Update@Noon

A new UN investigative report has concluded that both Israeli authorities and Palestinian armed groups have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity since and in the aftermath of Hamas' October 7th last year. The findings of the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory were presented to the Human Rights Council in Geneva earlier Wednesday b...

The Democratic Alliance has suspended newly-sworn-in Member of Parliament, Renaldo Gouws, with immediate effect. The party says it has established that the video, in which Gouws uses execrable language, is genuine and not a fake as initially suspected. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Richard Newton, DA Director of Communications.

The IFP has won the highly contested by-elections in 3 of 6 wards in the Umzumbe Municipality ,near Port Shepstone, on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast. After the by-elections, the previously ANC controlled municipality is now a hung council, with the ANC and IFP both holding 17 seats. In by-elections in other KwaZulu-Natal municipalities, the IFP took a ward from AbantoBathu Congress in the Umvoti m...

The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) has raised concerns over illegal miners who have invaded the largest nature reserve in the province, the Songimvelo Nature Reserve that is located in Tjakastad in the Chief Albert Luthuli Municipality. These illegal miners have tampered with the fence at the park and are digging for gold. This is a fence that was recently installed by the provincial g...

Azapo and the PAC have called on South Africans never to forget where they come from. The two leftist parties commemorated the June 16 Soweto Uprisings at the Avalon Cemetery in Soweto on Saturday. This is where the remains of the mastermind behind the student protests of that fateful day Tsietsi Mashinini and Khotso Seatlholo as well as the first victims of the uprisings Hastings Ndlovu and Hecto...

As the country enjoys the public holiday  commemorating Youth Day, young people in the Western Cape have expressed their expectations from the newly formed Government of National Unity (GNU) that includes the ANC, DA, IFP and the PA. No party obtained an outright majority in the recent general election. These youths have raised unemployment, the high crime rate, education and poor infrastructure a...

Southern African Association of Freight Forwarders has criticised the World Bank's 2023 Container Port Performance Index, saying it's inaccurate and its findings could harm the reputation of South Africa's container terminals. The Container Port Performance Index, looked at four hundred and five ports globally, where South Africa's ports rank dismally overall, and the Port of Cape Town ranked the...

Eastern Cape police are investigating a murder of a two-year-old boy in Xholorha outside Stutterheim. It's alleged that the boy was hanged by his mother's boyfriend and died. This happened after a quarrel between the couple. The 35 year old boyfriend later left with the child, and was later found drinking at a tavern. He was taken to the police station where he allegedly confessed to hanging the c...

The leader of the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) and one of the country's longest-serving members of parliament, Kenneth Meshoe says his party has declined to be part of the National Government of Unity. He was speaking earlier to SABC political reporter Natasha Phiri, 

SA's political parties are continuing Government of National Unity discussions as the first sitting of the National Assembly post the National and Provincial Elections approaches. Parliament is expected to elect both the speakers of parliament tomorrow and nominate a president elect while speakers of and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) will be elected on Saturday. Meanwhile, the ANC has y...

The DA's, Alan Winde has been elected as the Premier of the Western Cape for a second term. He received 26 votes during the election for the position in the first sitting of the provincial legislature. The ANC’s Muhammad Khalid Sayed, who was also contesting for the position received 14 votes. Two of the ballots were spoilt. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to SABC reporter Corbin August.

The ANC is expected to hold a special NEC meeting at the Cape Sun Hotel in Cape Town this afternoon. This comes as the clock continues to tick forward to the much anticipated first sitting of the National Assembly post the National and Provincial Elections. Parliament is expected to elect both the speakers of parliament tomorrow and nominate a president elect while speakers of and the National Cou...

The Electoral Court has dismissed the urgent application launched by Umkhonto Wesizwe party founder, Jabulani Khumalo to be reinstated as leader of the party. Khumalo last week launched an urgent application before the specialist court. Khumalo was expelled from the party and removed as its leader earlier this year. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC News reporter, Zoleka Qodashe 

One person has died of the Mpox disease in South Africa. Health minister Joe Phaahla says five cases were reported in the country, three in Kwazulu-Natal and two cases in Gauteng. Phaahla briefed the media on the outbreak of the disease earlier

The Alliance Political Council, comprising of the top six officials of the African National Congress, the South African Communist Party and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) are expected to meet at 2pm today in order to consolidate discussions around the possible formation of a Government of National Unity. This comes less than 72 hours before the first sitting of the National As...

 A 35-year-old man is expected to appear in the Pretoria North Magistrate's Court today for allegedly murdering four people, including two children in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria. Six people were shot in the area last week. They included two girls, aged four and seven whose bodies were burnt when the shack in which they had been sleeping was burnt. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC News reporter, Ph...

The community of Seaview near Wild Coast Sun at Mbizana in the Eastern Cape, is still in shock after five members of the Matiwane family were kidnapped. It is alleged that heavily armed alleged kidnappers abducted the family at gun point and drove away with them. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter Nkululeko Nyembezi

Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera says he's sparing no resources to find a missing aircraft that was carrying his Vice President Dr Saulos Chilima and nine others. Chilima left from Lilongwe to Mzuzu  yesterday morning to attend the funeral of the country's former attorney general and Justice Minister Ralph Kasambara. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to George Mhango, Channel Africa correspondent in Malawi...

Political expert from the University of South Africa, Professor Dirk Kotze says members of Umkhonto Wesizwe party will still have an opportunity to be sworn in after the first sittings of the National Assembly and the NCOP. This comes after the MK Party signaled its intention to boycott the first sittings expected to take place on Friday and Saturday, which will be presided over by Chief Justice R...

Vodacom official Pinky Vythilingam is expected back on the witness stand at the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial today. Meyiwa was shot and killed in October 2014 while at parental home of his then girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo, on Gauteng's East Rand. Five men are on trial at the High Court in Pretoria for the murder of the Bafana Bafana captain. Vythilingam's testimony was halted last week to give her time...

Eastern Cape Safety MEC, Xolile Nqatha, is expected to visit the family of six members who were shot and killed last week in Tsolo. Nqatha together with the police are expected to update the family on the progress made to arrest the suspects. Police say it's alleged a 43 year- old male was killed in his grandfather's homestead in Mpoza location. In the second incident also in the same location, tw...

The trial of Husband and wife, Sibusiso  and Lerato Mahlangu accused of killing Lerato's former boyfriend and father of her child, Sibusiso Sithebe, has resumed in the high court in Pretoria. Sibusiso & Lerato Mahlangu allegedly invited the father of Lerato's child, Sibusiso Sithebe, to the couple's home where they allegedly killed him & set his remains on fire in order to claim R500 000 i...

Johannesburg residents have raised concerns about the looming re-introduction of load reduction by City Power. They say this will mess up their lives. The business community says this will have a negative effect on their businesses. Others are even asking questions as to why the load reduction is only being brought back after the elections. City Power says power supply costs have reached critical...

There are only six days left for the 7th Parliament to be formed. Before a Government of National Unity or a coalition is formed, parliament must first be constituted within 14 days of the declaration of the election results. The election of the Speaker, Deputy and the President are critical to the formation of the National Assembly,  while the election of the President is critical to ensure the f...

Opposition parties have responded with mixed reactions to President Cyril Ramaphosa suggestion for a government of national unity, which Ramphosa says will reflect the will of people and help move the country forward. He was speaking at the end of the governing party's Special NEC meeting in Boksburg east of Johannesburg last night. The meeting was called to discuss the model of a government that...