The National Briefing

The Global Briefing: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Latin America, beginning a three-country tour of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. The Iran war is threatening to widen further. Iran-backed Houthi forces have attacked four Saudi cities, hitting civilian and economic sites and injuring at least 73 people. Russia and North Korea have opened their first dedicated road bridge across th...

South Africa is rapidly urbanising, while facing growing pressure on housing, infrastructure and municipal services — and the question is whether we have enough architectural and technical expertise to build safely for the future. Statistics South Africa reports that 12.1% of households lived in informal dwellings in 2025, rising to 16% in metropolitan areas. Who should be held accountable w...

Sudan – Khartoum Leaked Intelligence Sheds New Light on the Sudan Military's Alleged Chlorine Weapons Programme The war in Sudan is facing renewed scrutiny over allegations that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan developed and deployed chlorine-based weapons, with newly reported intelligence documents offering the most detailed account yet of an alleged prog...

The ANC has taken its dispute with the Electoral Commission to the Electoral Court, challenging the exclusion of 181 of its candidates from the 4 November local government elections. The party says the candidates’ details were captured and uploaded onto the IEC’s system before the deadline, but the final electronic submission was not completed. Does this expose deeper problems within t...

China’s inflation ticks higher in August 2. AI boom fuels a new wave of dealmaking 3. Market update  

Cape Town ratepayers are raising the alarm over rising property valuations, municipal tariffs and the growing cost of living, warning that household rates bills are becoming increasingly unaffordable. The Cape Town Collective Ratepayers’ Association says the City’s spending plans are placing too much of the financial burden on residents, while the City maintains that Cape Town has the...

Tanzania - Zanzibar Husband of Tanzania's president dies while undergoing treatment The husband of Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan died Monday while undergoing treatment in a hospital in Zanzibar, the country’s vice president said. Hafidh Ameir Hassan became Tanzania’s first gentleman in 2021, when his wife took office as the country's first female president following th...

Jaguar Land Rover joins growing list of European carmakers cutting costs 2. Japan’s stronger growth puts global markets on BOJ watch 3. Market update    

The ANC is taking its fight over its councillor candidates to the Electoral Court, challenging the IEC’s decision not to register party candidates in six municipalities across KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and the Free State. What does this legal challenge mean for the electoral process, and how might the Electoral Court approach the dispute? Guest: Terry Tselane, former IEC Chairperson &n...

Market Brief with Ntaoleng Lechela - Business Reporter Jaguar Land Rover joins growing list of European carmakers cutting costs 2. Japan’s stronger growth puts global markets on BOJ watch 3. Market update

An inmate escape from the Rooigrond Correctional Centre in the North West has raised fresh questions about security, overcrowding and infrastructure failures at the facility. POPCRU says the escape exposes longstanding problems, including overcrowding, broken infrastructure, water shortages, inadequate maintenance and concerns over staffing and security equipment. The union is calling for an urgen...

South Africa is bracing for a potentially disappointing economic growth reading this morning, with second-quarter GDP expected to show the economy stagnated or contracted. Rising fuel costs, weak mining activity, renewed geopolitical tensions and subdued consumer spending are adding to the pressure. This puts the country’s fragile growth recovery under renewed scrutiny. What does this weaker...

Municipal Watch: The water situation in the Masilonya municipality areas continue to efface water problems. This time around the DA is warning that the Winburg area in the Free State could face day zero if nothing is done. They go on to say that the Wolwas Dam, which was constructed as a backup water source for Winburg during periods of water shortages, is currently empty. Guest: Diphapang&nb...

Briefing Focus: Basic Education Employment Initiative - Is public employment simply a stopgap while we wait for economic growth — or does it need to become a permanent pillar of South Africa’s employment strategy? And importantly, what are the returns for the public purse when these programmes are also improving outcomes in schools and communities? Guest: Zama Zulu - Executiv...

Reality Check with Lindi Dlamini: The role of women in education leadership - From personal journey to leadership philosophy  Guest: Lindi Dlamini - non-executive director of African Bank Group and executive director of Rodean Girls School    

Built in Mzansi: Local Roots Africa was founded in 2021 by Khaya Tshabalala, after he lost his job during the COVID lockdowns and spent almost two years unemployed. Today, Local Roots Africa has its own IMBEWU brand, offering knitwear, apparel, footwear and accessories, while also supporting other local brands by providing access to markets. Guest: Khaya Tshabalala, Founder and Operations Manager...

Major-General Feroz Khan has been dismissed from the South African Police Service, bringing another dramatic chapter in the career of the former Crime Intelligence deputy head.  His legal team disputes the fairness of the process and has indicated that they will challenge the dismissal in court. So, was Khan’s dismissal procedurally fair, and what are his chances of successfully ch...

Africa in Focus with Advocate Sipho Mantula, Researcher: Thabo Mbeki African School of Public & International Affairs: Unisa 1.    UNGA- TOGO UN General Assembly adopts new world map that shows Africa's true size The United Nations General Assembly on Friday endorsed a new world map that represents Africa more accurately by showing it at a larger scale, a culmination of a r...

South Africans could be facing another hefty electricity bill shock. NERSA has gazetted Eskom’s proposed 8.83% tariff increase for 2027. That comes after the 8.76% increase already implemented this year. Eskom says higher tariffs are critical to its financial sustainability, but consumers and businesses are already dealing with rising costs. Guest:  Professor Vally Padayachee - power an...

The Department of Basic Education is developing new guidelines for how teachers and learners communicate on WhatsApp, following growing concerns about inappropriate online interactions and the lack of clear boundaries on digital platforms.  Guest: Likho Bottoman, Director of Social Cohesion in Schools at the Department of Basic Education     

Team South Africa heads to India with a big commercial agenda at the BRICS Summit this week. Intra-BRICS merchandise trade is already worth an estimated US$1.17 trillion, highlighting the scale of the market South African businesses are trying to tap into. Business leaders are now targeting opportunities in advanced manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, digital services, agro-processing and renewable en...

The Global Briefing: The Iran conflict is increasingly becoming a political issue for Donald Trump as the US heads towards November’s midterm elections. Diplomatic tensions are resurfacing between Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands, with President Javier Milei renewing Argentina’s claim to the territory At the United Nations, a new resolution supporting maps that more accu...

1. OPEC+ holds oil output steady as Iran war disrupts supply 2. US labour market beats expectations, lifting rate bets 3. Market update  

Today, the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria is expected to deliver judgment on former National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula’s Section 174 discharge application. Her defence argues that the State has failed to present sufficient evidence to justify putting her on trial for the corruption charges she faces. Mapisa-Nqakula is accused of soliciting millions of rands in bribes while ser...

Built in Mzansi: How Farming in Heels has built a movement dedicated to empowering women in agriculture. It exists to celebrate and support the women driving food production in South Africa (across dairy, livestock, poultry, and crop farming). The Farming in Heels initiative also brings them together to connect, learn, collaborate, and grow.  Guest: Comfort Tshisikule - Youth and Le...