not known but police are investigating. Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to General Secretary...

While a 52-year-old woman awaits to be sentenced in the Ermelo magistrate's court after she abducted a new born baby 22 years ago, her now 22-year-old victim has called for all the charges against her to be dropped . The woman, who can not be named, was was found guilty of kidnapping after she abducted the newborn girl hours after she and her mom were discharged from the Emerlo Provincial hospital...

CAF president and businessman, Patrice Motsepe has been lauded for intervening in the impasse between Banyana Banyana and the South African Football Association (SAFA). This as Banyana Banyana prepare to leave for New Zealand and the FIFA Women's World Cup on Wednesday. Earlier in the week a stand-off ensued between Banyana Banyana and SAFA over contractual and financial issue. Speaking on behalf...

The African National Congress has called for harsh action to be taken against the police allegedly involved at the road rage. The organisastion says SAPS members were caught on camera assaulting a motorist and his passenger should be dealt with. The four of the eight PPU members have since been served with notices of suspension. ANC Secretary General, Fikile Mbalula has called for the immediate su...

Labour Federation, COSATU says its all systems go for its planned National Day of Action tomorrow. The protected strike action is aimed at raising concern over amongst other issues what workers have described as an attack on collective bargaining, the high cost of living, unemployment, the energy crisis and gender based violence. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to COSATU's parliamentary representative, Mathew...

U.N aid agencies say they're alarmed at the scale of Israel's military operation in Jenin Refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, which is continuing for a second day. The U.N. Security Council will meet behind closed-doors on Friday to discuss the Middle East, following Israel's biggest WestBank military operation in years.  The raids left ten Palestinians dead and about 100 more injured, with 20...

 Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) has called for finality in resolving the re-opening of the Cape Town central railway line.  The railway line, between Nyanga and Cape Town, was closed for about three years after people built shacks along it, raising safety concerns for both the shack dwellers and commuters.  The line is only partially operating between Nyanga and Maitlan...

The Inkatha Freedom Party has expressed sadness and regret following the gunning down of yet another one of its councilors. Innocent Mkhwanazi was recently shot and killed on his way to St Lucia in  Durban. His killing comes a few days after the African Cristian Democratic Party's city of Umhlathuze Councillor, Pastor John Myaka, who was also shot dead while on the pulpit at his church in Nseleni...

The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA) is calling on the Eastern Cape government and Eastern Cape Liqour Board to close down taverns  and other outlets that host alcohol parties for minors. This follows the death of a teenager after a pens down drinking party in East London. SAAPA says a total of 25 children have died in the province in the last 13 months in circumstances where alcoh...

The United Democratic Front is set to mark 40 years since its formation back in August the 20th 1983. The mass movement and anti-apartheid body was a collection of a united front of churches, civic associations, trade unions, student organisations and sports bodies. Some of the key figures behind this mass movement include Reverend Alan Boesak, the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Albertina Sisulu, O...