The body of Pierre Korkie is expected to arrive back in South Africa today. The former Bloemfontein teacher was killed during a failed attempt by U.S.-led forces to free hostages from militants in Yemen on Saturday. American journalist Luke Somers also died in the attack.

1. China's trade surplus in November hit a record, what does it say about the state of the Chinese economy?

2. Two pieces of Japanese data came out this morning-the Reuters Tankan survey and Q3 figure?

3. Eskom is having a media briefing later today. Its strategy appears to be to run the generators hard during the week and then subject individuals to power cuts over the weekend to replenish supplies of diesel and water. Is this a sustainable strategy, especially as we get into the peak Xmas shopping season?

Eskom has dismissed reports that South Africa is headed for a total blackout. The message has gone viral, causing panic among South Africans already burdened with punishing rolling blackouts. This as Cabinet is set to meet on Wednesday to discuss the electricity crisis..

News and Current Affairs Show hosted by award winning presenter Sakina Kamwendo, live on weekdays from 12 noon to 1 pm on SAfm 104-107fm

On the Coal-Face this week Martin Creamer, publishing editor of Engineering News and Mining Weekly talks; secret stocks that have been befuddling our platinum price | mineworker numbers are expected to fall 8% a year in the next two years| possible labour unrest in the gold mining industry in 2015.

Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Communication has found the Chairperson of the SABC Board Zandile Ellen Tshabalala guilty on all two charges of misrepresenting her academic qualifications and lying under oath. The committee says it will now recommend for her immediate suspension and removal from the SABC board. But, as our parliamentary reporter Abongwe Kobokana reports, the committee resolved to proceed with the inquiry.

Government has been engaging with prospective nuclear vendor countries recently, as part of the process towards the implementation of the expansion in the nuclear new build programme.
A week long nuclear vendor workshop has been concluded, where vendor countries, China, France, South Korea, and the USA, showcased how, if chosen, they plan to meet South Africa's needs in the implementation of the required 9600 Megawatt nuclear power capacity. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Deputy Director General for Nuclear Energy at the department of Energy, Zizamele Mbambo.

A document claiming that NUMSA's leadership is plotting to overthrow the South African government is part of a dirty tricks campaign to destroy the metalworkers union. Briefing the media in Johannesburg yesterday the metalworkers union says it is being targeted as part of the creeping authoritarianism of the current regime. The document signed by unnamed sources simply calling themselves concerned members of NUMSA makes claims that the union's General Secretary and Deputy Irvin Jim and Karl Cloete are kingpins of such a plot and are assisted by amongst others former Defence Minister Ronnie Kasrils and political commentator Moeletsi Mbeki. Numsa alleges that elements of the country's security agencies South African Communist Party, the SACP and the ANC are behind the document. sakina Kamwendo spoke to the spokesperson of the SACP, Alex Mashilo.

A document claiming that NUMSA's leadership is plotting to overthrow the South African government is part of a dirty tricks campaign to destroy the metalworkers union. Briefing the media in Johannesburg yesterday the metalworkers union says it is being targeted as part of the creeping authoritarianism of the current regime. The document signed by unnamed sources simply calling themselves concerned members of NUMSA makes claims that the union's General Secretary and Deputy Irvin Jim and Karl Cloete are kingpins of such a plot and are assisted by amongst others former Defence Minister Ronnie Kasrils and political commentator Moeletsi Mbeki. Numsa alleges that elements of the country's security agencies South African Communist Party, the SACP and the ANC are behind the document. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Economist and Economics Professor at Wits University, Professor Chris Malekane. He's also one of the people who were named on the document as "plotters".

Japan leads Asia stocks higher on U.S. car sales and a weaker Yen, China stock markets rally boosts confidence and gears investors for a bullish market, Russian woes worsen as recession looms with banks in 'panic'