Newsbreak

By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - Latest on the location of the 2024 sardine run with fishing expert Adam Kamdar... 

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - Non-Profit Organisation, Food Forward SA, will provide almost one-million underprivileged individuals with food hampers as part of Mandela Day celebrations today. The organisation which rescues food that would have otherwise gone to waste, is calling on South Africans to spend their 67 minutes helping to pack and distribute these hampers. Managing Director of Food Forward SA, Andy Du Plessis says the hampers will be packed with nutritious content in a bid to combat malnutrition in the country....

By Newsbreak Producer Matthew Veeran - The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) in the Eastern Cape has launched a pilot programme of a new biometric identity verification system for social relief grants. This project aims to minimise fraud, especially against the beneficiaries of the Social Relief Distress (SRD) grant. The SASSA District Department in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro says this follows numerous complaints by beneficiaries that they have not received their payments, even though they have been approved. Professor Jacob Mofokeng from the Tshwane University of Technology says it time to embrace such projects if the country are to overcome these instances of fraud... 

By Newsbreak Producer Taliesha Naidoo - Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVETs) play a vital role in ensuring young people have economic opportunities in South Africa. That's according to Dr Amy Lloyd - the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education at the U.S. Department of Education. Dr Lloyd is currently visiting KwaZulu-Natal as part of a programme to help improve practices at TVETs in the province. She explains how TVETs in KZN can benefit from specific models implemented at community colleges in the U.S.... 

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - Following the spate of natural disasters across the country, the Durban Film Mart will gather to discuss ways in which they can communicate the climate-crisis through film. Taking place from the 19th to 22nd of this month, the 15th annual Film Mart will include industry stakeholders from across the continent. Panel discussions, hands-on dialogues around potential strategies to effect change through film, brainstorming sessions, and networking opportunities for film industry participants creating content for this sector. One of the collaborators, Tiny Mungwe, explains the various films being featured which depict critical climate crises in countries such as South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya....

By Newsbreak Producer Tracy Valaydham - A non-profit animal organisation at Phoenix, north of Durban was recently hit by a fire outbreak on their shared premises. The organisation says several trees surround the shelter and heavy winds in the KZN province ignited fires on two separate days. This left thier boundary fence, roofs and kennels severely damaged. Phoenix Animal Care and Treatment (P.A.C.T) Neeri Naidoo says they were facing an influx of animals to care for when the recent fire hit the shelter. It's now left them incapable due to them being under-resourced after the recent incident. Naidoo says they are appealing to pet lovers this Mandela month with a "sense of community and service" to give back...

By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - Unemployed youth with a passion to work for the police force and serve the country in a more 'back-line online approach' have been encouraged to look out for vacancies as the South African Police Service (SAPS). This as SAPS launch a specialized social media monitoring unit to track down criminals lurking behind online profiles. This bold online stance comes into effect after investigations into the 2021 unrest in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, which claimed 350 lives. Brigadier Athlenda Mathe it's become a vital role of law enforcement - to monitor online channels and ensure law and order...

By Newsbreak Producer Taliesha Naidoo - Two South African entrepreneurs have developed an online platform to drive job creation by providing comprehensive educational support to students and career seekers. Study Start is an innovative online education tool that Jason Adriaan and journalist - Shahan Ramkissoon co-founded. The website offers personalised career recommendations, a directory of accredited qualifications, an education cost estimator, application assistance, detailed occupation insights, and access to previous Matric exam papers and solutions. Ramkissoon explains how the platform aims to contribute to societal
change...

By Newsbreak Producer Tracy Valaydham - Police say there has been a rise in cases of carbon monoxide poisoning since the start of the winter season. According to authorities, the use of "Imbawula" or coal stoves has led to an increase in the number of people losing their lives due to poor ventilation. South African Police Service spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe says these so-called Imbawulas can be a fire hazard and cause respiratory problems. She says prolonged exposure to these pollutants can exacerbate existing respiratory conditions such as asthma and bronchitis...

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - Non-Profit Organisation, "Outside the Bowl Africa" are planning to provide over one-million meals to underprivileged children across the country as part of Mandela day celebrations. The organisation says the meals will be highly nutritious as to keep children full for longer, while trying to combat malnutrition in the country. According to the General Household Survey by Statistics South Africa, about 15-percent or just over 9-million South Africans endured food insecurity in 2023. Outside the Bowl Executive Director, Loren Erasmus says such initiatives are in line with the teachings of the former president in looking after those who will be the future leaders of this country...

By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - Born Free's big cat sanctuary at Shamwari Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape has been officially recognized by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS). It is the first big cat sanctuary in South Africa to be awarded the accredited status by GFAS. Manager at Shamwari, Catherine Gillson says the size of space allocated to the predator cats and the close-to-natural environment created for them has led to this recognition. Gillson also explained the need for government to clamp down on unrecognized sanctuaries that are only operating for monetary gain...

By Newsbreak Producer Matthew Veeran - The Nelson Mandela Children's Fund has urged South Africans to uphold Madiba's legacy by uniting together to protect children from the horrific abuses they often endure in South Africa. In the buildup to Mandela Day this week, the organisation held a Fun Walk for vulnerable children. CEO of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, Dr Linda Ncube-Nkomo spoke about the success of the walk and why people need to come on board to support such initiatives... 

By Newsbreak Senior Producer Taresh Harreeparshad - Newly appointed South African High Commissioner to India Prof. Anil Sooklal will officially take-up his office in New Delhi in September- saying that permanent visas for South African's will be high on his agenda. Sooklal joined Newsbreak for an exclusive interview at the weekend. Prof. Sooklal has become the first Indian South African diplomat to take up the seat as High Commissioner. He plans on making the India-South Africa relation one of the strongest in the world...

By Newsbreak Senior Producer Taresh Harreeparshad - Now in its 39th year - the Relay for Life is still going the mile to raise awareness about cancer. Started in 1985 by Dr Gordy Klatt in the US - the event symbolising the grueling race that cancer patients have to endure in their journey. Next month The Cancer Association of South Africa will host their Relay for Life at the Northlands Girls High school in Durban, The associations Natasha Brown...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - President of political party Allied Movement for Change (AM4C), Ahmed Munzoor Shaik Emam, will undergo a quadruple bypass heart surgery on Tuesday. This after the former Member of the National Assembly suffered a heart attack last week. Speaking on his condition, Niven Pillay, the Interim Secretary General for AM4C says 67-year-old Shaik Emam is in a critical but stable condition at Netcare St Augustine's Hospital, in Durban. Pillay says while Shaik Emam isn't in the best of health, he is very grateful for all the public support that he has received...

By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - One of the focuses for the 15th Durban FilmMart will be looking into projects that are still in development from across the globe and discuss what's happening on the continent in terms of the film industry and where investments can be directed to. That's according to Magdalene Reddy, the Director of the Durban FilmMart Institute. The event is set to take place from July 19th until July 22nd at the Elangeni and Maharani Hotels in Durban under the theme, "African Visions Unleashed: From Disruption to Accountability"... 

By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - While work life can be stressful, many have the feeling of not performing at their full potential - like success is not in sight, with a constant worry of others seeing through you. That's the symptoms of "Impostor Syndrome". It's when one starts questioning their ability to perform or doubting own ability and potential at the workplace. Experts say that while we all doubt ourselves occasionally, feelings of self-doubt are totally normal. Performance Coach Duncan Woods explains how to deal with Imposter Syndrome and manage the effects of low confidence in any situation...

By Newsbreak Producer Matthew Veeran - The 2022 South African census has set the record of the highest reported undercount of 31%. This is about 10 percentage points higher than the undercount for the previous census. It brings into question the accuracy and usefulness of the information for government planning and resource allocation. Tom Moultrie is the Professor of Demography at the University of Cape Town (UCT). He began by helping us better understand this undercount and the implications of it... 

By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - The Inkatha Freedom Party's (IFP) Les Govender says his main concern in his new role as the Deputy Chairperson of the National Council to Provinces (NCOP) is the approach to the passing of bills and amendments to LAW, while trying to ensure better service delivery. This after Govender was elected earlier this week, becoming the first South African of Indian origin to hold the position. He was nominated by the Northern Cape delegate, Kenny Mmoiemang and seconded by Kwazulu-Natal delegate, Mxolisi Kaunda. Govender says he will take a people centric approach to his new position....

By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - The 2024 sardine run began on Sunday the 9th of June. Since then, netters caught huge nets of sardines at various spots. Recently the trail went a bit cold, but sardines are still being netted, albeit at a slower pace, Durban angling expert Adam Kamdar has the latest...