Update@Noon

The Gauteng MEC of Education, Panyaza Lesufi says during the online registration period they received close to 300 000 applications. Lesufi says to date, the department has made 193 587 offers of placement to applicants and only about 75 000 offers were accepted. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Lesufi to find out how far the department is in placing learners for the 2019 academic year.

After last week's ANC lekgotla, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the party directed government to implement a stimulus package to ignite growth. At the same Stats SA last week revealed that South Africa's unemployment rate rose to 27.2% of the labour force in the second quarter from 26.7% in the first three months of this year. Now South Africans await the details of what Ramaphosa's stimu...

Rhodes University law student Khensani Maseko's funeral will take place in Johannesburg tomorrow. She reportedly committed suicide at the weekend after accusing her boyfriend of raping her in May this year. Yesterday, the university's Vice-Chancellor, Sizwe Mabizela stressed the importance of educating young men to respect women and their rights. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter Iviwe Poti.

The search continues this afternoon for one worker of the KwaZulu Natal Sharks Board who is feared to have drowned in Richards Bay. He was part of a five member team that was conducting a routine inspection of sharks nets at the time their boat capsized this morning. For more on this we are joined on the line by the spokesperson for the National Sea Rescue Institute, Craig Lambinon.

Tendai Biti's Lawyer, Nqobizitha Mlilo says the Zimbabwean opposition figure is seeking political asylum in Zambia because he fears for his life. Biti was arrested at the border post between that country and Zimbabwe earlier today. Police in his home country say they want to question Biti following the country's disputed elections which took place last week. Violence broke out as thousands of oppo...

The Department of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs has appointed 81 new town planners and engineers who will help improve the infrastructure of municipalities. Sixty percent of municipalities in the country have collapsed or are near collapsing due ot issues of governance, infrastructure and financial mismanagement. This has led to failure in providing adequate service delivery. Muni...

The community of Alexandra in Johannesburg says it has been forgotten by the government. Residents are staging a protest outside the ANC's headquarters at Luthuli House, over title deeds that have not been issued. Alex as the area is popularly known, is one of the oldest townships in the country. Community leader Tony Mtibi has told Sakina Kamwendo that they are not asking for RDP houses but docum...

Nonhlanhla Khumalo-Mayosi, wife of the late Professor, Bongani Mayosi, says the University of Cape Town used his high sense of duty to keep him at the institution despite his clear indications that he wanted to resign as Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences. She says Mayosi's attempts to resign from his position were denied by UCT on two occasions. Last week, he committed suicide after battling...

The Management of Rhodes University says it wants the police to conduct an inquest into the death of 23-year old student Khensani Maseko who committed suicide last week. She was apparently suffering from depression after being allegedly raped by her boyfriend. Meanwhile students at Nelson Mandela University are up in arms over allegations that a student was raped over the weekend.

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs is cracking down on traders who sell food prepared under unhealthy conditions as well as those who are not registered. MEC Sihle Zikalala says consumers must be protected. He spoke to our presenter Sakina Kamwendo.

The situation is calm in Harare, Zimbabwe today following that country's electoral commission's announcement that ZANU-PF candidate Emmerson Mnangagwa won the presidential seat in Monday's poll. Six people died during a protest in the city on Wednesday when police and soldiers opened fire. The MDC Alliance supporters took to the streets following an announcement by party leader and presidential ca...

Students at the University of Fort Hare in the Eastern Cape will finally write their mid-year exams after an eight week delay due to a strike by Nehawu members. The students have been meeting with the university management to find ways that would allow students to sit for their summative assessments. The university will be tightening security at its all its three campuses.

Political Analyst and lecturer at the Nelson Mandela University Ongama Mtimka says it will be difficult to form an alliance not led by the DA or ANC in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro. This comes as opposition parties in the Metro prepare to hand in a petition for another motion of no-confidence against Mayor Athol Trollip next week. The DA also briefed the media this morning about its successes at t...

Police Minister, Bheki Cele says police have arrested 43 suspects linked to cash-in-transit heists and recovered millions of rands in the month of June alone. Cele was addressing the media in Tembisa on Gauteng's Eastrand where he announced a 63 percent drop in the number of heists since the launch of the aggravated robbery stabilisation campaign.

Residents of Potchefstroom are currently protesting against Mayor Kgotso Khumalo whom they want to resign. Our reporter Bafedile Moerane is at the scene of the protest.

MDC Alliance leader Tendai Biti is expected to hand himself over to the Zimbabwean police this afternoon. He is accused of inciting violence while speaking to his party supporters yesterday by insisting that his organisation had won the parliamentary elections even though the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission had announced otherswise. Three people died shortly thereafter during clashes with the police...

The Missing Childrens Organisation says 124 children have been reported missing in the year ending April 2018. Many of them were kidnapped and trafficked, while some ran away from home. Fortunately, most of those who go missing are found, but the emotional trauma remains. Two young women who were recently abducted, drugged and used as sex slaves, bravely shared their story with the SABC's Chantal...

Former DA MP, Lindiwe Mazibuko, has called for an active citizenry to take up the matter of electoral reform, even if it means going to the Constitutional Court. Mazibuko was addressing the Cape Town Press Club. Zalene Merrington reports.

SADeC observers say they have noted with concern the role of traditional leaders and state media in influencing voters to cast their ballots in favour of the ruling ZANU-PF in Monday's poll. Addressing the media in Harare, head of SADeC's Electoral Observation Mission, Manuel Domingos Augusto says although the voting process was largely peaceful and orderly, anyone with any objections should desis...

Hundreds of women and people identifying themselves as non-gender conforming have marched across the country today, to highlight the plight of women who have been subjected to violence. The #TotalShutDown movement organisers say the campaign started on social media but has now been extended beyond that platform. Levels of various kinds of abuse directed at women are very high in the country. Our r...

The ranger that was killed by poachers at the Kruger National Park last week, Respect Mathebula, has been honoured for his contribution in the fight against poaching at the park. This comes as the park marks World Rangers Day today. Mathebula was buried over the weekend and is the first ranger to be killed by poachers in 50 years at the Kruger Park. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Chief Ranger at the Par...

The community of a settlement outside White River in Mpumalanga is up in arms as the sheriff demolishes their homes after the owners of the land secured an eviction order. The land is owned by the Mathafeni Trust. Police are monitoring the situation closely. For more on this we are joined on the line by our reporter Motsebi Monareng.

Commuters will wake up to another taxi fare increase tomorrow. The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) made the announcement this via social media this morning. Fuel prices have been escalating over the past few months. Meanwhile, the DA staged a picket outside the office of the the Treasury Department in Johannesburg this morning over the fuel increases. Leader of the party, Mmusi Maima...

Zimbabwean Electoral Commission chairperson, Priscilla Chigumba says vote counting in most provinces has been completed and some results will be announced this afternoon. Chigumba was addressing the media earlier today where she also warned against premature announcements of the results by both the media and politicians. Chigumba also noted that at least over a percentage of the registered voters...

Statistics SA says the official unemployment rate in the country has increased by 0,5% to 27,2%. It released its quarterly labour force survey for the second quarter of 2018 earlier today. In the first quarter, South Africa's unemployment rate was at 26.7%. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Mining and Labour Analyst Mamokgethi Molopyane.