Update@Noon

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has concluded the high-demand radio frequency spectrum auction involving six qualified bidders. The revenue collected from the auction totaled more than R14.4 billion, which will go to the national fiscus. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Icasa chairperson Dr Keabetswe Modimoeng 

A Lenasia businessman has been rescued three days after he was kidnapped while on the way to work. Six suspects including a Mozambican national - believed to be the mastermind behind a number of kidnapping cases in Gauteng - have been arrested. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to police spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe.

Countries the world over can now achieve energy freedom - and South Africans should seize its energy sovereignty opportunity with both hands. Private companies have announced so many electricity projects that the equivalent of a Koeberg power station is achieved when you put all the projects together. Government, business and labour will meet next month to thrash out the rebirth of South Africa's...

AmaZulu Traditional Prime Minister - Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi - has welcomed the recognition of King Misuzulu kaZwelithini by President Cyril Ramaphosa as the new AmaZulu monarch. He says the announcement by Ramaphosa has lifted a burden off the shoulders of the royal family. For some analysis on these developments Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Professor of African Languages at the University of&nbs...

A fire has broken out at ANC Mpumalanga provincial headquarters January Che Masilela. According to the ANC, the fire broke out at about 9am on Thursday and firefighters had to rush to the building to put out the blaze. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to  ANC spokesperson in Mpumalanga Sasekani Manzini  

The accused in the Senzo Meyiwa murder case are back in the Pretoria High Court today. The former Bafana Bafana captain was murdered in Vosloorus in the east Rand in October 2014. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter Hasina Gori.

Mpumalanga police have busted a suspected kingpin in an alleged human trafficking scandal. This comes after 42 illegal immigrants from Mozambique were arrested at R33 Road (Carolina-Amsterdam road) near Lothai en route to Durban in three mini busses. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala.

The DA in Kwazulu-Natal has thanked former party member, Mbali Ntuli, for her contributions to the provincial legislature. Ntuli announced her resignation from the DA and as a member of the Legislature today. While Ntuli says she has left the party of her own accord, she joins a long line of black leaders that have left the party, most recently former Midvaal Mayor, Bongani Baloyi. Sakina Kamwendo...

The Competition Commission has warned airlines against price inflation after the South African Civil Aviation Authority grounded Comair, and its subsidiaries Kulula.com and British Airways. There are reports and complaints of large increases in the prices of flight tickets, some even quoting R5 000 for a one-way flight between Johannesburg and Cape Town. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Competition Commis...

The African National Congress' failure to manage elite contestation within its ranks since 2007 has seen tensions spilling out, often as 'service delivery' protests. That's according to the study by the Institute for Security Studies and the Government and Public Policy think tank. It says President Cyril Ramaphosa lacks the authority within the ANC to contain growing civil unrest as its competing...

The Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian Nelson, is in South Africa where he has met with top government officials, discussing anti-corruption efforts, countering the financial of terrorism, and US recent sanctions actions in Africa. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter Naledi Ngcobo  

The government has published a new code of practice which is set to replace the existing Covid workplace rules in South Africa when the state of disaster is expected to lift on 15 April 2022. The Code of Good Practice specifically provides for mandatory vaccinations in the workplace. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Labour and Employment Practice Director at Werksmans Attorneys, Bradley Workman-Davies.&nb...

The latest decision by government to extend the National State of Disaster to the 15th of April 2022, has been met with disapproval from some political parties and scientists. Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Doctor Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma confirmed the extension despite calls by some political parties and businesses for government to end the State of Disaster. Sakina K...

The Automobile Association has called on government to review the current  Road Accident Fund levy in an attempt to ease the financial burden of consumers as fuel prices hit record highs. This comes after the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy announced that it was considering a number of interventions to address the situation, including the possible introduction of fuel purchase limi...

Comair says it is unsure when it will start flying again. The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) suspended Comair's operator's licence on Sunday due to a series of mid-air emergencies. Comair operates the airlines Kulula and a local British Airways franchise. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Aviation Economist Joachim Vermooten...

Legal representative Jabu Motepe says former SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng did not secure private funding to pay artists as he had claimed. Motepe has been making submissions at the SIU's special tribunal, hearing a review application in the matter between Motsoeneng and the public broadcaster. The SABC and the SIU seek to recover 2.5 million rand paid in royalties to some music legends in 2016 by Mo...

The revision of the  Films and Publications Amendment Act demands that online content producers submit their content to the Film & Publications Board for classification, to determine whether such expression is permitted online or not.  Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC Tech Journalist Sandile Hlangani 

The National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry says it may be necessary to shutdown the Industry for a period of time, while they wait for government to resolve the issue of protests by truck drivers over the appointment of foreigners. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry National Secretary Musawenkhosi Ndlovu...

A globally-hosted mining webinar this week urged that South Africa advances towards green energy very rapidly. Commitment to green energy is crucial, according to top South African business leader Patrice Motsepe. Royal Bafokeng Platinum is leaving a magnificent legacy of worker housing and nearby schools for the children of its highly productive workforce. Sakina Kamwendo presents another update...

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Hawks have seized documents belonging to National Lottery Commission officials in Kimberley in the Northern Cape. The raid follows alleged corrupt activities at the commission's offices in the province. The SIU says it has uncovered a corrupt activity in which Lottery Commission officials allegedly approached Non Profit Organisations (NPOs) who were loo...

The Gauteng Health Department says it is unable to renew all the eight-thousand Covid-19 temporary posts due to budgetary constraints. It says the initial Covid grant budget of 2.2 billion rand towards compensating these workers has since been reduced to 1.1 billion for the 2022/23 financial year. Therefore, the department will not be able to renew all the temporary contracts the end of this month...

Sinkholes are getting worse in Khutsong in Merafong, West Rand Region. A number of houses in Khutsong on Gauteng's West Rand are on brink of collapse because of a big sinkhole that's developed in front of their homes. Some of the families in the township in Carletonville have allegedly been forced to abandon their houses, only coming during the day to check if their belongings and furniture have n...

Sakina Kamwendo in concersation with Transnet Pipelines spokesperson Saret Knoetze on fuel theft on Transnet pipeline causes massive diesel spill.   

Black African-headed households has the highest levels of subjective poverty across the poverty measures. According to Stats SA's study on poverty in the country, 30,5% of black African households perceived themselves as poor, while 57,4% reported a per capita household income not exceeding their desired minimum income required to meet the household's needs. Statistics SA released its study on pov...

Maverick Citizen Editor and investigative journalist Mark Heywood say the delays in reopening Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital in Gauteng could have consequences more dire than the Life Esidimeni scandal. It has been almost a year since a fire gutted a portion of the hospital with damage estimated to be around R40 million. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Mark Heywood