Over 100 law firms, including sheriffs, are being investigated for looting R340m in state funds by submitting duplicate claims to the Road Accident Fund. The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has referred 12 law firms or legal practitioners to the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) for criminal prosecution consideration. The SIU has found that R317m has been recouped. The SIU has signed Acknowledgment of Debt ("AOD") to the value of R70m with actual amount recoveries to date amounting to R41m. The SIU is also probing procurement and tender irregularities, payments made to service providers, and the possible inflation of invoices by service providers. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SIU spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago. 

The Department of Social Development has denied claims that it pays the GBV Command call centerR45 million per month for the contract. It has also rejected claims that the center has collapsed. According to a news reports, Minister Lindiwe Zulu is at loggerheads with her deputy minister, Hendrieta Bogopane Zulu, about the appointment of an IT company to run the GBV Command Center. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to spokesperson for the Department of Social Development, Lumka Oliphant.

A girl who went missing 13 years ago might soon be-reunited with her family in Bushbuckridge. The family of the girl is waiting on the results of a DNA test. The 19 - year old reportedly went missing while she was only 6 years old. A woman has been arrested in connection to her disappearance. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC, reporter Eric Lubisi.

Auditor General Tsakani Maluleke says the number of clean audits has increased significantly. She was briefing the Standing Committee on the AG on the audit outcomes of the National and Provincial governments for the 2022/23 financial year. The AG added that the trend of improvement has been seen in the last four years and more rapidly in the past year.

The CEO of ArcelorMittal South Africa, Kobus Verster, says the company is open to engagement and consultation processes with labour, the government, and various stakeholders. This is as the company has announced plans to cut up to 3-thousand 500 jobs as it's forced to shut down its long steel products business (e.g., railway tracks). The company has blamed negative steel demand growth and the state of instability of Transnet and Eskom issues. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Donald MacKay, CEO of XA Global Trade Advisors

Parliaments' Police Committee has adopted its report on the Independent Police Investigative Directorate Amendment Bill. This bill aims to strengthen the independence of the directorate, and includes the issue of the appointment of its Executive Director.  The bill has been widely criticised because the appointment of the Executive Director still lies with the Minister of Police and Cabinet. Before starting the committee process, both the state law advisor and Parliament's legal services indicated that the bill was not constitutional because of this. The bill is supposed to address the appointment of the Executive Director, following a Constitutional Court judgment in 2016 that the removal of the then IPID head, Robert McBride, by the minister was unconstitutional. Zalene Merrington reports...

A legal drama is unfolding in Britain's Supreme Court, involving South African government's attempt to strike out claim for salvage of silver from wartime wreck.  The dispute relates to the ownership of cargo (bars of silver) carried by a ship that sank in 1942 & raises questions of state immunity. Over R873m (about £37m) worth of silver meant for the SA Mint in 1942 was salvaged off the East Coast and taken to the UK. Now the SA government wants it back. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to a lawyer at international firm Volterra Fietta, Jehad Mustafa

The Multi-Party Charter comprising eight opposition parties is holding a gathering of civil society organisations in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg ahead of the 2024 general election.   The purpose of the meeting is solicit views from different community organisations and to bring about a political change in South Africa. DA leader, John Steenhuisen says the enemy is not the ANC but poverty, unemployment  and criminality 

Operations at the Impala Platinum Mine remain suspended following a freak accident at Shaft 11 late in the afternoon Yesterday. Family members of the deceased mine workers have since made their way to the mine premises for further details. For the latest from the mine, Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter, Zebilon Maine and National Union of Mineworkers spokesperson, Livhuwani Mammburu

The Impala Platinum Mine in Rustenburg in the North West says all 86 employees involved in an elevator accident are accounted for. Eleven people died while 75 others sustained injuries. The injured have been transferred to hospitals around Rustenburg. The mining company says rescue operations have been complete and operations will be suspended at its 11 shaft in Rustenburg until further notice. Mineral Resources Minister, Gwede Manatshe and CEO and executive director, Nicolas Muller brief media as investigations into the accident get underway.