Update@Noon

The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, has appointed Advocate Ntuthuzelo Vanara as Acting Head of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption, or IDAC.  Vanara takes over from Advocate Andrea Johnson, who resigned from the position. Minister Kubayi says he joins IDAC on secondment from the Special Investigating Unit, where he serves as Chief Legal Counsel. Vanara has more than 25 years’ experience in law, governance and regulatory affairs. He assumes his new responsibilities with immediate effect. Palesa Rammitlwa, is the Spokesperson to the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development.

The Ad Hoc committee investigating criminality and political interference in the criminal justice system descended into a heated altercation Thursday evening, with MK Party and the Patriotic Alliance MPs trading accusations other over the fired Crime Intelligence deputy head, Major-General Feroz Khan. The row erupted as the committee considers its fourth draft report. MKP MP David Skhosana also accused the committee of failing to secure Khan's appearance. Mkhokheli Bandla filed this report... 

The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa, is visiting Ditsobotla Local Municipality in Lichtenburg, North West, today. The visit comes a year after the municipality was placed under administration due to governance failures and poor service delivery. Hlabisa will meet with municipal councillors, business representatives and traditional leaders to provide an update on efforts to restore stability, improve basic services and rebuild the municipality's capacity. To share challenges of the municipality we spoke to Amalia Moipupi Legote a resident in Ditsobotla municipality 

The Competition Commission says rural and township businesses face major barriers that limit their growth and ability to compete. The Commission released its first Rural and Township Economy Report today. The report identifies high procurement costs, limited access to major retailers and online markets, and regulatory red tape as key challenges. The Commission says these obstacles also affect consumers through higher prices and fewer choices, warning that removing them is critical to tackling poverty, unemployment and inequality.  We spoke to senior economist at Competition Commission, Tessa Bleazard 

Parents and caregivers are urged to watch closely for signs of dehydration in children as South Africa's rotavirus season continues, with health authorities reporting a drastic increase in cases in Pretoria and one death.We spoke to Head of the Center for Enteric Diseases at the NICD, Prof Nicola Page.

The Electoral Commission has denied claims that its Online Candidate Nomination System experienced technical failures. The ANC says it experienced difficulties in submitting its list of candidates contesting the 2026 local government elections. Close to two-thousand-300 candidates from 45 political parties have been disqualified from contesting after missing last week's deadline. We spoke to Elections Analyst, Wayne Sussman

The Chairperson of Parliament's Police Portfolio Committee Ian Cameron, says South Africa must urgently strengthen its response to international drug trafficking networks. He says authorities cannot focus only on arresting street-level dealers while powerful syndicates, financiers and corrupt facilitators remain untouched. Cameron's comments come at the time that police have in recent months discovered large scale drug manufacturing hubs within the country. Jon Gericke spoke to Private investigator and security expert, Mike Bolhuis

Families of the victims and survivors of the Sharpeville Massacre are taking the state to court. They have filed a class action lawsuit against the state, demanding justice, accountability and compensation.  Lawyers for Human Rights says victims have waited 66 years for accountability, arguing that apartheid era indemnity laws blocked legal action against the state. The organisation is now challenging the constitutionality of the legislation, seeking meaningful reparations and long overdue recognition for survivors and the families of those who died. Here is Lawyers for Human Rights Charne Tracey-Mamdoo speaking to our reporter Nomvuyo Ntanjana

The IEC says it will not reopen the Candidate nomination system past the deadline, despite the ANC experiencing some setbacks  Accordingly, the ANC raised concerns about candidates not being able to submit because of technical problems with the system. However, the ANC is one of 45 parties in the same situation. The IEC confirmed that close to 2300 candidates, who were captured but not finally submitted unto the system before the deadline do not qualify to contest in the elections. This IEC briefed the media in Centurion on the outcome of the candidate nomination process, which closed at 5pm, last Friday. Our reporter, Zara Groenewald has more…

The Department of Employment and Labour says it has uncovered suspected labour and immigration non-compliance at a massive construction site in Sandton, Johannesburg, with 41 undocumented migrants arrested. The operation was led by Deputy Minister Jomo Sibiya and was forced to pull back after officials admitted they were overwhelmed by the size of the site, its multiple exit points and the number of people working there, with some workers fleeing when they saw authorities arrive. Sibiya says the aim of these high-impact operations is to intensify enforcement, ensure compliance with labour and immigration laws, and protect workers from exploitation. Culvin Mabasa has more....