The Weekend View

Johannesburg will host the third edition of the Africa Business Connect forum in  August of  this year. The forum will bring together local and international companies, investors,  economic development stakeholders, as well as government and institutional representatives. It also aims to be a platform dedicated to the promotion of business opportunities to participants, access to an international network,  investment opportunities, access to financial resources and knowledge sharing. Start ups will also form part of the  participants. We now put the spotlight on their importance. The ninth edition of the African Tech Startups Funding Report, released in January this year , by Disrupt Africa -  reveals a significant decline in funding deals in Africa, with many South African start-ups securing funding in 2023 plummeting to the lowest level in six years. To unpack this Bongiwe Zwane spoke to  Babalwa Mlungwana, Director at QUT Consulting and business development professional

Tensions have escalated in the Middle East. This after Iran launched a drone and missile attack on Israel. Witnesses have described the sound of explosions in the skies above Jerusalem as air defences intercepted multiple drones.
Israel says it will retaliate. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to SABC's International Editor Sophie Mokoena  .

Ground-breaking DNA study suggests that South African leopards may be unique. This is according to the study on African leopards  published in the journal PeerJ by a team of international scientists led by Professor Yoshan Moodley of the Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture at the University of Venda and Dr Declan Morris of the University of Adelaide, Australia. The team investigated  mitochondrial DNA, which is only passed on by females, and found that all African leopards belong to one of two maternal DNA lines. Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to Professor Yoshan Moodley of the Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture at the University of Venda 

The controversial e-tolls on Gauteng highways were finally terminated at midnight on Thursday putting an end to a system many motorists had refused to buy into and pay for in many years. Transport Minister Sindiswa Chikunga and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi led the celebrations as the government officially terminated the e-tolls. On Wednesday, Chikunga confirmed that e-tolls would be scrapped but said motorists would still be expected to pay their outstanding debts. The Organization Undoing Tax Abuse - OUTA- - however maintains that motorists will not be liable to pay outstanding eToll debt.  Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to Gavin Kelly, CEO of the Road Freight Association for their reaction....

The City of Johannesburg took the fight back to the opposition after a row and public outrage erupted THIS WEEK following reports that the city spends over R3 million a month on VIP protection for top officials. The Mayor is reported to have up to 10 bodyguards who work in shifts of 5 each. Among those who are also benefiting from the splurge include the speaker and several MMC's. The DA and ActionSA are opposed to the spending, but the ANC/EFF governing coalition passed it with a slim majority. Joburg councillor, Thapelo Amad from Al Jama-ah, himself a former mayor, this week told the SABC that the current policy on VIP protection was introduced during the reign of Herman Mashaba when he was the DA mayor of Joburg.  Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to Former JHB mayor and ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba

The Umkhonto WeSizwe Party - MKP- has expressed disappointment after the Electoral Commission of South Africa announced that it had approached the Constitutional Court to appeal the Electoral Court ruling, which found former president Jacob Zuma can run for elections despite a 15-month prison sentence. The party has accused the IEC of going out of its way to exclude Zuma from the ballot saying the electoral body is entering political space and becoming a player and an arbiter.The party has also called for the immediate resignation of the IEC Commissioner, Janet Love, for what it says is her ' bias'. Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to Ebrahim Fakir, Consultant and  Election Analyst at the Electoral Institute For Sustainable Democracy In Africa - EISA

In these challenging economic times, where consumers are struggling to make ends meet, loyalty programmes have emerged as a lifeline for many. The attraction of these loyalty programmes  lies in their ability to offer tangible benefits that ease financial burdens. These can be  cashback rewards, discounts, or points that can be redeemed for essential items. While these incentives empower consumers to make their income go further, you still need to be careful. Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to Kinola Pather, CEO of bespoke customer, incentive and employee rewards company Randgo .

Limpopo Gambling Board and police THIS WEEK confiscated illegal gambling machines from foreign-owned spaza shops. Five suspects were arrested and were expected to appear in courts in Sekhukhune and Mopani districts. The suppliers of the illegal gambling machines are not known. Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to Limpopo Gambling Board CEO, Gregory Makoko 

 President Cyril Ramaphosa this week (Wednesday) signed the Judicial Matters Amendment Act of 2023 into law. This is in line with recommendations made by the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector, including Organs of State in the Zondo Commission.  Corruption is one of the greatest impediments to the country's growth and development. According to Transparency International, corruption erodes trust, weakens democracy, hampers economic development and further exacerbates inequality, and poverty.  In our Sunday Morning discussion we unpack the impact of political corruption and put the spotlight on accountability. This is in light of former National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula , who this week resigned as both Parliament presiding officer and MP, amid allegations of corruption and money laundering.   To look at this Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Professor Zwelinzima Ndevu ,  Director of the School of Public Leadership at Stellenbosch University and Dr. Sysman Motloung , political analyst from the University of North West 

TODAY marks the 30th commemoration of the 1994 Rwanda genocide.  Every year in April, the country enters a 100-day period of commemoration during which Rwandans reflect on historical divisions between the country's main ethnic groups - the Tutsi, Hutu and Twa.   Almost a million men, women and children, mainly ethnic Tutsis but also moderate Hutus, were killed in the 100 day murderous onslaught that saw families and friends turn against each other in one of the darkest episodes of the late 20th century. President Cyril Ramaphosa is in Rwanda for the commemoration with some suggesting he may use the opportunity to mend the frosty relations between Kigali and Pretoria. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to SABC News Foreign Editor Sophie Mokwena who is in Kigali for the commemoration