Update@Noon

The United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has added his voice to growing international condemnation following the murder of leading Eswatini human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko over the weekend. His death came after King Mswati the Third warned those calling for democracy in the kingdom that his mercenaries would deal with them.  Maseko was the founder of a coalition of opposition parti...

Juan Cassidy  from the Hy-drome renewable energy group says he is outside Luthuli House to provide solutions over the energy crisis. Cassidy is one of hundreds of protesters who marched past the ANC headquarters on Wednesday. A seperate group led by the party's Youth League said it was ready and well prepared to receive their guest outside Luthuli House in Johannesburg. This as the DA intensified...

The African National Congress has declined to receive a memorandum from the Democratic Alliance at its "power to the people march in Johannesburg today. The DA marched to protest against continuous load shedding to the ANC which it says has engineered the country's energy crisis. Speaking to members of the media outside the party's headquarters, ANC National Spokesperson Pule Mabe said the DA shou...

DA leader John Steenhuisen says they will vehemently oppose the proposed eighteen-point- percent electricity taffif hike for Eskom. He led thousands of his supporters in march against loadshedding, to the ANC head offices in Johannesburg today. The official opposition accused the ANC of deliberately engineering the rolling blackouts. Last week the National Energy Regulator of South Africa - NERSA...

 U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is on a three-country trip to Africa, as Washington continues its unrelenting condemnation of Moscow for its war in Ukraine. She is leading  a new diplomatic push by the Biden administration  that aims to show the continent that the United States is a true partner. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Prof John Stremlau from the department of International Relations at th...

Two senior officials from the Lepelle-Nkumpi local municipality in Limpopo are expected to make their first appearances in the Polokwane Special Commercial Crimes Court on corruption charges. One of the pair was initially due in the same court this morning when proceedings were delayed following the arrest of his co-accused. The first suspect was arrested on Saturday after he allegedly received R3...

The trial of a man accused of killing seven women is expected continue in the Polokwane High Court in Limpopo. Themba Dube is facing seven charges of murder, rape and kidnapping, as well as one charge for contravening the Immigration Act. The bodies of the women were found dumped in different locations in and around Polokwane in 2021. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Kokesto Motau.

A member of parliament and former ANC Youth League secretary in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda Region in the North West, is expected to appear in the Orkney Magistrate Court. He was arrested on Friday for allegedly killing his wife last November in Kanana township near Klerskdorp. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter, Zeblon Maine.

 African National Congress President, Cyril Ramaphosa says he has requested that Eskom consider postponing the implementation of the latest energy tariff increase. The National Energy Regulator (NERSA) recently approved Eskom's electricity tariff increase application by 18-point-six-five per cent for the 2023-2024 financial year. Speaking following the ANC PEC meeting in Pietermaritzburg in KwaZul...

National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola has commended a multi-disciplinary team for the arrest of six men believed to be part of a syndicate that has been terrorising business owners in Gauteng. The suspects have been linked to at least 16 cases following surveillance operations led by Crime Intelligence Officers and Organised Crime members. The group was arrested after a businessman...

At least 7 people have died due to heatstroke with at least one on a ventilator and recovering in the Kakamas Hospital in the Northern Cape. Local doctors have expressed serious concern as all of the deceased are farm workers working on local fields. The Kakamas area has been experiencing soaring temperatures of over forty degrees with the situation being exacerbated by water challenges in the are...

South African Post Office is reportedly planning to cut worker's salaries by up to 40% from next month, as the entity's financial troubles continue to mount. Workers were recently up in arms after the post office failed to pay over R600-million in medical aid contributions. The entity is one of many State Owned Entities on the verge of collapse, with growing calls for government to intervene. Saki...

More than 1.2 million learners return to school in the Western Cape this year. Education MEC in the province, David Maynier says although they have admissions pressure, additional classrooms have been added to their schooling system.

The KwaZulu-Natal Education Department has committed to assisting parents and unplaced learners who were displaced during the April floods and relocated to other areas. This as millions of learners in coastal areas began the 2023 academic caleder on Wednesday. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter, Fanele Mhlongo 

The Eastern Cape Department on Wednesday indicated that the province is aiming to place all unplaced learners by the of the month. This after the Independent Examination Board's (IEB) matric class of 2022 achieved a pass rate of  98.42% for the National Senior Certificate, slightly higher than last year's pass rate of 98.39%. Abongile Jantjies 

The City of Johannesburg's electricity entity, City Power has embarked on an operation to disconnect businesses, resident's properties and government institutions that continue to owe the municipality millions of rands in electricity debt. The utility is currently disconnecting customers who owe the Alexandra depot over R363 million. Earlier, technicians disconnected the Nigerian Consulate General...

A Kimberley man accused of rape and assault will remain in custody after the Galeshewe Magistrate's Court postponed his case to Monday next week. It is alleged that the 40-year-old assaulted his wife before raping her. It is expected that another charge will be added for the alleged rape of the step daughter. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter Neria Hlakotsa 

As South Africans attempt to come to terms with the elevated levels of load shedding, the latest International Risk Survey conducted by Financial services company, Allianz has identified electricity constrains as the biggest risk to South Africa's economy for 2023. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to CEO of Allianz Group in South Africa, Thusang Mahlangu about the aim of the survey and what it revealed about...

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says there was a 13.9% decrease in the number of fatalities experienced on the country's roads last festive season, as compared to the previous year. Mbalula announced the 2022/2023 festive season fatalities statistics on the N1 Grasmere toll plaza, south of Johannesburg. The minister says over 1400 people died during that period.

The country's agricultural sector is requesting for farmers to be put on a different load shedding schedule. The sector says that due South Africa's energy crisis , the country will lose its food security in the next 24 months.  AgriSA says this is something government can not ignore. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Christo van der Rheede , Executive Director at Agri SA     

The South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg has granted President Cyril Ramaphosa an urgent interim interdict application against the private prosecution by former president Jacob Zuma. The full bench of the high court delivered its judgment on the matter after it heard arguments last week, from Ramaphosa and Zuma's legal teams. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to legal analyst, Mpumelelo Zikalala for his r...

Residents of Kroonstad in the Free State have taken to the street in protest against a range of issues including a lack service delivery and the electricity challenges. The Moqhaka Local Municipality, under which Kroonstad falls, says among the changes oulined by the community, is the municipality's 60/40 rationing of electricity for accounts in arrears for 90 days and above. Sakina Kamwendo spoke...

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has been monitoring the first day of school in Diepsloot in Gauteng as inland schools begin the 2023 academic year.  She has pleaded with parents of learners who have not yet been allocated places at schools, to give the department least ten days in which to address the problem. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter, Horisani Sithole on today's proceedings...

 Parents at some Quintile One schools in Malamulele have accused local schools of refusing to issue their children with stationery. They say the schools are demanding  a once-off payment of 550 rand before issuing stationery to learners. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter, Michael Makungo 

The resignation of the Mayor of the embattled Ditsobotla municipality in the North West hardly 24 hours in office has set tongues wagging.  This after Itumeleng Elizabeth Lethoko was elected into the position leaving the municipality without a mayor. Yesterday's sitting came after postponements and delays in swearing in councillors after the by-elections. Lethoko,was herself convicted of fraud and...