Update@Noon

The formal bail application of five deaf learners from the Efata School for the Blind and the Deaf in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, will resume in the Mthatha magistrate's court this morning. They are facing charges of murder for the alleged brutal killing of the deputy principal at their school five months ago. Nodumo Mzamane was stabbed several times at her house near the school hostel. Though th...

Chairperson of the African Union and Chad President, Idris Derby says AU member states need to pursue dialogue in crises and listen to their people to avert the problems facing the continent. He was speaking at the end of the 26th sitting of the Union Assembly in the Ethiopian capital Addis Abbaba on Sunday. The two day meeting mainly discussed the political crises in Burundi, South Sudan, Burkina...

Four siblings and their cousin between the ages of three and 16 have died in a shack fire at Ramatlabama outside Mahikeng in North West. Police say six children were alone in the dwelling when it caught fire. One child was rescued by neighbours, and is in hospital. Itumeleng Kgajane reports

1. Asian markets continue the positive momentum 2. Analysts concerned over recent mobile technology company declines 3. Our response to the SARB decision to hike rates

Former president of Cote d'Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo has pleaded not guilty to four counts of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. He is the first former head of state to see his case at the ICC go all the way to trial. Jack Parrock reports from The Hague.

Government lawyers will meet with legal representatives of the claimants of the 2012 Marikana shootings in Sandton on Friday. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss a civil suit of one billion rand launched by the injured and arrested miners,as well as the widows of the miners. 34 miners were shot dead by police during an unprotected wage strike at Lonmin's Marikana platinum mine in the North We...

The Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mduduzi Manana, wants employers to assist college students with workplace experience. As part of their project, Decade of the Artisan, the minister is holding talks with employers from different industries in Polokwane, to encourage them to formalise links with colleges and provide students with apprenticeships, learnerships or other skills pro...

The ANC's National Working Committee is expected to meet with the party's Western Cape leaders on Monday to discuss the way forward after it asked provincial leader, Marius Fransman, to step down. Fransman has been asked to step aside pending the completion of an investigation into sexual harrassment charges against him. The party's top leaders also gave provincial secretary, Faiez Jacobs, 48 hour...

Grape farmers say they expect a smaller harvest in the Western Cape this year due to the drought. Harvest season is already underway at many farms and owners are doing their best to harvest a good crop. Large vegetation fires have also dealt a blow to many farmers. Lynne Arendse reports

ANC's National Working Committee is expected to meet with the party's Western Cape leaders on Monday to discuss the way forward after it asked provincial leader, Marius Fransman, to step down. Fransman has been asked to step aside pending the completion of an investigation into sexual harrassment charges against him. The party's top leaders also gave provincial secretary, Faiez Jacobs, 48 hours ye...

1. The impact of the interest rate hike on the markets 2. Microsoft earnings 3. The bank of Japans's decision to ease

Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago has reminded South Africans that the hiking cycle continues. The bank has increased the repo rate by an agressive 50 basis points to 6.75 percent, as expected by most economists. Kganyago has attributed the hike to the expected deterioration in the bank's inflation outlook due to a weaker rand. Tshepo Mongoai report.

The ANC has vowed to take action against economic challenges facing the country. This is one of the key decisions taken at the ruling paty's three day NEC lekgotla which ended last night in Pretoria. The lekgotla is an annual meeting that determines government programmes and priorities to ensure consistency between government work and the ANC. The state of education, economic growth and the upcomi...

Traditional Healers says they refuse to be regulated by government. They say it is impossible that government can pass laws that regulate their calling. This comes after government published the Traditional Health Practitioners Regulations in November last year. Part of the regulations stipulate that traditional healers and traditional medicines should be regulated, should undergo training and sho...

The future of the Pan African Congress of Azania hangs in the balance - with the party at risk of not contesting the upcoming local government elections. The IEC is giving the party a cold shoulder - until it resolves its internal leadership battles. The party has split into two factions since the expulsion of Letlapa Mphahlele as party president in 2013, with both sides claiming legitimacy over t...

The Tshwane University of Technology's Student Representative Council says police acted within their rights when they used teargas to disperse striking workers. This comes after the situation at Tshwane University of Technology's west campus spiralled out of control when a group of students pelted striking workers with stones from inside the campus. Workers were waiting at the entrance to the camp...

Thousands of protesters in Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape province brought the rural town into a standstill. A number of shops have been vandalised and A ward councillor's homestead set alight. It is also believed that another councillor was forced to resign at gun point. Some learners claim they were forced out of classes to join the protest. Nkululeko Nyembezi reports from Lusikisik

President Jacob Zuma says the controversial pension tax laws will only be reviewed after two years. The president was responding to an outcry by labour unions who have threatened strike action if the new laws that come into effect on March 1st are not scrapped. In a statement, President Zuma says there was extensive consultation but the unions say these were not necessarily effective. The unions s...

DA Leader Mmusi Maimane will lead supporters on a jobs march through the Johannesburg CBD today. The DA says close to 2 million South Africans have joined the ranks of the unemployed since 2009.

1. Emerging Stocks Advance Before Fed as China Shares Extend Slump 2. Apple Forecasts First Sales Drop Since 2003 on iPhone Slowdown 3. Toyota Believed to Plan Offer to Acquire Rest of Daihatsu 4. South Africa Probes Foreign Exchange Traders on Price Fixing

Gareth Cliff will only learn later this week if his application in the High Court in Johannesburg to force pay channel, Mnet to reinstate him as an Idols SA judge was successful. Cliff, who isn't a stranger to controversy - was fired earlier this month for supposedly supporting racist remarks by KZN woman, Penny Sparrow. The channel said it found that the media personality's defence of freedom of...

Gareth Cliff will only learn later this week if his application in the High Court in Johannesburg to force pay channel, Mnet to reinstate him as an Idols SA judge was successful. Cliff, who isn't a stranger to controversy - was fired earlier this month for supposedly supporting racist remarks by KZN woman, Penny Sparrow. The channel said it found that the media personality's defence of freedom of...

Burundi is set to be at the top of the agenda at the upcoming African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa later this week. This after Burundi's president Pierre Nkurunziza expressed that he does not want the AU'S proposed peacekeeping force imposed on his country. South Africa is likely to be part of the mediation efforts. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Jakkie Celliers chairperson of the Institute of Secur...

1. Lets talk about the changing tide for apple 2. What to expect from Federal Reserve meeting later today 3. Where to from here for residential property prices in South Africa

Market Analyst Clive Ramathibela looks at Asian stocks succumbed to the global retreat, halting a two-day rally as oil fell back below $30 a barrel and anxiety among investors increased ahead of Japanese and U.S. central bank meetings, China is deepening economic engagements with Iran just a week after international sanctions were lifted and McDonald’s Corp., waging a comeback effort under Chief E...