Update@Noon

The Black Business Council (BBC) is opposing the signing of the Financial Intelligence Centre Amendment (Fica) Bill that it will criminalize business people. The council together with the Progressive Professionals Forum (PPF) want President Zuma to re-look at the Bill as they say it will give banks too much power. We spoke to the President of BBC, Danisa Baloyi and Managing Director of the Banking...

Animal rights activists say they have noted an increase in donkey poaching, where some of the animals are killed in a very cruel manner. It is believed that donkey trade is big business and the demand has spiked in China for medicinal purposes. We spoke to inspector at the Highveld Horse Care Unit Ashley Ness

The ANC Youth League has hit out at Deputy President Cyril Ramapahosa and Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan. It accuses the two of working with private business to collapse SAA. This came out at the league's media briefing on the sidelines of the ANC NEC Lekgotla in Pretoria yesterday. Ahead of the ANC's National Elective Conference the League says it will only support leaders with the courage to co...

Markets Analyst Mohammed Nalla looks at South Africa markets as Trump effects wanes as US equity markets continue to slide, exiting TPP deal sees dollar weaker supporting commodities in the short term and local political risk premium masked by global developments but belies unease in markets...

Market Analyst, Clive Ramathibela looks at Asian Markets and the week ahead as the Chinese new year nears

The perception of public sector corruption in South Africa has improved. This is according to the latest Corruption Perceptions Index compiled by Transparency International. South Africa's score has improved from 44 in 2015 to 45 in 2016. It is ranked 64th out of 176 countries that were reviewed. We spoke to Executive Director of Corruption Watch, David Lewis

The family of a 14-year-old boy who was allegedly assaulted by his principal at Manyano Primary School in Middelburg, Mpumalanga says it plans to sue the department of education. Siphamandla Choma was allegedly beaten up by the school principal after he was accused of stealing R150, leaving him paralysed. The principal has been suspended following an investigation by the department. We spoke to Mp...

Small businesses will now be better empowered by government when it comes to procurement. This after the Preferential Procurement Regulations of 2011 was revised. The Department of National Treasury has released the revised preferential procurement regulations of 2017. We spoke to Acting Chief Procurement Officer at National Treasury, Schalk Human.

Dr. Nkosozana Dlamini- Zuma is stepping down as the chairperson of the African Union Commission, after serving four and a half years. Her position is among those, which will be hotly contested during the African Union commission elections due at the end of this month. Sarah Kimani takes a look at her legacy and those in the running to succeed her.

Congregants of the St Martin Lutheran church in Kimberley in the Northern Cape have taken to the streets in a march against the embezzlement of church funds. Over one hundred church members marched in the rain to stop what they call the victimization of whistle blowers in the church. The missing church funds are linked to the 40-million-rand that the national office of the church cannot account fo...

Market Analyst, Clive Ramathibela looks at Asian Markets as they hover in the negative and the dollar weakening due to uncertainty in US economy, Trump expected to cut 75% of regulations for easier access to business and tourism numbers in South Africa reach highs last seen 9 years ago in the festive season...

Statistician General Pali Lehohla has told the Fees Commission that free higher education is possible with proper planning. In his presentation, Lehohla told the commission that problems facing the education system had a historical background and that apartheid was to blame. Lehohla says the Bantu education system, coupled with economic deprivation makes it difficult for the majority of black peop...

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has paid 1.3 billion rand in registration fees to universities on behalf of deserving students. The organisation says 78-thousand new students have been approved to study this year and they are expecting to fund over 450-thousand students in total. Angela Bolowana reports...

The Economic Freedom Fighters says it is now looking at alternatives to try and find a way to save the Public Protectors office. The party says advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane is only interested in protecting the interests of the state. Mkhwebane took over the Public Protector's office in November last year, after Thuli Madonsela served for 7 years. The party announced this during it's media briefing...

The Principal of Manyano Primary School at Mhluzi township of Middelburg in Mpumalanga, accused of assaulting 14 year-old Siphamandla Choma leaving him wheelchair bound, has been suspended. This follows an investigation conducted by the provincial department of Education on the alleged assault of the learner whom he accused of stealing 150 Rand. Spokesperson Jasper Zwane says this seeks to send a...

AB InBev Africa and SAB seem to be backing down from the perpetual commitment they made when they merged last year. One of the conditions of the merger was an undertaking by AB InBev that this merger will not result in any retrenchments in South Africa. AB InBev Africa and SAB have confirmed that a voluntary severance process has been instituted. The Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU), had previ...

The South African Union of Students (SAUS) has threatened to shut down the University of Pretoria after the university asked students with pending criminal cases to motivate why they should be allowed to re-register for the 2017 academic year. A number of students were arrested at the university last year during violent fees must fall protests. We are now joined on the line by SAUS general secreta...

The South African Medical Association (SAMA) says it is concerned about some statements made by Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi regarding the uptake of posts by doctors. Last week the health minister held a briefing to address the issue of unemployed doctors and interns, following complaints by the Junior Doctors Association and the Pharmaceutical Society group. During the briefing Motsoaledi sai...

The National Union of Mineworkers, NUM says it will meet with AngloGold Ashanti today (Monday) to discuss the mining giant's plans to shed jobs. Ashanti Gold has notified the union of its plans to dismiss over 800 workers. For more on this we are joined on the line by National Union of Mineworkers spokesperson Livhuwani Mammburu

The SACP in the North West says the ANC is not a one-family or clan organisation. This is according to the SACP provincial secretary Madoda Sambatha. The SACP has also warned that the presidency of the ANC must not be decided based on gender. This is the opposite to the position of the ANC Women's League, which says Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma must lead the party after its 54th congress in December....

A 14-year-old boy from Mhluzi township in Middelburg in Mpumalanga is now paralyzed after allegedly being assaulted by his school principal for stealing R150. Siphamandla Choma can't walk or do anything for himself as he is now wheelchair bound. The Grade 4 learner has not been at school since the incident happened last year. He told SABC News that Manyano Primary School principal allegedly assaul...

Mohammed Nalla, Head of Strategic Research team at Nedbank CIB looks at how the inauguration of Donald Trump as US president affected markets, Rand stronger as dollar weakens in Asian trade and focus this week on the South African Reserve Bank on Monetary Policy Committee this week which is expected to keep the rates unchanged.

US President-elect Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States today. Trump's spokesperson Sean Spicer says the inaugural address will be a personal and philosophical one that lays out how he sees America, rather than push his agenda as president. As per tradition, after taking the oath of office on Friday at noon Trump will deliver his speech outdoors from a stage...

The new Gambian president Adama Barrow has been sworn in to office away from home in Senegal. The incumbent Yahya Jammeh refuses to go despite threat of military intervention. Barrow won an election last year December. Meanwhile Human Rights Watch has condemmed Jammeh for declaring state of emergency in the Gambia. For more we're now joined on the line by the Human Rights Watch West Africa researc...

Acting national police commissioner, Khomotso Phahlane is threatening to sue the Independent Police Investigative Directorate after a raid on his home in an estate north of Pretoria. He accuses the police watchdog of humiliating him by tipping off the media about yesterday's raid. In a statement, the Acting National Commissioner says he will continue to respect and fully cooperate with any authori...