The National Pulse

KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Thamsanqa Ntuli, spearheaded the launch of the Provincial Integrated Safer Festive Season Campaign earlier today, at the Dr. JL Dube Stadium in Inanda. The Premier joins me on the line to tell us more about the safer festive season campaign…   GUEST: Thamsanqa Ntuli, KwaZulu-Natal Premier

Earlier today President Cyril Ramaphosa told delegates at the BRICS Summit that South Africa welcomes the Russian initiatives that are aimed at strengthening a number of BRICS countries through the various networks aimed at improving the future of BRICS countries’ transport networks and connectivity under the theme ‘Innovation and Digitalisation of Transport’. He also remarked that existing global...

Next month, the South African Poultry Association will submit its application for VAT-free chicken products to parliament. According to the organisation, the application for VAT-free chicken was in line with statements by President Cyril Ramaphosa on helping the country’s poor. For more clarity on this, we are joined by….   GUEST: Izaak Breitenbach, CEO of the South African Poultry Association

    President Felix Tshisekedi thinks so as he has just announced that he will establish a committee to look into changing the constitution next year. According to him the current one has its weaknesses as it does not fully cater for the country’s needs. What is concerning though is that we have witnessed other African presidents using constitutional reforms to circumvent term limits. Can he be tr...

The African National Congress reacts to the Democratic Alliance’s stance on Russia and the Government of National Unity. This after the DA leader John Steenhuisen sparked controversy by distancing his party from Russia.   GUEST: Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, ANC National spokesperson  

In conversation with Tshepang Lutshaba who is spearheading and championing the fight against cancer. Lutshaba founded an organisation called SA United Against Cancer (SAUAC) with the sole hope of changing lives and making a difference in the lives of ordinary South Africans.   GUEST: Tshepang Lutshaba, founder of SA United Against Cancer (SAUAC)

The Democratic Alliance released a statement earlier today distancing itself from recent comments made by President Cyril Ramaphosa during bilateral engagements with Russian President Vladimir Putin. DA National Spokesperson, Willie Aucump joins me on the line to tell us more about the party’s statement…   GUEST: Willie Aucump, DA National Spokersperson

Russia rolled out the red carpet to its allies yesterday as it hosts the latest BRICS summit in a show of strength to the West. SABC News Reporter, Khayelihle Khumalo-James has been following today’s proceedings and joins me on the line to update us on what’s been happening…   GUEST: Khayelihle Khumalo-James, SABC News Reporter

Gauteng is today convening the Gauteng Local Government Turnaround Summit. The 2-day summit will bring together leaders to address service delivery, infrastructure, and governance issues across municipalities. To get more details about the kind of outcomes we should expect from the summit, I am joined on the line by…   GUEST: Theo Nkonki, Spokesperson for the MEC for Department of infrastructure D...

Build One South Africa leader, Mmusi Maimane, delivered the party’s submission to the Electoral Reform Consultation Committee Chair Advocate Richard Sizani on proposals to improve the country’s electoral system at the Home Affairs Ministry in Pretoria. Deadline for public submissions is the 31st of October 2024. To breakdown the party’s submissions, I am joined on the line by… GUEST: Mmusi Maimane...

More arrests have been made against those involved in dealing with unpolished diamonds and fraud. The suspects were arrested in Gauteng and North-West Provinces. The mastermind allegedly advertised unpolished diamonds on social media and invited protentional investors to invest in his alleged diamond dealing business, with a promise of a lucrative return which never materialized. To tell us more a...

Election observers working for the European Union (EU) say evidence has been found of irregularities during counting and unjustified alteration of election results at some polling stations and district level in Mozambique. The observers have urged the country’s Constitutional Council to address these concerns during the validation of results process, in respect of the will of voters. So what’s the...

After recent revelations by the Department of Home Affairs that the country has spent more than R52 million in five months on deporting more than 19 000 illegal foreigners. We are joined by the African Transformation Movement (ATM) to clarify its position regarding the deportation of illegal immigrants. While the party does not oppose deportation, they are of the view that it is an ineffective sol...

With more than 30 countries wanting to join BRICS – we assess major points of convergence and divergence among established and emerging powers in their visions of world order and try to understand if this won’t temper with the group’s efficiency. For more on this, we are joined by……   GUEST: Prof. Patrick Bond - Political Economist and Distinguished Professor of Sociology at the University of Joha...

Joe Public was recently named Agency of the Year at the Loerie Awards 2024. The agency and its clients bagged 35 Loeries and we understand that 34 of those were for clients across a variety of categories. I must add that their win was not surprising as some of you may recall that last year, they were named the Most Effective Independent Agency in Africa and the Middle East. GUEST: Dr Pepe Marais,...

The South African Federation of Trade Unions held a media briefing in Johannesburg today on the country’s Labour laws amendments. The Trade Union has rejected the Labour Laws Amendment bill vowing to fight what it calls a legal offense against workers’ rights. SAFTU General Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi joins me on the line to tell us more about this… GUEST: Zwelinzima Vavi, SAFTU General Secretary

On Friday last week, the SABC released a press statement announcing the growth of the SABC+ platform. According to the statement, since the revamp of SABC+ in July this year, the streaming platform has registered over 500k users. To tell us more about this growth, which shows are doing well and what more can we expect from the platform, I am joined on the line by…   GUEST: Themba Gwejela, SABC Gro...

More than 1000 activists were expected to march to the Union Building today to demand justice and an end to the violence, threats, and intimidation aimed at activists and whistleblowers. Human Rights Defenders campaigner at groundwork, Robby Mokgalaka joins me on the line to tell us more about the march… GUEST: Robby Mokgalaka, Human Rights Defenders campaigner at groundwork

The Free-Market Foundation called on the Government of National Unity to dramatically overhaul the trade policy environment in South Africa. The Foundation held a press briefing today to share their recommendations to policymakers in South Africa’s post-2024 government. Dr. Morne Malan, Deputy Head of Policy joins me on the line to tell us more about the Free-Market Foundation’s recommendations  ...

The Democratic Alliance has confirmed that it’s going to appeal the Electoral Court ruling in relation to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s pre-election speech. The party firmly believes that it will be successful on appeal as there are several matters that they think the court failed to deal with adequately.   GUEST: Karabo Khakhau, DA’s national spokesperson

South Africa’s (SA) Eastern Cape Education Department has warned that the inclement weather forecast by the SA Weather Service for the province could affect schooling. The department’s Spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima has called on all learners, teachers and parents in the province to be vigilant. The latest is that around 400 students were reportedly unable to write their matric final exams today du...

We unpack the 16th annual BRICS Summit that is currently underway in Kazan, Russia. This is the first BRICS summit since the expansion of the bloc – the platform presents an opportunity for South Africa to strengthen ties within the BRICS framework hence President Cyril Ramaphosa will hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit. BRICS now covers 43% of the world’s population and 27% of...

AfriForum says they do not need EFF’s permission to keep Tshwane clean. This after the newly elected MMC of environmental affairs and Agriculture Obakeng Ramabodu (who is an EFF member) announced recently that he was going to propose that the agreement between the City of Tshwane and AfriForum be cancelled. However though, AfriForum says the MOU with the city is meant to make it easier to keep Tsh...

Recently, South Africa’s anti-corruption advocate Athol Williams received the Social Justice Champion of the Year Award, mainly for his anti-corruption and ethical business stance, and for being a remarkable South African. Williams has dedicated his life to fighting social and economic injustice. GUEST: Athol Williams, South African academic   and author   based at the University of Oxford in the...