1 February 2016 - The Collective found out more about an initiative called Purposefully Buy Black which encourages supporting black owned businesses

1. Royal Dutch Shell Plc had its debt rating cut to the lowest since Standard & Poor's began coverage in 1990, and downgrades of several other major European oil and gas companies will probably follow in coming weeks
2. Google reported profit and sales that topped estimates, lifted by robust sales of online ads and tighter cost controls, putting parent Alphabet Inc. on track to overtake Apple Inc. as the world's most valuable company
3. Europe's Biggest Exchange Warns `Brexit' May Spur London Exodus

Thousands of pupils are still waiting for placement at Gauteng schools. Gauteng department of education had assured learners and parents that it would resolve the problem. MEANWHILE, a month into the new school year, texbooks remain undelivered to several schools in Johannesburg, Gauteng. It is believed that teachers and principals who were expected to collect the textbooks from a storage room in Soweto, using their own cars and in their own time, have not done so. Thousands of children are affected. For more Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Elijah Mhlanga,spokesperson for the Department of Basic Education

The National Mine Workers (NUM) says it looks forward to engaging Kumba Iron Ore at the CCMA to find ways to reduce the number of retrenchments. This follows an announcement by Kumba that about 4-thousand jobs will soon be lost. NUM's Chief Negotiator at Kumba Iron Ore, Lucas Phiri, says the union is concerned that the first casualties are always the workers not the executives.

Scores of passengers narrowly escaped death when angry protesters forced them out of a PUTCO bus before setting it alight in Soshanguve North of Pretoria. Residents of Marikana informal settlement have vowed to continue with protests if their demands for clean running water, roads and electricity are not met. They have threatened to disrupt the up-coming local government elections if government and the Tshwane Metro Council ignore their demands of many years. Phanuel Shuma reports

Pregnant women are advised to take precautionary measures when travelling to countries where the Zika virus is endemic. The mosquito-borne virus, which is endemic to the Americas, has been linked to serious birth defects. An Advisor at NetCare Travel Clinics, Dr Pete Vincent says pregnant women should avoid travelling to affected countries or consult their doctor to discuss the risks of the virus to their pregnancy.

1. The Barclays Purchasing Managers Index for January was released yesterday. Is there some good news?
2. February is a budget month, but this year's budget is even more critical for South Africa as we face a possible downgrade. Can this be avoided? Is our environment ripe for rethink on how we budget and spend the tax payers moneys
3. SAA cancelled its route between JHB and Abu Dhabi. This route was only opened in in March 2015. Why is it being terminated so soo

Today marks 26 years since former president F.W de Klerk's historic announcement in parliament that he would release Nelson Mandela. Mandela had spent 27 years in jail. As part of the celebrations, the FW de Klerk Foundation says retired Constitutional Court Justice Albie Sachs and former ANC national treasurer Matthews Phosa will be among the speakers at its annual conference in Cape Town. Abongwe Kobokana compiled this report

Three members of the ANC's NEC will be deployed to stabilise the party in the Western Cape. This comes after provincial Chairperson, Marius Fransman and Secretary, Faiez Jacobs, were asked to step down. Fransman faces sexual harassment charges, while Jacobs is accused of assaulting a party researcher. Members of the ANC's top six met in Cape Town earlier today to discuss the matter. Zalene Merrington reports

United Democratic Movement Secretary General, Bongani Msomi, has confirmed that two structures have been disbanded in the Eastern Cape. They are the party's Provincial Executive Committee and the O R Tambo Regional Executive Committee. Nkululeko Nyembezi reports