Higher Education Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande had dismissed calls for the scrapping of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme and rather distribute funds directly to higher institutions of learning. NSFAS has been rocked by a series of scandals including leadership instability and the irregular awarding of four fintech companies to disburse student allowances. Funding applications for the 2024 academic year opened yesterday and will close at the end of January next year. Nzimande briefed the media in Pretoria on applications. To discuss the challenges that students still face Elvis Presslin spoke to president of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Student Command, Sihle Lonzi 

The National Assembly has voted in favour of a motion by the Economic Freedom Fighters for government to shutdown Israeli Embassy in South Africa, pending a ceasefire as the war ranges on between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The motion was passed following an amendment by the African National Congress which resulted vote supported by 248 members of parliament from the EFF, ANC, Al Jama ah, NFP, ATM and the PAC. The DA, ACDP, FF-PLUS and  IFP rejected the amendments and the motion. For some reaction Elvis Presslin spoke to Freedom Front Plus Chief Whip Dr Corne Mulder and Research Associate at the Centre for African Diplomacy and Leadership at the University of Johannesburg, Kwezi Mngibisa

Former Eskom CEO, Matshela Koko has accused the state of pursuing what he calls a hate crime against him and his family. Koko's remarks follow a decision by the Middelburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court which struck the corruption case against him and 18 co-accused off the roll on Tuesday afternoon. The court found that there have been unreasonable delays in the case involving alleged corruption to the tune of over R2 billion in the construction of the Kusile Power Station, outside Emalahleni in Mpumalanga. Speaking with members of the media following the court's decision, Koko further accused the state of taking South Africans for a ride. The National Prosecuting Authority says the ruling made by the Middelburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court has no bearing on the merits of the case except procedures. For reaction into the court's decision, Elvis Presslin spoke to Deputy Chief Executive of Labour Relations at Trade Union Solidarity, Deon Reyneke

National Treasury has announced that the government of South Africa has signed loan agreements with the World Bank, the German government and the African Development Bank. According to a statement released by the department, the loans will be provided below market rates in order to support South Africa's just Energy Transition. The World Bank is set to provide a R1-Billion loan for a duration of 15 years, the German government will loan the country half a billion euros for 12 years, with the African Development Bank extending a 300-thousand US Dollar loan over a period of 12 years. For a look at what the loans mean for South Africa moving forward, Elvis Presslin spoke to Head of Multi Asset Strategies at Aluwani Partners, Patrick Mathidi... 

The South African human rights NGO Africa4Palestine has welcomed Israel's decision to recall its ambassador to South Africa for consultations. This ahead of a parliamentary motion calling for the Israeli embassy in South Africa to be closed. The Israeli Foreign Ministry recalled its Ambassador Eli Belotserkovsky to Jerusalem for consultations due to recent comments from South Africa on the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. Elvis Presslin spoke to Zev Krengel, Vice President of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies and Professor Ricky Mukonza, Associate Professor of Public Affairs in the Department of Public Management at the Tshwane University of Technology

The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) in KwaZulu-Natal will today hold a picket outside the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate High Court. They are aggrieved about the continued killings of South African Police Service officers. In the latest incident in the province, two police officers were killed in a shopping mall robbery at the weekend. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to POPCRU spokesperson Richard Mamabolo

Elvis Presslin takes a look at the current top African economic stories with Victor Kgomoesoana, author of  "Africa Is Open For Business" and "Africa Bounces Back". Victor is also the Executive Director for Marketing and Communication at the University of Limpopo

A University of Fort Hare director will today join nine other murder suspects In the dock, at the Alice Magistrates' court in the Eastern Cape. The Institution's Director for Investigations and Vetting Services was arrested last week and appeared before the same court. He has been added as the tenth accused in the spate of killings of Fort Hare employees. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to National police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe

Public Interest South Africa says harsher punitive measures need to be imposed against senior executives of banks that manipulate the bank exchange rate. London-based Standard Chartered Bank is among 28 local and international banks accused by the Competition Commission of manipulating the RAND/DOLLAR exchange rate between 2007 and 2018. To discuss this further Elvis Presslin spoke to Public Interest SA spokesperson Tebogo Khaas

The Electoral Commission will today host a media briefing on the outcome of the first voter registration weekend. The first registration weekend saw various voter registration stations being affected by service delivery protests in some parts of the country. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to IEC Commissioner Janet Love and a professor of Political Science at Unisa, Professor Dirk Kotze