The Weekend View

South African Weather Services has issued a red veldfire warning for several areas in the Eastern Cape. These include the Nelson Mandela Bay, Sundays River, Ndlambe, Kouga and Kou-Kamma municipalities. The weather service has indicated that these are high threat of fire conditions caused by dry, windy and very hot weather. Runaway fire conditions are expected to continue until Saturday evening in the southern parts of Sarah Baartman District Municipality and the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Nelson Mandela Bay Acting Mayor, Garry Van Niekerk

Iran was largely cut off from the outside world YESTERDAY after authorities blacked out the internet to curb growing unrest, as videos posted online showed buildings and vehicles ablaze in antigovernmental protests raging through the streets of several cities. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has ultimate power in Iran, has dismissed the  protesters as vandals trying to please US President Donald Trump, who threatened to hit Iran very hard if government forces kill protesters.  In a televised address Khamenei vowed not to back down. Protests began late last month with people demonstrating over rising inflation and the fall of the local currency, but soon spread to universities and provincial cities. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Naeem Jeenah, Senior Researcher from the Mapungubwe Institute For Strategic Reflection

The ANC turned 114 years old this week, on Thursday January 8th, and TODAY the party will hold it's formal celebrations at the Moruleng stadium outside Rustenburg in the Northwest province.  President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to deliver the keynote address, known as the January 8th Statement, later today. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to SABC Senior Political Reporter, Ntebo Mokobo and Sanusha Naidu, Senior Research Associate at the Institute for Global Dialogue 

A massive global safety alert has hit home this week as the National Consumer Commission and the Department of Health issued an emergency recall for a specific batch of Nestlé NAN Special Pro HA infant formula. The recall is not just a local issue, it is part of a major international recall spanning more than 25 countries due to a serious food safety risk. The concern centers on a toxin called Cereulide, which is produced by the bacteria Bacillus cereus. Health experts warn that this toxin is extremely heat-resistant and can cause symptoms like severe vomiting and stomach cramps within hours of consumption. While no illnesses have been confirmed yet, the Department of Health is urging an immediate stop to the use of the affected batch. For more on what the recall means, Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Chief Director for Health Promotion at the Department of Health, Rebone Ntsie 

The year 2026 is set to be an eventful one for South Africa with a number of political events in the offing. The country will hold the crunch local government elections, celebrate the 30 years since the adoption of the constitution and commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Soweto Uprisings as well as the much awaited Constitutional court ruling on the Phala Phala case among others. Some political party events to watch would include the DA's elective conference, the possible ANC Policy Conference while on the international front, South Africa is set to skip the G20 Leaders Summit in the US after the Donald Trump's decision to shun Pretoria from the meeting of developed and developing countries. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Political Analyst, Dr Ongama Mtimka and Project Lead of Indlulamithi SA Scenarios, Xolelwa Kashe Katiya

Captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro has arrived in New York City after US strikes. Maduro and his wife landed at Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York state earlier THIS MORNING before being taken by helicopter to Manhattan's DEA office, and then on to Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center. This follows a dramatic day during which United States President Donald Trump announced that Washington will "run" Venezuela until a political transition can take place. He spoke just hours after US forces bombed the South American country and captured its president. Addressing a news conference YESTERDAY, Trump said the US would "run the country until such time it was possible to do a safe, proper and judicious transition. Washington has accused the Venezuelan leader, who has been in power since 2013, of having ties to drug cartels. Maduro had rejected the claim, saying the US was working to depose him and take control of Venezuela's vast oil reserves. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Brooks Spector, a retired American diplomat and Ricardo Texeira, defence analyst at the Institute of Race Relations  

As the first week of 2026 unfolds, South Africa's border posts are experiencing a massive surge of travelers returning from the festive break. With the Border Management Authority (BMA) anticipating that it will surpass six million movements for the 2025/2026 festive season, a significant increase from previous years, the pressure on our ports of entry has reached an all-time high. The BMA's current operational plan, which runs until the 15th of January, is tackling everything from illegal crossings and drone-led surveillance to managing the 24% capacity constraints of its own workforce. Joining us today to discuss how the BMA is navigating this return leg of the festive season, Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Jane Thupana, Deputy Commissioner at the BMA. 

Bafana Bafana will THIS EVENING face Cameroon in the Round of 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. Two of the biggest names in African football have a date at the Al Medina Stadium in Rabat for a place in the quarter-finals in what is their first meeting in any competition since 2016. The knockout encounter kicks off at 8pm and will be broadcast on SABC 2. Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos is a legend in Cameroonian football history, having guided the Indomitable Lions to their fifth AFCON title in 2017. Many are asking whether his intimate knowledge of Cammeroonian football will assist Bafana in their quest for glory in Morocco. Broos has promised to show "no mercy" to Cameroon. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to by SABC sports analyst, Mathews Mpete

Ugandan authorities THIS WEEK arrested prominent human rights lawyer and civil society leader, Dr Sarah Bireete, triggering widespread concern among election observers, opposition figures and rights groups who view the move as part of a broader clampdown on dissent ahead of the country's general elections. Dr Bireete was arrested on Tuesday after security forces, including police and military personell, surrounded her home in Kampala. She remains in custody and as of YESTERDAY police had not formally disclosed any charges against her. The arrest came just days after Bireete publicly urged Ugandans to seek alternative internet connectivity to safeguard against potential internet shutdowns during the January 15 elections. The elections are expected to be fiercely contested with opposition figures, including Bobi Wine, challenging veteran president Yoweri Museveni who has been in power for 40 years after taking power in January 1986. From Kampala, Dr Sarah Bireete's lawyer, Mafabi Ronald Dathan spoke to Bongiwe Zwane 

As we move into 2026, many of motorists are reassessing their budgets, but there is one costly mistake that continues to catch South African motorists off guard. Many drunk drivers believe that if they aren't breathalysed or blood-tested at the scene of an accident, their insurance is safe. But according to the National Financial Ombud Scheme, that is a dangerous and expensive misconception. Insurers are increasingly using tracking data, bank statements, and witness reports to reject claims on the balance of probabilities. To unpack the party-to-penalty pipeline and how a single drink can lead to a lifetime of financial exposure, Bongiwe Zwane spoke to National Financial Ombud Scheme Head Ombud, Reana Steyn