Update@Noon

The eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality has temporarily closed four bathing beaches following the detection of pollution. The City says in a statement that it has established a dedicated team comprising senior municipal management to investigate the source of the pollution. The affected beaches are Blue Lagoon, eThekwini, Country Club and Battery. The City has reassured holidaymakers that 19 other...

Family, friends and colleagues are attending media personality Warrick 'DJ Warras' Stock's memorial service which took place in Sandton, Johannesburg. He was shot dead on Tuesday outside a building where he had been providing security services in the Johannesburg CBD...lets take a listen to this collage of words from personalities such as Sizwe Dhlomo, Penuel including Pearl Thusi with her daughte...

The death toll of initiates in the Eastern Cape has risen to seventeen during this summer initiation season. The OR Tambo District is accounting for the most deaths with six initiates, followed by the Amathole District with four deaths. While Chris Hani District and Buffalo City Metro account for three deaths respectively and one initiate confirmed dead in Alfred Nzo District. The Deputy Minister...

Residents across parts of Johannesburg have been without water since last week due the city's maintenance plan. Water supplier, Rand Water, has been conducting its proactive infrastructure maintenance on various systems across the province since 13 December and is conducting them in three phases. Affected areas and communities are expressing frustration with Johannesburg Water's planning and commu...

Summer school holidays have started and the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) is urging South Africans to prioritise safety, especially in and around water. NSRI says over the past three weeks, rescue crews have seen a notable increase in emergency responses, many involving families and children on holiday at beaches, rivers, dams, and swimming pools. More on safety tips Sakina Kamwendo caught...

Minister of Public works & infrastructure Dean Macpherson earlier briefed the media on the outcome of a preliminary investigation into the collapse of the four-story building in Verulam, north of Durban.  Macpherson has once again confirmed that the building collapse claimed the lives of five people while 6 were injured.  Authorities do not believe there are any more people trapped u...

The department of home affairs has arrested seven Kenyans who abused their tourist visas. The arrests were carried out in collaboration with law enforcement agencies. Home affairs says they violated the South African immigration laws. Here is Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber giving further details and Sakina Kamwendo further spoke to Immigration Expert, Ashraf Essop

Western Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant, General Thembisile Patekile has noted with concern that violent crimes for the period starting in July to September of this year have risen particularly murders and attempted murders within the City of Cape Town. For more Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Commissioner Thembisile Patekile...

The bail application of Lehlohonolo Chauke, popularly known as Shebe Maburna has been denied. Magistrate Godfrey Netshiozwi  cited that the accused behaviour was the reason for his decision.  The state argued that Shebe is a repeat offender and had committed most offences while he was out on bail. He is facing nine counts, including three of attempted murder, assault GBH, robbery with ag...

The annual consumer price inflation eased to three-point-five from three-point-six in October, edging closer to the Reserve Bank's new three percent target. This move is like to encourage hoped for an interest rate cut next month. Annual inflation cooled in five of the 13 product categories, namely transport, recreation, sports and culture including information and communication. Food & non-al...

The National Joint Operational Structure is meeting in Bapong in Brits in the North West today, to assess the extent of illegal mining activities in the area. Resident of the area have raised safety concerns due to the reported illegal mining activities. For more Sakina Kamwendo spoke to National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure Spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe

A 43-year-old Zimbabwean national found in possession of over 580 passports and more than 147-thousand-rand in cash hidden in his bakkie has appeared in the Belfast Magistrate's Court in Mpumalanga today. Edward Chitaizvi was arrested in Waterval a week ago. Chitaizvi is suspected to have been on his way to meet someone who would have stamped the passports illegally. The money is suspected to have...

Rescue teams are still on site of the Redcliffe temple that collapsed on Friday.  Five bodies were recovered over the weekend. .  To get the latest Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Prem Balram of Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA)

Voting is under way in the motion of no confidence in KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli in the provincial legislature in Pietermaritzburg. A special council sitting has been convened to deal with the motion that the uMkhonto we Sizwe Party has brought against Ntuli. 

SAfm's Update at Noon presents another Update from the Coal Face. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Martin Creamer, publishing editor of Engineering News & Mining Weekly.

The Border Management Authority says it will impose the Ethiopian Airlines with a R15-thousand fine per passenger after disrupting what it believes was a human-trafficking operation at OR Tambo International Airport. BMA Officers intercepted 14 Ethiopians flagged through suspicious travel patterns, and in a separate incident stopped 16 Bangladeshis found with fraudulent visas. Acting Commissioner...

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy is leading an inter-provincial law enforcement operation aimed at road users travelling between Gauteng, Limpopo, and North West during this festive season. Last month the Minister officially launched the 365-day Arrive Alive Road Safety Campaign. She has called on all South Africans to take personal responsibility for reducing crashes and fatalities on the countr...

The Gqeberha High Court in the Eastern Cape has dismissed the NPA's application for leave to appeal the acquittal of Televangelist, Timothy Omotoso. Omotoso and his co-accused Lusanda Sulani and Zukiswa Sitho were found not guilty on charges of rape and human trafficking. For more Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Legal analyst Nthabiseng Dubazana 

Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Basil Manuel - Executive Director of the National Professional Teachers' Organisation of South Africa (NAPTOSA) and  Biki Lepota, Umalusi Senior Manager for Public Relations and Communications

Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Dr. Snuki Zikalala - president of the African National Congress (ANC) Veterans' League and Dr. levy Ndou - political analyst

Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Professor Bheki Mngomezulu , Director for the Centre for the Advancement of Non-Racialism and Democracy (CANRAD) at the Nelson Mandela University

The Nkabinde Inquiry into the fitness to hold office of suspended South Gauteng Director of Public Prosecutions advocate Andrew Chauke resumed this morning. National Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Shamila Batohi is continuing her testimony. The Inquiry chaired by retired Justice Bess Nkabinde was set up following allegations that suspended South Gauteng Director of Public Prosecutions ad...

The North West Legislature's newly established Ad Hoc Committee set to investigate allegations of improper conduct against Premier Lazarus Mokgosi, starts today.  The committee was establishment after the Mayor of the Naledi Local Municipality, Clifton Groep, accused the Premier of instructing a former municipality employee to alter a report relating to the appointment of the Municipal Manage...