Lotus FM News Break
#PODCAST Tshwane Mayor outlines the City's Energy Infrastructure Stabilisation Plan
By Newsbreak Producer, Tashlan Naidoo - The City of Tshwane Mayor, Dr Nasiphi Moya has outlined the City's Energy Infrastructure Stabilisation Plan. The city has been experiencing prolonged power outages, with various unstable substations tripping and leaving residents without electricity for days and sometimes even weeks. Centurion and Pretoria East are among the worst affected areas. SABC reporter, Luyanda Danca is following the story and brings us an update...
#PODCAST Schools in Pinetown report disconnection of municipal services
By Newsbreak Producer, Taliesha Naidoo - Schools in the Pinetown District have had their electricity disconnected, Acacia Primary School has had both its water and electricity supply disconnected. According to teacher union, NAPTOSA, these disconnections were carried out without the mandatory notice of disconnection being issued to the affected schools. As a result, the schools are currently unable to operate effectively. We speak to NAPTOSA's Thirona Moodley....
#PODCAST ANALYSIS: John Steenhuisen expected to exit DA leadership race
By Newsbreak Producer, Taliesha Naidoo - DA Leader John Steenhuisen has announced that he will not be standing for re-election as party leader. He will address the media in Durban tomorrow where he started his political career some 30 years ago. Despite this developments, the party's Federal Chairperson Helen Zille has denied any tension within party ranks. We unpack this with political commentator, Professor Pieter Duvenage...
#PODCAST Health Department launch HPV Vaccination Drive specifically for young girls to combat cervical cancer #sabcnews
By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - The Department of Health launched its 2026 Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination drive. The programme targets girls aged nine and older, mainly those in Grade 5, as part of ongoing efforts to prevent cervical cancer. Cervical cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women in South Africa, with more than 5,700 cases reported every year and over 3,000 lives lost. Health experts have warned that unvaccinated girls, as well as women living with HIV, face a significantly higher risk. National Department of Health spokesperson Foster Mohale explains why parents should have a positive approach towards this initiative...
#PODCAST Under-resourced PROTEC matriculants outperform the IEB average with a remarkable 91% Bachelor pass rate #sabcnews
By Newsbreak Producer Matthew Veeran - Matrics from PROTEC's 2025 Learner Excellence Programme have achieved a remarkable 91.4% bachelor pass rate, surpassing the national IEB average despite coming from under-resourced, non-fee-paying schools. The program, which provides specialized support in STEM subjects and English, saw almost 300 learners secure a total of 461 distinctions. PROTEC CEO Balan Moodley says the results prove that targeted educational interventions and student dedication can bridge the resource gap to produce top academic outcomes...
#PODCAST Economist Dawie Roodt explains why the Rand is still undervalued - despite hitting a four-year high #sabcnews
By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - Economists believe that despite the appreciation made by the rand over the recent past, it is still an undervalued currency. Last week, the rand dropped to below 16-rand to the US dollar for the first time in almost four years. Dawie Roodt says while there are several factors influencing the rand - including geo-political issues, there could be many positives over this year - but it will be a tight rope to walk. Roodt says South Africa is becoming more attractive to foreign investment due to its inflation outlook...
#PODCAST Durban business confidence rebounds after a year-long decline #sabcnews
By Newsbreak Senior Producer Taresh Harreeparshad - Business confidence in Durban showed strong signs of progress- as the Durban Business Confidence Index rose from 52.12 points in the third quarter of 2025 to 63.38 points in the fourth quarter. This is the first improvement after a deteriorating consecutive four quarters. It shows that 6 out of 10 surveyed business executives are satisfied with the existing business conditions in the city. But Research Associate in the Macroeconomics Research Unit at University of KwaZulu-Natal Dr Ntokozo Nzimande cautions that it's still early days to see how far this business confidence will carry the city of eThekwini...
#PODCAST Wellness Wakeup: Thousands brave the Kavady heat as experts share natural sunburn relief tips #sabcnews
By Newsbreak Senior Producer Taresh Harreeparshad - Thousands of Hindu's braved the blazing sun yesterday to observe the festival of Thaipoosam Kavady - which may have left a few a little sun-burnt. Wellness practitioner Esha Parraw says that soothing the skin barrier with some holistic ingredients could really have an impact to heal sunburn and sustain the wholesome magic of the Kavady festival. In this week's Wellness Wake-Up we find out how to soothe sunburn, naturally...
#PODCAST ALS Paramedics explain that poor driver behaviour is contributing largely to road carnage in KZN #sabcnews
By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - Operations Director at ALS Paramedics, Garrith Jamieson says poor driver behaviour contributes largely to road carnage. He pointed out that negligence on the part of some drivers is one of the main reasons for fatalities on the roads. He was speaking to Newsbreak after a spate of fatal crashes in KwaZulu-Natal recently. Jamieson says far too many people lose their lives due to driver negligence...
#PODCAST Israel-South Affrica Trade Expulsions: Top diplomats ordered to leave within 72 hours #sabcnews
By Newsbreak Producer Shanell Daniel - Israel Chargé d'Affaires in South Africa Ariel Seidman has to leave the country today. He has been declared as a persona non grata on Friday. Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) says this follows a series of unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practice, which pose a direct challenge to the country's sovereignty. Meanwhile, Israel has retaliated and gave Pretoria's senior diplomat in Israel Shaun Byneveldt also 72 hours to leave Israel from Friday. Meanwhile, the South African Jewish Board of Deputies is outraged by South Africa's decision to declare Israeli diplomat Ariel Seidman persona non grata. National Chair of the SAJBD, Karen Milner says instead of these tensions, both nations should be working together for the betterment of their people...
Driver culture comes into question as road carnage continues #sabcnews
-by Newsbreak's Taresh Harreeparshad. Atleast 17 lives were lost on KZN roads this week. In a horror crash between a truck and a taxi in Isipingo, south of Durban- 11 people lost their lives. It is alleged that a truck driver performed an illegal u-turn before ramming into the taxi. And then 6 people died following a crash on the N2 in Mtubatuba after a truck and light motor vehicle crashed on Friday. While MEC for Transport in KZN has called for murder charges to be levelled against the drivers in the Isipingo crash- driver negligence has come into question. How do you stop drivers from doing irresponsible things on SA roads? We spoke to the KZN Dept. of Transport's Ndabezinhle Sibiya and The DA's Riona Gokool. Driving expert Omar Gangat and ALS Paramedic's Garrith Jamieson also weighed in on this serious conversation.
The Durban Bunny: the taste of social cohesion #sabcnews
-by Newsbreak's Taresh Harreeparshad. To mark Lotus FM's 43rd birthday the station decided to celebrate in true Durban style: by paying homage to the Bunny Chow! It proved to be a day of sun, celebration and sizzle- as five contestants cooked up a storm to make the perfect bunny. But on the sidelines, Newsbreak Talk was curious about how the humble bunny does a the huge task of promoting social cohesion across all communities. Take a listen,
#PODCAST Police search for 18 Chinese fugitives in South Africa
By Newsbreak Producer, Tashlan Naidoo - Police say they've established a dedicated team to track down 18 Chinese fugitives believed to be hiding in South Africa. This follows the extradition of 63-year-old, Chen Fujia who left the OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park east of Johannesburg this morning. The man who had been in hiding in South Africa since 2021 and is accused of defrauding the Chinese government of 120-million rand. SABC reporter, Refilwe Mekoa is tracking the story and brings us an update....
#PODCAST Nipah virus triggers airport checks in Asia
By Newsbreak Producer, Tashlan Naidoo - The Department of Health says it is in communication with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) regarding the country's stance on the Nipah Virus. The deadly virus of which two cases were detected in India, is a zoonotic virus, usually transmitted from animals to humans, but can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly between people. While there has been some concern among nearby countries such as Thailand and Taiwan, who have implemented airport screenings, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says there is no need for travel or trade restrictions at this point. Tashlan Naidoo has more on the story...
#PODCAST Jakes Singh hailed a true community hero
By Newsbreak Producer, Taliesha Naidoo - Tributes continue to pour in for award-winning community leader, Jakes Singh. The former Chatsworth Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson passed away from a suspected heart attack, aged 69. During his tenure as chairperson, the Chatsworth CPF won the national CPF of the Year award from the SAPS in 2018. Bayview CPF chairperson, Brandon Pillay says Singh's death is a huge loss to the community.....
#PODCAST Newsbreak Fishing Report - 30 January 2026 #sabcnews
By Newsbreak Producer, Hoosen Ebrahim - In our fishing report feature, Sanjay Ramsarup updates you on the latest from the angling front...
#PODCAST MEC calls for murder charges after an unroadworthy truck and overloaded taxi kill 11 in Isipingo #sabcnews
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Siboniso Duma says the owners together with both drivers of the truck and the taxi involved in a crash that claimed eleven lives at Lotus Park in Isipingo south of Durban must face murder charges. According to Duma preliminary reports from this week's horror crash have revealed that the truck was un roadworthy whilst the taxi was overloaded. The eleven taxi passengers including a 13-year-old learner were declared deceased on scene. Several other passengers sustained critical injuries including the taxi driver. Khalesakhe Mbhense reports...
#PODCAST Allianz report finds that SA ranks among the world's most difficult nations for debt collection #sabcnews
By Newsbreak Producer Tashlan Naidoo - South Africa has been rated among the most difficult for debt collection. This is according to multinational financial services company, Allianz. In the company's recent Trade Collection Complexity Score and Rating report, SA scored a severe 67 - remaining unchanged for the past four years. It says that due to financial constraints and the slow-moving economy, most companies pay up to 90 days compared with the average 30 and 60-day terms and conditions which are industry-driven. In some cases, small to medium enterprises are taking as long as 120 to 180 days to settle debts. Credit Director at Allianz, Luke Morawitz says while there is a local debt collection issue, there are concerns with South African collecting debt from international trading partners such as China and the UAE...
#PODCAST Dietitians warn health-conscious South Africans that sugar substitutes are not a "free pass" to indulge #sabcnews
By Newsbreak Producer Matthew Veeran - While sugar has been labeled the "ultimate health hazard", switching to substitutes isn't always as simple as it seems. Dietitian argue that while alternatives are generally safe tools for managing weight or diabetes, they aren't a free pass to indulge in more sweets. Since different options like stevia, aspartame, or sugar alcohols can affect everyone differently - choosing the right one comes down to one's specific health goals. Registered Dietitian Marlene Ellmer says the best approach is to stick to moderation and consult a professional to see which substitute better fits your lifestyle...
#PODCAST Teenage KZN Archery champion Danya Thompson targets the 2028 Olympics after victory in Argentina #sabcnews
By Newsbreak Producer Hoosen Ebrahim - A Grade 12 learner from KwaZulu-Natal has taken on the world and won. 17-year-old Danya Thompson from Reddam House Umhlanga has been crowned world champion at the IFAA World Indoor Archery Championships in Argentina. She beat under 21 competitors from 14 countries. The youngest in her category, Thompson led from day one and claimed the title by six points before flying straight home to write her final exams. She's also a provincial water polo player, and with her bow style now included in the 2028 Olympic Games, her sights are firmly set on Olympic qualification. In an exclusive interview with Newsbreak, Thompson explains what this means for South Africa's archery profile...
Save video to ...
