The National Pulse

Civil society organisations committed to food justice, children’s health and education rights put out a statement yesterday detailing their concern by the recent handover of McDonald’s-branded ‘Mi Desk’ desks to two Cape Town schools, facilitated by the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube. This follows similar corporate-branded desk donations from Old Mutual and Hol...

Finance MEC in the Eastern Cape, Mlungisi Mvoko has warned government officials in the province not to engage in illegal activities that are at variance with government’s code of conduct. This after he was made aware that some government employees were unethically exchanging travelling and accommodation vouchers for cash, something that affects the accommodation industry negatively. Joining...

Today marks the deadline for the registration of spaza shops and food handling outlets. Cogta Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa has made it clear that today’s deadline will not be extended. But how has this process affected the country’s foreign-owned spaza shops so far? GUEST: Amir Sheikh, Chairman of the African Diaspora Forum

The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will today meet with his US counterpart Donald Trump to sign an agreement for the US to exploit Ukraine’s rare earth mineral resources. This as he attempts to leverage Ukraine’s mineral wealth for future US security guarantees. For more analysis on this, we are joined by….. GUEST (Ukraine): Peter Zalmayev, Director of the Eurasia Democr...

Pepfar-funded HIV organisations in South Africa, who receive their funds through the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, woke up to letters that were sent overnight telling them their grants have been ended, permanently. For more on this, I am joined on the line by… GUEST: Mia Malan, founder and editor-in-chief of Bhekisisa

We look at the work of the EAF-Nansen Programme that is celebrating 50 years this year. This as we assess its contributions to fisheries management and biodiversity conservation and its partnership with South Africa, and beyond. For more on this, we are joined by….. GUEST: Merete Tandstad, EAF-Nansen Programme Coordinator of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)

Yesterday I spoke to Asad Gaffar, the chairperson of the eThekwini Ratepayers’ Protest Movement about water issues residents in the eThekwini Municipal have been faced with. It is so bad, residents in that area are now threatening to withhold their municipal payments. Ednick Msweli, Head of water and sanitation in eThekwini joins me on the line to share what the municipality is doing about t...

Limpopo Premier, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, delivered her first State of the Province Address under the 7th administration. Her colleague in the North West, Premier Lazarus Kagiso Mokgosi, also delivered his maiden State of the Province Address during the Official Opening of the North West Provincial Legislature. We’ll cross to two SABC reporters from the two provinces to get a report on some of t...

We ask this question after an AfriForum and Solidarity Movement delegation met with representatives of the Trump administration in Washington yesterday to discuss what the group terms the ANC’s reckless policies and poor governance of the country. To give us a sense of how the group’s visit has been covered in the U.S is…. GUEST (U.S): Sherwin Bryce-Pease, SABC News US Correspon...

As the country prepares for the upcoming ‘Buy Local Summit and Expo’ which is due to take place next month. We are joined by the CEO of Proudly SA to discuss how buying local has a profound impact on job creation and economic growth in the country. GUEST: Eustace Mashimbye, CEO of Proudly SA

Cabinet has approved the appointment of Professor John Lamola as the permanent Chief Executive Officer of the South African Airways, despite allegations of political interference in the appointment process. So now the big question is - is the new CEO capable of flying SAA to greater heights? For more reaction on this, we are joined by….. GUEST: Guy Leitch, Aviation analyst & Editor of S...

In a move to address systemic inequalities within South Africa’s municipalities, the University of Johannesburg’s School of Public Management, in partnership with Infrastructure South Africa, has launched a transformative Local Government Inclusive Growth Index. To get more information on what the index aims to do, I am joined on the line by… GUEST: Professor Daniel Meyer, the s...

Earlier on we spoke to ,,, about issues of bullying in schools. According to reports, Schools have reported a shocking 548 cases of bullying since the start of the academic year on January 15. For more on this, I am joined on the line by… GUEST: Hendrick Makaneta, Education activist

Cape Town’s Table Mountain was again engulfed in flames yesterday as firefighters battled a relentless wildfire that broke out in the Newlands Ravine on Sunday morning. To get an update on this, I am joined on the line by… GUEST: Charles Phahlane, South African National Parks’ Senior Manager for Communications in the Cape Region  

Earlier today, the ANC SG, Fikile Mbalula announced the reconfigured Gauteng provincial leadership collective. We’ll share clips from the press briefing then get analysis from political analyst, Dr. Ntsikelelo Breakfast CLIP 1 _ ANC SG, Fikile Mbalula announces the reconfigured leadership CLIP 2 _ ANC SG, Fikile Mbalula talks about the immediate task for the new Gauteng leadership GUEST: Dr....

The eThekwini Ratepayers’ Protest Movement is the latest entity to voice discontent at the escalating water supply crisis in the city of eThekwini. Asad Gaffar, eThekwini Ratepayers’ Protest Movement Chairperson joins me on the line to share some of the frustrations residents are facing and to share details about their upcoming march… GUEST: Asad Gaffar, eThekwini Ratepayers&rsq...

With the deadline for registration period of the spaza shops and other food-handling outlets drawing closer. The Free State MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Ketso Makume is calling on business owners and other relevant stakeholders to join hands with government to ensure that unregistered businesses that qualify get assistance with the registration in order to meet Friday’s...

According to the department of basic education about 548 cases of bullying have been reported since the beginning of the academic year, with Limpopo leading with 305 cases. The department has also made it clear that it’s doing its best to address this issue and has urged parents to play their part to counter this problem. GUEST: Elijah Mhlanga, Spokesperson for the Department of Basic Educat...

Let’s focus on Sudan now where the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) recently signed a political charter to establish a parallel government with allied political and armed groups. The RSF and the army have been fighting for control of the country since April 2023, and interestingly the RSF has conquered nearly all of Darfur but is struggling to cement its hold on the region and is on the verge of l...

Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, launched a new HIV treatment campaign in Soweto, aiming to expand access and get more people on treatment by December 2025. We spoke to the Minister earlier today and now get reaction to this new campaign from… GUEST: Anele Yawa, TAC General Secretary

ANC Secretary-General, Fikile Mbalula, is in KwaZulu-Natal today to announce the reconfigured provincial leadership. The newly reconfigured ANC KZN Provincial Task Team is constituted as follows: GUEST: Zakhele Ndlovu, Political Analyst

The state has dropped all charges against former Johannesburg Mayor, Kabelo Gwamanda. The charges related to the defrauding of several Soweto residents in 2011 in an alleged funeral policy scam. To get reaction on this, I am joined on the line by… GUEST: Ganief Hendricks, Al Jama-ah Party Leader

We unpack the State of the Crypto Industry 2025 report that was recently released by Sumsub, a global full-cycle verification platform. According to the findings of the report, in Africa, Nigeria recorded the highest rate of fraud across the crypto sector at 8.3% last year. Also crypto platforms experienced a 20% rise in traffic during major market events. For more on this, we are joined by&hellip...

Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi gives an update on the progress that has been made so far regarding the implementation process of the recommendations of the Health Market Inquiry into the private healthcare sector. Some of you may recall that in 2019, the inquiry recommended a number of interventions aimed at improving access to private healthcare. This after its findings among other things re...

Following the arrest of two immigration specialists. We hear from the Border Management Authority about their plans to secure our borders as they have publicly pronounced on numerous occasions that they will not tolerate any misconduct that undermines the rule of law and the security of the country. GUEST: Mmemme Mogotsi, Deputy Assistant Commissioner & Spokesperson of the Border Management Au...