Update@Noon

TALKING POINTS: *** President Ramaphosa’s SONA commitment to look into the development of a hydrogen economy is of great significance. *** Transnet’s latest plans to rail manganese to the ports is an important boost for South Africa’s export potential. *** South Africa should follow Australia’s example of allowing mining companies to generate their own solar power.

Economists say President Cyril Ramaphosa should be judged by how well he coordinate and implement plans announced in his state of the nation address. President Ramaphosa's SONA speech emphasised the need for economic growth and job creation, good governance and the importance to address Eskom's crisis. Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged to ensure the speed up of the release of the 23...

Health workers union, the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) has raised concerns about overcrowing at hospitals in Gauteng. The Union has called on it's members not to care for more than the number of patients that they can manage, as this could lead to litigation. Tembisa and Kopanong hospitals have since admitted that their facilities are overcrowded due to the increasing d...

The High Court in Pretoria has dismissed former President, Jacob Zuma's request to appeal against the finding that he was not entitiled to state funding. The high court has now instructed the state attorney to take steps and recover the money. The Democratic Alliance says that they have always felt that Zuma 'Should be held liable to pay his legal fees', and they feel that justice has been served....

Police say they're working around the clock to find the person or people behind the murders of homeless people in Pretoria. The body of the fifth homeless person was discovered at a bus terminal not far from the UNISA campus in Muckleneuk *yesterday. Criminologist and former head of the police's psychological investigating unit, Gerard Labuschagne, says because of the intimate nature of the crimes...

Security is tight in and around the Parliamentary Precinct ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa's State of the Nation Address this evening. Ramaphosa will deliver his second state of the Nation Address this year. The Presiding Officers of Parliament Thandi Modise and Amos Masondo say they are ready for the official opening of Parliament *this evening. Modise who is the Speaker of the National Assemb...

Organised crime flourished under Jacob Zuma's presidency as South Africa's criminal justice agencies were manipulated for political and personal gain. This statement was contained in the joint submission from the Institute for Security Studies and Corruption Watch to the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture. The submission claims that manipulation of the criminal justic...

The families of apartheid security force victims have written a letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa to request a commission of inquiry to investigate the suppression of the Truth Reconciliation and Commission (TRC) cases. The families say they been appalled at the manner in which the unfinished business of the TRC was handled by the previous administrations. They want the president to appoint a co...

Joburg residents will be without water for two and a half days next week. Rand water is planning a major water shut down for 54 hours from Monday 24th. Joburg Water says Rand Water, which is the main bulk water supplier is planning a major water shutdown that will affect ALL its reservoirs and towers. Nico de Jager, MMC for environment and infrastructure services says this would result in the limi...

Residents of Alexandra, north of Johannesburg, are marching to the City of Johannesburg's offices in Sandton to demand better services. Residents took to the streets this morning in protest over Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba's promises to rebuild about 80 illegal properties that were demolished by the Red Ants last month. In April residents embarked on a similar march to the same offices to ra...

43 years after the Soweto Uprising -- young people still find themselves at the centre of the country's struggles. Today's youth have taken the baton from the class of 1976 and continue to be trailblazers in the fight for social and economic transformation. As South Africa commemorates Youth Day, whose theme this year is: "25 Years of Democracy: A celebration of Youth Activism," our reporter Nomal...

Sudan's protest leaders have called for nighttime demonstrations and marches in the capital, Khartoum. The renew night-time rallies is aimed at putting pressure to the Transitional Military Council (TMC) to hand over power to civilians and condemn the crackdown on a sit-in camp earlier this month. Gunmen in military fatigues, violently dispersed thousands of demonstrators who had camped outside th...

The family of a 78-year old woman, Ntobizodwa Toto-Madikizela who was hacked to death with an axe, have left their home after it was torched last Friday. The family which includes 13 children have been left homeless and pleading for shelter. There are a number of people that have been allegedly killed in the area for accusations of witchcraft. Jon Gericke spoke to SABC reporter, Nkululeko Nyembezi

Former UEFA president Michel Platini has been arrested as part of an investigation into alleged corruption relating to the decision to award Qatar the 2022 World Cup. Platini becomes a second prominent football administrator to be arrested this month after CAF president, Ahmad Ahmad's arrest earlier this month in France. Jon Gericke spoke to Soccer Analyst, Kudjio Amankwa

KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Kwazi Mshengu says there is an urgent need for police deployment at public schools to help fight the increasing levels of violence. Mshengu was speaking at Umlazi Township south of Durban during the funeral service of a 48 year old teacher who was shot dead within school premises last week. Meanwhile, the South African Police Services, teacher's unions and Equal Educati...

Old Mutual has fired its CEO, Peter Moyo. This comes after he was suspended in May 2019 over conflict of interest. In a statement, the company says the board gave Moyo a notice of termination of employment yesterday. The board says after lengthy discussions it has resolved that there is a material breakdown in trust and confidence in Moyo. Jon Gericke spoke to ttorney at TGR Attorneys, Matodzi Rat...

The department of Communications says the government guarantee application by the public broadcaster SABC is still being considered. SABC's Chief Financial Officer, Yolande van Biljon, has warned of the possibility of a communication blackout amid the public broadcaster's dire financial situation. Biljon says the cash-strapped SABC is stuck with large debts. Jon Gericke spoke to Acting Director Ge...

TALKING POINTS *** South Africa’s first electricity-from-the-sea project is under way in the Western Cape *** South Africa is being urged to champion the electric car – to put an end the vast sums of money that leave the country to pay for imported petroleum *** Mineral exploration in the Northern Cape is putting smiles on the faces of geologists

The City of Joburg is calling on the residents who have debt that they could not pay for a long time to come forward. The city council has approved a debt relief programme to write of debts on customers who can not pay their municipal rates and services. The City will now be able to ensure that defaulting customers are brought back into good standing on their municipal accounts. MMC of Finance in...

Although unemployed, some young people remain hopeful that one day they will join the country's working class. Clement Tefu and Zanele Mthombeni, both 22, from Alexandra, are graduates but without jobs. Meanwhile, Student organisation , the South African Student Congress, (SASCO) is marching against youth unemployment. They are calling for the creation of an unemployment database and the scrapping...

A group of undocumented migrants has escaped from police custody. The group was being transported from court to holding cells where they were to be processed by the department of Home Affairs. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Police Spokesperson, Colonel Lungelo Dlamini...

Corruption is rampant within the South African Police Service. That's according to Corruption Watch's new report, Corruption in Uniform. Corruption Watch says the most implicated police officials are detectives and investigating officers, who are frequently aided by other colleagues. It highlighted bribery, abuse of power and dereliction of duty as leading categories of corruption in the police se...

The police have launched a manhunt following the discovery of two bodies in Magnolia Park, Pretoria, over the weekend. Police spokesperson, Captain Daniel Mavimbela says the two bodies were found over the weekend and two weeks ago they also found a body in a veld near the Mears Park Train Station. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Sunnyside Police Station spokesperson, Captain Daniel Mavimbela and Tebogo M...

Pan-Africanist Congress president Narius Moloto says he is not receiving support from other party members in planning the August PAC National Conference. The party which appeared to be united leading to the May National Elections seems to be having factional problems again. The PAC has dissolved its party executive and placed the party under administration. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Political Analy...

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) is today picketing together with South African Cabin Crew Association (SACCA) at all the country's major airports to protest against a number of issues at SAA and SAA Technical. The issues include the recent resignation of the GCEO Vuyani Jarana, corruption of SAAT management; problems in the maintenance department; allegations of nepotism...