Non-governmental organisations delivering child protection services say they are facing serious financial challenges as rising operational costs outstrip stagnant subsidies. During her launch of the Child Protection Week campaign in Cape Town on Sunday, Social Development Minister, Lindiwe Zulu called on all sectors of society to unite and strive for what is best for the children of South Africa. However, NGOs say they can no longer deliver services at the level required by the Children's Act as their financial reserves decline. Elvis Presslin spoke to the Director of Western Cape Trauma Centre, Marguerite Holtzhausen...

TALKING POINTS:

*** 3 African countries to connect the Indian and Atlantic oceans via a trans-African rail
way line
*** Mtn will be leaving Liberia - why?

***Malawi - President Lazarus Chakwera says Malawi is the next biggest investment destination. 

Elvis Presslin spoke to Victor Kgomoeswana, author of " Africa Is Open For Business" and " Africa Bounces Back"... 

The Health and Allied Workers Indaba Trade Union (HAITU) has defended nursing students who have been protesting at various campuses of the Gauteng College of Nurses. This after Gauteng MEC for Health, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko was granted an urgent interdict at the High Court, to prevent students from participating in the demonstrations. The students embarked on the protest action after the Gauteng Department of Health, informed about one hundred and sixty, final-year students that bursary contracts would come to an end on the 31st of May. Elvis Presslin spoke to the Gauteng Provincial Chairperson of the Health and Allied Workers Indaba Trade Union, Bafana Tshabalala...

ANC Parliamentary Chief Whip, Pemmy Majodina has refuted claims that she tried to solicit funds from suspended Public Protector Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane to make her Section 194 Inquiry into her fitness to hold office "go away". Majodina, alongside former cabinet minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson and the Chairperson of the Inquiry, Qubudile Dyantyi, were fingered as trying to exhort money from Mkhwebane. A case has since been opened with the police. Majodina has vehemently denied any involvement in the matter. Elvis Presslin spoke to  Dr. Corné Mulder, FF Plus Chief Whip in Parliament and Member of the Committee for the Section 194 Enquiry

The Democratic Alliance has welcomed the appointment of a three-member independent panel that will investigate circumstances surrounding the docking of a Russian vessel in the Western Cape last year. The panel which will be chaired by retired Judge Phineas Mojapelo has been given six weeks to conclude investigations into claims made by US Ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety that a Russian ship, which docked at a naval base in Simonstown took aboard weapons and ammunition from South Africa. Elvis Presslin spoke to Kobus Marais,  the Democratic Alliance's Shadow Minister of Defence...

Former Cosatu Unionist and political analyst Dr. Ebrahim Harvey says provisions in the Employment Equity Amendment Bill of 2020  were designed by the ANC-led government to influence the outcome of the 2024 national elections and feels the bill will not pass constitutional muster. The government says the amendment bill seeks to advance the transformation of South Africa's workforce by setting equity targets for economic sectors and geographical regions. But critics say the Bill in its current form goes against labour laws and categorises citizens along racial lines. The proposed Bill is being challenged by several organisations including the Democratic Alliance and trade union Solidarity. Elvis Presslin spoke to  former Cosatu Unionist and Political Analyst Dr. Ebrahim Harvey

President Cyril Ramaphosa Is in Nigeria to attend the inauguration ceremony of the country's President-elect Bola Tinubu, who will be sworn into office today. The 80-year-old will succeed current President Muhammadu Buhari once he is sworn in as Nigeria's 16th democratically elected president. Elvis Presslin spoke to Jonathan James Lyamgohn, a journalist based in Lagos, Nigeria...

The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) in the North West has called on the government to address the shortage of resources in hospitals. The union says the provincial Health Department must not blame the nurses, for newborn babies that were placed in cardboard boxes instead of incubators or cribs at the Mahikeng Provincial Hospital. The department says it will act against employees who were involved in the incident. Elvis Presslin spoke to the Deputy provincial chairperson of Denosa, Mzwakhe Seleke...

Indebted South Africans should brace themselves for another potential interest rate hike. This is as the South African Reserve Bank is expected to increase the country's repo rate as it makes its announcement on interest rates today. Economists anticipate that the Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Committee will raise interest rates by anything between 25 and 50 basis points. So can South Africans survive another Interest hike? For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to Dr. Nyiko Maluleke, an Optometrist In Klerksdorp, in the North West for his personal experience with the recent rate hikes citizens have endured and the South African Federation of Trade Unions, SAFTU's General Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi on the union holding a picket against the interest rate hike outside of the South African Reserve Bank today.

Nelson Mandela Bay Metro Mayor Retief Odendaal will face a motion of no confidence in a council meeting. This comes after the ANC and EFF filed a motion against Odendaal. The DA says the motion of no confidence against the Mayor is politically motivated. To further discuss this Elvis Presslin spoke to Andrew Whitfield, Provincial Leader of the Democratic Alliance in the Eastern Cape.