Update@Noon

Communication Workers' Union (CWU), general-secretary Aubrey Tshabalala says pay TV giant MultiChoice's decision to dump ANN7 has a negative impact on staff of the 24-hour television news channel. MultiChoice announced yesterday that it would not renew ANN7's contract when it expired in August. The CWU, which represents more than half the employees at the channel formerly owned by the controversia...

President Jacob Zuma's lawyers have confirmed that their client has met the National Prosecuting Authority's deadline and submitted representations on why he should not be prosecuted for fraud and corruption. They say the representations were made late last night. The representations were initially supposed to be submitted in November 2017, but National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abraha...

ETM Analytics Chief Economist, George Glynos looks at a R15.7bn surplus for Dec and record R80.6bn surplus for the year, the Fed left rates unchanged, NAAMSA vehicle sales and the Barclays Manufacturing PMI and Venezuela appears to be in the midst of another unfolding crisis, SA should pay attention to a good example of how NOT to manage an economy?

- Pres Jacob Zuma submitting representations on why he should not be prosecuted for fraud and corruption. - Multichoice announces they will remove the ANN7 TV channel from the DStv bouquet. -Marvel superhero movie #BlackPanther, which has been dubbed as one of the most anticipated movies of 2018, Premiers in Los Angeles.

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has described the deaths of 144 mentally ill patients in the Life Esidimeni tragedy as one of the the most painful events in postapartheid South Africa. Motsoaledi was overcome by emotions as he apologised to the affected families at the end of his testimony at the arbitration hearings in Parktown, Johannesburg yesterday. Gauteng Premier David Makhura and Health ME...

Portfolio Manager at Ashburton Investments, Wayne Mccurrie looks at Asian Markets with massive cash flows and massive profit growth at Merafe resources and perfect storm and a tale of two halves for Spur....

Parliament's Standing Committee on Finance says it expects the various South African regulatory bodies to co-operate with other regulators in Germany and the Netherlands who are currently investigating Steinhoff. The German authorities are currently investigating Steinhoff for alleged accounting irregularities. The JSE, Reserve Bank and Financial Services Board are among the South African regulato...

Former Prasa CEO Lucky Montana has revealed damming evidence against various prominent people with business and political influence. Among those implicated are one of the Gupta brothers, President Jacob Zuma's son Duduzane, former Treasurer General Zweli Mkhize, Former Transport Minister Dipuo Peters and various prominent business people who allegedly had links with the Guptas. He also told the co...

Capitec CEO Gerrie Fourie has accused Viceroy Research Group of beng driven by profit motives in what the bank calls a one-sided and factually incorrect report. Viceroy released a report yesterday labelling Capitec a loan shark that must be placed under curatorship. Fourie has questioned the motive and timing of the Viceroy report. Capitec Bank has about nine milion active clients. Thandiswa Mawu...

The Gauteng government says it's not true that the provincial Health Department was pressured by the provincial and national treasury to cut costs. Former Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu and former HOD Barney Selebano told the arbitration hearings in Parktown, Johannesburg that the decision to terminate the long-standing contract with Life Esidimeni was necessitated by budgetary constraints. However, d...

Chief Economist at ETM Analytics, George Glynos looks at South African markets as blame games and crisis talk about Cape Town and Eskom continue and intra-day data in the form of money supply and the latest government finance figures

Gauteng Premier David Makhura and Gauteng Finance MEC Barbara Creecy are expected to take a stand at the Life Esidimeni inquiry. A few days ago, former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu allegedly implicated the Premier in being part of the decision to terminate the Life Esidimeni contract and move patients to NGO's. It was later found that those NGO's were illegal and that 144 patients died under...

A construction worker was buried alive inside a trench he was digging when soil caved-in on top of him at a shopping mall under construction in Giyani, Limpopo on Monday afternoon. Two others suffered suspected multiple fractures and have been taken to Nkhensani hospital in Giyani. The workers were preparing a trench where sewerage pipes will be laid when the incident happened. The construction wa...

Officials from the Hawks have refuted media reports over the imminent arrest of the Gupta brothers and their associates. The crime busting unit is investigating at least seven cases which are now at an advanced stage. Some of these reported high profile cases include Atul Gupta's alleged offer of ministerial positions to former deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas and former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor....

Water and Sanitation minister, Nomvula Mokonyane has applauded some of the farmers who have offered to avail water from their properties to help with the water crisis in Cape Town. Mokonyane spoke in Newlands where she was addressing the Cape Town Press Club. This comes as Day Zero is looming. SABC senior journalist, Mercedes Besent...

Two people have been fatally electrocuted along the Metrorail's central line between Khayelitsha and Cape Town in the Western Cape. This as operations along the line remain suspended following the death of a security guard three weeks ago. Metro-rail Western Cape spokesperson, Riana Scott warns that high-voltage cables remain active on the Khayelistha-Bishop Lavis line despite the suspension of tr...

President Jacob Zuma is attending the African Union summit in Ethiopia. The meeting comes at a time when the continent is reviewing how it deals with external partners to ensure Africa's priorities are achieved. Coletta Wanjohi reports from Ethiopia:

ETM Analytics Chief Economist, George Glynos gives us an updated perspective on the SA economy, which are the main ones to look out for? 2. Eskom will be publishing its delayed interim results with funders seemingly satisfied, is future at Eskom looking brighter? 3. Noose closing in on corruption, will this offer a boost to sentiment? 4. ZAR strength has characterized Jan 2018, is all the good new...

Ashburton Investments Portfolio Manager, Wayne Mccurrie. looks at Rand at 11.88, Net asset value up 5% in Euro. What is the discount to underlying investments and whether a downgrade can be avoided

Former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu says her resignation was an acknowldegement that things had gone horribly wrong in the hurried transfer of mentally ill patients to NGOs. Although Mahlangu says she takes political responsibility, she has accused senior departmental officials of misleading her. Mahlangu however came under fire for not taking heed of the red flags raised by experts and inte...

Former Acting CEO and Group Executive for Generation at Eskom, Matshela Koko has told the Eskom Parliamentary inquiry that he has never met any of the Gupta brothers. He also refuted claims that his trip to Dubai in January 2016 was paid for by Gupta owned company- SAHARA Computers. During the Inquiry Koko had an opportunity to view a video by Carte Blanche which had interviewed him on the Optimum...

Aphiwe Honono looks at the days trending topics. #EskomInquiry #SASSA #KOKO #MARKFISHCHALLENGE

Nadir Thokan of Invesment Analyst with 27-Four-Investments looks at South African inflation numbers that came out yesterday, Richemont’s decision to buy Yoxx Net A Porter and the significant Rand strength that we’ve witnessed.

-Tributes continue to pour in for Jazz Legend, Bra Hugh Masekela. -Mbuyiseni Ndlozi named most Influential Young South African for 2017. -Mary J Blige gets two Oscar Nominations.

Brand South Africa CEO, Dr Kingsley Makhubela has called for Africa and emerging markets to shape their own future. Makhubela, together with a high powered delegation from different sectors of the economy are in Davos, Switzerland where Deputy President, Cyril Ramaphosa is promoting the country as being stable and open for business. This is hoped to attract foreign investment opportunities in orde...