The Weekend View

A plane that was earlier this week scheduled to carry asylum seekers from the UK to Rwanda, failed to depart after a last minute challenge from the European Court of Human Rights. The flight would have been the first to take off under a new policy set out by the UK government, that would see those who arrive in the UK illegally, sent thousands of kilometres to East Africa. Despite the block, the UK government says it's still committed to the plan. We spoke to Dr Emmanuel Matambo, Research Director at the University of Johannesburg's Centre for Africa - China Studies  .....

As we commemorate Youth Month, many of the challenges that youth of South Africa have expressed are centered around unemployment, lack of  support or funding resources that may young entrepreneurial dreams. Related to that are the mental health issues associated with unemployment. In his Youth Day speech, President Ramaphosa encouraged the young people to use available resources to access jobs and funding for businesses. Ramaphosa also says young South Africans must strive  to be entrepreneurs, rather than relying on being employed. 

We spoke to Nyimpini Mabunda, interestingly born in 1976. He has dedicated some of his work to helping young South Africans navigate their lives, goals and career aspirations by mentoring them.

Transport Minister, Fikile Mbalula, is this weekend expected to meet with stakeholders in the logistics and trucking industry to help find solutions to the recent blockages of key cargo routes. Motorists experienced a major traffic backlog on parts of the N3 in KwaZulu Natal and N12 in the North West this week, due to truck drivers protesting over the employment of foreign nationals in the sector. The All Truck Drivers Forum is among those accusing truck owners of employing foreign nationals. We spoke to National Employers Association of South Africa - NEASA - CEO Gerhard Papenfus.

Various political figures have given mixed reaction to the suspension of Public Protector Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane. On Thursday, President Cyril Ramaphosa suspended Mkhwebane pending the outcome of the inquiry into her fitness to hold office. The Public Protector was dealt a further blow on Friday;10 June when the Western Cape High Court dismissed her application to prevent Parliament from proceeding with her impeachment proceedings, and President Ramaphosa from suspending her. Ntebo Mokobo has more. We also  spoke to Vuyo Zungula,  Leader of the African Transformation Movement AND retired judge, Johann Kriegler from Freedom Under Law

The United Nations is again warning that Somalia is on the brink of devastating and widespread starvation, exacerbated by a severe drought and rising global food prices. The drought has reportedly forced over 800-thousand people from their homes while an astonishing 50% of the population is affected by the drought situation. Recent rains have been moderate, poorly distributed, and insufficient to alleviate current drought conditions, said to be the worst in 40 years. We spoke to Petrok Wilton, spokesperson for the World Food Programme in Somalia.

President Cyril Ramaphosa  sidestepped the controversy involving the robbery on his Phala Phala farm when he delivered his reply to the debate on his office's budget vote in parliament. However, his reply was delayed by more than three hours after EFF MPs demanded  that he should not be allowed to address parliament due to the allegations he is facing over the heist on his farm in 2020.

For more clarity, we spoke to  Dr Sthembile Mbete, Senior Political Science lecturer at the University of Pretoria 

The National Consumer Commission is urging the over 13 000  South African drivers who are in possession of Mercedes-Benz ML, GL, (model series 164) and R-Class (model series 251) to stop driving these vehicles immediately and contact Mercedes-Benz for further assistance. Mercedes-Benz South Africa says the global recall of these models was initiated due to a possible brake failure caused by advanced corrosion on the housing joining points which may lead to accidents and injuries. Currently there are 13 159 affected vehicles in South Africa. The Acting National Consumer Commissioner Thezi Mabuza says the supplier informed the Commission of this recall following a global recall by Mercedes-Benz. Commissioner Mabuza has more details

Today all the Community Policing Forums (CPFs) from three police stations in Cape Town, Khayelitsha, Lingelethu West and Harare,  together with  the neighborhood watches, business and community leaders will hold a mini-summit  to discuss what needs to be done to improve the security situation in Khayelitsha.  We spoke to Khayelitsha CPF Cluster Chairperson, Fransina Lukas

Nations around the globe are today commemorating World Environment Day. Here at home the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment together with various stakeholders have converged in Durban, Kwa Zulu Natal to put their heads together on how to advance the environmental needs of the world under the slogan: One Earth- Living Sustainably in Harmony with Nature. It is reported that the world is currently facing three major environmental crises: climate change, biodiversity, nature loss as well as waste pollution, all these allegedly driven by human activity and unsustainable patterns of consumption and production. In our Sunday Discussion we take a look at some of the pressing environmental challenges facing South Africa and how to mitigate them. We spoke to Albi Modise, spokesperson for the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and Francesca de Gasparis, executive Director for Southern African Faith Communities' Environment Institute  (SAFCEI)

The Presidency says it has referred a threat made against Director General in the Presidency Phindile Baleni to security agencies. In a statement last night, the presidency said that Baleni found an envelope in her letterbox containing a bullet and a letter threatening her life. The presidency says the threats appear to be an attempt to affect its processing of the findings of the State Capture Commission. It says Baleni is receiving protection so that she can continue performing her critical duties. We spoke to Dr Dale McKinley, Independent Researcher and Writer.