0:01

You're with Mandy Wiener on 702.

0:04

Let's walk the talk streaming on

0:06

the Prime Media Plus ad. Yes

0:08

TV Channel 856. 92.7 and 106

0:11

FM. Coming up on the show

0:13

today, Soshangouve reacts to the murder

0:15

of five community patrollers over

0:17

the weekend as a police

0:20

manhunt is launched. On World

0:22

TV Day, we'll look at

0:24

the impact of US funding

0:26

cuts. Trials derailed because of

0:28

water taps again, a protest

0:31

in Durban over illegal immigration

0:33

and we'll wrap up the

0:35

weekend sport. All of that over

0:37

the next hour. The Midday

0:40

Report with Mandy Wiener. Streaming

0:42

on the Prime Media Plus

0:44

app. DSTD Channel 856. 92.7

0:46

and 106 FM. Good afternoon,

0:48

welcome to the Maderere Port on

0:50

702 and Cape Talk with me,

0:52

Mandy Wiener. Good to be with

0:54

you today. We will take you

0:57

to Soshangouve, where that terrible murder

0:59

of five community patrolers took place

1:01

late on Friday night. The Khartang

1:03

Premier Penyazal Sufi was there over

1:05

the weekend. We'll speak to our

1:07

reporter about the latest situation there.

1:09

It certainly looks like extortion. And

1:11

this is always concerning, is the

1:14

rise of these extortion networks and

1:16

what may have led... to this

1:18

incident. So we'll speak about

1:20

that. Today's World TB Day,

1:22

as you heard in the

1:24

news bulletin there, the Health

1:26

Minister Aaron Motwiletti is on

1:28

a door-to-door campaign. He's also

1:30

been speaking about the United

1:32

States withdrawal of funding, saying

1:34

it's a wake-up call for

1:36

the South African government. Becky

1:39

Cesar releasing a report over

1:41

the weekend saying that... cancellation

1:43

letters went out on Friday

1:45

on Human Rights Day to

1:47

various researchers and organizations saying

1:49

that billions of rans of

1:51

research grants are being canceled

1:54

with immediate effect. So how

1:56

is that impacting? on the

1:58

fight against TB. We also

2:01

know that apparently Ibrahim Rasul,

2:03

our minister to the US,

2:06

who got stopped who arrived

2:08

back yesterday to much fanfare

2:10

in Cape Town, he's supposed

2:13

to be meeting the president

2:15

today. I do wonder if that's

2:17

going to happen today, but

2:19

he's going to be meeting

2:21

President Bramaposa to discuss the

2:23

situation with the United States

2:25

and where we are at

2:28

the moment. How do we

2:30

resolve that going forward? So

2:32

send us a WhatsApp voice

2:34

note, 07-2, 702-1-5-6-7. If there's

2:36

anything you would like to

2:38

speak to us about. But

2:40

let's go to Soshangouve now. where

2:42

five people were killed at

2:44

an informal settlement, the Marimi

2:47

informal settlement, this occurred on

2:49

Friday night. Let's firstly find out

2:51

exactly what happened in this incident

2:53

or what we know about this

2:56

incident. Jabolili Ambata, EWM reporter, is

2:58

there for us. Jabolila, good afternoon

3:00

to you. Thanks very much for

3:03

your time. Firstly, what do we

3:05

know about this incident? Good

3:07

afternoon Mandy. So what we understand

3:09

from the Mary Me in formal

3:12

settlement in social group is that

3:14

there was a group of patrolers

3:16

from the numbers I'm gathering from

3:18

speaking to community members is that

3:21

the patrolers were 12. So there

3:23

were 12 patrolers who would, you

3:25

know, in the evenings go and

3:27

patrol and, you know, try to

3:29

rid the the community of crime

3:32

and stay till the early hours

3:34

of the morning. So on, On the

3:36

facial day, that's the same thing

3:38

that happened. They were patrolling and

3:40

what I've been told by community

3:42

members is that around 5am, that

3:45

is when this incident took place

3:47

where a group of suspected criminals

3:49

then attacked these patrolers because they

3:51

were known. They were known for,

3:53

you know, guarding the community and

3:56

leaving at that particular time in

3:58

the morning once they've... you know,

4:00

done their job for the day.

4:02

So one of the community members

4:04

who we spoke to was just

4:06

saying that, you know, it was, it was,

4:09

it was common for this community

4:11

to hear gunshots, you know, to

4:13

have people in the morning say

4:15

they were robbed overnight. So, you

4:17

know, on that day, these 12

4:20

controllers were then attacked because they

4:22

had been disrupting the work of

4:24

these criminals. So that's what we've

4:26

come to understand and five people

4:29

were killed, one of them we

4:31

are told was shot and the

4:33

rest were stoned and burned. And

4:35

in the morning then when the

4:38

community... you know, different people are

4:40

going to work or just going apart

4:42

their day, that's when they

4:44

discovered the... Jabolila, I understand

4:46

from reports that there was

4:48

more than one community patrol

4:50

group and there were several

4:52

others that were involved in

4:55

extortion as well getting the

4:57

community to pay certain amounts

4:59

of money for illegal electricity

5:01

connections. I read in the

5:03

Swetan newspaper about the rivalry

5:05

between these different organizations. What

5:07

is the community said about

5:09

how this all is structured

5:11

and what are their concerns?

5:14

Yes, so there is different accounts

5:16

of what people are saying. One

5:18

particular guy that we spoke to

5:20

who owned the tavern says that

5:23

he is used to having to

5:25

pay sort of like a protection

5:27

fee to a group of foretolders.

5:30

So there is no formalised structure

5:32

such as a CPF as we

5:34

know in other communities. So you'd

5:37

get different people organizing themselves, either

5:39

calling themselves patrolers or coming to

5:41

get these monies. But other people

5:44

are also saying that it wasn't

5:46

sort of an expected amount that they

5:48

are supposed to pay, but rather a

5:50

donation to patrolers. So the group that

5:52

part of the group that was killed

5:55

now is some of the people that

5:57

are saying they would get donations from

5:59

the. No one was obliged. So

6:01

you do get various stories and

6:03

we've also heard the story of

6:06

a group of people coming to

6:08

connect electricity to the community and

6:10

then the community has to pay.

6:13

So there's quite a lot of

6:15

different things going on and community

6:17

members are expected to pay these

6:19

various groups. And the police have

6:22

launched a Manhattan now. What are

6:24

they saying about the search for

6:26

those responsible? So the police are

6:28

quite confident that they will catch

6:31

the suspect. They've said that they've

6:33

compiled a list and and within

6:35

rather what the premier had said

6:37

is that within 72 hours these

6:40

arrests should should have been made.

6:42

So The one of the community

6:44

members has said that word on

6:46

the streets is that actually they

6:49

have identified these people and maybe

6:51

soon enough the police will be

6:53

will be giving us that update

6:55

so we'll we'll stay in touch

6:58

with the police to hear an

7:00

official response about these arrests but

7:02

what the community members are saying

7:04

they feel confident and the police

7:07

presence is quite It's quite huge

7:09

here. Every second minute you see

7:11

a police van or police just

7:14

patrolling. So community members are comforted

7:16

by the fact that finally there

7:18

is a presence of police officials.

7:20

Jabalila, thank you very much. Jabalile

7:23

M-Bata, E-W-N reporter, speaking to us

7:25

there from Soshangouve, where five people,

7:27

we understand, were killed in the

7:29

early hours of Saturday morning, late

7:32

into Friday night, and this police

7:34

Manhattan now underway, really concerning this.

7:36

It seems as though several others

7:38

were also very badly wounded as

7:41

well, but five people having lost

7:43

their lives. They were part of

7:45

a group that patrols that patrols

7:47

that area. They were beaten with

7:50

sticks with sticks, sticks sticks. some

7:52

of them sit on fire just

7:54

brutal brutal and the the pure

7:56

sheer terror and fear that is

7:59

being meted out by potentially criminals

8:01

we don't know exactly who was

8:03

responsible What's up Mandy? On 072,

8:05

702, 1, 702. Well, good afternoon

8:08

Mandy. Mandy, look, the story of

8:10

patrolers in Sujangua, who have been

8:12

killed, is the story that all

8:15

South Africa now going through. It

8:17

cannot be where communities are expected

8:19

to patrol, whereas you are not

8:21

armed, you are not trained, because

8:24

of the incompetency of police. On

8:26

Saturday, a member of the police

8:28

was saying that the communities must

8:30

patrol with the police. There is

8:33

no need. If police are patrolling,

8:35

there is no need for community

8:37

members to patrol. Police, community members

8:39

are doing this out of desperation.

8:42

They're going all out without any

8:44

protection, trying to protect their family

8:46

arrest. They are defenseless. Police needs

8:48

to start doing what they're supposed

8:51

to be doing, protecting the communities.

8:53

Hamashire, that's exactly right. And I

8:55

think that the story in Soshankov

8:57

is the story of so many

9:00

other... communities. It's not just in

9:02

the Mary Me in formal settlement,

9:04

it's across the country. And this

9:07

is important because we need community

9:09

policing forums, we need active citizens,

9:11

we need people to step up.

9:13

But when something like this happens

9:16

where the people who are protecting

9:18

the community because the police are

9:20

failing are brutally murdered, then that

9:22

has a chilling effect on other

9:25

people doing the same. And it

9:27

then raises questions as well about

9:29

the policing and why it is

9:31

insufficient. Why is the Amabaniaza rolled

9:34

safe in security under his office?

9:36

Why is he surprised by the

9:38

killing of community patrols? Why are

9:40

police allowing these patrols to extort

9:43

many from the community for protection

9:45

while they are not fully equipped?

9:47

Where are the Amabaniaza from CIPO?

9:49

Thank you very much. Very important.

9:52

questions and comments on this issue.

9:54

Amanda, as crime is a problem,

9:56

it is now abundantly clear that

9:58

neither the government nor the police

10:01

can get crime under control. It's

10:03

time for personal protection, for all

10:05

must be done away with its...

10:08

all ministers, mayors, MECs, all the

10:10

president's blue lights, thugs, protection services

10:12

be removed. 7.02. Mandy Wiener. Wheat

10:14

days 12 to 1 p.m. So

10:17

we're expecting corruption accused Kish and

10:19

Chetty to return to the Portoria

10:21

Magistrates court today. He's accused of

10:23

defrauding the police with a 56

10:26

million round vehicle branding tender. So

10:28

you ask why are the police

10:30

inefficient? Because things like this happen

10:32

as well. They are 40 co-accused.

10:35

They're facing a total of 456

10:37

charges, but it seems as though

10:39

that matter has not been able

10:41

to get underway. Good afternoon to

10:44

you. Tell us what's happened in

10:46

the Pretoria Magistrates Court. Good afternoon

10:48

Mandy. Well Kishanteti actually has many

10:50

many woes and many charges against

10:53

them. Now I've just learned that

10:55

the matter that was actually in

10:57

the Magistrates court today was another

10:59

matter and this is a fraud,

11:02

forgery and accurate case not for

11:04

the vehicle branding case that's also

11:06

running concurrently but this is one

11:09

around a tender for a printing

11:11

supplies, printing toners and supplies at

11:13

the Pumalanga in Eastern Cape sat

11:15

offices. That's the method that was

11:18

in court today, and that's the

11:20

method that hasn't been able to

11:22

proceed today. What we were expecting

11:24

was that Chesi actually wants his

11:27

methods to be combined, because there's

11:29

no water at the Pretoria Magistrates

11:31

Court today. So we heard the

11:33

prosecution rising saying this matter should

11:36

be postponed, not to tomorrow, not

11:38

to next week as I would

11:40

have imagined, but all the way

11:42

to July. And that's what we

11:45

heard today in court. Now this

11:47

comes off the back of a

11:49

question in Parliament from the Minister

11:51

of Justice and Constitution. development, from

11:54

a local goodbye, acknowledging that there

11:56

are real problems in the courts

11:58

because of water outages, because of

12:00

load shilling, and this is a

12:03

very practical demonstration of that. It

12:05

is, Mandy, you know, just last

12:07

week, the Justice Department sending out

12:10

a statement to say they are

12:12

doing something about the say that

12:14

they've installed a backup in terms

12:16

of water supplies and you know,

12:19

tankers to be delivered to the

12:21

country's courts. and they said many

12:23

of the countries courts had received

12:25

this. It seems like Victoria High

12:28

Magistrates Court isn't one of them.

12:30

I can tell you that there

12:32

is no water coming out of

12:34

the taps here. But yeah this

12:37

is a demonstration of the issues

12:39

in many of the courts. You'll

12:41

remember that just last week we

12:43

were at the Palm Ridge Magistrates

12:46

Court together with the minister and

12:48

while she was there there was

12:50

no water at that court as

12:52

well. So this is a clear

12:55

demonstration of the issues that are

12:57

going on here and I think

12:59

it's really unfortunate that this particular

13:02

court that's so so busy I

13:04

can tell you Mandy that the

13:06

Magistrates court has so many cases

13:08

enrolled and there's a regional court

13:11

and the normal Magistrates court all

13:13

running from the same building. It's

13:15

unfortunate that this building doesn't have

13:17

water on such a busy day.

13:20

So what does that mean for

13:22

all the other matters that are

13:24

due to be on the role

13:26

there? Are they all canceled? What

13:29

has happened? So what will usually

13:31

happen is that each court will

13:33

make a decision on whether to

13:35

proceed or not. And in my

13:38

matter, in the matter that I

13:40

was attending the kitchen chair, Chatea

13:42

Matta, they decided not to proceed.

13:44

But I can tell you that

13:47

in some courts, they would decide

13:49

to proceed. It would be very,

13:51

very difficult. However, I mean, you

13:53

can imagine, you know, the stinch

13:56

in the courtroom here and on

13:58

the corridors. But I mean, each

14:00

court will really decide whether to

14:03

proceed and whether it's feasible to

14:05

proceed. I imagine matches that are

14:07

feasible to proceed. would want to

14:09

proceed because it would be a

14:12

full day of court that would

14:14

be required to attend to them.

14:16

Hamilton, thank you very much. Hamilton,

14:18

D.C. E.W. and reporter in the

14:21

Pretoria Magistrates Court. She was in

14:23

that court for a trial and

14:25

that is the corruption accused controversial

14:27

businessman Kishan Chetty, one of his

14:30

matters and again that's being impacted

14:32

by no water. And this really

14:34

impacts on access to justice. It's

14:36

a violation and it's inhumane to

14:39

expect people to be in that

14:41

building without water. Many people travel.

14:43

far distances. They spend the entire

14:45

day in the building. They have

14:48

to take leave from work in

14:50

order to attend, whether they're witnesses

14:52

or family or victims or accused,

14:54

and it's just unfair. And the

14:57

Justice Minister knows this. There was

14:59

a statement put out, as Kamoto

15:01

says, about this, about how they

15:04

are dealing with backup water supplies,

15:06

how they have put measures in

15:08

place, but it still has an

15:10

impact and it has to be

15:13

remedied. 7.02. The midday report Monday

15:15

to Friday 12 to 1 p.m.

15:17

And then on the other hand,

15:19

you have a situation like we're

15:22

seeing in the Jostan Smith trial

15:24

where a courtroom has been set

15:26

up in a community center in

15:28

Saldana Bay in order to hear

15:31

this one specific trial of the

15:33

missing six-year-old Jostan Smith and what

15:35

has happened there. So you see

15:37

these kind of pockets of excellence

15:40

that are possible and then you

15:42

see what happens at the Madge

15:44

court in Pretoria where there's no

15:46

water and trials have to be

15:49

postponed. Well, it's got a Carlo

15:51

Peterson EWN reported and EWR and

15:53

EWR reported now. who is covering

15:55

the Justin Smith trial for us.

15:58

Carlo, good afternoon to you. Tell

16:00

us about what is happening there

16:02

today. Are we, have we seen

16:05

a new witness or do we

16:07

still have the same witness on

16:09

the stand? Good afternoon, Madam. Yes,

16:11

so today we still have the

16:14

former accused state witness Laurentia Lombard

16:16

who being cross-examined. She is now

16:18

being cross-examined by one of the

16:20

accused attorneys attorneys. So... of Orange's

16:23

attorney. Prior to that she was

16:25

being questioned by Kelly Smith, Joshin's

16:27

mother's boyfriend's attorney, about certain contradictions

16:29

in her testimony and statements that

16:32

she gave to police. We know

16:34

last week she actually broke down

16:36

in court a few times. She

16:38

seems to be in a match.

16:41

We just like today answering questions

16:43

directly and was convictions. But as

16:45

we speak, she is being cross-examined

16:47

now by the defense attorney for

16:50

accused, number two, Stefano Conray. And

16:52

how much is her version of

16:54

events being tested by this cross-examination,

16:57

Connor? It has been questioned quite

16:59

intensely by the first defense attorney

17:01

Faniademsoe. he has picked up quite

17:03

a few discrepancies in her testimony

17:06

compared to the statement she gave

17:08

to police. She gave police her

17:10

first statement when she was arrested

17:12

in March last year and then

17:15

of course when she turned state

17:17

witness she gave another statement to

17:19

police in October last year and

17:21

there are a number of discrepancies

17:24

in those three versions of her

17:26

what missing of what she says

17:28

of what missing of what she

17:30

says of what she says of

17:33

what missing of what she says

17:35

of what she says of what

17:37

she says It was Kelly Smith's

17:39

plan to solve Jushlin to a

17:42

sangoma for 20,000 and the other

17:44

accused being paid to keep quiet

17:46

about it. And in terms of

17:48

where the state is going, have

17:51

they given an indication of how

17:53

much longer this witness will be

17:55

on the stand and who they

17:58

might be calling next? So after

18:00

this attorney is busy with a,

18:02

it shouldn't take too long. We

18:04

will then have Kelly Smith's attorney,

18:07

we will trust examiner, which I...

18:09

expect could take a few days

18:11

because obviously Kelly Smith's been implicated

18:13

as you know the mastermind behind

18:16

the sole plan, a alleged plan

18:18

to Saul Joshlin. Some gathering that

18:20

the next witness could possibly only

18:22

take the stand after the court

18:25

comes back from recess, after Friday

18:27

they'll of course take a two-week

18:29

break. and then we'll possibly see

18:31

a new witness when they come

18:34

back from that. Carlo, thank you

18:36

very much. Carlo Peterson, E.W. and

18:38

reporter who is covering the Justin

18:40

Smith trial in Saldana Bay for

18:43

us. So an update on that

18:45

matter. Also happening today, the former

18:47

is a technical chairperson, used to

18:49

be a board member of course,

18:52

of the Fed Cook Fame, Yake

18:54

Quinnana, is also appearing in court

18:56

in the Eastern Cape today. Remember

18:59

we told you last week about

19:01

her appearance in the Ranburg Magistrates

19:03

and charges of extortion. theft, intimidation,

19:05

malicious damage to property. So she's

19:08

making an appearance today in at

19:10

the Eastern Cape. That matter was

19:12

moved from Ranberg to East London

19:14

because that's where the crimes were

19:17

allegedly perpetrated. According to police, she

19:19

is allegedly linked to a series

19:21

of taxi violence and extortion cases

19:23

in East London. She allegedly went

19:26

around with a group of armed

19:28

men. threaten people, extorted money from

19:30

them. In some instances, victims' properties

19:32

were demolished as well after she

19:35

instructed them to be demolished. So

19:37

that matter in court in East

19:39

London today, she has a private

19:41

attorney, she doesn't need legal aid,

19:44

so she is being defended today

19:46

and she is appearing in court.

19:48

So we'll try and get you

19:50

an update on that court appearance

19:53

as well. What's up, Mandy? On

19:55

07-2. 702. 1-702. Good afternoon Mandy,

19:57

7-0-2-tarin-Rambur, with regards to the funding

20:00

and the cut of the funding

20:02

and the letters being sent out

20:04

that it's been cut from immediate

20:06

effect. It still sounds like there's

20:09

a tone of us being surprised

20:11

on this and we feel like

20:13

we're entitled to it a little

20:15

bit. But yet we've actually targeted

20:18

their greatest ally. So I mean,

20:20

why are people surprised? I just

20:22

don't get it. Maybe you can

20:24

help me out. Maybe you can

20:27

help me out. Good day, good

20:29

dayment. Yeah, I reckon the issue

20:31

of these people will marry me.

20:33

I think crime now is out

20:36

of control now. And I think

20:38

the police must make sure that

20:40

they fund us to suspect. Because

20:42

we can't tolerate police. Like many

20:45

lives in this way. Like, yeah,

20:47

I'm very well showed to hear

20:49

that story. Yeah. Let's hope for

20:52

the best for the police to

20:54

arrest those people. Thank you very

20:56

much for those what's-app voice notes.

20:58

Yeah, I have to agree with

21:01

you. I think that the police

21:03

are really, really struggling with the

21:05

degree, the level of violent crime.

21:07

I have been encouraged, and you've

21:10

heard me say this before, that

21:12

I think that Senzoam Koonu, as

21:14

the police minister, has come in.

21:16

From all accounts that I've heard,

21:19

he's been very willing to meet

21:21

with experts, he's been very willing

21:23

to take suggestions and hear from

21:25

the private sector and academics, and

21:28

hopefully that does translate into better

21:30

policing at grassroots level in areas

21:32

like Mary Me. On that issue

21:34

of why we are surprised by

21:37

the U.S. funding cuts, I agree

21:39

with you, we shouldn't be. I

21:41

think that Trump has given us

21:43

an indication that this is going

21:46

to happen, now it is happening.

21:48

And in fact, the health minister,

21:50

Dr. Aran Wutzuladi, saying that the

21:53

U.S. withdrawing funding is a wake-up

21:55

call for the South African government,

21:57

that they need to find their

21:59

own funding, that they shouldn't be

22:02

reliant on the U. and that's

22:04

exactly what they're trying to do

22:06

now. Mandy. On 072, 702, 1,

22:08

702. The one thing the ANC

22:11

has failed to learn over the

22:13

past 30 years in government is

22:15

that things work together. You mess

22:17

up in one part of the

22:20

system. Just as short, there will

22:22

be consequences on the other part

22:24

of the system. You mess up

22:26

with water. Deliver off justice. The

22:29

justice system collapses. The justice system

22:31

collapses. For 30 years they've refused

22:33

or unable to lend. Thanks, Mindy,

22:35

Turbo Midland. Thank you very much.

22:38

Absolutely, I couldn't agree with you

22:40

more. And when you have infrastructure

22:42

failure and infrastructure collapse, it does

22:44

have on these knock-on effects. So

22:47

that's why I'm so, I rate

22:49

about this, because it's something that

22:51

they should have been able to

22:54

foresee and should have been able

22:56

to fix lots of messages commenting

22:58

on my orange melon, which is

23:00

the same as Spanspeck. And such

23:03

an interesting message, Ellison, thank you

23:05

for sharing this. Fun fact, and

23:07

this is quite long, so I

23:09

might just shorten it a bit,

23:12

the Afrikaans name Spahn Spek, is

23:14

said to have originated from Spahnse

23:16

Spek, or Spahnse Spek, which translates

23:18

to Spanish Bacon. And the story

23:21

goes that Lady Joanna Maria Smith,

23:23

a lady of Spanish extraction, who

23:25

was married to a British soldier

23:27

and military commander, Sir Henry Smith,

23:30

more popularly known as Sir Harry.

23:32

He became the governor of... of

23:34

Queen Adelaide province in the Cape

23:36

Colony of the 1830s. And this

23:39

was an area which roughly covered

23:41

the region from Grahamstown to King

23:43

Williamstown, where Smith became popular with

23:45

both the Boers and the Corsa

23:48

tribes. And according to legend from

23:50

the couple's South African years, Sir

23:52

Harry loved bacon and eggs for

23:55

breakfast, while Lady Joanna preferred cantaloupe

23:57

melons. And due to her Spanish

23:59

heredity, the staff soon nicknamed... the

24:01

cantaloupe di Spansa sespeque which translated

24:04

literally means Spanish bacon. You learn

24:06

everything on the Madero port. Hi

24:08

Mandy Nani here those people in

24:10

the studio shouldn't make you feel

24:13

otherwise. Orange melon has always been

24:15

available I grew up in the

24:17

township and we had it we

24:19

called it Spanspeque so yeah it's

24:22

the term along a thing. 702.

24:25

The midday report with Mandy Wiener.

24:27

Let's walk the talk. See? See?

24:29

Thank you so much. I feel

24:31

much better for that affirmation. Okay,

24:33

let's get on to more serious

24:35

matters now today is World TB

24:37

Day and we know that World

24:40

TB is one of the leading

24:42

causes of death in South Africa.

24:44

According to the WHO 56,000 people

24:46

die from TB annually. Cancellation letters

24:48

arriving in South Africa on Friday

24:50

from the US, cancelling immediately HIV

24:52

and TB research grants. with immediate

24:54

effect. The health minister, Dr. Aaron

24:56

Mutwiletti, is busy with a door-to-door

24:59

campaign today and he's been speaking

25:01

about this. Take a listen and

25:03

the sound is courtesy of Newsroom

25:05

Africa. For medication, especially ARVs and

25:07

NTP, we buy them with our

25:09

own money. It's not foreign funding.

25:11

90% of all the ARVs are

25:13

bought from our own fiscus and

25:16

10% is covered by the global

25:18

fund, but we need to be

25:20

on our own. coming to research.

25:22

Quite, there's an amount of money

25:24

that is used by universities for

25:26

research. And that research is not

25:28

only for South Africa, it's for

25:30

the whole world. including even the

25:32

US itself, it benefits from that

25:35

research in many ways. That I'll

25:37

explain later, but I'm in a

25:39

hurry now. So at the moment,

25:41

all we said is this, we're

25:43

not going to roll over and

25:45

say, oh, we're going to die

25:47

because money has been, oh, we're

25:49

not doing that. That's why, even

25:51

three weeks after the first. We

25:54

launched a campaign to look for

25:56

1.1 million people, to put on

25:58

ARVs, 1.1 million people who are

26:00

HIV possible. We must reach them

26:02

by December. Today we are launching

26:04

a campaign, even with those announcements,

26:06

to look for 5 million people

26:08

and screen them for TB and

26:10

put them on treatment. So we

26:13

are matching on. We're not sitting

26:15

in self-petey and cry because we

26:17

believe this crisis should not go

26:19

to waste. It's a wake-up call

26:21

to say please stand up on

26:23

your own. A wake-up call. The

26:25

health minister, Dr. Aaron Wotswiletti, are

26:27

saying that the US withdrawal of

26:30

funding must wake us up in

26:32

the South African government. Well, let's

26:34

find out about the impact and

26:36

where we are at the moment

26:38

with a fight against TB, and

26:40

we're joined by Dr. Elizia Horn,

26:42

who is an associate researcher at

26:44

the Vitzri Productive Health and HIV

26:46

Institute. Dr. Horn, good afternoon, good

26:49

afternoon to you. Thank you very

26:51

much for your time for your

26:53

time for your time for your

26:55

time today. Thank you

26:57

so much, Mandy. Yes, TV

26:59

is still a very important

27:01

topic in our current setting.

27:03

At this stage, most are

27:05

also with HIV and our

27:07

unit with R.H.R. Shandukani, we

27:09

focus predominantly on maternal and

27:11

child health TB and we

27:13

also want to alert the

27:15

listeners to the importance of

27:17

the TB because Many people

27:19

die of TB every single

27:21

day and it is curable.

27:23

At this stage there is

27:25

multiple drug regiments available to

27:27

us to be able to

27:29

provide to our participants as

27:32

well as our patients but

27:34

we are still needing further

27:36

research on TB and not

27:38

only for prevention but also

27:40

for treatment. How important is

27:42

it then that there has

27:44

been a funding cut? Will

27:46

that impact on the research

27:48

that is being done on

27:50

the clinics on all of

27:52

that? And how much of

27:54

a concern is it to

27:56

you and your colleagues? regard

27:58

to TB, I can only

28:00

speak from our perspective. We

28:02

have been able to still

28:04

continue with our TB research

28:06

as most of our TV

28:08

research is not funded by

28:10

NAA. It is also not

28:12

funded by unit aid. Our

28:14

TV studies are mostly funded

28:16

by Bill and Melinda Gates

28:18

Foundation as well as the

28:20

welcome trust and they provide

28:22

us with the investigational products.

28:24

We're currently busy with a

28:26

trial call, a phase three

28:29

trial called in 72. We

28:31

are providing TB vaccinations to

28:33

20,000 participants, not only in

28:35

South Africa, but globally, trying

28:37

to see if we can

28:39

prevent TB from happening. So

28:41

like Aaron Watts said, one

28:43

of the important things is

28:45

that amidst the funding cuts

28:47

we need to pick ourselves

28:49

up and carry on and

28:51

try and diversify funding and

28:53

try and see what impact

28:55

we can still make. We

28:57

are primarily doctors, nurses and

28:59

health care providers and the

29:01

aim at the end of

29:03

the day is still to

29:05

provide optimal key to our

29:07

participants. The research project that

29:09

you mentioned sounds incredible. Tell

29:11

us a bit more about

29:13

that. So basically, as you've

29:15

said, World Health Organization has

29:17

identified that an estimate of

29:19

about 10.8 million people feel

29:21

ill with regards to TB

29:23

and that was only in

29:25

2023 and 1.2 of them

29:28

actually can die. So therefore

29:30

we put it at a

29:32

high risk. It obviously impacts

29:34

more low and middle income

29:36

countries because it is due

29:38

to the working conditions, poor

29:40

living conditions and unfortunately under

29:42

nutrition and poverty. So unfortunately,

29:44

what the, well fortunately what

29:46

the Billerman and the Gates

29:48

Foundation identified was that due

29:50

to this deadly infectious disease,

29:52

causing so much death and

29:54

mobility amongst not only South African

29:56

citizens, but globally, that they

29:58

would work. against getting a cure

30:01

or a TB vaccine to

30:03

prevent TB. Currently we are administering,

30:05

we started in March 2024

30:07

and giving a vaccination to doses.

30:10

It was first initiated in

30:12

South Africa because we have a

30:14

very high incidence of TB

30:16

as well as prevalence and unfortunately

30:18

for us it has been

30:20

going really well. We are setting

30:23

currently at about 19 and

30:25

a half thousand participants involved into

30:27

the study, which we estimated

30:29

would take us two years to

30:32

do across the globe with

30:34

54 trial sites inside countries. And

30:36

so far, it has been

30:38

showing a really good safety profile,

30:40

but obviously this will all

30:42

be dependent on the data analysis

30:45

that takes place. Dr. Lizzia

30:47

Horn, thank you so much for

30:49

telling us about the associate

30:51

researcher at the VITES Reproductive Health

30:54

and HIV Institute, speaking to

30:56

us on World TB Day about

30:58

what is happening in South Africa

31:00

regarding the fight against TB.

31:02

702. Mandy Wiener. Week days 12

31:05

to 1 p.m. Well let's

31:07

go to Durbin in Etoquini, protesters

31:09

marching to the Durbin City

31:11

Hall today in KZDN to submit

31:14

a memorandum against illegal immigration.

31:16

Let's find out more about this

31:18

with Jacinter Engelbezi who is

31:20

the organizer for the KZNN March

31:23

against undocumented foreigners. Justinter, good

31:25

afternoon to you. Thank you very

31:27

much for your time. Tell

31:29

us about your organization. How did

31:31

you get together and what

31:33

are you hoping you hoping to

31:36

get together and what are

31:38

you hoping to Thank

31:40

you so much for the opportunity. Everyone

31:42

has been calling us an organization, but

31:44

it's funny because we're just like citizens

31:47

of North Africa who came together on

31:49

social media via a social media post

31:51

on Facebook and we said that we're

31:53

tired of the way that this country

31:56

is at the moment we see. building,

31:58

being delegated beyond repair and beyond recognition.

32:00

We've seen the education system being burdened

32:02

in terms of the number of children

32:05

that it has. We've seen even SASA

32:07

grants being handed and awarded to people

32:09

who are illegal immigrants. We've seen even

32:11

the health department also being overwhelmed in

32:14

terms of the number of people that

32:16

it can take in and all of

32:18

these things are affecting ordinary citizens because

32:20

they're also are the ones who get

32:23

affected in terms of job hunting when

32:25

they're looking for jobs. They are told

32:27

that sometimes preferences given to those who

32:29

are illegal immigrants in their own country.

32:32

So we're saying it's enough because you

32:34

can't be a country that prioritizes the

32:36

whole of Africa and neglect its own

32:38

people. It would be even better if

32:41

these people were documented, but it's even

32:43

worse now because we've got millions of

32:45

them that are unaccounted for and we

32:47

don't even know who they are who

32:50

they are. but they have been caught

32:52

in so many illegal activities and it's

32:54

causing a serious concern for us. Just

32:56

to go back to the beginning just

32:59

into this, so you're not an organization,

33:01

you just found each other on Facebook.

33:03

So are you like-minded? Are you... Tell

33:05

us more about who you are? Yeah.

33:08

So I'm a radio presenter here in

33:10

KZarin and I've got... quite a following

33:12

on social media so I have been

33:14

very concerned about the way things are

33:17

and a number of people have expressed

33:19

that you know what as South Africans

33:21

we're tired of you know our votes

33:23

manifesting and materializing to anything we want

33:26

to make our voices heard and then

33:28

I didn't highlight to them that your

33:30

voices will not be heard if we're

33:32

always to think behind our phones and

33:35

not doing anything about us which is

33:37

when people decided that you know what

33:39

please come up with something and we'll

33:42

definitely be part of it. So it's

33:44

actually just people who are on social

33:46

media one day and decided that we're

33:48

tied. So we're not an organization, no,

33:51

but we're just consent citizens of South

33:53

Africa. That's really fascinating how the origin

33:55

and how you came together. So you've

33:57

handed over a memorandum today. Who if

34:00

you handed it to and what do

34:02

you hope to achieve? So we handed

34:04

it over to firstly the National Department

34:06

of Home Affairs because we know that

34:09

a lot of problems also stem from

34:11

the fact that employees and officials from

34:13

home affairs are a part of a

34:15

lot of activities that are not legal,

34:18

that lead to these people getting fraudulent

34:20

documents, not being deported timeously, and also

34:22

just being here in the country, and

34:24

you know, feeling very comfortable because they

34:27

know they can forge documents. I mean,

34:29

we know recently there's been a number

34:31

of people being caught out, even in

34:33

international countries, with passports that claim they're

34:36

for Africans, but they're actually not. And

34:38

our government knows this. But why are

34:40

they not doing anything about it to

34:42

tighten up when it comes to coming

34:45

in and out the country in terms

34:47

of documentation? But also we sent it

34:49

to SAPS because we know that the

34:51

law and the enforcement of the law

34:54

lies a lot with them, with our

34:56

borders just being open, people coming in

34:58

as and when they wish and people

35:00

committing crimes and some of them getting

35:03

away, which we can't blame the SAPPS

35:05

for that we know it lies. on

35:07

the judiciary, which we both appeal to,

35:09

to please, when making these decisions that

35:12

come to people of foreign nationals, to

35:14

be a little bit stricter in applying

35:16

our laws, do not be selective in

35:18

the laws that you feel are the

35:21

ones that can be to the benefits

35:23

of foreign nationals, because we're the ones

35:25

of South Africans that have to deal

35:27

with foreign nationals. They are... like living

35:30

a good life, you know, and you

35:32

hardly see politicians in hellbrow, you hardly

35:34

see politicians in... road here in Turb

35:36

and it's asked as citizens that have

35:39

to experience these people every day. So

35:41

if you're going to make a judgment,

35:43

make it based on something that you

35:45

know yourself you would be able to

35:48

tolerate even for your children in future.

35:50

And then we also sent it to

35:52

the municipality in terms of the hijacked

35:54

buildings and also just wrapping it off

35:57

with the previous office in terms of

35:59

all the other municipalities in and around

36:01

Key that end. Just into, thank you

36:03

very much. Just into Go Bessie is

36:06

the organizer, one of the organisers of

36:08

this march in Turban against undocumented foreigners.

36:10

And of course I understand this is

36:12

a very divisive issue, but giving you

36:15

a perspective there of one of the

36:17

organizers of this march taking place in

36:19

Durban today. Of course, many people would

36:21

respond to that being very opposed to

36:24

that kind of march, saying it is

36:26

indeed xenophobic, but explaining what is happening

36:28

with that march in Durban today. What's

36:30

up, Mandy? On 072, 702. I grew

36:33

up with orange sponspeck. It was there

36:35

any sponspeck I knew existed until I

36:37

was about 30. And then I saw

36:39

the green one for the first time.

36:42

So the green one is called green

36:44

melon and the orange one is called

36:46

sponspeck. That's the way I've always done

36:48

it. You're not wrong at all about

36:51

that. I think that the point that

36:53

Karaba was making was that it's that's

36:55

a rich white thing I think is

36:57

pretty much what what he was implying.

37:00

Jerome saying that Tola Kelly I would

37:02

not go out of my way to

37:04

buy an orange millin in fact I

37:06

won't go at all but I will

37:09

buy a water millin. Moanda, you are

37:11

one of the only people who are

37:13

quite keen on my spong spec orange

37:15

medal. Yeah, absolutely love it actually. It's

37:18

readily available where I'm from. So pretty

37:20

much had it every summer. The one

37:22

thing that I won't have though is

37:24

watermelon, green melon, spinespeck, great. Watermelon, not

37:27

so much. Sure. Talking against the norm,

37:29

hey, look at you Moanda. Well, let's

37:31

talk about about sports, because that's why

37:33

you're here. Keith, because that's why you're

37:36

why you're here. the attention can be

37:38

on Bafana Bafana. I think they can

37:40

qualify for the Next World Cup. Trump,

37:42

we see you soon. Yeah, I would

37:45

be inclined to think so as well.

37:47

I agree with Keith on that one.

37:49

Especially if Bafana Bafana go on to

37:51

win tomorrow in their game against Binin.

37:54

They're currently on 10 points at the

37:56

top of their group following that win

37:58

against Lesotho. And I think it will

38:00

give them some nice breathing space. especially

38:03

with Nigeria starting to win in their

38:05

group as well. And with that game

38:07

against Nigeria, I think it's in September

38:09

or in the October break coming up

38:12

later this year. And I think it

38:14

would be quite an achievement for Buffana

38:16

Buffana to qualify with lots of games

38:18

in hand. And also I think an

38:21

advantage that they do have going into

38:23

the back end of the qualifying phase

38:25

of in qualifying rather is the fact

38:27

that their next four games after tomorrow

38:30

will all be in South Africa. So

38:32

that is going to be. a big

38:34

plus for buffana as they push on

38:37

four players at the 2026 World Cup.

38:39

Trump, we'll see you soon. Yeah, absolutely.

38:41

Book your tickets right now. How amazing

38:43

was Prudent Secodiso at the weekend? Yeah,

38:46

absolutely. And it is... I think it

38:48

would go quite a long way to

38:50

making her forget her final at the

38:52

Olympics last year when we all had

38:55

such high expectations for her and I

38:57

think the moment just got away from

38:59

her. And the one thing that I

39:01

think for her also winning a gold

39:04

medal at a global championship, it will

39:06

do her a world of good because

39:08

in athletics, I mean, the records are

39:10

cool and whatever else, but titles I

39:13

think are more important because the records

39:15

will get broken, will get erased from

39:17

the history books, but winning a title,

39:19

there will never be rather another. 2025

39:22

world indoor champion in the women's 800

39:24

meters that belongs to her for life.

39:26

And I think it will make her

39:28

much better as you going into the

39:31

outdoor championships later this here as well.

39:33

And then also competing at you know

39:35

the common earth games and the Olympics

39:37

as well. Because at the end of

39:40

the day I think when you start

39:42

winning titles it becomes a habit. And

39:44

I think that's that's going to be

39:46

great for her. The stormers, the bulls,

39:49

the sharks, all winning in the URC.

39:51

I saw that highlight clip of Sescher.

39:53

It was unbelievable. Yeah, I think that's

39:55

also something that a lot of us

39:58

are smiling about the fact that he's

40:00

back and seemingly now we'll be playing

40:02

in that tent position for the stormers

40:04

with the hopes of making it his

40:07

own for the spring box as well.

40:09

And he came back. I mean, he's

40:11

missed a couple of months of rugby,

40:13

but it didn't look like it at

40:16

all. He's back to his silky best

40:18

form and it will be a major.

40:20

boost for the stormers as well. They're

40:22

into the play of positions now for

40:25

the first time the season. And I

40:27

think it's what, five games remaining in

40:29

the league phase of the URC. So

40:31

if he can stay fit and with,

40:34

you know, Damien Vellumsa, Dan Dupleci and

40:36

others, Wanda Sile Similani, who also had

40:38

a good game, Warwick, Halant, as well,

40:40

Wurikalant, as well, Wurrihin, Dan Duple, who

40:43

also had a contender in the first

40:45

time. as convincing against Deborah and again

40:47

with every sort of player that they

40:49

have at they dispose you expect more

40:52

from the sharks but a one point

40:54

victory is a victory nonetheless and for

40:56

the Bulls as well fantastic victory over

40:58

Lanster who granted weren't at their full

41:01

strength side with a lot of their

41:03

players missing out due to being involved

41:05

in the Six Nations but a good

41:07

victory for the Bulls nonetheless and I

41:10

think they also a team that needs

41:12

to to to dominate especially at home.

41:14

Moanda, thank you so much. And to

41:16

all of you who participated in the

41:19

Cape Epic over the past week as

41:21

well, huge admiration for you. I washed

41:23

a lot of that at the weekend

41:25

and just, oh, that looked hard. The

41:28

midday report. Well, thank you very much

41:30

for listening today. I think the focus

41:32

is going to be on, Aaron Watawladi

41:34

is still busy at the moment. The

41:37

health minister, going door to door, speaking

41:39

about TB, I think that what is

41:41

happening in Soshanguve, the police investigation, the

41:43

manhand for those responsible, the police being

41:46

given 72 hours to search for those

41:48

responsible for the killing of five community

41:50

patrolers. I think that'll be a big

41:52

one. And then Ibrahim. due to meet

41:55

to meet with

41:57

the International Relations Minister

41:59

Minister today to about what

42:01

led to him

42:04

returning home from the

42:06

U .S. So keep

42:08

listening to to EWA.