Update@Noon

The City of Johannesburg says disciplinary hearings are underway for about 4-thousand striking workers who failed to honour an ultimatum ordering them to go back to work. Striking workers have been charged with gross misconduct while others also have additional charges of attempted murder after Pikitup trucks were attacks. For more Bongi Gwala spoke to Councillor Matshidiso Mfikoe, who is a Member...

1. Asia Stocks Rise as Yellen's Dovish Comments Lift Risk Appetite 2. Brazil's biggest party quits ruling coalition, as the economy continues to decline 3. What to expect on the JSE at the opening

The Democratic Alliance (DA) says tomorrow's (thursday 30 March) Constitutional Court ruling on the Nkandla matter will mark a seminal moment for South Africa's democracy. The party says it is optimistic that the Court will provide clarity on the matter and the powers of the Public Protector. Constitutional Law Expert at the University of Cape Town, Professor Pierre De Vos, says the Court cannot o...

Two children are in a critical but stable condition in the Edendale hospital after they were attacked by a baboon at their home at Progress Farm in Richmond near Pietermaritzburg. The farm owner had apparently warned that the baboons must not be harmed, after the family alerted him that a troop on the farm had been chasing children. The Office of the Premier says that as a result of the incident,...

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Senzo Mchunu has called on the Human Rights Commission to investigate possible human rights violations after two children in Richmond at Phatheni in the KwaZulu Natal midlands were attacked by a baboon belonging to farmer in the area. A call has also been made for the department of Environmental Affairs to investigate whether the correct environmental laws were followed when...

The current slowdown in the economy has seen more companies being liquidated and more people defaulting on their loan repayments. Economists say government needs to give the private sector space to participate more strongly in the economy in order to realise exponential growth and address the current challenges. Stats SA released data which showed that the number of liquidations increased by over...

Violence broke out in Katlehong on the Gauteng East Rand where one person is reported to have been killed an foreign-owned shops looted. Police have confirmed that four foreign nationals aged between 20 and 27 have been arrested in connection with the shooting. For more Bongi Gwala spoke to Colonel Noxolo Kweza.

Preliminary statistics show road fatalities decreased by 46% during the Easter period this year. Transport Minister, Dipou Peters, says the huge decrease is due to rigorous public education campaigns to raise awareness about road safety, visible policing, the school holiday that fell over the two long weekends and the involvement of church and community leaders as well as celebrities. Liela Magnus...

President Jacob Zuma's mission in the Middle East to woo trade and direct foreign investment to South Africa moved to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates yesterday. President Zuma met with Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz. Our Presidential Correspondent Ntebo Mokobo reports.

Government officials say traffic officers, as well as motorists who engage in bribery, will face the full might of the law. Two traffic officers were arrested in Gauteng for allegedly trying to solicit bribes from motorists. The first officer was arrested in Ekurhuleni on Thursday, the second one was arrested on Sunday in Dobsonville, Soweto. Neliswa Mavundla reports.

Today "Pik It Up" will commence with disciplinary hearings for its 4-thousand employees, who have defied two court interdicts. The workers embarked on a strike nearly two week ago. They are demanding a salary increase and the removal of their boss, Amanda Nair. Bongi Gwala SAMWU's Deputy Regional Secretary, Paul Tlhabang

Market Analyst Clive Ramathibela looks at Asian stocks which fell for the first time in three days and what to expect in new week on the JSE following the holidays

Grathel Motau, Chartered Accountant and Development Economist looks at; Foschini has acquired 100% of Whsitles, a UK company and President concludes visits to Saudi Arabia and UAE

A suicide bomber has killed at least 72 people outside a public park in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore yesterday. The blast was in a large park in the south-west of the city, where many people had gathered for the close of Easter Celebration. Police told the BBC it appeared to be a suicide bomb. A Pakistan Taliban faction said it carried out the attack. The BBC's Shaimaa Khalil reports from...

Sound political relations between South Africa and Saudi Arabia should translate into enhanced bilateral trade and investment flows. President Jacob Zuma was on a charm offensive to the oil rich nation urging its business people to invest in South Africa. He has also met with Saudi King Salman bin Abul Aziz. The president was accompanied by five Cabinet ministers and around 20 business people on h...

Security will be tight tomorrow when the troubled North West University (NWU) re-opens the Mafikeng campus . A number of buildings were recently set alight at the campus, allegedly by protesting students. The campus has been closed for more than a month due students' protests. Bongi Gwala speaks to Vice Chancellor Professor Dan Kgwadi

There are growing concerns over kidnapping incidents in Limpopo. In the past few weeks, three people, including a mother and daughter, have been kidnapped and ransom demanded by kidnappers at Nirvana in Polokwane and Tzaneen. In the first incident, a 35 year old SARS employee, Anita Moosa, was kidnapped and three million rand ransom was demanded. In the second one, a mother and daughter were kidna...

Residents of Louw's Creek near Barberton in Mpumalanga say economic activities have stopped in the area since the collapse at Lilly gold mine. Over 50 days have passed since three workers in a container fell into a sink hole when the mine caved in on the fifth of February this year. Vusi Twala reports

Martin Creamer is Creamer Media Publishing Editor of Engineering News and Mining Weekly looks at major steps South Afrixa is taking to boost its rail engineering capacity and platinum miners are heading for new pay talks.

Waste management company Pikitup says their workers are still unable to collect waste due to severe intimidation. Two Pikitup trucks were shot at near Nasrec south of Johannesburg on Wednesday night. Angry workers affiliated to the worker's union Samwu have been on an illegal strike for two weeks over wages and allegations of misconduct against managing director, Amanda Nair. Bongi Gwala speaks to...

Easter traffic has begun to heavily congest on major roads as holiday makers make their way to various destinations. The N1 North is one the most affected with thousands of Zion Christian Church members traveling to Moria, Limpopo for the Eater pilgrimage. Bongi Gwala speaks to spokesperson for the Roads and Traffic Management Corporation Simon Zwane and our reporter, Witness Tivha...

1. JSE remains under pressure as CPI comes in higher than expected year on year!! 2. Emerging-market currencies and stocks fell for a second day as a drop in the oil price and more hawkishness from Federal Reserve officials damped a rally in developing-nation assets 3. China's stocks fell the most in two weeks as the slowing economy and slumping commodity prices dragged down profits of some of the...

More children are at risk of being infected with tuberculosis globally due to a shortage of the BCG vaccine. BCG is the only vaccine available to protect against the disease. However, its shortage poses a major threat to the lives of many children exposed to the disease globally, including in South Africa. As the international community marks World TB Day today (Thursday 24 March), pharmaceutical...

The number of learners in KwaZulu-Natal who have died after taking a form of Ecstasy known as "mercedes", has risen to seven. About 30 other youngsters have spent time in hospital, or are still receiving treatment after taking the drug at an end-of-term party at KwaMashu, north of Durban. The majority of the pupils are from Zeph Dhlomo High School in the township. The KwaZulu-Natal Department of S...

The number of learners in KwaZulu-Natal who have died after taking a form of Ecstasy known as "mercedes", has risen to seven. About 30 other youngsters have spent time in hospital, or are still receiving treatment after taking the drug at an end-of-term party at KwaMashu, north of Durban. Bongi Gwala spoke to MEC of Social Development in KwaZulu Natal Weziwe Thusi…