Yesterday, we had the Northern Areas Education Forum on the show. They said that the Basic Education Department is not serious in addressing their concerns which include teacher shortages and payment of teachers. The Forum Spokesperson said they have resolved that as a result, schools in the northern areas of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape will not be taking part in this year's annual national assessments. To hear the response by the Department of Basic Education, Sakina Kamwendo spoke to the Acting Chief Director: Communications, Elijah Mhlanga.

1. South Africa made headlines worldwide yesterday, and for a change it was for a good reason. The discovery of the "Homo Naledi" fossils has put us firmly in the archaeological spotlight. Does this present any other benefits to us?

2. Speaking of history, although a bit more recent, today marks the 14 year anniversary of 9-11. What's changed in the global economy and markets since then, or rather, because of it?

3. So to some extent the current global debt levels are directly attributable to the events of September 2001. For half of this time, interest rates have been at record lows. As the world remains on Fed watch, what are your expectations around the first increase in US rates in 7 years?

The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Lechesa Tsenoli, has made an impassioned plea to MPs not to use offensive language in the House. This comes after MPs hurled insults at each other and one MP used a swear word. MPs accused each other of being drunk in the National Assembly. This happened during ministerial statements. Zalene Merrington has more...

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Schools in the northern areas of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape will not be taking part in this year's annual national assessments. This is according to the Northern Areas Education Forum (NAEF). The forum claims that for over 12 months, they have been asking the Basic Education Department to resolve issues like vacant posts and payment of teachers, but the department has failed them. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to the Secretary of the Northern Areas Education Forum, Richard Draai

In a last ditch bid to avoid paying up, two lawyers and a doctor have petitioned the Constitutional Court. They were saddled with potentially millions of rands of costs in a medical negligence claim. The High Court in Johannesburg found the Gauteng Department of Health liable for damages in a case which has dragged on for more than a decade. The court then ordered that the officials themselves, be held personally liable for part of the claim and half the trial costs. Senior Constitutional Court Reporter, Candice Nolan has the details

14 suspects who arrested for arson at Marapong township in Lephalale are expected to appear at the local magistrate court. They were part of a mob which allegedly torched 21 busses belonging to Lowveld company, a satellite police station, municipal office and also partly damaged a community library on monday evening. The community is demanding jobs, saying locals are not given first preference when the municipality and construction companies hire workers. Some of them used to work at Medupi power station and Grootgeluk coal mine before their contracts came to an end. Rudzani Tshivhase reports......

1. AngloPlatinum and Sibyane Gold announced the deal around the Rustenburg mine as expected - what can you tell us about some of the details?

2. Ratings agencies have been in the news again this week, first with Fitch announcing its withdrawal from the South African market, and then both Moody's and S&P lowering their forecasts for growth in Asian economies. What has the reaction in the market been on this news?

3. The long awaited announcement about the re-launch of African Bank, or at least its "good bank", was finally made yesterday. What were some of the key points?

The Parliamentary Protection Services had to be called inside the National Assembly chamber to remove the Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema yesterday. This after the chairperson of the House Mmatlala Boroto asked Malema to withdraw remarks in which he called the Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa a murder in reference to the Marikana 2012 tragedy in which 44 people including 34 mineworkers were killed. A war of words between Malema and Boroto broke out before the scuffle started when the protection services were called in. Our Parliamentary Reporter Abongwe Kobokana compiled this report.