The Weekend View

Orlando Pirates will look to dispel any doubts on who will be crowned the 2025/2026 Betway Premiership when they host Durban City at the Orlando Amstel Arena *TODAY. The Buccaneers hold their fate in their hands as they currently sit in second position on the log, with two games in hand and three points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, who have completed all their fixtures. Meanwhile, Sundowns has shifted their attention to the CAF Champions League First Leg Final against AS FAR Rabat from Morocco at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on Sunday. Bongiwe Zwane caught up with SABC sports reporter, Vincent Sitsula...

The Constitutional Court this week overturned a Supreme Court of Appeal ruling, by finding that people whose asylum applications have been rejected cannot submit new applications.This means people whose claims are finalised and rejected cannot reapply for refugee status. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber argued that the current system has allowed asylum seekers to abuse the system. This ruling relates to a case brought forward by two Burundian nationals who argued they had become "sur place" refugees. Sur place refugees are people who became refugees after leaving their country.  Bongiwe Zwane caught up with Dr Dale McKinley of Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia

The National Consumer Commission is warning South African consumers to steer clear of 113 untraceable companies in the country, saying that they risk losing money. The NCC updated its list of untraceable suppliers this week, adding 20 new companies to the 90 previously listed. The newly identified suppliers are based in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape, with some operating entirely online, making it even harder for consumers and authorities to track them. The NCC warns consumers to exercise extra caution when dealing with these suppliers. Bongiwe Zwane caught up with the NCC spokesperson Pheto Ntaba...

This week the Gauteng Department of Health warned members of the public against the use of unverified and unregulated injectable substances for body enhancement and sexual performance purposes. According to the department, this follows two cases identified in the Ekurhuleni region.  The cases are currently under investigation, and they involve two individuals who presented themselves at a public health facility with severe complications, including organ failure, following the use of unregulated substances obtained through informal channels. 
In another matter ...  The global shortage of Glucagon-like peptide-1 or GLP-1 such as the weight-loss and diabetes drugs like Ozempic,  has caused an influx of compounded versions to fill the supply gap. According to Professor David Katerere from the Tshwane University of Technology, counterfeit medicines are a huge problem in many African countries.  Bongiwe Zwane caught with Professor Katerere who is research platform chair for pharmaceutical and biotech advancement in Africa at the Tshwane University of Technology...

This year, South Africa marks three decades since it adopted its democratic Constitution. Widely regarded as one of the most progressive constitutions in the world, it enjoys high acclaim internationally. The Bill of Rights hailed as one of the most progressive highlighting rights to human dignity, life, freedom of security among others. Thirty years later, is the constitution working for all or is it just a document that many recognise as just a document or one that has changed the lived reality of many South Africans. To discuss this further Bogniwe Bongiwe caught up with Prof. Nico Koopman,  Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Social Impact, Transformation and Personnel at Stellenbosch University But first here are reflections of 30 years since the adoption of the constitution by SABC specialist Correspndent, Sophie Mokoena...

Adult illiteracy is one of the critical challenges in South Africa. This is a problem that lays bare the country's painful past, socio economic disparities and systemic inequality. In its own probe last year the department of higher education and training found that under resourced schools, poverty and social inequalities limit education and training opportunities. The department is on a quest to change that. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Chief Director for Community Colleges within the department, David Diale...

Political parties represented in Parliament have reacted sharply to the Constitutional Court judgment on the Phala Phala matter, with some opposition parties describing it as a major test for accountability and constitutional democracy. The apex court found that Parliament acted inconsistent with the Constitution when it rejected the Section 89 independent panel report into President Cyril Ramaphosa's conduct relating to the 2020 burglary at his Phala Phala farm. While some parties are calling for the president's immediate resignation, others say Parliament must now urgently begin impeachment proceedings. Mkhokheli Bandla has the details, followed by Former Public Protector, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane says she feels "vindicated" after the Constitutional Court ruled that Parliament's vote on the Section 89 Panel report into the Phala Phala matter was unconstitutional. Mkhwebane took to social media stating that she was unlawfully removed by President Ramaphosa and the DA for following the law and country's constitution

The Constitutional Court judgement against President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Phala-Phala matter could be a test for the GNU with the DA saying it is not going to protect wrongdoing. The apex court has ruled that Parliament acted unlawfully when rejecting the Section 89 Panel Report, which found that Ramaphosa has a case to answer on the robbery at his farm in 2020. The court said the report must be sent to the Impeachment Committee for processing. SABC Politics Reporter, Ntebo Mokobo, has more, followed by a conversation with Advocate, Paul Hoffman who is also the Director of Accountability Now

WaterCAN says it is deeply frustrated and alarmed by reports that municipalities have returned R1 billion in unspent Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant funding to National Treasury over the past five years while communities across South Africa continue to endure dry taps, collapsing wastewater systems, sewage-polluted rivers and unsafe drinking water. The organisation wants the full list of municipalities that returned Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant funds to be made public...  For more Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Jonathan Erasmus from WaterCan 

Food and groceries coupled with crime and violence are the primary concern for almost fifty percent of respondents in the 2025 calendar year for continuous consumer and media data. That's according to the Marketing Research Foundation's latest Marketing All Product Survey, which also marks five consecutive years of consumer and media data. The survey covers an adult population of almost 46 million people across all nine provinces, all districts and all municipalities. The survey also reveals that the number of consumers who took out a loan in the past 12 months increased by fifty-eight percent year on year. For more on this Bongiwe Zwane spoke to the CEO of the Market Research Foundation