African Union-led peace talks that were expected to start in South Africa today to try to end a two-year-old conflict in northern Ethiopia's Tigray region have reportedly been delayed for logistical reasons.  Ethiopia's government and Tigray forces had earlier this week accepted the AU's invitation to talks in South Africa, which would be the first formal negotiations between the two sides since war broke out in November 2020. The mediators in the talks are the African Union's chief mediator, former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, supported by former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta and former South African deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.  We spoke to Peter Fabricius, an independent journalist and analyst on foreign policy issues, and is  closely monitoring this story 

Vote counting is set to begin this morning  in the mountain kingdom of Lesotho following YESTERDAY's parliamentary elections.  More than 50 political parties are vying for a chance to govern. In reality, though it's a race between four major parties including the newly launched party Revolution for Prosperity (RFP). This is the first election the leaders of the four parties are contesting in, so whoever wins, Lesotho will have an untested prime minister. Some hope a new and untainted leader will help change the country's political fortunes. We spoke to the head of the African Union Election Observer Mission to Lesotho, Dr Speciosa Wandira Kazibwe, who is also Former Vice President of Uganda .

Spokesperson of Jacob Zuma Foundation Mzwanele Manyi AND DA's shadow Minister of Correctional Services Jahno Engelbrecht react to former president Jacob Zuma's end of medical parole.

Your employer may be liable if you are injured working from home. This is according to Independent Consulting Occupational therapist at Workforce HealthCare, Phumla Motsa. Motsa has has an interest in ergonomics which focuses on the interaction between a person and their environment. She says using home office spaces that are not set up correctly may lead to musculoskeletal disorders and repetitive strain injuries. 

The Deputy Minister of Social Development Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu THIS WEEK announced government plans to decriminalise sex work by 2024. This comes as many sex workers in the Northern Cape say the delay in decriminalising sex work endangers their lives and infringes on their rights to earn an income. Sebezile Nkambule spoke to Sex Workers Education & Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT)'s Spokesperson, Megan Lessing, who has been fighting for sex work to be legalised and acknowledged as work.  We are also joined on the line by Deputy President of the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), Wayne Thring whose party says the legalising of sex work will legitimise crime... 

The African Union has condemned the "unconstitutional change of government" in Burkina Faso after the second coup in less than a year, in which a group of junior army officers removed military ruler Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba. The AU has demanded the return of constitutional order by July 2023 at the latest. The 34-year-old self-declared leader, Colonel Ibrahim Traoré says Damiba's inability to deal with an Islamist insurgency was to blame for the coup. Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to Dr. Emmanuel Matambo a Research Director at the Centre of Africa China Studies at the University of Johannesburg... 

Russia's President Vladimir Putin yesterday held a signing ceremony to formally annex four more areas of Ukraine after referendums condemned by Ukraine as a sham. In a speech in Moscow, Putin claimed people living in the regions had made their choice. Russian-backed officials had earlier claimed the five-day exercise secured almost total popular support. The votes were held in Luhansk and Donetsk in the east, and in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson in the south. Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to Independent military analyst, Helmoud Heitman...

Dada Morero is the new mayor of the city of Johannesburg- this follows the ousting of the former mayor, Mpho Phalatse. She was voted out by 139 votes in the 270-seat council - through a motion of no-confidence. Phalatse insists that the meeting was unlawful. Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance Leader, John Steenhuisen says Action SA's Herman Mashaba is hellbent on destroying the coalition governments. Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to Action SA's Gauteng provincial chairperson, Bongani Baloyi, and Political analyst, Sandile Swana... 

Despite opposition from some parties, the Land Expropriation Bill was finally adopted by the National Assembly late on Wednesday evening, taking it one step closer to becoming enacted in law. The DA, EFF, IFP, Freedom Front Plus, and African Christian Democratic Party had objected to the bill for different reasons. The adopted draft allows expropriation only for "public purpose" and in the "public interest with 'just and equitable compensation".  Expropriation without compensation may be possible but in specific circumstances. If enacted, the bill will replace the apartheid-era law that does not allow for zero compensation to be paid or expropriation in the public interest. The bill will now go to the National Council of Provinces for concurrence, after which it will head to the desk of the president to be signed into law. Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to Nkanyiso Gumede from the Institute for Poverty, Land, and Agrarian Reform.......

Public Enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan announced a new Eskom Board chaired by Mpho Makwana. Included in the new board are some engineers, Mthetho Nyathi, Busisiwe Vilakazi and Tsakani Mthombeni, nuclear scientist Clive le Roux, chartered accountants Fatima Gany and Ayanda Mafuleka as well as trade unionist Bheki Ntshalintshali. The board starts work today. Energy expert, Chris Yelland...