Parliament's Public Enterprises Portfolio Committee has recommended that the transaction that saw Takatso Consortium appointed as the preferred bidder to acquire 51 percent of South African Airways be referred to the Special Investigating Unit. The committee says the department has not been able to successfully dispute the former Director-General KgathatsoTlhakudiallegation that Takatso was not part of the initial list of companies that submitted bids. The committee also feels that Tlhakudi's submission that SAA assets were undervalued was not disproved in light of the cancellation of the transaction that the Public Enterprises Minister PravinGordhan announced last week. Here is what Public Enterprises Committee Chairperson, Khaya Magaxa told the committee today....

The Bureau for Economic Research says inflation for the first quarter of 2024 has dropped, spelling good news for potential interest rates cuts. The Bureau notes that the average headline CPI inflation expectations of analysts, business people and trade union officials receded by 0.3% points for both 2024 and 2025. The respondents now expect inflation to average 5.4% this year, 5.3% next year and 5.2% in 2026. Sakina Kamwendo to Bureau for Economic Research, Nicolaas van der Wath.

The Judicial Conduct Tribunal inquiry into the conduct of Gauteng high court Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela has been postponed to May, after his legal team notified the tribunal that the judge has been hospitalised. The Tribunal is chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Chris Jafta as it investigates complaints lodged against Maumela by Gauteng Judge President Dunstan Mlambo regarding alleged excessive delays in handing down a significant number of his judgments. Maumela, who presided over the Senzo Meyiwa trial, has been suspended alongside Judge Nomonde Mngqibisa -Thusi, pending the outcome of the tribunal inquiry. Yesterday the tribunal heard how Maumela took almost 5 years to conclude a single judgment. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter, Horisani Sithole.

Counsel for the African National Congress ( ANC) has argued that there are only three grounds upon which the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC)  can entertain appeals by parties aggrieved with the registration of a political party. The ANC is at the Electoral Court in Bloemfontein today, challenging the registration of the UmkhontoWesizwe party. The MK party was registered in September last year and will contest the 2024 general elections. For more on this we are joined on the line by our reporter Zoleka Qodashe

President Cyril Ramaphosa says projects worth nearly R170 billion are currently in procurement. Ramaphosa says Infrastructure South Africa is today publishing the first edition of a Construction Book that showcases 153 infrastructure projects across 5 major state-owned enterprises including Transnet Freight Rail, Transnet National Ports Authority, Airports Company South Africa, Eskom and SANRAL. Ramphosa was addressing the Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium currently underway at the Century City convention centre, in Cape Town. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Lufuno Ratsiku, President of The South African for the Project  and Construction Management Professions.

The African National Congress is expected to head to the Electoral Court in Bloemfontein tomorrow to challenge the registration of the Umkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP). The governing party argues that there were procedural flaws in the way the MKP was registered by the Deputy Chief Electoral Officer, Mawethu Mosery. Zoleka Qodashe takes a look at the merits of the ANC's argument and its prospects of success.

The largest bulk water utility in Africa, Rand Water is pleading with Gauteng metros to manage water consumption by residents. The plea follows an emergency meeting between the water utility and metros in the province after Rand Water warned of what it calls critically low reservoirs levels. The utility provides bulk potable water to more than 11 million people in Gauteng, parts of Mpumalanga, the Free State and North West. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Rand Water spokesperson, Makenosi Maroo and Professor in the School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, Craig Sheridan.

President Cyril Ramaphosa says since the dawn of democracy, government has shown its commitment to democracy, the rule of law and to the protection of human rights. He was speaking at the National Conference on 30 Years of Human Rights in Gauteng's eastrand. The three-day conference will see government officials as well as key stakeholders reflect on the work that has been done since South Africa's democratic dispensation. Ramaphosa outlines the pieces of legislation that have been passed that give effect to the Constitution.

The Senzo Meyiwa trial has adjourned until Wednesday at the High Court in Pretoria. This is to allow the state to call new witnesses. Five men are on trial for the murder of the Bafana Bafana captain, who was shot and killed in 2014.  Meyiwa was at Kelly Khumalo's parental home in Vosloorus, on Gauteng's East Rand.  The state has been focusing on the alleged confessions by accused one and two. Pearl Magubane filed this report.

The Coal-Face with Martin Creamer, publishing editor of Engineering News and Mining Weekly.

1. One of South Africa's time-honoured gold mines is going to be listed on a stock exchange in the United States.

2. A Toyota-linked company is on a mission to bring more hydrogen-based power to South Africa.

3. South Africa's mining industry must be given a new ticket to ride to enable it to perform better.