The Gauteng Health Department says it is unable to renew all the eight-thousand Covid-19 temporary posts due to budgetary constraints. It says the initial Covid grant budget of 2.2 billion rand towards compensating these workers has since been reduced to 1.1 billion for the 2022/23 financial year. Therefore, the department will not be able to renew all the temporary contracts the end of this month. Healthcare workers at the Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital held a picket at the hospital in protest against this impending termination of the contracts. Sakina Kamwendo SABC reporter Tshepo Phagane 

Sinkholes are getting worse in Khutsong in Merafong, West Rand Region. A number of houses in Khutsong on Gauteng's West Rand are on brink of collapse because of a big sinkhole that's developed in front of their homes. Some of the families in the township in Carletonville have allegedly been forced to abandon their houses, only coming during the day to check if their belongings and furniture have not been stolen. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to  Khutsong resident Pule Lebitsa, and Chairperson of the Dolomite Risk Management Committee in the Merafong Municipality Jaun Schmidt

Sakina Kamwendo in concersation with Transnet Pipelines spokesperson Saret Knoetze on fuel theft on Transnet pipeline causes massive diesel spill. 

Black African-headed households has the highest levels of subjective poverty across the poverty measures. According to Stats SA's study on poverty in the country, 30,5% of black African households perceived themselves as poor, while 57,4% reported a per capita household income not exceeding their desired minimum income required to meet the household's needs. Statistics SA released its study on poverty today. Sakina Kawendo spoke to Isobel Frye, Director of Studies in Poverty and Inequalities Institute.

Maverick Citizen Editor and investigative journalist Mark Heywood say the delays in reopening Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital in Gauteng could have consequences more dire than the Life Esidimeni scandal. It has been almost a year since a fire gutted a portion of the hospital with damage estimated to be around R40 million. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Mark Heywood

The Public Works Department says it has completed most of the disciplinary hearings against employees implicated in the Beitbridge border fence scandal. This comes after Special Tribunal ordered contractors involved in the R40 million project to pay back their profits earned from the costly development to the department. The fence was put up as part of the COVID-19 emergency procurement in 2020, however, the Special Investigating Unit found that it was irregular. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Acting Director General of the Public Works Department, Imitiaz Fazel 

According to Statistics SA; South Africa's gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 1,2% in the fourth quarter of 2021. The personal services industry increased by 2,7%, contributing 0,4 of a percentage point to GDP growth. Increased economic activities were also reported for community and other producers.The manufacturing industry increased by 2,8% in the fourth quarter, contributing 0,3 of a percentage point to GDP growth. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Economist  and  Founding Director at the Centre of Economic Development and Transformation, Duma Gqubule.

The Special Tribunal is today hearing the joinder application in the Digital Vibes cases. The respondents are opposing the application and have filed their Heads of Argument as per the outcomes of several case management meetings preceding the hearing of the joinder application. However, the SIU is said to have obtained evidence showing that the R150-million tender was awarded to Digital Vibes unlawfully,  and that the respondents "are all recipients of monies deriving from the impugned transactions" between the health department and Digital Vibes. Sakina Advovate Selby Makgotho Spokesperson of the  Special Tribunal..

Calm has been restored in Alexandra, north of Johannesburg, after some residents blocked roads with rubble and burning tyres.  The residents were calling for a total shutdown of the township following tensions yesterday between Dudula movement members and foreign national traders. Major General Max Masha says they have deployed more officers to control law and order in the area. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter Pearl Magubane

The Independent Communications Authority (Icasa) has today begun the auctioning of the International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT), also referred to as high demand spectrum. Six telecommunication operators including Telkom, Vodacom, MTN, Cell C, Liquid and Rain are participating in the auction. This as Telkom has asked the high court in Pretoria to impose a "structural or supervisory" interdict on ICASA. Sakina Kamwendo spoke with SABC Tech reporter Sandile Hlangani