Radio 786

17/06/2026

The DA has confirmed the axing of John Steenhuisen as Minister of Agriculture as party leader Geordin Hill-Lewis shakes up their representation in Ramaphosa’s cabinet.

Steenhuisen, who is the former DA leader, has been demoted and chosen to serve as Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition. In recent months, he has been at odds with the Southern African Agri Initiative (SAAI), which is aligned with Afrikaner interest group AfriForum.

Steenhuisen will be replaced by Minister Willie Aucamp, who currently leads the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.

Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier will take up Aucamp’s portfolio. Hill-Lewis says Maynier has had a distinguished career leading frontline portfolios in the National Assembly and the Western Cape Government.

Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Alexandra Abrahams moves to Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy, while MP Yusuf Cassim will be appointed as Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, and Jack Bloom, a long-serving member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, will take up the position of Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation.

Hill-Lewis says these changes reflect his responsibility as leader of the DA to ensure that their team in government consistently meets the high standards South Africans expect from them. He adds that he has every confidence in the individuals they are appointing to these roles.

[Picture: Phando Jikelo / Parliament of RSA]

17/06/2026

Who do I include in my will?

17/06/2026

Legal Aid South Africa has sought to assure the public that it has put in place measures to minimise the impact of the two-day industrial action by employees. It says these measures are intended to ensure that clients continue to receive legal assistance and representation as it serves vulnerable and indigent persons. The strike, which starts today and is led by the South African Lawyers Workers Union (SALAWU), is over staff shortages, frozen vacancies and salary disputes. The union says that the strike follows months of failed attempts to resolve issues through the mediator, the CCMA. The union says the frozen vacancies have resulted in an unreasonable workload and chronic understaffing. Legal Aid has acknowledged that various engagements and processes have taken place. The state entity says it will carefully consider all the matters raised in the memorandum and will engage constructively with the union through the appropriate labour relations mechanisms.

[Picture: Legal Aid SA]

17/06/2026

Magaliesburg police have confiscated at least eight AK-47s and arrested four suspects on the R24 in Gauteng. Seven empty magazines were also seized. According to police, officers conducting patrols spotted a Volvo truck with a Namibian registration number parked on the side of the road and a Mazda sedan behind it. As the team observed the vehicles, two men carried a bag from the truck into the boot of the car. The members approached and, upon a search of the bag, they found the rifles and magazines. Police say the suspects face charges of possession of unlicensed fi****ms. They added that the suspects will be profiled and ballistic tests will be conducted to determine if the weapons were used in any crime. South Africa is experiencing what appears to be a sustained surge in the smuggling and circulation of high-calibre assault rifles, including AK-47s. A report last year found that guns on the Cape Flats were being smuggled from Namibia. It’s understood that even when an AK-47 is rusted, poorly maintained, or exposed to mud and sand, it can still function.

[Picture: SAPS]

17/06/2026

The arrival of Muharram signals the start of a new lunar year and provides an opportunity for reflection, gratitude and spiritual renewal. Unlike many secular New Year celebrations, the Islamic New Year is generally observed with introspection, remembrance and acts of worship rather than festivities.

Muharram is also remembered for the events of Karbala, where Imam Hussain ibn Ali (RA), the beloved grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and his companions were martyred on the 10th of Muharram, known as Ashura. Their sacrifice remains a powerful symbol of courage, justice and steadfastness in the face of oppression, values that resonate with Muslims.

uslims across South Africa are ushering in the Islamic New Year, 1448 AH, following the confirmed sighting of the crescent moon marking the beginning of

16/06/2026

The Islamic new year, 1448 AH, is being ushered in as the new moon for Muharram has been sighted in South Africa.

16/06/2026

Inflation is more than a number it’s what families feel in their daily lives

16/06/2026

A message to the youth from Professor Premesh Lalu #1976

16/06/2026

A message to the youth #1976

16/06/2026

If I own a Property and I die Tomorrow?