Update@Noon

North West MEC for Health, Dr. Magome Masike, says they are beginning to see some improvement since measures were put in place following national government's decision to place the department under administration. Masike briefed the media this morning. The province's health system was plagued by serious problems including allegations of corruption, a shortage of staff and equipment, poor service a...

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) says it does not foresee any problems in the next payment cycle. Grant beneficiaries stood in long queues this week as the agency experienced technical problems mostly at Post Office pay points. Frustrated beneficiaries had to be compensated with food parcels while they waited for their payments. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SASSA's Kgomotso Diseko.

Trade unions at power utility Eskom have rejected the company's revised offer of a 6.5% wage increase. The unions are currently in talks with the employer. The unions wants 9 percent. Eskom had initially offered a zero percent increase. NUMSA spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola gave us an update.

British police say a man and a woman found unconscious near Salisbury in the UK, where a former Russian spy and his daughter were attacked with a nerve agent in March, - were exposed to the same substance, known as Novichok. The couple are in a critical condition in the same hospital that treated the Russian pair and a huge police operation has now been launched to find the source of the nerve age...

The Board of Healthcare Funders has admitted that its members structure products in a way that does not afford consumers to make good comparisons of what is being offered. The organisation was speaking following revelations by the Competition Commission's Health Market Inquiry into private healthcare funding. The Commission released its provisional report during a media briefing in Sandton, Johann...

The Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa has thrown its weight behind the EFF on the land debate. Contralesa says they agree that Section 25 of the constitution, which deals with the right of property ownership, should be amended and that the government should be the custodian of expropriated land. This comes as Parliament's Constitutional Review Committee holds countrywide public heari...

The Home Affairs office in Mangaung in Bloemfontein has been reopened following a cash in transit heist and a bomb scare. An undisclosed amount of cash was stolen at the Mangaung Municipality Metro in Bloemfontein. The police's bomb squad unit and forensic investigators are still on the scene to gather evidence. It is believed the robbery took place in the early hours of the morning. It was earlie...

The Congress of South African Students (COSAS) says it wants learner transport to be subsidized. The student body held a media briefing at the Chief Albert Luthuli House to discuss challenges faced by learners in schools. These include sexual assault, violence and the pass rate. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to COSAS President General, John Macheke.

A new video has been released of the 12 boys and their football coach trapped in a Thai cave, in which they say they are in good health. Smiling and at times laughing, they each introduce themselves one by one. They were found on Monday after nine days trapped deep in the cave by rising water, and have since received food and medical treatment. But their rescue might take months, as they must eith...

The ANC is calling for more coverage from the SABC, ahead of next year's general elections. This was part of the party's submission to the SABC's Commission of Inquiry into political interference at the public broadcaster, which kicked off this week. As the public broadcaster, the SABC has the largest broadcast footprint across the country. The ANC says it wants airtime to be allocated according t...

The Minister of Communication Nomvula Mokonyane has announced in the government gazette the commencement of a process to review the public broadcasting policy. Members of the public and industry players have been invited to submit their written proposals on issues which will be considered during the process. Joining us on the line is the Minister's Spokesperson, Mlimandlela Ndamase

Grants beneficiaries in the Eastern Cape say they know nothing about government plans to give vouchers to those who have not been able to access their payments. Long queues have been forming at the Mthatha Post Office and at Port Saint John's. Hundreds of people are desperately trying to access their social grants after the new payments system failed. Most, including the elderly, woke up as early...

A group of initiates have been rescued from three illegal initiation schools in the Sekhukhune and Mopani area in Limpopo. Its reported that more than 400 initiation schools are currently operating in the province since the start of the initiation season last month. Sakina Kamwendo mspoke to the Chairperson of the Limpopo House of Traditional Leaders, Chief Malesela Dikgale.

The residents of Welkom in the Free State have started making submissions before Parliament's Constitutional Review Committee, which is holding public hearings on the expropriation of land without compensation. The Commercial farmers' union, Free State Agriculture maintained during its presentation yesterday, that the expropriation of land without compensation will plunge the country into an econo...

The Gauteng Sports Department's employee who called for the persecution of white people, Velaphi Khumalo wants the Equality Court to dismiss the case against him. Khumalo is arguing that he has already been punished for his comments on Facebook calling for Whites to be treated the same way Hitler treated the Jews. He said this after news of Penny Sparrow spread on social media. Khumalo was given a...

Protesting drivers of hailing taxi services Uber and Taxify say the managers of Uber are refusing to come out and accept their memorandum and instead want only two representatives of the strikers to come into the building in Sandton north of Johannesburg to hand over the document. The drivers gathered at Zoo Lake in Johannesburg this morning to demand better working conditions. They've allegedly b...

The office of the Auditor-General will hold a media conference on Thursday on the audit outcomes of municipalities in the Limpopo province. Most municipalities in the province lack capacity to provide services and to manage funds. Some of them battle to pay salaries. A number of them have been found to have violated the Municipal Public Finance Act by investing hundreds of millions rand in VBS mut...

Heavy rains and snow have continued to fall over the Western Cape with some places, like Grabouw in the Overberg, getting up to 60 millimetres of rain. Heavy downpours and gale force winds have resulted in flash flooding across large parts of the Cape Peninsula. Meanwhile a number of passes run the risk of being closed due to the extreme weather conditions. Meteorologist, Siphesihle Kunene gave us...

The legal representatives of independent candidates in the former Tlokwe local municipality in Potchefstroom in the North West, have filed opposing papers in the Constitutional Court against the Independent Electoral Commission. The IEC has applied for the extension of the court's suspension order that declared the commission's failure to maintain the voters' roll constitutional. The order relates...

The DA in Gauteng is picketing outside what it calls the "Gauteng Nkandla", which is the multimillion rand home of ANC Gauteng Chief Whip Brian Hlongwa, in Bryanston north of Johannesburg. The house, which was bought for seven million rand, was allegedly acquired with the financial assistance of companies and individuals who benefitted from corrupt activities with the Gauteng Health Department, wh...

Disgruntled ANC members who successfully interdicted the KwaZulu-Natal election conference last month, are back in the Pietermaritburg high court today. On the court papers the respondents are the ANC mother-body and the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Task Team. Our reporter Nonkululeko Hlophe is on the story.

The Departmemt of Energy has confirmed the upcoming fuel increases of 23 cents a litre for 95 Octane petrol and 26 cents a litre for 93 Octane petrol. Gas will increase by 37 cents a litre while illuminating paraffin will see an increase of 22 centre a litre. This as some motorists are reported to have heeded the call by People Against Petrol and Paraffin Price Increase, PAPPI, to bring busy roads...

Temperatures in the SARS inquiry were simmering as commissioner judge Robert Nugent broke down Advocate Dali Mpofu's presentation at the commission. Mpofu, representing suspended SARS commissioner, Tom Moyane led today's proceedings by calling for the inquiry to be suspended on the basis that it is biased and unfair towards his client.

The Snow Report has predicted that a major cold front‚on July 1‚ is "likely to bring a blanket of snow" across the country. Snow report says by Sunday night‚ some snow is expected to fall over the peaks of the majority of Cape mountains. The SA Weather Service has also issued a warning about the snowy conditions.

Some Swazis have distanced themselves from the 1st ever gay pride celebrations taking place this weekend in the Capital of Mbabane. An event of such scale and nature has never been held in the Kingdom of eSwatini, and If all goes to plan, the 30th of June 2018 may be a date to remember in Eswatini's history.