Drama/Umdlalo womoya

Presenter: Big Joe

Contact crimes against women in the fourth quarter saw an increase. The figures show that attempted murder is at 21.5 % , murder at 7,9 % and assault with the intent to inflict grevious bodily harm stands at 0,7 %. Police Minister Bheki Cele earlier briefed the Portfolio Committee on Police in Parliament on the 4th quarter crime statistics. Minister Cele addressed the media on the overall crime stats and measures taken by the police Ministry to combat crime. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC parliamentary correspondent, Zalene Merrington.

Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy is expected to receive an update from the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy on the latest shale gas developments. The possible extraction of gas from the Karoo could be a game changer in so far as the country's energy crisis is concerned. Large reserves of shale gas have been identified in the Karoo basin, which alone could provide up to 4% of additional electricity requirements with no need for pipelines. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Chief Executive Officer of the South African upstream oil and gas regulatory authority, Petroleum Agency South Africa (PASA), Dr. Phindile Masangane

The Gauteng Department of Education says it will look into providing scholar transport to learners attending its compulsory extra lessons. This comes after 17-year-old Grade 12 learner, Palesa Malatji was brutally raped and murdered as she made her way home following an extra lesson. The Congress of South African Students (COSAS) has called for the department to deploy school patrollers to keep learners safe. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Gauteng Education MEC, Matome Chiloane

Presenter: Big Joe

Presenter: Big Joe

Presenter: Big Joe

A North West family is one step closer to finding closure as the provincial Department of Health has begun exhuming eleven the graves of unidentified persons at the Boikhutso Township Cemetery near Lichtenburg. The family hopes that one of the remains in the graves will be that of their loved one, a male patient who went missing at the Thusong Hospital a number of years ago and was allegedly later found burned beyond recognition. Initial DNA tests were done were done on the burnt body but the results were inconclusive, following which, the body was buried with ten other unidentified people at the cemetery. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter, Sentleeng Lehihi.

The EFF in Tshwane has gathered outside the Themba Police Station in Hammanskraal ahead of opening criminals cases against the City of Tshwane. The party says this is in response to the 17 deaths of people as a result of the Cholera outbreak. A further 34 people are still being treated for Cholera symptoms at the Jubilee District Hospital. Yesterday, the EFF dared Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink together with Tshwane speaker Mncedi Ndwanana to drink water apparently taken from the taps in Hammanskraal. EFF chairperson in Tshwane, Sakina Kamwendo spoke to professor of Law and the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Management and Law at the University of Limpopo, Professor Omphemetse Sibanda.

Asibambane-Disability: How to create a conducive environment and access for employees with disabilities / Siyenza njani indawo yokusebenza ibalungele abajgubazekuleko bakghone ukungena kiyo Guest: George Nkosi (HR Practitioner at Eskom

Presenter: Big Joe

Former Gauteng Premier, David Makhura has told the Life Esidimeni Inquest that he was furious when he learned of the deaths of the first 36 patients to die after being removed from the health department's care. Makhura earlier refuted allegations that the Premier's budget committee took a decision to terminate the Life Esidimeni contact, a move that resulted in the deaths of 144 mental health patients. Former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu earlier testified that the decision to terminate the contract was made by Makhura's budget committee. Makhura says he called Mahlunga into a meeting as soon as he heard the news of the initial deaths...

Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts has resolved to call on presidency including the Auditor General to account before it for the ongoing challenges at the Power Utility, Eskom. Committee chairperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa says the former Eskom CEO, Andre De Ruyter will also need to come back to the committee for further clarity on some of the issues. This as the committee continues with its work to get to the bottom of the allegations made by De Ruyter of wide-spread corruption, fraud, sabotage and criminals cartels operating as the power utility. Hlengwa explains

The ANC has weighed in on the humanitarian crises plaguing Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria. This as the number of people that have died due to a Cholera outbreak has now risen to seventeen. Party national spokesperson, Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri says both the ANC and the current administration of the Tshwane metro under the DA-led coalition should account for the current crisis of the lack of clean water in the area. The Tshwane has still yet to trace the Cholera outbreak as it continues to provide water tanks and conducts further tracing tests. ANC national spokesperson, Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri...

The South African Human Rights Commission has also visited Hammanskraal noting with grave concern the Cholera outbreak. This as the number of people that have died due to a Cholera outbreak has now risen to seventeen. Party national spokesperson, Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri says both the ANC and the current administration of the Tshwane metro under the DA-led coalition should account for the current crisis of the lack of clean water in the area. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to the South African Human Rights Commission's acting Provincial Manager, Zama Mbeki.

Presenter: Big Joe

The cross examination of former Gauteng Finance MEC, Barbara Creecy is currently underway at the Pretoria High Court. Creecy, who is now the current Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Minister was ordered to appear before the Life Esidimeni Inquest as she was implicated by former health MEC Qedani Mahlangu. Mahlangu had testified that Creecy, was part of a collective under the former Gauteng Premier, David Makhura's Budget Committee meeting, which had decided to relocate over three-thousand mentally-ill patients in order to cut costs. 144 people lost their lives in this exercise which took place back in 2016. Here is a snippet of how Mahlangu's counsel, Laurance Hodes engaged Creecy during her cross examination...

The South African Council of Churches in the O R Tambo region have raised concerns and warn members of African religion to refrain from instigating violence between followers of christianity and African religion. This comes after a circulating videos on the social media where alleged members of the African religion are burning the Holy Bible , referring to it as a devil's book. SACC believes that every religion should preach peace, unity and avoid any form of instigation as it may cause instability within communities. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to provincial president of SACC Eastern Cape, Lulama Ntshingwa.

A report by the Commission For The Promotion And Protection Of The Rights Of Cultural, Religious And Linguistic Communities has found that while most government departments have adopted two or three official languages as per the language act, English is still predominantly used. The dominance of the English language has come at the expense of other official languages. The report also found that the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Recreation; and the Department of Basic Education are the only two departments that have Monitoring and Reporting Systems on Use of Official Language. The commission recently randomly picked and invited 16 organs of state to share with it what they are doing to promote and equitable use of all official languages. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Commission Chairperson, Professor Luka David Msoma

South African health experts say cholera is a global concern and there have been several outbreaks in various regions of the world since 2021. Anelisa Cele from Port & Environmental Health says they are keeping an eye on people travelling into the country to flag anyone who may be showing cholera symptoms.

Presenter: Big Joe

Presenter: Big Joe

Presenter: Big Joe

Presenter: Big Joe

Public Enterprises Minister, Pravin Gordhan has not minced his words when describing the conduct of former CEO, Andre De Ruyter while the former was head of the Power Utility. Minister Gordhan is appearing before parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts, following damning allegation by De Ruyter about some of the challenges plaguing Eskom. Gordhan has described De Ruyter's assertions as nothing new adding that De Ruyter's showed poor accountability and what he describes as narcissistic behaviour...