Update@Noon

1. Yesterday we spoke about the importance of getting our GDP growth on a much higher level than the expected 0.5% recorded in 2016. One of the positive developments that came out of the crisis just over a year ago, was the improved cooperation between Government, Business and Labour. What progress has been made on this front? 2. This is indeed good news. There is a lot of focus on what government...

Another 8 bodies, suspected to be of illegal miners, have been found in Benoni on Gauteng's East Rand. The bodies were found late yesterday. 6 bodies were recovered on Sunday and the latest finding now brings the total number of bodies found so far to 14. Police say the motive for the killings may be linked to rival gangs fighting over territory. SAPS Spokesperson, Colonel Lungelo Dlamini, speaks...

Health services have come to a standstill at KwaZakhele Day Hospital in Port Elizabeth. Workers downed tools demanding the Health Department beef up security and properly fence the hospital following a robbery. On Friday two men masquerading as patients entered the hospital and held staff hostage at gunpoint demanding that they open the safe. Patients were turned away from the hospital yesterday a...

1) Asian markets mainly positive but still concerns hover over security after 4 missiles where fired by N.Korea, 2) Sibanye gold acquisition still being scrutinised after the U.S. watchdog weighs in concerns. Sakina Kamwendo speaks to Market Analyst, Clive Ramathibela

Parliament's public money watchdog, SCOPA says it's angry about the resignation of the newly appointed Director-General of Department of Social Development Zane Dangor over the SASSA debacle. Dangor tendered his resignation on Friday but is still expected to serve three months' notice at the Department. There has also been reaction from some political parties to Dangors' resignation. Sakina Kamwen...

1. It has been a busy weekend for SASSA (South Africa Social Security Agency) and Bathabile Dlamini, the Minister of Social Development. With only 26 days to go before the social grants have to be paid to 17m grant recipients, are we any closer to knowing how these payments are going to be made? 2. Let's turn our attention to the release of the final quarter GDP growth for 2016 due out tomorrow. W...

Father of 19-year-old boy accused of killing his 67-year-old sugar mama, says the law must take its course. The teenager and co-accused strangled the elderly woman and dumped her body in Marian Hill, Kwa-Zulu Natal. Speaking to Sakina Kamwendo on #AMLive the father of the teenager Nick Nzama says he only became aware of a romantic relationship between his son the deceased later after the crime had...

Lesotho's prime minister has lost a no-confidence vote in parliament, deepening the political uncertainty in the mountain kingdom ahead of a snap election likely within three months. It is one of the world's poorest countries and its economy is heavily dependent on its neighbour, to where it exports water and hydroelectric power. Elvis Preslin speaks SABC correspondence in Lesotho, Nthakoana Ngata...

Newly appointed Director-General of Department of Social Development Zane Dangor over the SASSA debacle. Dangor tendered his resignation on Friday but is still expected to serve three months' notice at the Department. Dangor cites that break down in relations with Minister Bathabile Dlamini as a reason for his resignation. He speaks to Weekend #Amlive's Elvis Preslin

Operations at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in Johannesburg continue as normal today. This is despite yesterday's incident that left 5 people injured. Yesterday the Academic Hospital collapsed allegedly due to negligence on the part of the contractor. Doctors at the hospital claim they have been raising concerns about the roof but have not had their worries attended to. Among the injured are 2 constru...

SASSA grants might have to be delivered by trucks to beneficiaries, if attempts to renew the contract with service providers fail. This is according to the Department of Social Development Director General, Zane Dangor. He was updating the portfolio committee on communications in Parliament yesterday about different routes that SASSA might have to resort to if the negotiations with Cash Paymaster...

1. Private sector credit growth in South Africa 2. Snapchat shares closed their first day of trading up at 44 percent. Sakina Kamwendo speaks to Nadir Thokan of 27 four Investment Managers.

1.Platinum has been badly hit by anti-diesel sentiment in the wake of the Volkswagen car emission scandal in the United States. 2. South Africa’s Sibanye Gold went on a charm offensive in the United States this week to woo shareholder backing its big American acquisition. 3. The mining industry’s downfall was caused by spending too much capital at the wrong time, says Glencore. Sakina Kamwendo spe...

1. Asian markets dragged down by falling commodity prices 2. The Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago has urged South Africans to buy shares in the Reserve Bank. What are the shares worth 3. Barclays manufacturing PMI what it means for South Africa? Lungi Malinga from Effectus Capital Management

#FeesMustFall campaigner at the Durban University of Technology Bonginkosi Khanyile has been released from the Westville Prison in Durban. This follows a ruling by the Constitutional court that Khanyile be released on 250 rand bail under strict conditions. He was the only student still in custody after being arrested last September for allegedly firing a sling shot at police and controvening bail...

Ekurhuleni Mayor Mzwandile Masina has called on the South African National Defence Force to assist with the search and rescue operation of 5-year-old Richard Thole who fell into a mineshaft at the weekend. Rescue operations have come to naught in Jerusalem, an informal settlement in Boksburg, east of JHB. We spoke to Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services spokesperson, William Ntlad...

South Africa's competition watchdog is seeking to charge Unilever 10-percent of its annual turnover. This follows an investigation by the Commission which found that Unilever together with Sime Darby had at least since 2004 to 2013 entered into an agreement not to compete with each other in respect of certain pack sizes of margarine and edible oils. Sime Darby settled with the Commission in 2016 a...

Market analyst, Nadir Thokan of 27 four investment managers looks at South African markets following release of new car sales figures that were released this week and food inflation in South Africa

The ANC has moved to reassure commercial farmers that the speeding up of land redistribution will take place within the law. The party was reacting to statements by President Jacob Zuma and land reform minister Gugile Nkwinti that legislation will be amended to allow for expropriation of land without compensation. ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte says the party has asked Nkwinti to draft...

Former president Kgalema Motlanthe says the land issue remains a contentious one in the country. Motlanthe is leading a high level panel assessing the effectiveness of key legislation introduced in 1994. The panel is holding public hearings in Rustenburg in the North West. It heard from most participants that there's still a large number of people who have had their ancestral land returned to them...

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa says the only way to make the 3 500 rand minimum wage effective, is to ensure maximum compliance. He was answering questions in the National Assembly. He also faced tough questions on the recent excessive security measures taken during the State of the Nation Address as well as on the death of over a hundred mentally-ill patients in Gauteng last year. Our Parliamen...

The Lesotho National Assembly has passed a vote of no confidence in prime minister Pakalitha Mosisili's government. The opposition overzealously voted for the motion, while the government barely said no. This gives the Prime Minister three days to resign or advise the King to dissolve parliament and call for elections. Nthakoana Ngatane reports

Members of the Coal Transporters Forum have staged a protest in Pretoria that has left motorists frustrated in major traffic disruptions. Trucks have been parked from the Nelmapius turnoff up to Solomon Mahlangu drive on the N21. Members of the Forum along with the workers will convoy to the Union Buildings and handover a memorandum, putting the total of demonstrators at the total of around 2000 p...

1. Cash build shares up by 0.98% 2. Trade deficit numbers came out yesterday. Sakina Kamwendo speaks to Nadir Thokan of 27 four investment managers.

1. Asian Shares Mostly Higher after Donald Trump speech. 2. Snap Chat IPO Countdown, Snap Chat expected to start trading on Thursday. Sakina Kamwendo speaks to Maudi Len-tsoane, Group CEO at Lehumo Investments