Update@Noon

Trade and Industry minister Rob Davies has confirmed that all outstanding issues threatening the renewal of AGOA agricultural trade benefits between South Africa and the United States - have been resolved. Davies has told a news conference in Pretoria the salmonella issue has been concluded and the South African market is now open for 65-thousand tons of US poultry imports. He says the US has sign...

Government's student financial aid scheme, NSFAS, has set aside one-point-four billion rand for student registrations. NSFAS says they hope to assist about 400-thousand students to register. A record number of matrics sat for their final exam last year. The Higher Education Department is expected to flesh out more details of government's financial assistance next week. Zalene Merrington reports

Nadir Thokan, Investment Analyst at 27Four Investment looks at comments made by Goerge Soros about market conditions feeling like 2008, possible listing of state owned Saudi Aramco and returns slowing for listed property sector.

As the ANC gears up for its 104th birthday celebration tomorrow, it is business as usual in Nkaneng township near the koppie where 34 miners were killed in 2012. Some residents say they are reluctant to attend the governing party's bash as they are still recovering from the tragedy. The ANC is holding its national rally in Rustenburg - three years after the Marikana police shooting. Our reporter P...

Trade and Industry minister Rob Davies has confirmed that all outstanding issues threatening the renewal of AGOA agricultural trade benefits between South Africa and the United States - have been resolved. Davies has told a news conference in Pretoria the salmonella issue has been concluded and the South African market is now open for 65-thousand tons of US poultry imports. He says the US has sign...

The governing party the ANC - is in a celebratory mood as it marks its 104th anniversary today. The continent's oldest liberation movement is celebrating in the mining town of Rustenburg in the North West. Over 120-thousand people are expected to attend the festivities. It will be delivering its annual January 8 statement - with high expectations on how to resolve the country's pressing challenges...

For the past two months or so, South Africa has been gripped by soaring temperatures. The South African farmers are not the only ones affected, local professional football teams have also been on the receiving end. The heat has forced Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt to cut down on the training hours. Hunt has a first hand experience of the brutal summer conditions, when he was coach of Black Leopard...

Market Analyst Clive Ramathibela looks at Asian stocks and currencies which declines while oil erased gains as China weakened the yuan's reference rate by the most since August, the value of South African assets abroad outstripped foreign investment into the country for the first time on record and this week’s Thursday investment theme is Netflix goeing live in 130 countries, which helped the stoc...

The Kwazulu Natal MEC for Education Peggy Nkonyeni has expressed disappointment at the decline in the 2015 matric results. The province achieved 60 point seven percent in 2015 compared to 69.7% in 2014. During the release of the results, the Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said there are a number of issues that contributed to the decline and her department will work with the provinces to...

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa says the ANC will still remain in power at the beleaguered Tlokwe Local Municipality in the North West after by- elections are held next month. Ramaphosa was conducting door-to-door campaigns in Ikageng ward 18. The ANC Deputy President is in the province ahead of the ANC's 104th birthday celebrations to be held in Rustenburg this weekend. Patrick Dintwa reports .....

A law that criminalises racism may be what the country needs to clamp down the scourge of racism but South Africans need to continue the dialogue. This is according to the director at the Cape Town based Goedgedacht Forum, Felicity Harrison. The forum is one of the post apartheid initiatives aimed at fostering reconciliation among South Africans. Harrison was reacting to growing calls for a legisl...

27 Four Investment Analyst Nadir token looks at the December US Federal Bank meeting minutes released last night and business sector in South Africa continues to wane

Sakina Kamwendo, speaks to Gauteng's top achiever, Minét Uys from Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool who achieved an average of 96% in her matric subjects.

There has been mixed reaction to government handing over houses in the mining township of Marikana in the North West. While recipients were elated, others have cried foul. President Jacob Zuma announced the Presidential Housing Project after the 2012 shooting that left 34 mine workers dead. Tension was further heightened in the township when residents heard President Zuma will no longer be handing...

Analyst at 27four investments Nadir Thoken speaks to Sakina kamwendo about the latest Eurozone inflation data. The impact of higher interest rates in the U.S. on equities and China's intervention in the stock market to restore some calm.

Asian markets are trading lower at this hour, although mainland China's bourses are higher after state media reported a ban on share sales by major shareholders will remain in place until new rules are announced to manage the sale of shares. The ban on share sales by major shareholders was put in place six months ago when the Shanghai Composite sold off around 30 percent in a short period of time....

The ANC has called for laws to criminalize racism. The governing party today (Tuesday 5 December) laid charges of crimen injuria against several South Africans for racist comments posted on social media. They include economist Chris Hart, Justin van Vuuren, DA member of parliament Mike Waters and Penny Sparrow. The ANC says using influential platforms such as social media to spread racism has the...

Most analysts and economists have warned that the downgrade of Eskom by ratings agencies will hamper growth and will hit consumers hard. This could also mean that electricity prices will go up next quarter as Eskom is due to review its annual tariff increases. Eskom was downgraded by all major ratings agencies last year. But government has warned that it will be tough on state-owned enterprises -...

The platinum capital of the Bafokeng Kingdom - Phokeng village near Rustenburg in the North West Province is gearing up to host the ANC's 104th anniversary. Thousands of ANC supporters are expected to flock to Rustenburg on Saturday to listen in as President Jacob Zuma delivers the party's January 8 statement at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium. Members of the ANC National Executive have arrived in the...

Opposition parties in the national parliament in Cape Town have lamented the poor performance in matric pass rates in the three former homelands provinces of KwaZulu-Natala, Limpopo and the Eastern Cape. Even the majority party in parliament, the ANC has acknowledged the unfortunate decline as compared to well resourced provinces such Western Cape and Gauteng in particular. Our Senior Reporter in...

The JSE closed lower, except for the gold mining index, which rose by 6-point-4 percent on the back of a firmer gold price. The JSE's decline came amidst renewed concerns over China's economic slowdown as well as escalating tensions in the Middle East. Nadir Thokan, analyst at 27four investment speaks to Sakina Kamwendo

Several political parties in parliament say they are worried about the stalemate in the negotiations between South Africa and the US, over the African Growth and Opportunity Act, known as AGOA. Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies says government has made some significant progress on the negotiations despite the failure to meet the deadlines. Some political parties are hopeful that a win-win sol...

The JSE closed lower, except for the gold mining index, which rose by 6-point-4 percent on the back of a firmer gold price. The JSE's decline came amidst renewed concerns over China's economic slowdown as well as escalating tensions in the Middle East. Markets in the U.S. closed also lower, with the Dow Jones losing 1-point-6 percent -- its worst start to the year since 2008. This, as U.S. manufac...

Meanwhile, the King's family insists that King Dalindyebo is still the Abathembu king for as long as the certificate of recognition is not withdrawn by government. Fundiswa Mhlekude has more...

It's an anxious wait for thousands of matriculants ahead of the release of their results later today (tuesday 5 January). Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga will officially announce the 2015 Matric results in Midrand, north of Johannesburg at 6pm this evening. The Department of Basic Education has confirmed that the 2015 pass rate has dropped, compared to the previous year. A record number o...