Learning at Lawson Brown High School in Port Elizabeth has been disrupted after protesting learners demanded an amendment to the Code of Conduct regarding hair restrictions. Earlier this week, four learners were allegedly told they would not be allowed to write their matric trail examinations if they did not relax and trim their hair in accordance with strict hairstyle policy. Several learners including the EFF picketed on the premises in solidarity with the four learners.

.Government has finally spoken out over the spat between Eskom and treasury. The power utility has been given orders to comply with treasury's investigation on coal contracts. It now has to submit a 172 page document to treasury on its coal related contracts. Treasury earlier accused Eskom for failing to comply with its investigations of coal contracts particularly those concluded between Eskom and Gupta owned Tegeta Exploration and resources. Treasury says Eskom refused to provide further evidence that is vital to the review. Public Enterprise minister Lynne Brown has stepped into the fry on other SOE's.

A group of student organisations from the University of Pretoria have pledged solidarity with leaners from Pretoria High School for Girls who have allegedly been forced to straighten their hair. Gauteng MEC for education Panyaza Lesufi earlier met with the school's learners. He will meet with the school's Governing Body at 6 o'clock tonight.

The situation outside the Pretoria High School for Girls is calm but tense as members of various student organizations are picketing outside the school in solidarity with the learners who accused some teachers of racism. The learners claim they are forced to straighten their hair. All gates leading into the premises have been locked and there is a high police presence in and outside the school. Gauteng MEC for Education Panyaza Lusufi was in discussions with the black learners delegation ealier this morning and later met with the school authority and School Governing Body delegation.

Former Intelligence minister Ronnie Kasrils will donate the money he won in his defamation case against the deputy defence minister to the woman who had accused President Jacob Zuma of rape in 2005. The high court in Pretoria has ordered Kebby Maphatsoe to pay Kasrils half a million rand after he labelled him as a traitor and accused him of trumping up the rape charge. Maphatsoe has been ordered to apologise unconditionally to Kasrils and all women. Kasrils says he will give the money to Khwezi for her studies and to rebuild her mother's house in KwaZulu/Natal.

The ANC seems to have managed to retain the Ekurhuleni metro on the East Rand with the party's Patricia Khumalo narrowly winning another term as speaker. She defeated the DA's Shadow Shabangu by 117 to 106 votes. All 224 Ekurhuleni councillors will now nominate and vote for a mayor.

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe says if the members call for the current leadership to step down following its dismal peformance in the local government election it must be ready to do so. Mantashe was speaking to the media after it was relegated to opposition benches for the first time in the rich metros of Tshwane, Johannesburg and Nelson Mandela Bay metro. Mantashe says the party's structures have already begun debating whether to hold an early elective conference following a call by the Youth League last week. Mantashe says while the party admits to what it calls persistent negative narrative against President Jacob Zuma including over the Nkandla Controvesy, he can not be the only one that takes the fall. He says the NEC must take collective responsibility that is not based on factions within the party..

Voting for the new mayor of Johannesburg is expected to get underway shortly after the DA's Vasco Da Gama was elected speaker. The DA's Herman Mashaba is widely expected to win that vote. Earlier Da Gama secured 145 votes against 126 for ANC's Constance Bapela. The counting process was delayed following scuffles between an EFF observer and an IEC official.

Coming "FROM ALEX WITH LOVE".On our regular Open Mic slot today we feature South African Hip Hop artist and producer Sean Pages. The Alex born rapper recently dropped his latest album titled From Alex With Love. SAfm Producer Ronald Phiri spoke to Sean about his latest offering....

KwaZulu Natal MEC for Education Mthandeni Dlungwane has met with the stakeholders at Ekucabangeni High School in Nquthu after a video showing a teacher and a learner at the school having sex in one of the cottages. Outraged learners went on the rampage and burnt the cottage where the sexual act allegedly happened. It is also being reported that another learner was inside the cottage when the pupils tried to attack the teacher.