Update@Noon

A newly-adopted by-law by the City of Johannesburg has raise concerns over the use of private surveillance cameras in the city. This as the by-law the prohibits residents from posting CCTV videos of crime events on the internet. The by-law further says all CCTV cameras with a view of public spaces, such as a road, must be approved and registered by the City. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Deputy Directo...

A second witness, a police officer, has been called to the stand to testify in the trial in the disappearance of Joslin Smith in the Saldanha Bay Circuit High Court today. Seven-year-old Joslin went missing a year ago. The officer has been recounting the events of 19 February when the child went missing. He says they received a call from radio control to say a child was missing in the Middelpos in...

All three accused in the disappearance of Joslin Smith have pleaded not guilty to all the charges they are facing in connection with child's disappearance. The trial against those alleged to have been involved in the 7-year-old's disappearance is currently underway in Saldanha Bay, on the Cape West Coast. The state alleges that Joslin was kidnapped and trafficked. The accused include Joslin's moth...

The Border Management Authority says water levels have subsided  at some  ports of entry, and some ports are now operational. This as a result of recent  temporary closure of  five ports of entry due to severe flooding caused by the recent heavy rainfall. The recent affected ports are Stockpoort, Makgobistad, Bray, Groblersbridge and Pontdrift. Some of these ports are completel...

Judgement has been reserved in the constitutional challenge by two married couples where the husbands wish to assume the surnames of their wives. The applicants had successfully challenged the legislation in the Free State High Court after the male spouses could not change their surnames after marriage. One husband sought to take his wife's surname, while the other sought to hyphenate his surname...

Amid widespread disruption at home and abroad, U.S. President Donald Trump will on Tuesday night address a joint-sitting of Congress – his first appearance in the House of Representatives since returning to the White House six weeks ago. This speech arrives amid sweeping changes domestically that seek to reconfigure and reshape the federal government while disrupting traditional alliances an...

Prominent lawyer, Advocate Zola Majavu says his client - the Director of the Pretoria-based Zanzou night club, Neo Moela has nothing to hide and is willing to work with law authorities.  This  comes after a video emerged and went viral on social media showing men being assaulted at the popular Pretoria nightclub. One person has been arrested and appeared in the Pretoria Magistrates court...

The Border Management Authority (BMA) has announced the temporary closure of  five ports of entry in Limpopo due to severe flooding caused by the recent heavy rainfall in that province. The affected ports are Stockpoort, Makgobistad, Bray, Groblersbridge and Pontdrift.  For an update, Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Border Management Authority Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Peter Mpilo.

Operation Dudula is expected to hold a media briefing in Soweto today in relation to the group's efforts to formalise its work and future programs. The group, which has advocated for the arrest and deportation of illegal foreign nationals says this is the beginning of a new era for the group. The group will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Professional Bodies of South Africa. For more o...

The statutory rape case against a 28-year-old man who allegedly raped a thirteen-year-old girl has been postponed to the 5TH of May 2025. The matter was heard this morning in the Seshego magistrate's court, outside Polokwane, in Limpopo.  The girl gave birth to a baby boy on Christmas Day at the Seshego Hospital. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter, Avhapfani Munyai

A man arrested in connection with an assault incident at the Zanzou nightclub in Pretoria is expected to be back in the local magistrate's court today. The Congolese national was arrested in Yeoville, Johannesburg, over a week ago. This followed the surfacing of a video showing a group of men being physically and sexually assaulted at the nightclub. Six complainants have since come forward. For th...

More than 20 people have been killed in floods in KwaZulu-Natal over the past two months. This was revealed by the provincial Coperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi. Buthelezi, says with the persistent heavy rains people must be cautious and avoid building structures in low laying areas. Khalesakhe Mbhense reports...

Local residents in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal, are picking up of pieces of their lives following yet another round of heavy rains which ravaged the area. More than 20 people have now been killed in floods in province over the past two months. This as persistent heavy rains have destroyed homes, businesses and damaged critical infrastructure. One local businessman in Durban, Logan Naidoo, says municipa...

Small-scale farmers in rural parts of the Eastern Cape continue to face the grim reality of being attacked, killed and have their livestock robbed by criminals. Many families have since run out of business and shutdown as livestock owners are murdered during what seems to be organized stock theft robberies. Some of the most targeted areas include Qumbu, Mount Fletcher, Tsolo and Bityi in Mthatha....

The The South African Social Security Agency says it is implementing rigorous account verification processes to detect anomalies and unauthorised transactions within the Social Relief of Distress grant system. Speaking to Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Social Development yesterday, SASSA CEO, Themba Matlou, highlighted how weaknesses in the R350 grant system could compromise the SASSA's integ...

The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies says it welcomes the decision of the National Treasury to assist the South African Post Office with 150 Million rands. These funds are expected to help address the Post Office's immediate financial pressures. This follows threats by the Communication Workers Union to close down all branches of the Post Office countrywide demanding a fifteen...

The Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism reports that Pepfar-funded HIV organisations in South Africa, who receive their funds through the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, woke up to letters that were sent overnight telling them their grants have been ended — permanently. The document also instructs them to "immediately cease all activities, terminate all sub-awar...

The family of a 60-year-old woman who was washed away by floods in Lamontville in Durban says they are pinning their hopes on search and rescue teams to find her remains. Her daughter Ntombikhona Mhlongo and her family are among at least 280 families who have been relocated to the Bayview Hall in Chatsworth. Their informal dwelling was washed away on Tuesday night in heavy rains. Six other bodies...

Search and rescue teams have recovered five bodies in the south of Durban following heavy overnight rains. Three bodies, including two children, were found at Cuttings Beach, while the other two were recovered at Ansley and Brighton Beach. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether these are the bodies of the six people who were washed away in Lamontville. Earlier my colleague Jayed Paulse in Lamo...

President Cyril Ramaphosa says debt sustainability for developing economies is one of the priorities that South Africa will focus on, during the Finance Track Meetings of the G20, currently underway in Cape Town. The G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting is hosted by Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana and Governor of the South African Reserve Bank Lesetja Kganyago under South...

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has confirmed that the country's soldiers who were critically injured in eastern DRC are back home and receiving urgent medical attention. The soldiers arrived back home last night following a repatriation process. It is not clear how many other injured soldiers are remaining in the region but they are said to coming home in  the next few days....

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has confirmed that the country's soldiers who were critically injured in eastern DRC are back home and receiving urgent medical attention. The soldiers arrived back home last night following a repatriation process. It is not clear how many other injured soldiers are remaining in the region but they are said to coming home in  the next few days....

Former Johannesburg Mayor, Kabelo Gwanda says fraud charges brought against him were a fabrication and a political ploy to tarnish his name and that of his politcal party. Gwamanda, an Aljama-ah councillor had all charges against him provinsionally dropped by the Protea Magistrate's Court in Soweto. It was alleged that he and a co-accused had defrauded Soweto residents through a funeral policy sca...

Impeached Judge and uMkhonto weSizwe Parliamentary leader, Dr. John Hlophe has returned to the Western Cape High Court, following an application by the Democratic Alliance and Freedom Under Law. The parties approached the court in questioning the rationality of Parliament in endorsing Hlophe to serve in the Judicial Service Commission. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC Parliament reporter, Zalene Merr...

Police in the Limpopo province say investigations are underway following the rapes and robberies of four TVET college students in Bolobedu. Police say one of the students went outside to fetch water when she was attacked by a suspect carrying a gun on Saturday evening. Provincial spokesperson, Stephen Thakeng, says the suspect instructed the students in the residence to undress at gunpoint and the...