The National Pulse

South Africa made international headlines on Saturday before the second Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry between the Springboks and the All Blacks, when there was a daring double jet flyover above Cape Town Stadium. Two Airlink Embraer 190 passenger jets performed what many critics described as one of the lowest flyovers yet recorded, just 12m above the stadium’s roof. GUEST: Phut...

The Minister of Human Settlements Thembi Simelane is today closing the 2026 Women’s Month by hosting a Women in the Human Settlements Sector Dialogue. Convened under the theme, “Value Chain Opportunities for Women in the Human Settlements Sector “Empowered Women, Empower the Nation”, the Dialogue will provide an evidence-based platform for reflection, recognition and forwar...

KZN Hawks colonel, Deena Govender, has told the Madlanga Commission that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu was behind an alleged push to implicate KZN provincial police commissioner, Lt. General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, in 172 shootings. Govender testified today that Mchunu, speaking through his associate Mavuso Ntandani, allegedly instructed him to claim Mkhwanazi had ordered all the shootings. Let’s...

The Acting Minister of Police, Firoz Cachalia, the Deputy Ministers of Police, Cassel Mathale and Dr. Polly Boshielo, together with the Acting National Commissioner of Police, Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane, presented the quarterly crime statistics, reflecting on crimes that occurred during the first quarter of the 2026/2027 financial year. GUEST: Dr. Mxolisi Mathebula, Independent Crime and Po...

Earlier this week, we had a call from Anonymous in Mamelodi complaining about unauthorised debits on their grant. Let’s quickly get anonymous on the line to briefly remind us what the issue is before hearing from SASSA… GUEST: Anonymous from Mamelodi GUEST: Dr. Paseka Letsatsi, SASSA General Manager for Communications

The devastating flash floods in Nepal have once again raised questions about how natural hazards become disasters and whether communities are adequately prepared for extreme events. We unpack the key factors that increase disaster risk and its impact on society and communities… GUEST: Prof Jasper Knight - Physical Geography at the University of the Witwatersrand

The Special Investigating Unit has uncovered a visa racket involving fake students, fake retirees and alleged bribery, raising serious questions about weaknesses in South Africa’s immigration and visa systems. Our conversation looks at how the scheme allegedly operated, who may have benefited, and what this reveals about corruption, oversight and the integrity of South Africa’s visa sy...

Premium brands are increasingly looking and sounding the same, raising an important question: what really makes one premium brand stand out from the rest? Today, we explore why quality and polished advertising are no longer enough, and how brand distinction can drive customer loyalty, preference and ultimately, the willingness to pay more. GUEST: Nomaswazi Phumo, Head of Strategy of Leagas Delaney...

Joburg Mayor, Dada Morero, is facing criticism for using a swear word in response to a resident who called him a criminal during an imbizo in Tshepisong. In the video clip, which went viral on social media, the mayor repeatedly told the community member “Don’t call me a criminal”. Several social media users condemned the mayor’s remarks, citing a lack of professional restra...

South Africa has never had a formal symbol to represent its national space programme so the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) is calling on high school learners to design the official mascot to represent the country’s national space programme. The winning design will be professionally developed into SANSA's official mascot for use at schools, youth outreach events and public engage...

Mpumalanga-based, woman-led SME Samanjalo is turning mining waste into low-carbon construction products while tackling two major challenges facing the province: pollution and youth unemployment. With UK-backed funding and support helping the business scale, we explore whether the circular economy can create sustainable jobs while transforming waste into an economic opportunity. GUEST: Prudence Sim...

National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza is today facing her first motion of no confidence as the leader of Parliament. She’s been accused by the EFF of not being impartial or acting in Parliament’s best interests in the way she’s handled legal matters related to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s impeachment inquiry. GUEST: Dr. Shadi Maganoe, Senior Lecturer at the Wits School of L...

This year marks several significant milestones in South Africa’s democratic history, which will be commemorated under the Milestones of Freedom Campaign. The campaign was launched at the Union Buildings on 18 June 2026 by President Cyril Ramaphosa. The official theme of the campaign is “Honouring the Past. Delivering the Future”. Tomorrow, the Free State Province will host the Mi...

The Pretoria Master’s Court is facing serious questions over service disruptions, digital failures and growing backlogs, after Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi witnessed the challenges first-hand during an unannounced oversight visit and referred a R415-million digitisation contract for investigation. GUEST: Kalayvani Pillay, Acting Director General for the Department of Justice and Constit...

TrackPulse has launched a new monthly Presidential and Government Approval Rating to measure public confidence in South Africa’s political leadership and government performance. Its inaugural results show 29.6% approval for President Cyril Ramaphosa and 26.7% for government, with high levels of disapproval. We speak to TrackPulse about the findings, what is driving public sentiment, the impo...

The reopening of the Steve Biko inquest has renewed focus on Black Consciousness activists who died in detention and whose stories have often been forgotten or marginalised. We take a look at the historical significance of the inquest, the pattern of unresolved deaths in detention, the connection between Mapetla Mohapi and Biko, the impact of delayed justice on families, and whether South Africa h...

Couples in unregistered customary marriages have until 31 August 2026 to make use of the special registration period introduced by the Department of Home Affairs. As the deadline approaches; What rights and protections it offers, and the potential challenges couples may face in proving their marital status, accessing inheritance, property and spousal benefits. GUEST: Prof Musa Xulu, Cultural Exper...

A police captain, investigating former Knysna Mayor and ANC Ward Councillor, Aubrey Tsengwa’s murder, has been gunned down in a shootout with a suspect in the early hours of this morning. For more on this, I am joined on the line by… GUEST: Brigadier Novela Potelwa, SAPS Western Cape Spokesperson

The Eastern Cape’s ambulance crisis is far worse on the ground than official fleet figures suggest. Emergency medical services workers in Nelson Mandela Bay describe a system on life support, with only a handful of properly equipped ambulances available to respond to emergencies on some shifts. Let’s understand what is happening here with…  GUEST: Thembisa Witbooi, Health a...

COSATU's support for the ANC faces a potential test ahead of the 2026 local government elections, with the federation's affiliates seeking mandates from their members on whether they should back the ANC, the SACP or seek another way forward. For more on this, I am joined on the line by…  GUEST: Matthew Parks, COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator

Yesterday, the US announced an expansion of secondary sanctions it hopes will sever every economic lifeline sustaining Iran, as US President, Donald Trump's administration struggles to resolve the war that has pushed energy prices higher. US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, unveiled what he described as an "economic D-Day" that aims to give a final warning to countries to cut their business ties...

Political parties are increasingly using a mix of traditional media, digital platforms and social media to communicate with voters. As political messaging becomes more targeted and immediate, parties are adapting their strategies to reach different audiences, shape public opinion and drive voter engagement.  GUEST: Tebogo Ditshego, CEO of Ditshego Media

South Africa’s annual inflation eased to 4.3%, offering some relief to consumers after months of elevated price pressures. However, rising global oil prices could threaten this progress by pushing up fuel, transport and other costs. We take a look at  what is driving the latest inflation figure, whether the decline is sustainable, the impact of higher oil prices on households, and what...

South Africa’s higher education sector is facing renewed questions over governance and accountability following a Labour Court ruling ordering a former University of Johannesburg senior director to repay R18.18 million linked to a fraudulent student accommodation scheme. The case raises concerns about the impact on students, NSFAS-funded accommodation, private provider oversight and whether...

Ladies of Hope is a community-based organisation supporting vulnerable women, families and patients through services including gender-based violence support, a Safe Haven, home-based and palliative care, feeding programmes and skills development. We speak to founder Myrtle Williams about the organisation’s work, the challenges facing women escaping abuse, access to safe accommodation and the...