The Weekend View

A European Space Agency satellite blasted off from Earth yesterday on an 8 year journey to the planet Jupiter. The mission, known as the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, or JUICE for short, aims to establish whether the Jupiter's moons have the conditions needed to sustain life. There is plausible scientific evidence that these icy worlds - Callisto, Europa and Ganymede - hold oceans of underground liq...

Is there a real appetite by South Africa to extradite the Gupta brothers and other fugitives from justice?? This is a question that many South Africans are asking after this week's announcement of the failure of the Gupta brothers' extradition process in the United Arab Emirates. However yesterday's announcement of the re-arrest of escaped fugitive Thabo Bester in Tanzania  along with Dr Nandipha...

The tussle between President Cyril Ramaphosa and Parliament over the shortlisted candidates and reserve pool names submitted to serve on the SABC board continues and may end up at the Constitutional Court.  The President, who was provided with 12 candidates and an additional three names, questioned the legality of such a move in terms of the Broadcasting Act. This week Parliament's legal advisor,...

A high level government delegation will depart from South Africa today for Tanzania to bring back rapist and murderer Thabo Bester, his girlfriend, Nandipha Magudumana and a Mozambican national who was assisting them. The Mozambican has been named as Zacharia Alberto. The three were arrested in Tanzania on Friday night. Bester and Magudumana have been on the run since his escape became public last...

here has been widespread shock and disbelief following the announcement of the failure of the Gupta brothers' extradition process in the United Arab Emirates.   Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola said all necessary diplomatic and legal processes were followed in South Africa's bid to extradite the Guptas but the process was unsuccessful. The ruling took place almost two month...

The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) this week revoked former SAA director Yakhe Kwinana's membership following the outcome of her disciplinary hearing.  Kwinana is a former SAA board member who came into the spotlight when she used the "fat cake" analogy at the commission into State Capture  to justify cancelling an 85 million Rand contract and handing it to subsidiary, Ai...

Kwa Zulu Natal province says it is geared to welcome holiday-makers to a fun-filled Easter Weekend. The province experienced a disastrous festive season last year due to the high E-coli levels in some beaches coupled with the effects of the devasting floods that rocked the entire economy of the province, especially Ethekwini. To get a sense of how they are faring this Easter holiday we spoke to Pi...

President Cyril Ramaphosa this week signed into law the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Amendment Bill, which extends coverage for occupational injuries and diseases to previously excluded vulnerable workers, and improves compensation benefits to employees. The Bill effects a range of amendments to the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act which governs compen...

The South African government is in a conundrum and it's not yet clear whether it will formally invite Russian President Vladimir Putin who has a warrant of arrest from the International Criminal Court. South Africa will host the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, and China at the 15th BRICS Summit from August 22 to 24 this year, raising questions about whether or not the government should act if Pu...

The Department of Correctional Services says it has instituted an investigation into the escape of the so-called Facebook rapist Thabo Bester. The department says the controversial offender, Bester, who was sentenced to a 75-year jail term, did not commit suicide, as earlier reported. Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to Department of Correctional Services spokesperson, Singabakho Nxumalo...

The United Nations High Commission for Human Rights, THIS WEEK, joined the chorus of condemnation as it slammed the Ugandan anti-homosexuality bill passed on Tuesday which imposes severe punishment for same-sex acts, including labeling some acts as crimes punishable by death while imposing stiff sentences for people identifying as LGBTQI+. The UN and other nations have called on President Yoweri M...

The Western Cape government says in the coming months it will be identifying 4 or 5 towns in the province to be taken off the National grid. Also,100 schools will be identified, to be fitted with solar power systems that are linked to battery and inverter systems. This is part of its energy resilience plan amid rolling Eskom blackouts. Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to Western Cape Premier, Alan Winde.....

SECTION27, in partnership with the Centre for Child Law, launched an online accountability tool, The Michael Komape Sanitation Progress Monitor, to track progress made by the Limpopo Department of Education to eliminate unsafe and undignified sanitation at public schools throughout the Limpopo province. Section 27 is also calling for the safe installation of decent sanitation facilities. The Micha...

The National Consumer Commission is concerned about the increasing trend where smaller retail and spaza shops across the country are re-packaging edible goods into smaller packets to enable their customers to buy at a cheaper price. While this might look enticing and affordable for most in poorer communities, there are various health and accountability concerns around this practice. This was among...

The International Criminal Court in the Hague on Friday issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin. It accuses him of being responsible for war crimes in Ukraine, including the unlawful deportation of children. Russia's Commissioner for Children's Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, is also subject to an arrest warrant. This after the United Nations released a report earlier this we...

The police have reassured South Africans that they will maintain high visibility during tomorrow's planned national shut down led by the EFF. Other formations that will take to the streets in support of the shutdown include  the South African Federation of Trade Unions - SAFTU - and the Pan Africanist Congress - PAC. The protesters are demanding the resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa citing...

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is expected to embark on a national shutdown tomorrow . The EFF is calling for President Ramaphosa's resignation and to highlight South Africa's socio-economic pressures, including load shedding. The march is expected to be supported by many other organisations and other South African citizens who share the same sentiments. Many other South Africans including bu...

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is expected to embark on a national shutdown tomorrow .The EFF is calling for President Ramaphosa's resignation and to highlight South Africa's socio-economic pressures, including load shedding. The march is expected to be supported by many other organisations and other South African citizens who share the same sentiments. Many other South Africans including bus...

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)  and other organisations are on Monday expected to embark on a national shutdown. This has led to fears that companies and their employees will be severely affected in some way or another by the protest action. But how do employers and workers navigate their rights in such a situation. To help us understand we have on the line Tamsanqa Mila, Senior Associate at...

Rescue workers in Malawi are still recovering more bodies following the devastation caused by Tropical Storm Freddy in Malawi which has killed 326 people. Soldiers have joined rescue operations and have been rummaging through debris in search of victims swept by mudslides and floods. The Zambian government has provided two aircraft to help in rescue and distribution of relief aid to victims in are...

The capital city is still without a mayor. This after the election of a new Tshwane executive mayor will now be held next week after a special council meeting during which the election was to be held collapsed last night. The DA multi-party coalition members stormed out of the chambers citing their disgruntlement with the speaker's refusal to concede to their demands. For more,We spoke to  the DA'...

President Cyril Ramaphosa says he is pleased that at this early stage -- the country is beginning to see the implementation of measures to reduce load-shedding in the country. He says SA will see a great deal of progress in ensuring that load-shedding is reduced. It's currently on Stage One and has been suspended for Sunday between 5am and 4 pm. Ramaphosa was addressing the media in Pretoria, at t...

The Defence department has plans to set up a permanent SANDF rapid response unit, which will support the SA Police Service when needed, with a brigade of between 2 000 and 5 000 soldiers. The unit is in response to the public unrest in July 2021 which highlighted the need to strengthen law enforcement agencies, including the SANDF to ensure they are equipped to respond quickly to such incidents. W...

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)  have dismissed acting Public Protector, Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka's findings that cleared President Cyril Ramaphosa of wrongdoing, saying that he appropriately declared interests in his farming businesses. Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa says he cannot comment yet on the preliminary report by the Public Protector which cleared him of any wrongdoing in conne...

Former Tshwane Mayor Dr. Murunwa Makwarela resigned on Friday and was disowned by his party COPE after the Gauteng High Court dispelled information that it issued him with an insolvency rehabilitation certificate in 2018.  Makwarela had submitted the fake certificate, a day before, to city manager Johann Mettler to prove he was not an unrehabilitated insolvent and was eligible to occupy a public o...