Update@Noon

The City of Cape Town's Safety and Security Portfolio Committee has defended its approval of a by-law that will see homeless people fined if they refuse offered shelter. Chairperson, Mzwakhe Nqavashe, says their recommendation will be sent to the Mayoral Committee and then Council for final approval. Nqavashe says the by-law will only be enforced once all processes have been completed. For more on...

The IEC is expected to hold a media briefing later today on Friday's Constitutional Court ruling regarding the Municipal Elections. The Electoral Commission (IEC) lost its application to have the vote postponed to February next year. Former IEC commissioner, Terry Tselane gives us a preview of what we could see happen...

The South African Human Rights Commission has been granted leave to intervene in Olympic gold medalist Caster Semenya's challenge to regulations that prevent her from competing internationally. The decision was made by the European Court of Human Rights after the SAHRC applied to be recognized as a third party in the matter. Human Rights Commissioner Adv. Andre Hurtley Gaum...

Companies in South Africa who are wanting to implement a mandatory Covid-19 vaccination policy would need to meet several legal obligations in order to fire an employee for refusing to take the jab. This comes as Financial Services Group, Discovery announced that it would institute a mandatory vaccination policy for its employees and suppliers effective from January 2022. Unions have come out agai...

A group of protesting mining community, mostly women at Ga Mampa village near the old Sefateng Chrome Mine outside Burgersfort in Limpopo, have spent another night camping outside the mine. They are trying to stop trucks laden with chrome from leaving the mine. They're accusing the mine of failing to plough back to the community as per the social labour plan since 2014.  They accuse the mine...

As the inquest into the deaths of 144 Life Esidimeni mentally-ill patients continues today, there have been reports of another tragedy at the Kairos Centre psychiatric facility in Cullinan, Gauteng. Five patients have reportedly died at the centre in less than two months. There have been claims that patients are being neglected and starved among other concerns. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Christian J...

The trial of three people accused of allegedly killing a mother of 2 for insurance payouts comes to a conclusion in the Circuit High Court in George in the Southern Cape. The three face charges of fraud and murder of 25-year-old Hlompo Mohapi from Thembalethu in July 2018. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Sagree Chetty.

Telecom operators, licensees that were assigned temporary radio frequency spectrum have until the end of November 2021 to return it to ICASA. The temporary radio frequency spectrum was first assigned during April 2020 on the initial declaration of the National State of Disaster to allow mobile operators to meet the spike in demand. However, MTN has warned that the decision by ICASA could lead to d...

The African National Congress has withdrawn its court application to the electoral court. This came just hours after it filed papers to the court. The ANC says the withdrawal of the application depends on the conclusion of the Constitutional Court application. The IEC approached the court to ask it to postpone the elections from October to February next year. Chairperson of the Democratic Alliance...

KwaZulu-Natal police say they are investigating five more cases of murder after five more people have been shot and killed at uMlazi Township south of Durban - making it a total of eleven people killed in a space of three days in this township.  On Saturday six people were shot and killed at Zamani informal settlement in U-section. Last night five people were shot and killed and three serious...

Former managing director of the Life Esidimeni group, Dr Morgan Mkhatshwa is back on the stand at the inquest into the tragic deaths of 144 mental health patients. The inquest resumed this morning in the High Court in Pretoria following a four-week break. At least 144 patients died between March and December 2016 after they were moved by the Gauteng health government to various ill-equipped NGOs....

Three suspects are appearing in court following the murder of  a 66 year old woman. The body of Iris Portgieter was found dumped on an open field outside Riverside township near Dewetsdorp in the Free State on Wednesday.  Police spokesperson - Motantsi Makhele says 72 hour activation plan was executed and since then police continued with investigation following intelligence drive informa...

A 36-year old woman is expected to appear in the Germiston Magistrates court today on charges of inciting public violence related to last month's lootings in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. Hawks' Crime Against the State unit arrested the the woman and a 35-year-old co-accused in Leondale in Johannesburg over the weekend. She is alleged to have been operating the Sphithiphithi Evaluator Twitter account...

The Vereeniging Magistrate's Court has granted bail of R40-000 to ANC regional organiser in Sedibeng, Themba Mnisi.  Mnisi appeared in the Vereeniging Magistrate's Court last Monday, where the State argued in opposition of bail. He is alleged to have been involved in the incitement of violence in recent unrest which resulted in the deaths of 350 people across Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. 

The North West Legislature says that although Professor Job Mokgoro resigned as the Premier, he is yet to resign as a Member of the Legislature. The Office of the Speaker earlier confirmed receipt of the resignation letter of premier Job Mokgoro. Mokgoro was expected to have resigned as both the Premier and Member of the Provincial Legislature to give way to 67-year-old Bushy Maape. Jon Gericke sp...

The African National Congress has vowed to approach the Electoral Court to ask for the re-opening of the registration of election candidates for a day. The party says it couldn't register some of its candidates for the upcoming local elections due to problems beyond its control. All political parties had until Monday at 9pm to submit their candidates list to the IEC but the ANC says it encountered...

Transport Minister, Fikile Mbalula, has announced that the renewal grace period for learners' and drivers' licenses has been extended to the 31st of March 2022. This after several motorists - whose licenses expired between March and December last year - complained that they have been unable to making renewal bookings, with an August the 31st deadline looming. 

Unemployment is at its highest since 2008. Statistics South Africa's quarterly labour force survey shows that unemployment increased to 34,4% in the second quarter of 2021, from 32.6% in the first quarter. The survey shows that the number of employed persons decreased by 54 000 in the second to 14,9 million.  It further indicates that the number of unemployed persons increased by 584 000. Sak...

A 33-year old man is expected to appear the Nigel Magistrate's Court allegedly killing his nine-month pregnant girlfriend. It's believed the 27-year old Samantha Zungu was hit over the head with an iron poker by her ex-convict boyfriend in Duduza, on the East Rand.  The suspect had allegedly been demanding a share of their two children's grant money.  Update@Noon presenter, Sakina Kamwen...

Gauteng Health MEC Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi has expressed shock at the death of senior finance officer in the Department, Babita Deokaran. Deokaran was shot outside her home in the south of Johannesburg yesterday, just moments after dropping her child off at school. The 53-year-old later died in hospital. Mokgethi has called on law enforcement to leave no stone un-turned in investigating the shootin...

The community of Cata Village in Keiskammahoek in the Eastern Cape says it has been left reeling after an elderly woman was stabbed multiple times and left for dead last Wednesday. She later died as locals waited for authorities. Earlier in the week, two other elderly women were allegedly raped and attacked by intruders in their homes. This comes two months after a 91-year-old woman was killed aft...

The accused in the murder case of Nosicelo Mtebeni has abandoned his application for bail. The 25 year old will remain in custody. The accused briefly appeared in the East London Magistrate's court after his arrest for the gruesome murder of his alleged girlfriend, last week. Parts of her body were found in a suitcase in Quigney in East London, while the rest of her body was found in the house she...

The Road Traffic Management Corporation has warned motorists that the deadline for the renewal of licences which expired between 26 March to 31 December 2020 is fast approaching. The national lockdown imposed on the country last year forced licensing centres to close, resulting in a backlog of expired licences. The Minister of Transport then announced an extension for all learner licences, driving...

Low-cost airline Mango has now appointed Sipho Sono as the business rescue practitioner and said it would soon be back in the air. The airline was finally placed into business rescue, with a high court judge backdating the process to 28 July, effectively immediately protecting it against claims from creditors. The unions remain opposed to the move, the board is calling for cooperation. Sakina Kamw...

The final results of Zambia's presidential election are in and opposition leader, Hakainde Hichileme has emerged victorious after scoring over 2-point-3-million votes. Incumbent, President Edgar Lungu - who has trailed since the results started trickling out - secured nearly one-and-half-million votes. Sakina Kamwendo spoke with Zambian journalist, Newton Sibanda