This Friday, SAfm’s radio anchor Sakina Kamwendo once again spoke to Martin Creamer, publishing editor of Engineering News & Mining Weekly.  

The National Treasury has assured retail depositors of Ithala Bank Limited that their deposits will be protected by a government guarantee, subject to the conclusion of the necessary technical work. This follows the Prudential Authority's application for provisional liquidation of the Bank. Ithala Bank has meanwhile threatened to take legal action against the application for its liquidation, which would put 400 jobs and more than 250-thousand depositors into jeopardy. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Chartered Accountant and Independent Analyst Khaya Sithole.

Government is holding urgent talks with ArcelorMittal amid the company's plans to close down its operations. Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth is meeting the management of ArcelorMittal South Africa today. ArcelorMittal South Africa announced that it would close facilities that produce long-steel products in the towns of Newcastle and Vereeniging and a rail-fabrication facility in eMalahleni because it couldn't make them profitable. This would lead to as many as 3 500 jobs loses. To discuss the challenges facing the steel sector, Sakina Kamwendo spoke to the President of Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of South Africa SEIFSA, Elias Monage. 

Members of the Inanda Community Policing Forum (CPF) have urged various stakeholders, including SAPS and local churches, to unite in their efforts to combat the scourge of crime. It follows the discovery of five men's bodies in the area. The bodies were found in the Bambayi area in Inanda, hacked to death. They are believed to be between the ages of 19 and 26 years old. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to The Head of Reaction Unit South Africa RUSA, Prem Balram 

While Day 1 of a long 12-year schooling career was seamless for some parents, other anxious and frustrated parents have been queuing at the Johannesbug central district offices in Pimville, Soweto, to have their children placed in schools. Some allege they could not effectively utilize the online admission process while others say they did apply on time through the Gauteng systems but have yet to be placed. Here is what some had to day...

One hundred and one-(101) illegal mine workers have been retrieved from shaft 11 in Stilfontein in the North West by the second day of operations led by government. Sixty bodies have also been retrieved thus far. The operation started on Monday and is expected to continue for about 10 days. 

Forum 4 Service Delivery has collaborated with ActionSA in preparation for the 2026 local government elections, during which the party will compete under the ActionSA banner. Here is the Action SA National Chairperson, Michael Beaumont elaborating further

Negotiators will meet in Doha TODAY to finalise details of a plan to end the war in Gaza which has drastically affected the Middle East, after U.S. President Joe Biden indicated a ceasefire and hostage release deal was imminent. Mediators gave Israel and Hamas a final draft of an agreement on Monday, an official briefed on the negotiations said, after a midnight "breakthrough" in talks attended by envoys of both Biden and President-elect Donald Trump. Here is the latest report by the Reuters News Agency...

The Judicial Conduct Tribunal probing sexual harassment allegations against Judge President Selby Mbenenge has sought to understand why the complainant told him to "earn it" in response to his persistent requests for her images. This as the whatsapp message exchanges between the pair were put under the spotlight on the second day of the tribunal. According to the witness, Andiswa Mengo - the interactions which took place between June 2021 and November 2022 via in-person and electronic communication - were unwanted. Mengo spoke through an interpreter when she was probed on her "earn it" response. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter, Canny Maphanga

Basic Education Minister, Siviwe Gwarube says it is promising to have all nine provinces of the country obtaining no less than eighty-four percent of the pass rate. She was speaking in East London in the Eastern Cape where she lauded the province for its constant improvement in its pass rate. The Province obtained an 84.9 pass rate with nearly half of its matriculants obtaining bachelor passes. Gwarube says some rural areas outperform some of the metros when it comes to matric results...