The South African economy shrank by 7 per cent last year, the biggest decline in 75 years. This comes as hard lockdown measures to curb the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic took their toll on various industries. New figures released by Statistics South Africa show all major sectors recorded declines for the full year.

How easy is it to shun traditional African cultural practices that have defined a community? Can national laws work where tradition has hindered an end to traditional harmful practices. Tough questions with no easy answers. In Kenya, Samburu community elders have closed ranks with the government and vowed to stop circumcising their girls. This is a major victory in Kenya's fight against the harmful practice which although illegal continues unabated due to strong traditional belief.

Gauteng Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi, has urged both parents and guardians to support the new proposed national changes to admission policies for schools. The policies propose that no learner should be refused admission based solely on the language policy of a public school. The new amendments also seek to uphold the principles of no discrimination on race, gender social origin, cultural beliefs nor immigration status. The policy changes also seek to make it illegal for a learner to be suspended from classes or denied social activities solely because they cannot pay the required school fees.

Defence Minister, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula hopes a report into sexual misconduct and exploitation within the South African National Defence Force will finally bring an end to sexual abuse in the force. The ministerial task team which looked into the reporting ,management, and finalisation of sexual harassment and sexual abuse cases in the force has finally handed over the report to the Minister after its appointment in late 2019. This follows numerous complaints of sexual abuse and exploitation in the force over the years. The report, which is yet to be made public, found penalties imposed on perpetrators were insufficient and that the environment was not victim friendly.

Eskom former CEO Brian Molefe has told the State Capture Commission in Johannesburg he visited the Gupta residence in upmarket Saxonworld numerous times when was still then CEO of Transnet. Molefe says he lost count how many times he visited them. His claims his visits were mainly to attend the Gupta's family functions and attend what he called "meetings". The Guptas have been repeatedly implicated in state capture at the commission. Molefe has told the commission he had a lot of interactions with the Gupta brothers during his time at both Eskom and Transne

Reaction has been mixed about the decision of the Judicial Conduct Committee against Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng. The JCC has ordered the Chief Justice to apologise unconditionally and retract statements relating to SA's stance on Isreal he made during a webinar hosted by the Jerusaleum Post, in June last year. While the local chapter of the Boycott, Divest, Sanctions movement and the SACP welcomed the ruling -- others such as the South African Zionist Federation and the South African Friends of Isreal have rejected it.

While calls by some opposition parties in Parliament for the removal of the Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane increase -- the ruling ANC has kept mum about allegations that Luthuli House has instructed its deployees not to vote with the opposition. Weekend news reports stated that ANC secretary general, Ace Magashule told the party caucus in Parliament not to endorse the removal of Mkhwebane, sought by opposition parties.

The South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) has met with representatives from twenty four hour news channel ENCA, following recent incidents involving one of its journalists. The senior reporter Lindsay Detlinger has faced a backlash following a video montage, selected from some of her work during the post-budget interviews in parliament last month, which sparked allegations of racism due to her unfair treatment of black and white parliamentarians regarding the wearing of masks on camera. SANEF has also condemned death and rape threats to Dentlinger.

President Cyril Ramaphosa's office has told the state capture commission's legal team that the President will wait until after Molefe has completed his testimony to respond to possible allegations Molefe made about him. Chief Justice Raymond Zondo says President Cyril Ramaphosa is not compelled to respond to allegation made about him at this stage. Zondo confirmed that the 14 day period offered to implicated persons to respond following the delivery of the rule 3.3 notice has lapsed without a response from the President.

Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts has resolved to investigate allegations of racism against Eskom CEO, Andre De Ruyter. The allegations are contained in a letter by the company's Chief Procurement Officer, Solly Tshitangano. He accuses De Ruyter and other officials being biased against black suppliers. The committee says it has a responsibility to investigate the allegations as they have been formally placed before it.