Update@Noon

Market Analyst, Lungile Malinga of Effectus Capital Management looks at Asian markets as the UK start their formal Brexit negotiations, oil prices have been under pressure in the past 12 months, expected to go back as far as their historical lows of $30 a barrel and impact this would have on commodity currencies such as the rand...

South Africa has lost more than 120-billion US dollars or R 1,5 trillion in illicit financial flows over a ten year period. This is according to the Chairperson of Parliament's Standing Committee on Finance, Yunus Carrim. He has welcomed the gazetting of the Financial Intelligence Centre Amendment Act, or FICA ACT. The legislation has received a mixed welcome from some opposition parties and the C...

ANC Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa says the party has to re-position itself by defeating factionalism and infighting, if it wants to continue leading society. He also called on ANC branches to take the lead in holding its national leaders accountable. Ramaphosa was addressing delegates at the ANC Provincial Policy Conference at Stellenbosch in the Western Cape. Our Parliamentary Correspondent Me...

The DA in Gauteng says an urgent court order should be brought against striking forensic assistants in Gauteng as the labour action is illegal. Bodies have been piling up in mortuaries in the province since forensic assistants embarked on a 'go slow' more than a week ago. The DA says the workers are disrespecting the dead and causing incredible anguish to relatives who are waiting to bury their lo...

Nadir Thokan, Investment Analyst at 27-Four Investment Manager looks at the Amazon purchase of Whole Foods, the Naspers rump and the impact of a lack on investment on economic growth

The Number 43 Foundation is commemorating Youth Day under the theme: Youth As Agents Of Change. The foundation was formed and named after house number 43 in Trelawney Park, which used to house young South Africans that had crossed the border to Swaziland to join Umkhonto we Sizwe or moving to other countries for seeking political asylum. Among those to be recognised are the black learners from Pre...

Lesotho's prime minister-elect Tom Thabane is set to be inaugurated today despite the killing of his wife Lipolelo on Wednesday. Lipolelo Thabane was was shot dead in her home village of Ha Masanga as she was driving home with a friend. The killing has raised concerns about further political instability in the mountain kingdom. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Prof. Mahlomole Kapa, the Dean of the Faculty...

DA MP and member of the Higher Education Committee in Parliament Hlomela Bucwa has described the ANC benches in the National Assembly as a retirement village that does not have young MPs. But her comment was met with fierce reaction from the ANC. Bucwa and various young MPs participated in the Youth Debate in the Assembly which took place ahead of June 16th commemorations. Our Parliamentary Corres...

Taxi organisation - SANTACO - has reached an agreement with the South African Taxi Finance holdings. The agreement includes that monthly taxi instalments will be reduced by 1-thousand 800 rands. And a certain number of taxi operators listed on the credit bureau will be removed with immediate effect. The agreement was reached following a meeting between SANTACO and SA Taxi Finance holdings held at...

Maudi Lentsoane, CEO of Lehumo Investments looks at the Asian Markets which are trading lower after the Federal Reserve raised interest

The Public Protector's office says it will conduct a preliminary investigation into the merits of state capture allegations published in the leaked Gupta e-mails. Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane says some of the allegations point to improper or dishonest acts or offences with respect to public funds at tate-owned enterprises like Eskom, Transnet and Prasa. Sakina Kamwendo speaks Public Protector, Advo...

Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi says parents and learners must NOT panic over missing exams due to #TaxiStrike. Speaking to Sakina Kamwendo, Lesufi said learners who will not be able to write exams due to #TaxiStrike will write at later date

Striking taxi drivers are blockading Gauteng's main highways, affecting the N1, N3, N14 and Johannesburg's M1. The N1 highway north-bound between Johannebsurg and Pretoria has now been opened to traffic. It was closed earlier at Allandale, New road, Olifantsfontein and the R101 exits. However, the N1 highway south-bound is still closed to traffic. Metro traffic officers are trying to remove a truc...

The political cooperation between the EFF and the DA may be hanging in the balance if the media statement released by the EFF last night is anything to go by. The EFF had earlier threatened to suspend their co-operation agreement with the DA if the party does not take immediate and decisive action against it's former leader, Helen Zille, over her colonialism tweet. The EFF statement in part says t...

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has accused Saudi Arabia of supporting militants inside Iran, days after Islamic State claimed attacks in Tehran. Relations between the two neighbours are at their most tense in years. Last week Saudi Arabia, along with other Arab governments, severed ties with Qatar, citing its support of Iran and claims of funding terrorist groups, as the main reasons...

The Minister of Finance Malusi Gigaba has authenticated the two letters disseminated by EFF Leader Juluis Malema about the citizenship of the Guptas. One of the letters clearly shows the family's application being declined, while the other letter, written a few months later, shows the Minister awarding the family early naturalisation. In a statement, the Minister states that his approval of the ci...

Another gang-related shooting has claimed the life of a man in the Northern areas of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. This happened while the Deputy Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Thabang Makwetla, was meeting the leaders from different gangs at the St Albans Prison on the outskirts of Port Elizabeth to resolve the gang problems in prisons and the Northern Areas of the city. Kim...

The Office of the Premier in the North West Province says it has decided to suspend its working relations with the SABC. This follows allegations that the SABC in North West gives Premier Supra Mahumapelo special preference. Sakina Kamwendo speaks to Provincial Head of Communication at the Office of the Premier in the North West Province, Brian Setswambung. Setswambung says premier will speak to t...

Market Analyst, Maudi Lentsoane of Lehumo Investments looks at Asian Markets as trading remains positive, led by Australia's ASX200, Teressa May apologies to her own law makers after disappointing UK results and MMI and African Bank team up to build a financial supermarket

Humanitarian Organization, The Gift of the Givers has been working tirelessly to secure the release of South African hostages - photo-journalist, Shiraaz Mohamed, held hostage in Syria and tourist, Stephen McGown, abducted in Mali. Shiraaz was kidnapped at gunpoint in January near the Turkish border in war-torn Syria. McGown, whose mother recently passed on without being re-united with his son, ha...

Save Our SABC says it is pleased that corporation's former COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng is no longer an employee of the public broadcaster. This follows a disciplinary hearing against Motsoeneng after he held a media briefing in April. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Save Our SABC spokesperson, Duduetsang Makuse....

Information has emerged alleging that former Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba unjustifiably approved the citizenship for the Gupta family. In a statement, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) say that the Gupta family's application was initially declined because they did not meet the requirements for naturalisation. However, a few months later, after the intervention of the former Home Affairs Minister,...

The Lesotho National Assembly has reconvened after elections. Former Speaker of the 2012 -2015 parliament Sephiri Motanyane was elected unopposed as Speaker. And all 117 of the 120 members were sworn-in, while the other 3 will be elected in by-elections Nthakoana Ngatane reports.

Nerina Visser, Strategist and Advisor at ETF South Africa looks at Moody's decision to downgraded SA's major banks and several other institutions and companies and GEM Diamonds has finds two large rocks at flagship mine in Lesotho

The SABC's former COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng is no longer an employee of the public broadcaster. The SABC interim board says it has notified Motsoeneng of its decision to accept the recommendation that he be dismissed. This follows a disciplinary hearing against Motsoeneng after he held a media briefing in April. He has since been found guilty of bringing the public broadcaster into disrepute. Sashin N...