Once again, President Cyril Ramaphosa's message of anti-corruption and renewal is being tested. Despite having adopted the step-aside rule which bars party members facing serious criminal charges from position of leadership, the ANC in Mpumalanga has elected murder accused Mandla Msibi as Treasurer while in Kwa Zulu-Natal Zandile Gumede is elected eThekwini Regional Chairperson. Our Political Correspondent Ntebo Mokobo investigates the shortcomings of the ANC step-aside rule and how serious is the governing party taking the loopholes of this conference resolution.

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Co-operative Governance has confirmed that over 50 people have lost their lives in torrential rains and floods in the province. It is not yet clear how many people remain missing after heavy rains swept away cars and people crossing bridges in low-lying areas. In a statement, Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Doctor Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma says provincial and local disaster teams across the country are on alert. For a look at how the infrastructure of the province has been crumbling due to the heavy downpours, Elvis Presslin spoke to Town Planning expert at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Dr. Hope Hangwelani

The eThekwini Municipality has been identified as among the hardest hit by the floods. eThekwini mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda says at this stage they are unable to quantify the extent of the damage caused by the heavy rains. He held a virtual media briefing, where he revealed that a number of power stations had been severely affected by the storms. Nonkululeko Hlophe filed this report...

The University of eSwatini has closed all three of its campuses due to protests by students. King Mswati has reportedly deployed soldiers and the police to shoot at protesting students, according to local media reports. Law enforcement were dispatched at the university yesterday after students engaged in a protest action calling for the fall of King Mswati. Successive protests over several months have left scores of people dead since last year. eSwatini, formerly Swaziland, is the last absolute monarchy in Africa. For more Elvis Presslin spoke to Cassandra Shaw, Daily News Editor at Times of eSwatini...

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

Eskom has suspended Stage 2 load shedding as of 5 am this morning. The power utility implemented Stage 2 load shedding just after 6 pm yesterday after Unit 5 of the Medupi Power Station tripped taking some 700Mega Watts capacity with it. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha

The Pietermaritzburg High Court has granted former President Jacob Zuma a postponement in his corruption trial to May 17th. This is to allow the President of the Supreme Court of Appeals to reconsider his petition for leave to appeal against Judge Piet Koen's dismissal of Zuma's special plea that calls for the recusal of the lead prosecutor - Advocate Billy Downer. Two judges of the SCA had earlier dismissed the petition, saying it had no reasonable chance of success. Nonjabulo Mntungwa Makamu reports...

The Jacob Zuma Foundation has announced that the former President will pursue a private prosecution against lead prosecutor, Billy Downer, in the corruption trial linked to the arms deal case, which is expected to get underway in Pietermaritzburg, in KwaZulu-Natal today. Zuma faces multiple charges of fraud and corruption alongside French arms dealer, Thales, over the controversial multi-billion rand arms deal struck in the 1990s. For analysis of this and its prospects for success, Elvis Presslin spoke to legal expert, Advocate Romeo Nthambeleni

Zandile Gumede has been elected as the new ANC Regional Chairperson of the Ethekwini region. The regional conference was marred with delays over the weekend as delegates fought over credentials and questions on whether the party's Regional Task Teams should be allowed to vote in the conference. Nomination for leadership positions saw former eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede accepting the nomination in absentia due to the controversial step aside resolution for party members facing serious criminal charges. For some analysis of the outcomes of this conference, Elvis Presslin spoke to political analyst and lecturer in Public Policy and Political Science at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Dr. Fikile Vilakazi

The trial of seven senior government officials accused of looting public funds during the funeral of former president Nelson Mandela is expected to start today. Former Eastern Cape Health MEC Sindiswa Gomba, former mayor Zukiswa Ncitha and several others stand accused of defrauding the Buffalo City Metro of R10 million, linked to the funeral of the former president. The former officials allegedly pretended to use the R10 million payment for the funeral preparations of the late President in 2013. The seven accused have pleaded not guilty ahead of the trial. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to the legal representative for the accused, East London Advocate Mr. Mike Maseti