The National Briefing

The South African Police Service confirms a major breakthrough in the kidnapping case of Kamogelo Baukudi (19), a Grade 11 learner from Martie du Plessis School, who was found alive in Wepener following a coordinated rescue operation 27.06.2025 3:12 ↓

    Guest: Brigadier Motantsi Makhele - Free State Police Spokesperson

Kenya is reeling after at least 16 people were killed and around 400 injured during widespread anti-government protests this week, marking the anniversary of the deadly June 2024 tax demonstrations. 27.06.2025 8:17 ↓

    Guest: Alex Mayore, Communications Director, Thirdway Alliance & Kenyan Gen-Z. (He has been involved in the protest since last year.)

Tension are now brewing in the Government of National Unity as President Cyril Ramaphosa fires DA Member of Parliament Andrew Whitfield as the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry 27.06.2025 9:35 ↓

    Guest: Andrew Whitfield - Former Minister of Trade and Industry

Ukraine President Zelensky has now signed a historic deal to establish tribunal targeting Russian leadership over war in Ukraine 27.06.2025 4:45 ↓

    Guest: Steven Gruzd: head of the Africa-Russia Project at the South African Institute of International Affairs

Africa Update Report with Advocate Sipho Mantula, Researcher: Thabo Mbeki African School of Public & International Affairs: Unisa 27.06.2025 6:47 ↓

    27 June 2025   1.    Central Afrikan Republic - Bangui Central African Republic declares three days of national mourning following stampede The Central African Republic has declared 3 days of mourning after an explosion and the stampede that followed killed at least 29 schoolchildren and injured more than 250 at a high school in the capital city, Bangui. &nbs...

The South African Human Rights Commission has now released a comprehensive policy brief to tackle ‘Water Mafias’ and the systemic sabotage of essential water infrastructure 27.06.2025 5:19 ↓

    Guest: Commissioner Henk Boshoff: South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC)

According to the latest figures from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), the first quarter of 2025 saw a significant decline in employment, with 74,000 jobs lost compared to the final quarter of 2024. 26.06.2025 4:15 ↓

    Guest: Siba Nobandla: content creator at Youth Capital  

As South Africa commemorates the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter, the African National Congress (ANC) maintains that it has fulfilled the majority of the Charter’s promises. 26.06.2025 15:44 ↓

Guest: Pitika Ntuli: Poet-Artist and Academic Analyst  Guest: Mondli Makhanya: South African Journalist & Editor-in-Chief City Press 

The ANC in KZN has now confirmed that Ithala Bank will not be liquidated 26.06.2025 7:47 ↓

    Guest: Michael Mabuyakhulu: ANC KZN Provincial Coordinator

Considering the recent conflicts CATA and CODETA have faced regarding route operations, the associations have since reached and signed a formal agreement on Tuesday, 24th June 2025, as a successful outcome emerging from a series of critical problem-solvin 26.06.2025 7:21 ↓

    Guest: Mandla Hermanus: Chairperson Santaco Western Cape

The burial of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu will no go ahead in Johannesburg. The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has halted the burial pending the main determination of whether Lungu will be repatriated to Zambia or not 26.06.2025 5:35 ↓

Guest: Canny Maphanga: SABC Reporter

The recent U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s Fordo nuclear facility represent one of the most consequential moves yet in the long-running standoff over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. 26.06.2025 5:22 ↓

    Guest: Brooks Spector: Associate Editor at the Daily Maverick

Africa Update Report with Advocate Sipho Mantula, Researcher: Thabo Mbeki African School of Public & International Affairs: Unisa 26.06.2025 5:37 ↓

    26 June 2025   1.    South Afrika – Zambia Edgar Lungu's family expressed their disapproval after a South African court halted the former Zambian president's private burial on Wednesday. The court order was issued following a request made by the Zambian government, the latest turn in a protracted battle over the details of Lungu's funeral and final rest...

As drug and substance abuse escalates in South Africa — with alarmingly high relapse rates of up to 70% — the Centre of Transformation has unveiled a long-term, trauma-informed, and community-rooted rehabilitation model 25.06.2025 5:20 ↓

    Guest: Curt van Heerden: founder and CEO of the Centre of Transformation 

The Joburg High Court has ruled that #UniteBehind can join the legal review of the Zondo Commission. They’ll be defending the State Capture findings that exposed how elites stole billions & wrecked public services. 25.06.2025 5:28 ↓

  Guest: Zackie Achmat: Founder of #UniteBehind

This week’s NATO summit in The Hague marks a defining moment for the alliance, shaped by a volatile global security landscape and the return of Donald Trump to the presidency. 25.06.2025 5:11 ↓

    Guest: Dr Kingsley Makhubela: Director at RiskRecon

An open letter addressed to the Minister of Home Affairs, Dr. Leon Schreiber, raises urgent concerns about a decision to increase identity verification fees by 6,500%. the letter argues that the move will undermine digital transformation, financial inclus 25.06.2025 7:47 ↓

    Guest: Coenraad Jonke: Founder and CEO, Tyme Group

Dr MJ Maboya, MEC for Education, marks the official opening of the Free State Provincial Primary School Education Summit, held under the theme “Centering Primary Education.” 25.06.2025 6:47 ↓

    Guest: Dr MJ Maboya: Free State Education MEC

The National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) has filed criminal charges against the board of Daybreak Farms following the deaths and suffering of more than one million chickens, in what investigators are calling a systemic collapse of animal care. 25.06.2025 7:12 ↓

    Guest: Jacques Peacock: Communications Manager, NSPCA

The National Financial Ombud Scheme (NFO) has released its latest figures, revealing that South Africa’s biggest banks were the subject of the majority of complaints received in 2024. It recovered a staggering R328 million for disgruntled financial consum 25.06.2025 6:24 ↓

    Guest: Reana Steyn, CEO of the National Financial Ombud  Scheme

The Public Service Commission has observed notable patterns in the use of various leave categories across government departments, prompting concerns about workforce wellness, absenteeism, and the effectiveness of human resource management. 25.06.2025 7:12 ↓

    Guest: Anele Gxoyiya: Public Service Commission (PSC) Commissioner

Yesterday, six armed suspects were fatally shot during a shootout with police on R 61 between Mthatha and Ngcobo. The intelligence driven operation targeted individuals suspected of involvement in extortion activities within the area.  24.06.2025 4:11 ↓

    Guest: Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana - Eastern Cape Police Spokesperson

US President Donald Trump has now said that a ceasefire in ‘12-day war’ between Iran and Israel will take effect in the coming hours 24.06.2025 8:00 ↓

  Guest: Timothy Walker: Maritime Project Leader & Senior Researcher, Institute for Security Studies  

Africa Update Report with Advocate Sipho Mantula, Researcher: Thabo Mbeki African School of Public & International Affairs: Unisa 24.06.2025 5:02 ↓

  24 June 2025   1.    Russia- Mali Mali and Russia sign deal on nuclear energy during Goïta's Moscow visit Mali and Russia signed agreements on Monday to bolster their economic and trade relations, including a cooperation deal on "the peaceful use of nuclear energy", the Kremlin said in a statement.    2.    Angola- Luanda- US-Afrik...