The National Pulse

Police have captured a 36-year-old suspected serial rapist in KwaZulu-Natal, ending a 16-year manhunt linked to the brutal rape of 14 women across Zululand district and Gauteng. The Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit detectives in Ulundi handcuffed the suspect in the Ncotshane area in Nongoma yesterday. For more on this, I am joined on the line by… GUEST: Colonel Rob...

Heart Awareness Month takes place during September in South Africa, focusing on cardiovascular disease education and prevention and ending with World Heart Day on September 29. This afternoon we look into the importance of focusing on heart health early with… GUEST: Prof Hopewell Ntsinjana – Paediatric Cardiologist and Cardiovascular Imaging Specialist

The National Taxi Alliance says rising fuel, vehicle finance, maintenance and other operating costs are creating an affordability crisis for the taxi industry. The alliance is calling for government intervention, including a temporary fuel rebate, and has threatened national protest action if its demands are not addressed. What is the impact on operators and commuters, and what government can do....

Acclaimed Zimbabwean author, filmmaker and cultural activist Tsitsi Dangarembga will deliver the 17th Annual Es’kia Mphahlele Memorial Lecture, hosted by Unisa in Polokwane today. Under the theme “The Circular and the Linear: A Southern Africanist (Re)Construction of the World,” Dangarembga will reflect on the role and responsibility of African writers in confronting inequality,...

Our next guest penned an Opinion Piece that unpacks the deeper structural forces behind South Africa’s municipal crisis, beyond corruption and leadership failures and he joins me to discuss this… GUEST: Dr Imraan Buccus - Senior Research Associate at ASRI and author of Promises and Peril, the South African Crisis, published by African Perspectives and available at Exclusive Books

As the week unfolds, the words and phrases people are searching for can offer a snapshot of what is capturing public attention. We unpack this week’s keyword trends, what is driving the spikes, and what they reveal about the issues dominating the conversation. GUEST: Tonya Khoury - Founder of Acumen Media

More than 400 public servants are currently on precautionary suspension, with the government reporting that R204 million was spent on suspended officials as of March 2026. The Public Service and Administration Minister says 38 employees have been suspended for more than six months and 52 for more than a year. We examine why disciplinary processes are taking so long, the financial impact on taxpaye...

Offender profiling is often portrayed as a powerful tool that can reveal who committed a crime, but the reality is far more complex. Today, we unpack what behavioural science can actually contribute to criminal investigations, why South Africa’s context matters, and whether our approach to understanding and preventing patterns of violent crime needs to change. GUEST: Jade Bernstein - She hol...

Ekurhuleni has been gripped by growing concern over killings in the area, prompting activists and communities to demand justice and accountability. Today, we speak to an activist who took part in the Picket for Justice at the Kempton Park Police Station and the nationwide Wear Black Campaign, about what these actions are demanding and what they hope will change. GUEST: Keitumetsi Fatimata Moutloat...

The South African Human Rights Commission has raised concerns about alleged “water mafias” exploiting municipal water shortages through corruption, infrastructure sabotage and the manipulation of emergency water-tanker contracts. The SAHRC says tanker provision can become a breeding ground for profiteering, while communities continue to face unreliable water supplies. We speak to the S...

The Madlanga Commission marks one year today, we take a moment to reflect on a year of evidence, testimony and intense public scrutiny as its work continues to examine serious allegations within South Africa’s criminal justice system. GUEST: Jeremy Michaels – Madlanga Commission Spokesperson

As the Madlanga Commission marks one year, we now turn our attention to look at the process through the eyes of civil society and the public, and what its work has meant for the fight against corruption and accountability. GUEST: Tebogo Khaas - Founder and chairperson of Public Interest SA

Suspended KZN Correctional Services boss Mnikelwa Nxele’s R14 million BOSASA fraud case has been postponed. The matter involves allegations of fraud and corruption linked to contracts and payments involving BOSASA. What is significance of the postponement, docket disclosure and centralisation, the legal process ahead, and what the case means for accountability and governance within Correctio...

The rand has shown resilience despite signals of tighter US monetary policy, with stronger commodity prices, particularly gold and platinum, providing support. What is driving the currency’s recent performance, the impact of the US Federal Reserve’s stance on South Africa, and whether the rand’s strength can be sustained? What are the implications for inflation, interest rates, b...

Following the increase in attacks and hijackings targeting social workers in Khayelitsha , we speak to the MEC for Social Development about staff safety and continued service delivery… GUEST: Wendy Kaizer-Philander - MEC for Social Development in the Western Cape

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness month and the numbers in SA remain stark. Prostate cancer is now South Africa’s most common cancer with one in four Black men and one in eight White men being diagnosed.  GUEST: Andrew Oberholzer - CEO of Prostate Cancer Foundation

South Africa has today unveiled its First Wave of green hydrogen projects and launched the country’s inaugural Green Hydrogen Deal Book at the Africa Green Hydrogen Summit in Cape Town.  GUEST: Dr. Rebecca Maserumule, Programme Director of the Presidency’s South Africa Just Energy Transition IP Green Hydrogen Programme Management Office

The Congress of South African Trade Unions(COSATU) has adjourned its 15th National Congress after a dispute over the status of first Deputy President, Mike Shingange contributed to the federation failing to reach a quorum, leaving the leadership elections unresolved. The congress, which began in Midrand on Monday, was scheduled to run until tomorrow, with delegates expected to elect new national o...

The Gauteng Department of Health has shared that Gauteng’s public health system is facing a shortage of nurses, with more than 1,200 nursing posts now being recruited following the lifting of the provincial moratorium. But is this enough to address the province’s staffing crisis? We’re now joined by a nursing staffing solutions expert to unpack the challenges and what needs to ch...

Following the discovery of eight bodies in Ekurhuleni, the ANC Women’s League marched in Kempton Park yesterday, calling for stronger action against violent crime and renewed debate on the death penalty.  GUEST: Nomvula Mokonyane – ANC Women's League Secretary – General

Hundreds of refugees were transported by bus from Durban to Lindela in Gauteng, but around 150 chose to remain behind. Siyafana Sonke has been advocating on behalf of the refugees and has now committed to helping rehouse those who stayed.  GUEST: Nasiha Soomar - Legal Convener of the Legal Task Action team and Member of Siyafana Sonke Action Campaign.

Yesterday, Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, said the US was announcing a new visa restriction policy targeting some foreign nationals from South Africa as US President Donald Trump’s administration continues to cool ties with the country. The Trump administration has criticized South Africa over a range of issues including actions aimed at addressing racial inequality that Trump claims hurt...

Electoral Commission CEO, Sy Mamabolo, briefed the nation earlier today on the finalisation of candidates contesting the 2026 Local Government Elections and also highlighted the next phases in the Election Timetable. The Electoral Court also dismissed the ANC’s appeal against the IEC today. The party sought to have the court compel the Commission to capture the candidates it had already uplo...

A sixth woman's body has been found on the East Rand, this time on the side of a road in KwaThema, Springs. The body was found this morning. The discovery brought to six the number of women's bodies found in and around Kempton Park since July. All six were found lying in the open, on roadsides, in veld or behind buildings with most partially clothed and bruised… GUEST: Brigadier Athlenda Ma...