Update@Noon

Tempers flared earlier today as members of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services looked to get to the bottom of how Thabo Bester faked his own death and escape from Mangaung Correctional Centre. The convicted 'Facebook Rapist', murder and now fugitive sent shockwaves throughout the country following his escape in May last year. Its believed Bester set his own cell o...

 Reeva Steenkamp's family members say they don't understanding why the Correctional Services Parole Board is holding a hearing for Oscar Pistorius before they fully heal from the loss of a loved one. Steenkamp's mother June made representations at the Atteridgeville Correctional Centre in Pretoria this morning. Pistorius is seeking parole after serving almost a decade of his 13-year sentence which...

South African consumers have their backs against the wall.  With the rising interest rates , the soaring costs of food and fuel and the nersa power price hike for Eskom, consumers disposable income continues to come under pressure. Analysts say South Africans are going to be forced to make difficult decisions about their priorities as they expect these tough times to continue for  a while. This we...

The EFF in Gauteng says it is confident Ekurhuleni Mayor, Tania Campbell will be ousted in today's special council meeting. This as the council sits to hear and vote on a second motion of no confidence against Campell. The EFF together with the ANC both occupy the positions of speaker and chip whip respectively, effectively isolating Campbell who hails from the DA's minority coalition. Sakina Kamw...

The Department of Correctional Services (DCS)  National Commissioner, Makgothi Thobakgale say they will not renew the G4S contract in 2026. During a media briefing in Bloemfontein Thobakgale said they are in the process of seeking legal advise to find a way to manage the relationship between the department and G4S until the end of the contract. The department confirmed that the Thabo Bester escape...

Former president, Thabo Mbeki has once again caused a stir with his latest leaked letter directed to the ANC's deputy president, Paul Mashatile and the entire top six officials of the party. In the scathing letter, Mbeki slams the ANC for using its majority in parliament to halt probes at Eskom and the  Phala Phala game farm scandal involving president Cyril Ramaphosa. ANC secretary general, Fikil...

Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni says cabinet has directed correctional Services to speedly finalise the process to take over the operations of two private-companies mananging the correctional facilities and ensure to ensure consequence management for everyone involved. This comes the Department of Correctional Services (DCS)  National Commissioner, Makgothi Thobakgale says the Mang...

Suspended Public Protector, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane says the 500-thousand rand Bosasa donation into president Cyril Ramaphosa's CR17 campaign for the ANC presidency was not declared to parliament. Advocate Mkhwebane continues to give evidence at parliament's section 194 committee enquiry into her fitness to hold office. Mkhwebane says the investigation into the Bosasa donation was not of her a...

The Gauteng Health Department says its still consolidating an implementation plan to address some of the challenges facing the health sector in the province, especially concerns raised from the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital. This follows more assertions by Dr Tim De Maayer - a paediatric gastroenterologist from Rahima Moosa Hospital -  that little has changed on the ground and most proble...

The parole hearing of convicted murderer Donovan Moodley is being heard at the Johannesburg Correctional Centre today.  Moodley was convicted and sentenced for the murder of Leigh Matthews in 2004. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, 15 years for kidnapping, and 10 years for extortion. Meanwhile,  Non-profit organisation, Women & Men Against Child Abuse, says should convicted mur...

Following the escape of convicted rapist and murderer, Thabo Bester, questions around South Africa's two privately run prisons have resurfaced. Makhado Prison inmate, Sofoso Khumalo called into #UpdateAtNoon to elaborate on the impact corruption has on many prisons across the country, not just privately-run prisons. 

Alleged Parliament arsonist, Zandile Mafe, has been referred to a facility in the Eastern Cape for mental observation. Mafe appeard in the  High Court in Cape Town as part of pre-trial proceedings. Mafe previously refused to be admitted to the Valkenberg Psychiatric Hospital in the Mother City. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter, Thandiswa Mawu

 Unions representing over 53% of South Africa's public sector workers are expected to sign deal with government  bringing an end to pay talks for 2023. The state, which initially tabled an offer of 4.7% in February, presented a revised offer of 7% earlier this month following vehement rejection by public sector unions - but that too was rejected, which pushed the government to its new offer of 7.5...

As reports emerge of desperate patients with broken limbs being turned away despite begging for help at Livingstone Hospital in Gqeberha, the provincial department of health says it is looking at a comprehensive solution to the challenges faced by the facility. Doctors are reportedly telling patients that they do as have no implants. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Eastern Cape Department of Health Deput...

Orthopedic surgeons at Livingstone Hospital in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, are reportedly unable to operate on patients with broken bones as they have no implants. According to online publication Daily Maverick, instead of surgery, orthopedic patients  are being given a letter that explaining that they cannot be helped and lists three telephone numbers: one for the hospital's complaint service, the ot...

The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union, POPCRU, has called for a full investigation into top prison officials at the Mangaung Correctional Facility following the escape of the notorious so-called Facebook rapist, Thabo Bester. Police have confirmed that a manhunt is currently underway for the convicted rapist and murderer after he escaped fromhis prison cell. The cell was set alight, in what wa...

South Africans are bracing themselves for yet another hike in the price of electricity the after the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) approved an average increase in the electricity tariff of 18.65% for the 2023/24 financial year and a 12.74% increase for the following year. The increase will take effect from 1 April for clients that source their electricity directly from Eskom, w...

 Health NPO, Right to Care says South Africa has one of the highest TB rates in the world. It says the country is also under-diagnosing the disease.  Today marks World TB Day and  this years theme is titled "  'Yes! You and I can end TB. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Dr Lucy Connell, TB  programme lead at health NPO, Right to Care.

The three-day National Conference on the Country's Constitution is expected to draw to a close today in Midrand, North of Johannesburg.  The conference was opened by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday and drew the likes of former constitutional judge, Albie Sachs, the former public protector Professor Thuli Mandonsela, academics, members of legislatures and many other stakeholders. Themed, 'Re...

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says the South African economy will only grow by a projected 0.1% this year. It expects weak growth due to load-shedding, as well as the weaker commodity prices and external environment. However, the IMF expects growth to rebound in the medium term, although only to about 1.5% per year, with income per capita likely to stagnate.  Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Waldo...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has hosted Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilda. The royal couple is in the country on state visit which will end on Monday. The Presidency says that the Belgian monarchy's first visit to South Africa demonstrates strong bilateral relations between the two countries. Members of cabinet as well as business representatives are part of the Belgian delegation.

EFF leader, Julius Malema is currently addressing members of the media from the party's headquarters in Johannesburg. The address, coming from Winnie Madikizela Mandela House in Marshalltown follows the party's National Protest on Monday. Yesterday, ANC's secretary general Fikile Mbalula also held a similar media briefing from Luthuli House where he labelled the EFF's 'National Shutdown' as a flop...

The DA led multi-party coalition in Tshwane says it believes it has the numbers to elect its own preferred mayoral candidate for the Capital. This as a special council sitting to elect a new mayor reconvenes today following its collapse on Friday. The Tshwane metro has been without a mayor since the resignation of former mayor Randall Williams in February. His resignation was followed by the elect...

Former president Jacob Zuma has accused the Helen Suzman Foundation of being selective with the truth in his case for the private prosecution of Advocate Billy Downer and journalist, Karyn Maughn. Zuma's legal counsel, Advocate Thabani Masuku says the Helen Suzman Foundation is masquerading as a friend of the court while having chosen to side and advocate for the two accused in the matter. Masuku...

Data from Stats SA shows inflation is starting to trend on the upside again. Newly-released Statistics South Africa shows annual consumer price inflation increased from six-point-nine per cent in January to seven per cent in February this year. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Chief Economist at Efficient Group, Dawie Roodt