The Weekend View

We started the week with the family and friends of the co-author of the tell-all book 'The Lost Boys of Bird Island saying they don't believe he committed suicide. It is alleged that the ex-policeman, Mark Minnies committed suicide on Monday at his friend's farmhouse in Theescombe near Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. The book details allegations of a paedophile network that included Apartheid era defence minister Magnus Malan. Elvis Presslin spoke to Nwabisa Makunga, Editor for the Herald newspaper in Port Elizabeth about her big stories for the week and the week ahead

The Finance Minister has released a report by the Independent Panel that reviewed the current list of items that are zero-rated for VAT. This is for the purposes for public comment by the end of this month. The panel submitted its report to the Minister this week, recommending that items like white bread, cake flour, sanitary products, school uniforms and nappies be zero rated. The Minister appointed the panel after the announcement in the budget in February of the increase in the rate of value-added tax (VAT) from 14 to 15 per cent, effective from the beginning of April. Dr Thabi Leoka, on the reccomendations & North West University school of Business and Governance, Prof Raymond Parsons look give us their perspective...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged ANC members to accept the outcome of the party's provincial elective conference, and refrain from going to court. Ramaphosa was addressing delegates attending the party's provincial conference at the Durban University of Technology. Meanwhile, Sihle Zikalala was elected unopposed as party provincial chairperson, while Mike Mabuyakhulu was elected his deputy. Our reporters Vusi Makhosini and Nonkululeko Hlophe have filed this report & Elvis Presslin spoke to an independent polytical analyst, Raobaka Kalaote......

Eleven people have reportedly been shot dead on the R74 near Colenso in the KwaZulu Natal Midlands. It's believed they were all taxi drivers who were apparently ambushed while returning from the funeral of a taxi boss at Matimatolo. The taxi boss was allegedly shot dead in Johannesburg last week. Elvis Presslin spoke to KwaZulu Natal Community Safety and Liaison spokesperson Kwanele Ncalane...

A wrap with of top stories of the with the Editors

As a handful of parliamentary committees met in Parliament this week, the constitutional review committee has been continuing its public hearings on land expropriation in Mpumalanga and the Free State this past week. Our Parliamentary Correspondent Mercedes Besent tells us more...

Some South Africans still consider the lesbian gay bisexual transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community to be different, abnormal or sinister. This is according to South Africa's largest health NGO, Right to Care. The NGO says this leads to LGBTI individuals suffering from self-discrimination, social isolation, depression, substance abuse and suicidal behaviour. Craig Chapman, programme coordinator at Right to Care

Motorists have expressed mixed feelings about the latest price hike. Prices at the pumps have increased four times since the beginning of the year. The price of petrol and diesel will increase by around 26 cents a litre, paraffin by 22 cents a litre and LP-Gas by 37 cents a kilogramme. But most motorists say they are not willing to consider alternative modes of transport amid the fuel hikes. Tshepo Mongoai reports…

LINK: Elvis Preslin spoke to Automobile Association spokesperson Layton Beard. and Economist Prof RaymOnd Parsons

On the show this saturday, tips on how to set up a trust to protect your child's inheritance and a commemoration of the 42nd anniversary of the 1976 student uprising with 1976 youth organiser Seth Mazibuko and a youth leader now Howard Zondo

A look at the week's top stories with some of the country's top editors