Update@Noon

Sugar giant Tongaat Hulett has suspended its share trading on the JSE. Tongaat asked that its listings be suspended because of accounting irregularities. The company is currently impelmenting a turnaround strategey that has resulted in over 5,000 employees receiving retrenchment letters. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU)'s National Organisor in the Sugar Industry, Nkosi...

TALKING POINT *** Great news for South Africa is that manganese, which we host in such abundance, is edging its way into the growing electric vehicle (EV) market. ***This week’s packed Junior Indaba pleaded with the government to kickstart junior mining or face significant decline in mining as a whole. *** A South African company has raised R160-million in for investment in a new gas project in th...

The Alexandra Shutdown Committee say they are opposed to the rebuilding of structures which were demolished last Friday in the township, north of Johannesburg. The Committee says should the city of Johannesburg fail to address the mushrooming of illegal dwellings in Alexandra, there will be another massive shutdown of the township. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Alexandra Shutdown Committee Convenor, Sa...

South African Airways has appointed SAA group executive for operations, Zuks Ramasia, as the carrier's acting CEO. This follows the recent resignation of SAA CEO, Vuyani Jarana. Jarana cited uncertainty around funding and slow decision making processes - delaying the airline's turnaround strategy - as key reasons for his departure. SAA employees have also threatned to go on strike demanding that J...

The National Prosecuting Authority has withdrawn the charges against Fita Khupe... Khupe was implicated in the murder of the seven Vlakfontein family members. In his previous appearance he was denied bail as the magistrate felt that he could influence witnesses, and that there was sufficient evidence linking him to the killings. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC TV reporter, Gillian Pillay and Gauteng...

It's apparently harmful for companies to refer to themselves as smaller, boutique, enterprises. This is according to Dermot Latimer who is the Founder and Owner of the Iconic Media Group. Latimer says being labelled as a small and boutique enterprise is a negative stigma, can be damaging and gives the bigger players an upper hand. Krivani Pillay spoke to Dermot Latimer who is the Founder and Owner...

The African National Congress' economic transformation head, Enoch Godongwana says a National Executive Committee Lekgotla is not a decision making body. His remarks come after ANC Secretary-General Ace Magshule told the media at a post-lekgotla briefing in Pretoria that the ruling party wants the mandate of South African Reserve Bank (SARB) to be expanded to focus on development and job creation....

The Mayor of Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba has promised to provide more information on the city's investigation into the demolition of illegal structures in the Marlboro informal settelment in Alexandra. This, after eighty structures were demolished by the Red Ants on Friday following a court order. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Johannesburg Mayor, Herman Mashaba ....

Africa is taking a giant step towards strengthening its economic position. 52 of the continent's countries have signed a free trade aggreement that forms the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA). This will make Africa the largest free trade network in the world by population. The African Union and Ministers of Trade must now finalize work on fascilitating the operational phase of this trade...

Yesterday, the South African Police Service (SAPS) management appeared before the Commission for Gender Equality over SAPS' handling of gender-based related cases. The commission says it is concerned by the lengthy delays by police to investigate cases gender discrimination cases. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Acting Chairperson for the Commission for Gender Equality, Tamara Mathebula...

Panyaza Lesufi returns to his former post as Education MEC. Gauteng Premier David Makhura has just made the announcement. Makhura says he has received complaints following his appointed of Lesufi as MEC for Finance and e-Government. MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko who had been elected Education MEC will now be the new MEC for Finance and e-Government. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Gauteng government spokesp...

The Red Ants have demolished about eighty illegal structures in Alexandra, north of Johannesburg. The City of Johannesburg together with the law enforcement agencies are part of the operation. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Johannesburg Metro Police spokesperson, Wayne Minnaar....

TALKING POINTS: 1. Mr Gwede Mantashe must take his new energy portfolio seriously by boosting renewable energy, which is cheaper and jobs-rich. 2. South Africa's new carbon tax, which comes into effect tomorrow, aims at curtailing our colossal dependence on coal-based electricity 3. A feather in South Africa's cap is that it remains the world's biggest exporter of manganese, a metal found in great...

A group of teens is set to make aviation history when they plan to fly a light aircraft from Cape Town to Cairo in Egypt. The group of 20 plans to fly over 10-thousand km next month 12 in a plane they have assembled themselves. The will share knowledge with other young people. They will also fly to other countries. Megan Werner, says the aim is to inspire their peers to dream big and believe in th...

Medscheme employees are from today embarking on a nationwide strike. They are demanding to be paid perfomance bonuses. Worker's Union Nehawu says they reached an agreement with Medscheme that all employees would receive bonuses the beginning of last month but they have not yet received it. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Nehawu spokesperson Khaya Xaba and Head of Industrial Relations at Medscheme, Advoca...

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) say they are going to appeal the ruling by the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg about the comments they made that the former finance minister, Trevor Manuel had a corrupt relationship with SARS commissioner Edward Kieswetter are defamatory and false. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Deputy President of the EFF, Floyd Shivambu...

As Africa Month draws to the end, the Department of Arts and Culture held a colloquium at the Soweto Theatre under the theme 'Celebrating literary heroes' the event saw the likes of Linton Kwesi-Johnson, Don Mattera, James Matthews and Sindiwe Magona delivering pieces of their work before the packed theatre. Last week South Africans celebrated Africa Day, which coincided with President Cyril Ramap...

President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria earlier took an oath of office at Eagles Square in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. This is Buhari's second and final term in office. He was re-elected on February 23 this year, having secured over 15-million votes against main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar's with about 11-million votes. Take a listen to the inauguration ceremony...

The announcement of the Malawi's Presidential election results, have been delayed until ballots from a third of the voting districts have been recounted. The country's High court ordered the recount after the Malawi Congress Party filed complaints alleging intimidation and tampering by President Peter Mutharika's ruling Democratic Progressive Party. With 75% of the vote counted, Mutharika has take...

As we commemorate World Telecommunications and Information Society Day; Communication Minister, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams says government has a responsibility to provide digital access and literacy to all South Africans. She says one of the reasons that there are delays in implementing digital migration or DTT is that a few people have registered to receive the set top boxes. Ndabeni-Abrahams says t...

Sudanese military and protest leaders have agreed on a three-year transition period for transferring power to a full civilian administration. The Transitional Military Council (TMC) says the alliance would have two-thirds of the seats on a legislative council. However, the two sides are yet to agree on a sovereign council - the top tier of power, where both want a majority. The protest movement is...

Over 80 families are living at the Luyolo Community Centre, in Gugulethu. They have been living in the hall since June 2018. This, after they were evicted from an open piece of land next to the hall. Yesterday, I spoke to the chairman of the Gugulethu Seven, Phindile Nazo who says they have an arrangement with the HOD of the department of Human Settlements in the provinvce to occupy the hall until...

The UN Security Council will hold its first meeting today to discuss Cameroon's separatist conflict. The separatist conflict has forced more than 530-thousand people to flee their homes and thousands killed. The English-speaking separatists of Cameroon, are campaigning for the creation of an independent state in the North-West and South-West regions. Majority of the displaced are women and childre...

The Basic Education department has dismissed reports that it intends to introduce a new life orientation curriculum that will focus on masturbation, sexual consent, gender nonconformity and single-parent families. According to reports, grade 5 pupils as young as nine years old were going to taught about masturbation when new life orientation textbooks are rolled out next year. Sakina Kamwendo spok...

Voting is reportedly proceeding well in Vuwani following a threat by the Pro Makhado group to disrupt it. Police from Limpopo and Gauteng have been deployed in the area after some residents vowed not to take part in the elections. Meanwhile, National Police Commisioner General, Khehla Sitole has arrived in Vuwani to assess election hot spot areas. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to reporter Rudzani Tshivhas...