The National Pulse

As the situation is deteriorating rapidly in Eastern DRC due to an insurgency led by M23 rebels. We find out from Emmet Livingstone if enough is being done to bring about peace in that country. This as the M23 group claims to have captured the Eastern city of Goma, which is home to around one million people.   GUEST (DRC): Emmet Livingstone, Freelance Journalist in the Democratic Republic of...

The Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg is today hearing the UMkhonto weSizwe political party’s bid to challenge the SABC’s use of the term ‘Government of National Unity’. The party is asking the court to declare the conduct of the public broadcaster as unconstitutional and invalid. For the latest on this, let’s now cross to our reporter who is covering this particular...

After nine South African soldiers were killed in Goma. The Co-Chairpersons of Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence have called for a full briefing on the status of the mission and the availability of adequate equipment for the SANDF members deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo. GUEST: Malusi Gigaba, Co-Chairperson of Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence

Today we chat to our international cricketer, who is also the current captain of the South African cricket national team in Tests and ODI cricket, Temba Bavuma. As one of the country’s most important cricket players, the majority of South Africans will always celebrate and remember him as the first ever Black South African cricketer to be appointed as the captain of the Proteas men. His has...

We hear from Punki Modise on why she thinks South Africa should use its G20 Presidency to shape international climate action and economic reform. Modise is currently attending the World Economic Forum in Davos and she has made it very clear that she is there to champion the cause of Team South Africa and to promote solutions that resonate with Africa’s needs. She will also drive home the nee...

The Deputy Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Sihle Zikalala, has welcome and described as seminal and ground-breaking the signing into law of the Expropriation Bill by President Cyril Ramaphosa. To get more on this, I am joined on the line by… GUEST: Sihle Zikalala, Deputy Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure

The EFF has strongly criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent enactment of the Expropriation Bill, denouncing it as a “legislative cop-out” that fails to address South Africa’s pressing land reform issues. To get more on the party’s position, I am joined on the line by… GUEST: Lubabalo Ntsholo, EFF Researcher

Several opposition parties, including some civil society organisations have voiced their concerns against the Expropriation Bill, vowing to challenge the constitutionality of this new law in the Constitutional Court. They are concerned that the law allows government to expropriate property, in certain cases at null compensation. But what are the main objectives of this bill and will it be able to...

Let’s move to the DRC now where the M23 rebel group has worryingly made notable progress in recent weeks closing in on Goma. Of major concern, over seven million people have been displaced due to the ongoing violence there. Reacting to the latest developments, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called on the M23 to immediately cease its offensive, withdraw from all occupied areas...

    The Auditor-General of South Africa has been certified as a 2025 Top Employer by the Top Employers Institute. This latest accolade puts the AGSA among the elite 2 400 organisations globally who are making a tangible difference in over 125 countries, impacting the lives of more than 13 million employees. Joining us to explain what this latest achievement means for the organisation is&...

The National Prosecuting Authority has apologized to actress and TV producer Sonia Mbele for mentioning her in a media statement pertaining to her son’s rape case. I am joined on the line by the managing director of Reputation 1st, Tshepo Matseba to help us understand this from a PR and communications’ perspective… GUEST: Tshepo Matseba, Managing Director: Reputaion 1st

As I mentioned in the first hour of the show. President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed the Expropriation Bill into law. The law outlines how organs of State may expropriate land in the public interest for varied reasons. But will this new law address the injustices of the past? Let’s get some reaction from ………. GUEST: Vuyo Zungula, President of the African Transformation Mov...

TGCSA is the only officially recognized quality assurance body for Tourism products in South Africa. The Council has been operating for over a decade, working with a mandate to maintain and increase the standards and quality of Tourism services, facilities and products in South Africa. Quality assurance plays a critical role in the attractiveness of a product and destination for consumers abroad a...

    In August last year, Western Cape Education MEC, David Maynier, announced that 2,407 teacher posts in public schools would be cut this January. Independent researcher and education consultant, Dr. Seelan Naidoo says data analysis shows only schools from poor areas have lost contract teachers. The Western Cape Department of Education dismisses these claims. To tell us more, I am joine...

Former Post Office CEO, Mark Barnes wrote an opinion piece which tackles the issue of a supply and demand of skills in the country. According to Mark, where titles are more valued than achievements, failure is inevitable. Mark Barnes joins me on the line to tell us more… GUEST: Mark Barnes, Former Post Office CEO

Families of Apartheid victims intend to sue government over its failure to investigate and prosecute political crimes that were committed during Apartheid. They also want an order that will compel President Cyril Ramaphosa to establish an independent and public commission of inquiry into the political interference that resulted in many of those crimes not being resolved. For more on this, we are j...

As today marks Day 5 of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. We get an update from Youmna El-Sayed in terms of how this ceasefire agreement has been implemented so far.   GUEST: Youmna El-Sayed, Gaza Strip Correspondent  

E-hailing taxi operators are currently protesting in Pretoria over operating permits and impounding of vehicles. The inability of e-hailing taxi operators to obtain operating licenses has been a contentious issue in South Africa for quite some time now. To elaborate further on this, we are joined by…… GUEST: Melithemba Mnguni, Secretary General of the E-hailing Partners Council (EPCO...

A few weeks ago I spoke to Professor Anthony Turton, the spokesperson for Project Blue about their citizen-driven investigation which found that several sampled beaches exceeded safety limits for E. coli and Enterococci; two common indicators of water contamination. The City of Cape Town disputes a few things about this report. Before I talk to Gregg Oelofse, the City of Cape Town’s City Man...

Overcrowding problem in South Africa’s correctional facilities remains a serious issue. We understand that in the 2023/2024 financial year - South African prisons had an overcrowding rate of 48%. According to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services, there are several issues that contribute to this and one of them being the large number of foreign nationals in the syst...

US President, Donald Trump, signed an executive order on Monday directing the US to again withdraw from the landmark Paris climate agreement, dealing a blow to worldwide efforts to combat global warming. Nolo Mokoena, CIO and co-founder of CRTV Development joins me on the line to talk about the effects and opportunities the USA's withdrawal from the Paris agreement will have on the Africa looking...

St Mary's School Waverley has sparked conversations across social media after a letter was sent to senior school parents and guardians about introducing a no cellphone policy. Late last year I had conversations with NPO’s about banning phones at schools and now this is becoming a reality. St Mary’s School Waverley’s headmistress, Seipati Shiakallis joins me on the line to tell us...

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition wants to create a R100-billion fund to support black-owned businesses. Business, the DA, and civil society groups have slammed the proposal. The CEO of Business Unity South Africa, Khulekani Mathe joins me on the line to discuss this fund…   GUEST: Khulekani Mathe, CEO of Business Unity South Africa

Burkina Faso has banned the use of colonial era wigs by Judges, marking a significant move to decolonise the country’s judicial system. Through this move, the West African nation says it wants to break away from colonial traditions as it seeks to embrace practices that reflect the country’s cultural heritage. GUEST: Dr Yaa Ashantewaa Archer-Ngidi, Visionary founder & Director of Af...

The Institute of Race Relations has rejected the proposed national minimum wage increase, arguing that it is likely to impact the job market negatively. They are urging the National Minimum Wage Commission to reduce the national minimum wage by 25% as they are of the view that this will help bring back up to half a million jobs that were destroyed over the past five years. GUEST: Gabriel Crouse, E...