Update@Noon

A boost in tax revenue has given the National Treasury room to offer the first inflation-linked tax relief since the 2023/24 financial year. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana says revenue for the current financial year is projected to come in higher than previously forecast. This has been supported by stronger VAT collections and higher platinum and gold prices. Tabling the 2026 budget in Parliament in Cape Town, Godongwana says the improvement revenue collections has allowed government to scrap 20 billion rand in planned tax increases. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Chief economist at the Bureau for Economic Research (BER) Lisette Ijssel de Schepper

The Hawks in KwaZulu-Natal have launched major raids on multiple drug dens across Chatsworth, south of Durban. Authorities say they've been closely monitoring these locations for nearly a year, targeting drugs linked to well-known syndicates under long-term investigation. One suspect has been arrested during the operation. Police say the crackdown aims to disrupt organised drug networks operating in the area. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter Jayed Paulse,

The National Consumer Commission has launched an investigation into nine sanitary pad suppliers. This comes after a University of the Free State study found harmful endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including parabens, phthalates, and bisphenols, in some pads and panty liners. The study found these endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are linked to health complications such as hormonal imbalance, infertility, endometriosis, and cancer, affecting millions of South African women and girls monthly. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to the Divisional Head of Complaints and Investigations at the National Consumer Commission, Prudence Moilwa.

The 2030 Reading Panel's 2026 report reveals that reading levels for South African children are still at crisis point. The report released yesterday, reveals that only 30% of learners in grades 1 to 3 are reading at grade level in their home language. In some languages, up to 25% of Grade 3 learners cannot read a single word, while 15% scored zero in reading assessments. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to report author Sipumelele Lucwaba

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry's Liubov Abravitoval says Ukraine is fighting not just for its borders but for a world free from bigger neighbors swallowing smaller ones by force. This as the country marks the 4th anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion. Four years ago today (24 February 2022), Russia invaded Ukraine in what Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin said was a special military operation. Russia attacked Ukraine from three fronts in the biggest assault on a European state since World War Two. Tens of thousands of civilians have fled the country, and there's still no end in sight as Russia continues to strike Ukraine. Liubov Abravitova, Director for Africa and Regional African Organizations at the MFA of Ukraine, unpacks.