Update@Noon

President Jacob Zuma has called for an end of politically motivated killings and violence in Kwa Zulu-Natal. The President was delivering a keynote address at the launch of the ANC's provincial local government election manifesto in Pietermaritzburg yesterday. The province has experienced a wave of killings of high profile politicians due to disputes arising from the finalisation of candidate list...

In an effort to reduce the crime rate in the country, police will now release crime statistics on a quarterly basis. This is in addition to the annual figures. That's according to the Minister in the Presidency, Jeff Radebe. He says the decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting yesterday. Sakina Kamwendo speaks to Johan Burger, from the Institute for Security Studies' Crime and Justice Programme.

South African music legend Ray Phiri says SABC's 90% local music across all its 18 radio is a good start. Speaking to AM Live on SAfm anchor Sakina Kamwendo during the ForumAt8, Phiri says groups like Stimela, Harare, Bayethe, Sakhile and many others, were beneficiaries of the cultural boycott in South Africa under the apartheid government which forced them to produce music that was marketable int...

Market Analyst Clive Ramathibela TALKING POINTS 1. A weeklong rally in global stocks has ended as investors review the outlook for global economic growth? 2. Naspers, which is Africa's biggest company by market value, is planning to sell its Polish online auction website Allegro 3. Disney is launching a Shanghai Disneyland, there could be some cultural faux pas there

Cabinet has distanced itself from a joint media statement by the Department of International Relations and the State Security Agency on the United States' terror alerts. The two key departments released a statement slamming the US saying the information on which the alerts were based was sketchy, and unsubstantiated and that their actions are a cause for serious concern to the South African govern...

Unions federation COSATU says it will embark on a protest to force the mine to re-open search for the three mine workers still trapped underground. Sakina Kamwendo speaks to COSATU Mpumalanga's Provincial Secretary, Fidel Mlombo.

Martin Creamer, publishing editor of Engineering News and Mining Weekly looks at a new joint action is underway to arrest the devastating decline of the South African mining industry, fuel cell development is bursting out all over the country and petrochemicals giant Sasol is investing R20-billion in neighbouring Mozambique to find more natural gas.

We have had requests from some listeners wanting to know what progress has been made at the Lily mine in Barberton in Mpumalanga. The latest reports indicate that the mine has received an investment of hundred and seventy one million rand from AfriCan Resources Gold Limited, which was to help with its reopening. Lily Gold mine was placed under business rescue, following a shaft collapse in early F...

The recent registration of ANC members as independent candidates for the forth-coming elections in North-West is posing problems for the ruling party. These include incumbent councillors and high-profile candidates whose names still appear on the candidate list of the governing party. The majority have registered with the IEC under the new Forum 4 Service Delivery. This is after some of them were...

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali will be buried in the US state of Kentucky later today. Since his death last Saturday the world has been paying tribute to the man who managed to transcend the sport of boxing. He influenced and inspired people world-wide with his caring and funny nature. One place he touched was a boxing gym in New York, which he regularly visited and trained at. Our US Correspondent Ni...

In an effort to reduce the crime rate in the country, police will now release crime statistics on a quarterly basis. This is in addition to the annual figures. That's according to the Minister in the Presidency, Jeff Radebe. He says the decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting yesterday. Sakina Kamwendo speaks to Johan Burger, from the Institute for Security Studies' Crime and Justice Programme.

Nadir Thokan, Investment Analyst at 27Four Investment Managers ** Let's talk about Investment case for Barclays group Africa ** What is the outlook for global earnings growth moving forward?

Millions of adolescent girls who face child marriage will soon be protected by the new Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriage. This follows an adoption of this new model law Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF). Following the adoption of the model law in Swaziland, member states are now expected to match their local laws with t...

Parliament says it is in the process of getting new uniforms for its parliamentary protection services. It expects the new uniforms to be worn as soon as parliament resumes after the August local elections. Spokesperson Luzuko Jacobs says this forms part of an investigation into possible security breaches last month when EEF MPs clashed with parliamentary security personnel during President Jacob...

Leaders of the Durban Christian Centre - also known as the Jesus Dome - say they are still waiting for the authorities to tell them what caused the fire that destroyed the church last night. Forensic investigators are trying to piece together details of the blaze. Fanele Mhlongo filed this report.....

THE Independent Electoral Commission has flagged violence as a major concern ahead of the local government elections. At today's lucky draw for the first position on the ballot, the IEC vice-chairperson Terry Tselane reminded political parties that they must lead in ensuring that the political process towards and during election is free and fair. Senior Political Reporter Angela Bolowana filed thi...

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) group of countries is signing off on an economic partnership agreement with the European Union. The deal will amalgamate South Africa's free trade agreement with the EU which has stood for over 15 years. Our Europe correspondent Jack Parrock has more.

South Africa needs to promote an environment conducive for local and foreign investors, while ensuring there is no capture of state institutions or different corporations. This is according to the Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan who was addressing delegates at the Gauteng Economic Indaba currently underway in Johannesburg. Gordhan says for higher growth to be achieved, South African has to be p...

The IFP hopes to fill the King Zwelithini Stadium this weekend when it launches its election manifesto. Party leadership led by iNkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi will deliver the party's election promises while also taking stock of the party's performance in the 2011 municipal elections. Then, the IFP retained only two municipalities - Ulundi and Umsinga. But during by-elections that followed, the party...

Economic Freedom Fighters Deputy President, Floyd Shivambu, says his party will focus on building health care centres and government run creches for each municipal ward. He says this will not only improve service delivery but also create job opportunities. Shivambu was addressing hundreds of Zamdela residents in Sasolburg in the northern Free State as part of the EFF's municipal election campaign....

The South African Police Service is on a recruitment drive to get former members to re-enlist. SAPS spokesperson, Vishnu Naidoo, says this is a follow up to last year's recruitment drive, in which only slightly more than 500 applicants were successful out of about 3-thousand. Naidoo says the police force has more than 600 vacant posts.

The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) has dismissed claims that they are not planning to take part in a meeting between the management of Northam mine in Limpopo, the NUM, and the Police. The President of AMCU Joseph Mathunjwa says instead, the police in Polokwane stood them up after postponing a meeting from Monday which was meant to resolve the situation at the mine. This...

The South African Communist Party and its alliance partner the African National Congress, have finally met to iron out their political differences. The two organisations have been at loggerheads over a number of issues, including the Gupta family's dealings with the state. The SACP second Deputy Secretary General, Solly Mapaila, has the details...

There has been an outbreak of rabies in Gauteng. Two people are reported to have been exposed to the viral disease, but received treatment. Areas that are affected so far are Muldersdrift, Kromdraai and Lanseria, north-west of Johannesburg. The Deputy Director of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Professor Lucille Blumberg joined us for more details on this story.

Tributes are pouring in following the death of Stephen Keshi, the former coach of the Nigerian national soccer team, the Super Eagles. The family of Keshi and the Nigerian Football Association say the 54-year-old soccer icon died of cardic arrest early this morning. Keshi was recently linked to local team, Orlando Pirates. Hasiya Suleiman is the director of news at the Voice of Nigeria...