Update@Noon

Energy expert Ted Blom says the government must stop interfering in the operations of Eskom. Blom says that the power utility will start implementing load shedding later this month. He says the company is using poor quality coal and is not mantaining its systems. He spoke to Sakina Kamwendo.

Trade union SADTU says parents, teachers and training institutions need to do more to ensure an improved foundation phase education. This follows the release of the 2018 matric results last night. Yesterday, Minister for Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, announced the overall pass rate was seventy-eight-point-two-percent with the best performing province being Gauteng. She was joined by stakeholde...

During a surprise raid at the Leeuwkop Prison in Johannesburg, Correctional Services officials have discovered that an inmate was sewing prison warders' uniforms in his cell. They also found other banned objects in various cells during the unannounced visit. Deputy Minister, Thabang Makwetla, says this is part of their festive season safety campaign to rid prisons of contraband. Ditaba Tsotetsi wa...

The quality assurance body, Umalusi says it is satisfied with the 2018 matric final exams despite slight irregularities reported in Gauteng and the Eastern Cape. The body briefed the media on it's preparedness to approve the release of the 2018 matric results. Almost eight hundred thousand learners sat for the final schooling year examinations this year. Umalusi CEO Dr Mafu Rakometsi briefed the m...

The City of Cape town says it will not allow the slaughter of any animal at its Clifton Beach during the sunset protest this evening. This follows a declaration by the Black People's National Crisis Committee that a cow will be slaughtered during their protest in order to cleanse the beach of what they call racist spirits. The demonstration is in response to the removal of beach-goers from the are...

The Black People's National Crisis Committee says it will stage a protest march at Cliftin Beach today even though it does not have permission to do so. The march follows allegations that security guards from Professional Protection Alternatives, or PPA instructed beachgoers and vendors to leave the beach on Sunday evening citing crime. Those who were at the beach say they were being targeted beca...

Security company PPA has denied allegations that its officers instructed beach-goers and vendors to leave Clifton Beach in Cape Town on Sunday evening. Picknickers raised the alarm this week saying they were told they should leave the beach because of crime in the area and that they could not access it after 8pm. Concerned citizens have now organised protests for tomorrow and Saturday. PPA is cont...

A blind albino woman from Garankuwa north of Pretoria, says she fears for her life. She says her neighbour is intolerant of people living with albinism, and threatens her. The mother of two alleges that he had on numerous occassions threatened to kill her, and use her body parts for muti purposes. She says the man is ignoring a protection order issued against him by police. Maluti Obuseng reports.

Local and international hair brands are diversifying their product range in the wake of an increase in the number of consumer that have resorted to natural hair. According to new research by market intelligence Mintel relaxer sales have dropped by almost forty percent internationally. In South Africa the sales have dropped by twenty percent. Cosmetic and hair retailers, including hair saloon owner...

A historic moment for South Africa and Its Space Programme, as the satelite named ZaCube-2 was successfully launched in the early hours of this morning. According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, ZACube-2 is regarded as the continent's most advanced cube satelite and is expected to provide cutting-edge remote sensing and communication services to South Africa and the region. Weighing jus...

The Gauteng government says it's working on ensuring that former MEC Khabisi Mosunkuthu is granted a special official provincial funeral. Mosunkuthu died on Christmas eve at the age of 69. He had not been well after suffering a stroke last year. A high-level ANC delegation comprising of treasurer-general Paul Mashatile and provincial deputy chairperson and acting premier Panyaza Lesufi visited Mos...

The Johannesburg Emergency Services Department has called on residents to use firecrackers responsibly. This comes as the year draws to a close and firecracker sales are expected to increase ahead of New Year's Eve celebrations. The department says it wants to ensure that children and animals are protected. Elvis Presslin spoke to Joburg EMS' Robert Mulaudzi.

A private security company operating at Clifton's Fourth Beach in Cape Town has raised the ire of beach-goers and vendors alike. Beach-goers were allegedly instructed to leave the beach on Sunday evening. The City of Cape Town says the company does not have the power to close beaches or restrict access. Mlamli Maneli reports.

The Alfred Nzo Municipality says it views the incident in which an elderly woman was burnt to death at Brooksneck village in the Eastern Cape, as the abuse of vulnerable women in vIllages. It's alleged that the 75-year-old woman was accused of practicing witchcraft. This is the second incident in the area, in the recent weeks. At the beginning of this month, two sisters, also accused of practicing...

The National Sea Rescue Institute has urged members of the public to swim where there are lifeguards. This follows the drowning of a man at Buffalo Bay in Kynsna in the Western Cape yesterday afternoon. This was one of several such incidents which also saw the death of a child. Elvis Presslin spoke to the NSRI’s Craig Lambinon.

Emergency officials have warned the public to take extra caution today as the heatwave continues in most provinces today. Gauteng, western Mpumalanga, Free State, North West province, the Northern Cape and the north-western parts of KwaZulu-Natal are the wosrt affected. Officials have warned that children and the elderly are the most vulnerable. Elvis Presslin spoke to ER24's Russel Meiring.

Former senior ANC official in Gauteng, Khabisi Mosunkuthu, has died at the age of 69. The cause of death has not yet been released, but he had suffered a stroke last year. Mosunkutu resigned from the Gauteng provincial legislature in 2011 after more than a decade as a member of the executive in various portfolios. He served as an MEC for community safety, for public transport, roads and works and...

The Khoisan six who undertook a long walk from Port Elizabeth to Pretoria are demanding recognition of their culture and language. They are staging a sit-in protest at the Union Buildings for 26 days since 30th November and are willing to wait as long as it takes to meet the President Cyril Ramaphosa to get feedback of their memorandum of demands that was delivered in December 2017. The groups lea...

Former President Jacob Zuma has accused the state of being inconsistent by paying legal fees for apartheid era generals while refusing to fund his legal battles. Earlier this month, a full bench of the Pretoria High Court, led by deputy judge president Aubrey Ledwaba, ruled that Zuma is not entitled to state funding in his legal battle. The court upheld the application by the DA and EFF to set asi...

Transnet has been left to count millions of rand as losses after its railway line was cut at eLubana in Nseleni outside Richard's Bay in northern Kwazulu-Natal. This caused a 200 wagon coal train to derail, damaging 51 carriers. Fanele Mhlongo reports.

Some political parties and various leaders in Parliaments have extended their best wishes to South Africans and Christians who observe Christmas Day. Among them are the ANC, DA, EFF, IFP, NFP, ACDP, UDM and the Freedom Front Plus, we also spoke to Chief Zwelivelile Mandla Mandela about the Mvezo annual Christmas party and our reporter Mcebisi Nqina was at the Dora Ngiza hospital's paediatric unit...

This festive season, the bulk of bargains and sales took place in large markets on the edges of the city of Johannesburg. SABC News set out to see what the economic geography of Johannesburg can teach us about low prices and large markets. Naledi Ngcobo reports.

The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) says there are high traffic volumes on roads leading towards the country's borders. This is expected as more holidaymakers head to their various destinations in time for Christmas celebrations. Motorists have once again been advised to drive with cautious as the death tolls continues to rise currently sitting at more 760. Traffic authorities say they...

Deputy President, David Mabuza, says people should close this year with optimism that 2019 will be a good year for the country. He made the call in his Christmas message to South Africans. Mabuza has urged people to make the most of this festive season.

The owner of David Frost Safety, David Frost says the new Evidential breath Alcotest Machine which has been launched by the Joburg Metro Police Department has to comply with the required scientific standards. The device will provide a printout containing information about the driver's level of sobriety which will be used in court. The 2018 road death toll has risen by 16% so far when compared to l...