The Weekend View

U.S. President Joe Biden accompanied by first lady Jill Biden joined mourners at Ground Zero in downtown New York City to mark the sombre 20th anniversary of the 9-11 attacks on America. The first couple were accompanied by former President's Barack Obama and Bill Clinton and former first ladies Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton who joined families of victims and survivors who paid tribute to the almost 3000 people who perished on that day - in a traditional reading of their names.

Tissue donation is an essential component in the work that surgeons and healthcare professionals do to improve the quality of life of their patients. But it has recently been reported that hardly any South Africans are organ donors. The country only has 1.4 donors per 1 millon people. Yet at any given time.... some 4,300 South Africans are in need of organ or tissue donation.

Trade union Solidarity has published a new report suggesting that the burden on South African taxpayers could double if the White Paper on the National Health Insurance (NHI) is accepted and the Green Paper on social security is implemented after being reviewed. According to the report, South Africans pay incredibly high taxes in global terms, while the government generally fails to fulfill its side of the social contract. The report revealed that the tax to GDP ratio in South Africa is the second-highest in the world, after Sweden

Teenage pregnancy during COVID-19 in South Africa is a double pandemic. That according to a research by Dr Kim Jonas, a Specialist Scientist, Health Systems at the South African Medical Research Council. South Africa recorded increased rates of teenage pregnancies in some parts of the country between 2018 and 2019 and more recently during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Financial services firm Discovery reportedly plans to move to a mandatory vaccination policy from January 1st. The group says it has a moral and legal obligation to introduce the policy. The company says its aim is to make its people healthier as well as to enhance and protect their lives.

The University of Fort Hare law student, Nosicelo Mtebeni, has been laid to rest at her home village of Khauoe near Matatiele in the Eastern Cape. Family and friends described her as a humble and visionary individual who's mission was to contribute to the judicial system. Nosicelo was brutally murdered, allegedly by her boyfriend, at Quigney in East London, last month

President Cyril Ramaphosa had hefty matters to deal with during his appearance in the National Assembly to answer oral questions on Friday. He had municipalities that don't work, payment to victims of the Marikana killings and anti-vaxxer priests to deal with. Yet his humorous side was not left too far behind

The Constitutional court has ruled that the 2021 local elections should go ahead as planned no later than the 1st of November. This has left some parties like the ANC, the UDM and the PAC at a disadvantage as they failed to submit their full candidates list before the IEC deadline of the 23rd of August. The apex court has also declared the proclamation of the 27th of October unconstitutional and has since set aside that day as an election date opening up a window for a new election timetable. But it is still not clear if this could also open the registration process of candidates.

Stakeholders in the tourism sector have pleaded with govenment to help them access the market and have more understanding in terms of marketing and advertising their businesses. This was a sentiment at the provincial tourism month launch at Schweizer Reneke in the North West. Small business owners say as part of recovering from the losses incurred due to the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic and contiunous nationwide lockdown regulations, they need more government intervention.

Villagers of Silindini at Emaxesibeni, formerly known as Mount Ayliff in the Eastern Cape want answers from the Umzimvubu Local Municipality as to what happened to the eight million rand allocated for the construction of a bridge. The bridge was meant to connect nearby villages to ensure access to government services. The construction company only put three culverts at the center of Mzimvubu river and disappeared.