Jayed-Leigh Paulse

#sabcnews Independent and Impartial.

In a major push to close the gap in undiagnosed TB cases, South Africa has identified 2 point eight million people through targeted testing this past year. Celebrating World TB Day, health officials say the country is using the best diagnostic tools available in a fight to end TB. However, the stakes remain high as one person still dies every 10 minutes from this preventable disease. #sabcnews

South Africa’s journey toward restorative justice regarding land is reaching a significant milestone today in KwaZulu-Natal. Communities who were systematically dispossessed of their land during the colonial and apartheid era will officially receive their title deeds. President Cyril Ramaphosa will preside over the handover ceremony in uMzimkhulu, marking a turning point for hundreds of families. Over seventeen-thousand hectares will be handed back to four primary claimant groups. Government says this move is central to restoring human dignity and creating an inclusive economy grounded in spatial justice. #sabcnews

The SABC has appointed Deidre “Dee” Uren as the new Group Executive: News and Current Affairs. She takes up her new post effective 1 April 2026, Uren has served in this role in an acting capacity since 1 January 2025. For more visit sabcnews.com

The Ndimande brothers, accused of murdering rapper Kiernan "AKA" Forbes and his friend Tebello "Tibz" Motsoane - in a dramatic turnaround - informed the Durban Magistrate's Court that they plan to apply for bail. Siyabonga and Malusi Ndimande, through their lawyer, made the submission to court after earlier indicating that they wouldn't seek bail. #sabcnews

The two Ndimande brothers, allegedly linked to the murders of rapper Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes and chef Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane in 2023, are due back in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. tinyurl.com/558vps66

President Cyril Ramaphosa who officially unveiled two towering bronze statues in Durban, honoring South African stalwarts Oliver Tambo and former President Nelson Mandela says that while the cost of the statues is significant, the historical value of honouring these giants is immeasurable, urging critics to look beyond the price. The statues which cost 22 million rand, are intended to serve as a symbol of the long walk to freedom, but they have also sparked a heated debate regarding municipal spending. The city says the statues will also boost tourism. #sabcnews

The second statue unveiled by President Cyril Ramaphosa in Durban today, is of Nelson Mandela at Moses Mabhida stadium. #sabcnews

President Cyril Ramaphosa is in Durban unveiling two bronze statues honouring the legacy of Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo, two of South Africa's most revered liberation icons. Standing at approximately 9 to 10 meters tall, these statues are designed to be prominent cultural and tourist attractions for the eThekwini Municipality. Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance has raised concerns over the statues' 22-million rand price tag, arguing that the funds could have been more effectively allocated to address pressing municipal service delivery issues. The DA staged a silent protest a few metres away from the event. #sabcnews

A KwaZulu-Natal-based travel agency says it has helped bring at least 150 South Africans back home in the past 48 hours, as tensions escalate in the Middle East. This follows the United States and Israeli air strikes on Iran over the weekend. Today, a group of 50 pilgrims from Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg finally touched down through partnerships with African airlines. Full story on #sabcnews channel 404

Donald Trump is dragging the United States into a war the American people do not want. Let me be clear: I am opposed to a regime-change war in Iran, and our troops are being put in harm’s way for the sake of Trump’s war of choice. Read my full statement:

NEWS JUST IN : The Durban High Court has ruled in favour of KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi after he approached the court to interdict and restrain a Durban businessman from defaming him on social media platforms. The court ordered Calvin Mathibeli to retract his statements where he posted remarks suggesting Mkhwanazi was captured by private interests and involved in organised hits. In terms of the order handed down today, Mathibeli has been directed to withdraw all such statements, he is also required to use the same platforms for the retractions. The court has further prohibited Mathibeli from repeating the allegations in any platform going forward. In addition, he has been ordered to pay Lt. General Mkhwanazi's legal costs for the application. Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi argued in seeking relief, that the statements caused damage to his dignity and the reputation of the South African Police Service. The friction reportedly began after police visited Mathibeli's company, Calvin Security, in December last year and in February this year. #sabcnews

The Durban High Court liquidation proceedings involving sugar giant Tongaat Hulett have been hit by a further delay. The matter has been postponed to allow the Judge President of the KwaZulu-Natal Division, Thoba Poyo-Dlwati, to intervene and set a formal date for the hearing. That's after the applicants and respondents could not find suitable dates for the matter to be heard. In a virtual sitting, legal representatives for the Business Rescue Practitioners and various counter-parties locked horns over the timeline of the case, as relevant documents were not furnished to all parties involved. The core issue was finding a slot in an overstretched judicial calendar that satisfies all stakeholders. #sabcnews

The long-standing fraud case involving former executives of sugar giant Tongaat Hulett has been set down for the 10th of September for pre-trial in the Durban High court. This comes at a precarious time for the 134-year-old company, which is currently teetering on the edge of liquidation. The accused are facing charges related to a multi-billion-rand accounting scandal that surfaced in 2019, leading to one of South Africa's biggest corporate collapses. Seven individuals, including former Chief executive officer Peter Staude and former Chief Financial officer Murray Munro stand accused of orchestrating a massive fraud scheme between 2015 and 2018. The accused allegedly manipulated land sale agreements to inflate the company's profits by billions of rands. The 7th accused in the matter is Gavin Kruger - an auditor with the Deloitte firm. The accused are facing charges of contravention of the Financial Markets Act, Companies Act and the Prevention of Organised Crime Act. The fraud was unearthed though a forensic audit by Price Waterhouse Coopers which revealed accounting irregularities. Two weeks ago the plan collapsed and the business rescue practitioniors filed for liquidation of the company which is expected to be heard tomorrow. The company's liquidation will see thousands of jobs lost and the livelihoods of thousands of people threatened. #sabcnews

JUST IN | Authorities in KwaZulu‑Natal are conducting a major drug operation in Chatsworth, resulting in the dismantling of a syndicate.

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation and the South African Police Service have dismantled a sophisticated drug manufacturing facility in Chatsworth, south of Durban. The joint operation led to the discovery of a clandestine laboratory operating inside a residential property. Acting on a series of intelligence leads, members of the Hawks’ swooped on the house where they found drugs and weapons. Upon realizing that law enforcement had breached the perimeter, the homeowner reportedly attempted to destroy evidence flushing the drugs down the toilet. The owner of the house has been arrested. #sabcnews

Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's legal team has requested the court to treat the defamation case against Calvin Mathibeli as a matter of urgency, citing a relentless campaign of slander on social media. The friction reportedly began after police visited Mathibeli’s company, Calvin Security, in December and February. Following these visits, Mathibeli allegedly posted remarks suggesting Mkhwanazi was captured by private interests and involved in organized hits. Mkhwanazi’s lawyer told the court that he is no longer willing to endure public insults, noting that a separate lawsuit has also been filed against investigator Paul O'Sullivan. However, the judge questioned how the court should interpret posts where Mkhwanazi wasn't mentioned by name. Mkhwanazi's counsel countered that the innuendo and theme of the remarks left no doubt.  They highlighted particularly dark allegations suggesting Mkhwanazi had secured mortuary space ahead of SAPS operations implying he knew suspects would be killed. While Mkhwanazi’s team is pushing for a final interdict to stop the posts immediately, Mathibeli’s defence argues that the move is a strategic attempt to silence a whistleblower and that  the court must now weigh the right to reputation against the right to whistleblow. #sabcnews

KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner - Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has lodged an application for an interdict against Calvin Mathibeli the owner of a security firm in connection with alleged defamatory statements. According to court papers Mathibeli accused Mkhwanazi of being corrupt, involved in unlawful killings, as well as being captured by private interests. Mathibeli allegedly made these statements in a social media post after police visited his company Calvin Security in December and February. Mkhwanazi is asking the Durban High court to declare the utterances false and defamatory. Mkhwanazi is also asking that Mathibeli apologise and be interdicted from repeating the claims. #sabcnews

Two KwaZulu-Natal police sergeants have appeared in the Ntuzuma Magistrate’s Court today on charges of extortion. Sergeants Bongumusa Ndlovu and Kwazikwakhe Ngubane, who are stationed at the Inanda Police Station and the very court they appeared in today, are accused of running a protection racket in the Amaoti area. The state alleges that Ndlovu and Ngubane systematically targeted illegal shebeens and illicit cigarette sellers in Amaoti, demanding protection money to allow their operations to continue. However, the local community fought back, leading to the case being opened against them. The matter was postponed to the 26th February for a formal bail application after the presiding magistrate announced he would be recusing himself from the matter, as one of the accused is a regular staff member in his court. The State has already signaled its intent to oppose bail. #sabcnews

WATCH | Residents of uMhlathuze Local Municipality in Richards Bay say they have been without water for three months. The municipality cites ageing infrastructure and industrial demand but also emphasises revenue collection. SABC News reporter Jayed Paulse reports.

Kwazulu-Natal sugarcane farmers are calling on the government to step in and prevent a national catastrophe. Tongaat Hulett the 134-year-old sugar giant of South Africa's sugar industry is on the verge of collapse. After the collapse of a three-year business rescue process, the business rescue practitioners have filed for provisional liquidation of the entity. With a 12-billion-rand debt and a failed rescue deal put forward by the Vision Consortium, the livelihoods of one million people now hang by a thread. STORY TONIGHT ON #sabcnews Channel 404