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#PODCAST KZN manhunt underway after police were ambushed in Mt. Edgecombe, leaving one officer dead and the other wounded #sabcnews
By Newsbreak Producer Taliesha Naidoo - A manhunt is underway in KwaZulu-Natal after two crime intelligence police officers were ambushed by armed suspects in Mount Edgecombe, north of Durban yesterday afternoon. One officer was killed and another wounded in a crossfire with suspects. According to police, the suspects abandoned and burnt their getaway vehicle. Acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane has condemned the attack as a brazen assault on the state. National police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe says maximum resources and specialised police units have been deployed to track down the suspects...
#PODCAST Newsbreak Fishing Report - 01 May 2026 #sabcnews
By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - Cast away with this week's Newsbreak Fishing Report, brought to you by KZN angler Sanjay Ramsarup...
#PODCAST Cyril Ramaphosa officially announces that the 2026 Local Government Elections will be held on Wednesday, November 4th #sabcnews
President Cyril Ramaphosa says municipalities have to restore and enhance accountability to overcome their service delivery challenges. He was addressing the extended meeting of the Presidential Coordinating Council in Boksburg east of Johannesburg yesterday. The one-day meeting was attended by stakeholders involved in efforts under the National Water Crisis Committee. They included among others Deputy President Paul Mashatile, Cooperative Governance Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa as well as COGTA MECs from the nine provinces, Mayors and Municipal Managers. Ntebo Mokobo was there and filed this report...
#PODCAST Law enforcement ramps up operations at O.R. Tambo Airport - following a string of high-profile drug busts #sabcnews
By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - Law enforcement agencies have ramped up operations at O. R. Tambo International Airport following a string of high-profile drug busts over the long weekend. This has raised fresh concerns about South Africa's role in international trafficking routes. In the latest incident, a Dutch national was intercepted en route to London with 60kg of drugs concealed in his luggage. This incident occurred less than 24 hours after a Brazilian national was arrested at the same airport with cocaine valued at 8.7 million rand. Chairperson of the Gauteng Portfolio Committee on Community Safety, Bandile Masuku, says the arrests point to intensified policing efforts but also expose persistent vulnerabilities at one of Africa's busiest travel hubs....
#PODCAST uMngeni-uThukela Water confirms potability, despite elevated levels of organic compounds found in its Wiggins treatment plant #sabcnews
By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - Bulk water provider, uMngeni-uThukela Water says despite elevated levels of an organic compound found caused by algae build up in water at its Wiggins Water Treatment Works, which is supplied by the Inanda Dam, it is still safe for consumption. A has rigorous algaecide treatment plan has commenced, as uMngeni-uThukela Water has strengthened its treatment operations, including more frequent water filtration and enhancing monitoring. The elevated levels of the compound can cause earthy or musty tastes and odors in drinking water. uMngeni-uThukela Water Spokesperson, Siyabonga Maphumulo says some of the affected areas are central eThekwini, Durban north and some southern areas such as Chatsworth and Amanzimtoti...
#PODCAST Verulam Business Forum raises alarm on loitering, drugs and exploitation of school children
By Newsbreak Producer, Taliesha Naidoo - A growing crisis is unfolding in Verulam, north of Durban, where school children are being spotted loitering at taxi ranks and public parks during school hours. The Verulam Business Forum is raising the alarm on the trend, warning that it is a serious threat to child safety and wellbeing. According to the forum, some children allegedly get into cars with older men, while others are allegedly experimenting with drugs. Roshan Lil Ruthan from the Verulam Business Forum says urgent intervention is needed to address the deeply concerning trend.....
#PODCAST Scores protest in Johannesburg against illegal immigration
By Newsbreak Producer, Tashlan Naidoo - Scores of protestors are marching to Yeoville and Hilbrow in Johannesburg, against illegal immigration, crime and corruption. This comes after hundreds of protestors took the streets yesterday calling for stricter enforcement of immigration laws, tighter border control, and decisive action against crime networks they claim are linked to undocumented foreign nationals. SABC reporter, Calvin Dludla is on the ground and brings us an update...
#PODCAST The ongoing Middle East conflict is driving a 2.3% surge in South African food prices #sabcnews
By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - The impact of the rising fuel cost in South Africa is already being felt with the price of a basic basket of 44 essential food items increasing by R123,56 month on month. This is according to non-profit organisation, the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group (PMBEJD). The Group says while there is usually a slight increase around this period due to seasonal price fluctuations, this two-point-three percent up tick is attributed to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has led to the price of oil rising to over 110-dollars a barrel. Program co-ordinator of the Group, Mervyn Abrahams says with another fuel price hike on the cards, consumers will be faced with even higher costs in coming months...
#PODCAST With rising costs & staff shortages rife, POPCRU rallies members ahead of May Day tomorrow #sabcnews
By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - As workers across South Africa gear up to mark May Day tomorrow, the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) are urging its members to turn out in full support of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) rallies nationwide. The call comes amid mounting pressure on workers, with rising living costs, austerity measures, and ongoing challenges within the criminal justice system. The union says issues such as chronic under staffing, unsafe working conditions, and deteriorating infrastructure in policing and correctional services highlight that the struggle for worker dignity is far from over. POPCRU spokesperson Richard Mamabolo says May Day remains a critical platform to amplify workers' demands and push for meaningful change...
#PODCAST Billionaire Anant Ambani launches multi-million dollar bid to rescue 80 Colombian hippos #sabcnews
By Newsbreak Producer Matthew Veeran - The Colombian government has authorized a lethal cull of eighty hippopotamuses in the Magdalena River basin, citing an urgent and growing threat to the region's native biodiversity. These animals are the descendants of four individuals illegally imported by notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar and have since multiplied into an invasive wild population of nearly two hundred. In a late-breaking development, billionaire Anant Ambani has formally requested a stay of the euthanasia order - instead proposing a multi-million dollar, scientifically led translocation to his Vantara wildlife sanctuary in India. Matthew finds out more in this week's Greenscene... Credits: BBC News
#PODCAST March and March members to rally at Gauteng Legislature
By Newsbreak Producer, Tashlan Naidoo - Scores of civil society organisation March and March movement protesters have started gathering at the Mary Fitzgerald Square in Johannesburg ahead of their march to the Gauteng legislature. The protesters say they are demonstrating against the influx of undocumented foreign nationals in the country. Yesterday, the group marched the Union Buildings in Pretoria where they handed a memorandum to government officials. SABC reporter, Calvin Dludla is there and brings us an update....
#PODCAST Shocking death of six-year-old in Umkomaas ignites public outcry and police probe
By Newsbreak Producer, Taliesha Naidoo - A tragic and deeply disturbing case in Umkomaas on the KZN south coast has sparked outrage after the death of six-year-old Snesihle Lonwabo Khathi two weeks ago. Police say the child was taken to hospital by her stepmother after her father reported she was unwell. However, the child was declared dead on arrival. Medical staff reportedly observed visible injuries which led to the father's arrest. The accused was remanded in custody ahead of a bail application on 6 May. Dawn Gounden from Renegades Search and Rescue says the community remains shaken as authorities continue their investigations...
#PODCAST The three men charged with kidnapping & murder of the seven Newark family members abandon their bail application #sabcnews
Three men charged in connection with the kidnapping and killing of seven members of a family from Newark on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast, abandoned their bail application at the KwaDukuza Magistrate's Court. Businessman Alan Monswamy, his wife, their two children, and three relatives - were abducted from their home last Tuesday. According to authorities, they were stabbed and shot, and their bodies were found roughly 200 kilometres away from their home the day after. Money was withdrawn from their accounts and one of the women was allegedly raped. Celumusa Zulu reports...
#PODCAST New amendments to the Consumer Protection Act hopes to clamp down on unsolicited marketing #sabcnews
By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - South Africa is tightening the screws on spam calls, with new amendments to the Consumer Protection Act aimed at curbing unwanted direct marketing. As from July, marketing companies or spam calls from different companies would require consent before contacting or calling you. But the Information Regulator is warning that tougher rules mean nothing without compliance. It says the Protection of Personal Information Act still requires explicit consumer consent before any unsolicited marketing. Regulators are making it clear: no consent, no contact. Senior Manager of Communications and Data at the Information Regulator, Nomzamo Zondi explains...
#PODCAST The Voice of an Era: South African Soprano Legend Mimi Coertse Dies at 93 #sabcnews
By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - Tributes continue to pour in for the late world famous South African opera singer, Mimi Coertse. Coertse passed away on Monday at the age of 93. She became an international star in the 50's and was regarded as one of the best sopranos on the world. Coertse traveled to Austria at a young age to study opera at the famed Vienna Academy. She made her debut at the Vienna State Opera, performing - The Queen of the Night, in Mozart's, The Magic Flute. She sang on all the world's major opera stages, and in 1965 she became the youngest singers to be named in the permanent ensemble of the Vienna State Opera. The University of Pretoria's, Professor Hanli Stapela says Coertse inspired and paved the way for many young South African singers through her scholarships and programs over the years....
#PODCAST Gauteng Health Department warns of a rising disease risk, as child immunization drops to 75% #sabcnews
By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - The Gauteng Department of Health has sounded the alarm over a decline in child immunisation coverage, now sitting at just 75%, raising concerns about the growing risk of preventable diseases among infants. The warning comes as African Vaccination Week is marked across the continent, with renewed calls for parents and caregivers to keep vaccinations up to date. Health officials say the drop leaves children under the age of one particularly exposed, increasing the likelihood of outbreaks of diseases that are otherwise easily prevented. Authorities are now intensifying awareness campaigns and urging communities to act before the situation worsens. Expanded Program on Immunization and Communicable Disease Control Assistant, Ms Yolandie Luther explains the seriousness of the situation...
#PODCAST IEC battles record-low voter apathy in KZN ahead of Local Government Elections
By Newsbreak Producer, Matthew Veeran - Ahead of the Local Government Elections, the IEC in KwaZulu-Natal is on a mission to combat deep-seated voter apathy, following a week-long stakeholder engagement in the province. Recent data reveals a historic low in democratic satisfaction among KZN residents, with only around 6% expressing confidence in the current state of democracy. As the big June registration weekend approaches, the commission is now tasked with rebuilding institutional trust in a region where over 20% of potential voters claim that no factor would motivate them to head to the polls. Earlier in the week we spoke to Judge Daya Pillay, today we are joined by IEC Provincial Electoral Officer, Ntombifuthi Masinga...
#PODCAST Court grants bail to Julius Mkhwanazi and Kagiso Lerutla
By Newsbreak Producer, Tashlan Naidoo - Suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Deputy Chief, Julius Mkhwanazi and Ekurhuleni City Manager Kagiso Lerutla have each been granted 30-thousand-rand bail at the Boksburg Magistrate's Court. The pair are facing charges including corruption, fraud, and defeating the ends of justice. They will return to court next month for the setting of a pre-trial date. SABC reporter, Culvin Mabasa was at court and brings us an update...
#PODCAST Community gather at court demanding justice for slain Newark family
By Newsbreak Producer, Taliesha Naidoo - Three men charged in connection with the kidnapping and killing of seven members of a family from Newark on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast, have abandoned their bail application at the KwaDukuza Magistrate's Court. Businessman Alan Monswamy, his wife, their two children, and three relatives — were abducted from their home last Tuesday. According to authorities, they were stabbed and shot, and their bodies were found roughly 200 kilometres away from their home the day after. Councillor Kuben Naicker says the community will continue to gather outside of court to demand justice for the slain family...
#PODCAST PREVIEW: Three suspects due in court today for the kidnapping and murder of seven Monswamy family members in Newark #sabcnews
By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - The three suspects arrested in connection with the kidnapping and murder of seven family members from Newark, outside Mandeni on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast are expected to appear at the KwaDukuza Magistrate's Court today. Businessman Alan Monswamy, his wife, their two children and three other family members were kidnapped, stabbed and shot on Tuesday last week. Their bodies were discovered 200 kilometers from their home in Melmoth the next day. The funeral service for the seven family members was held at the past weekend. KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda says the suspects are aged between 21 and 28...
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