The Department of Home Affairs is currently responding to the draft public participation report on the Electoral Amendment Bill. This comes after Parliament asked the Constitutional Court for a six month extension to finalise the bill. The Bill seeks to make provision for independent candidates to participate in provincial and national elections.  In June 2020, the Concourt ruled in favour of independent candidates being allowed to contest the polls. It declared the Electoral Act unconstitutional for not making provision for independent candidates. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC Parliamentary Correspondent, Mecerdes Bessent

This week on the Coalface, publishing editor of Engineering News and Mining Weekly, Martin Creamer talks to Sakina Kamwendo about a new South African diamond mine expected to be developed in Limpopo province, Wimbledon opting for platinum to mark the Queen's jubilee and the centenary its centre court and greater hydrogen fuel cell adoption poised boost for South Africa's platinum group metals sector.

The defense lawyer in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, Advocate Malesela Teffo has been granted R10 000 bail by the Hillbrow Magistrate's Court in Johannesburg. Teffo is facing contempt of court charges after he failed to appear in court in January 2022. He was detained yesterday following proceedings at the High Court in  Pretoria on an arrest warrant relating to an alleged trespassing incident at the provincial police offices. Reporter Hasina Gori was at the Hillbrow Magistrate's court.

The South African Social Services Agency has moved to assure approved applicants of the R350 Social Relief of Distress grant that payments will be made within the next week. This, after a number of beneficiaries expressed concern that they have not received the subsidy for the month of April. The applicants say they have been waiting for the R350 from SASSA since the beginning of the month. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Sassa spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi.

A  Limpopo has been released on R1000 bail by the  Lephalale magistrate's court after he shot and wounded a 38-year-old woman who he alleges he mistook for a  hippopotamus. The accused, Hendrick van Wyk has been charged with attempted murder after he allegedly shot and wounded the victim, Lenah Lefowane, who was fishing at the with her husband, Piet. Van Wyk will be back in court again on the 18th of May. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter, Mahlatse Phaladi.

After 28 years of freedom millions of people in Limpopo are still without decent housing. A  44-year old woman from Vhurivhuri village outside Thohoyandou is still living without a decent house and sanitation facility. Livhuwani Negondeni and her three children have been living in a clay rondavel house for the past two years. She applied for an RDP house in 2005 but till today she's still waiting. Negondeni says freedom day means nothing to her. Mahlatse Phaladi reportsMahlatse Phaladi…

Blind people in South Africa have raised concerns over the Copyright Act of 1978, saying it is discriminatory and limits their right to freedom of expression and information. They say that the act makes it difficult for visually impaired people to convert books into accessible formats such as Braille or audio. Last year the High Court in Pretoria declared the act unconstitutional and invalid. And they are now taking this matter to the Constitutional Court. Tshepo Phagane has more…

The damages caused by the devastating floods in KwaZulu-Natal have left some communities without water since the floods two weeks ago. A manager in charge of deploying water tankers to affected areas was shot dead at the weekend by two unknown suspects in a red car at the Ottawa Water Depot. Yesterday, the situation worsened when Isipingo Hills residents expecting water were left without when the tanker was hijacked. We speak to our reporter Nonkululeko Hlophe

Former Kenyan president, Mwai Kibaki, who served as Kenya's president from 2003 to 2013, has died at the age of 90. We speak to our correspondent in Kenya Sarah Kimani 

The mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Mpho Phalatse, has announced measures to accelerate the delivery of basic services to improve the lives of the residents of city. This includes the building of new clinics, upgrading of informal settlements, and the construction of new housing units. She was delivering her inaugural speech as a multi-party government of the city.

Meanwhile, the City of Tshwane is also hosting the 2022 State of the Capital Address today. Tshwane Mayor Randall Williams highlights the city's plans and projects for the year ahead.

We speak to our SABC reporters Tshepo Phagane and Phumzile Mlangeni