Retail giant Woolworths has been ordered by the Constitutional Court to re-instate 44 full time employees whom it had retrenched when they refused to work on a flexible-time working arrangement. The ConCourt found that this was substantively unfair and that Woolworths had failed to consider alternatives to retrenchment.

Home Affairs Minister, Malusi Gigaba, is this morning (Tuesday 6/11) expected to brief Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, on the decision to grant the Oppenheimer family permission to operate a private terminal at the OR Tambo International Airport. The Committee wants the Minister to clarify contradictions between statements he made before them and statements he made more recently. Meanwhile, the DA has called for Gigaba to be fired in light of a Public Protector finding that he had lied under oath. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs Hlomani Chauke

The Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, John Jeffreys, says if government is to improve it's efforts to fight human trafficking there must be an intergrated information system. He was speaking at a Trafficking in Persons summit in partnership with the South African Human Rights Commission and the Conference of Western Attorneys General. The latter has established a partnership with Africa to help identify and successfully prosecute trafficking offences. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke Markus Green Esquire, Conference of Western Attorneys General Africa Alliance Partnership board member

Worker Unions have pledged to fight to the bitter end in the ongoing rentrenchments saga at the SABC. Last week, the public broadcaster announced over two-thousand planned retrenchments. Unions have planned Black Wednesday and a national picket on Friday in protest of the looming retrenchments. Meanwhile, according to the World Economic Forum, South Africa has the worst labour-employee relations in the world, ranking 137 out of 137 countries. Employment relations expert and lecturer at the University of Stellenbosch Business School, Gawie Cillie says high levels of mistrust between employers and employees remain at the core of negative labour-employee relations

The Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party registered by Numsa over the weekend says the working class should lead the economy and determine the country's destiny. The party is however yet to decide if it intends on contesting next year's general elections after being given the thumbs-up by the IEC to register as a political party. Meanwhile, former Cape Town mayor, Patricia De Lille may also start up a new political party after resigning as both mayor and member of the DA. Lecturer and political analyst from the Nelson Mandela University, Ongama Mtimka believes the creation of such parties based in socialist ideologies may be a harbinger for the 'Lula Moment' in South Africa

United States will reimpose oil sanctions on Iran removed under the 2015 nuclear deal with effect from today (Monday). Iranians chanted ''death to America'' and burned the American flag yesterday (Sunday), as the anniversary of the 1979 seizure of the U.S. embassy coincided with the eve of reimposed sanctions. South Africa has strong trade relations with both countries, with the US being South Africa's third biggest trading partner. US threat threat extends to other nations trading with Iran should they not follow suit. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to Chief Economist of the Efficient Group Dawie Roodt

TALKING POINTS
*** Rwanda has launched the first Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP) in Africa, opening doors for small businesses in continent to take part in cross-border electronic
*** Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) commissioners to hire independent forensic experts to look into the missing biometric voter registration kit
*** In Zimbabwe the price of bread is set to marginally rise to $1,40. Last week, bakers had proposed to increase the price of bread to $2,20 from $1,10 due to unsustainable operational costs

President Cyril Ramaphosa says part of the reasons for the immediate termination of the appointment of SARS Commissioner, Tom Moyane is his refusal to meaningfully participate in the Nugent Commission in order to assist with identifying the root causes of the systemic failures at the SARS. Ramaphosa says he accepts the recommendation of the chair of the commission, retired judge Robert Nugent, to axe Moyane. Moyane had made representations to challenge the recommendations of the commission but Ramaphosa says he believes Moyane failed to entirely to deal with the substantive issues the report raised. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to CEO of the South African Institute for Tax professionals, Professor Keith Engels

The ANC in Gauteng will today lead what they are calling a 'People's March' to the Union Buildings in Pretoria in protest against e-tolls, corruption, fuel hikes and VAT increases. The march will be joined by alliance partners COSATU, SACP and SANCO, civic society organisations as well as members of the public. The protest comes after finance minister Tito Mboweni‚ in his first medium-term budget policy statement last week emphasised that motorists needed to pay for tolls. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to ANC Gauteng Provincial Spokesperson, Tasneem Motara

Cape Town Mayor, Patricia de Lille, resigned as both mayor and a member of the DA, YESTERDAY (wednesday 31 October). De Lille is expected to announce her next career move in two weeks' time. Speculation was rife that she would defy an agreement reached with the party two months ago to step down as mayor. She signed her resignation letter on the steps of the Cape Town High Court and two more DA councilors also publicly resigned in support. Meanwhile, DA mayor-elect for Cape Town, Dan Plato, will be sworn in as a councillor today. Tsepiso Makwetla spoke to DA Western Cape leader, Bonginkosi Madikizela and author and political analyst, Sanusha Naidoo