The National Briefing

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana says the DA wrote a letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa accepting the 0.5 % VAT increase in exchange for wanting progressive laws that have just been put place scrapped such as the Expropriation Act. 31.03.2025 8:15 ↓

    Guest: Willie Aucamp: DA Spokesperson

A devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on March 28, 2025 leading to more than 1,700 confirmed deaths and thousands of injuries. 31.03.2025 9:08 ↓

    Guest: Simon Gear: Climatologist

Zimbabwean officials have reassured the public that the country remains peaceful and secure, despite social media calls for protests and demonstrations. 31.03.2025 6:21 ↓

    Guest: Lenin Ndebele: Africa Journalist

Over 100 people, including activists and students, marched across Johannesburg on Sunday calling for justice for a 7-year-old girl raped at her Eastern Cape school. The learner was allegedly molested at the school in Matatiele in October last year whilst 31.03.2025 7:36 ↓

    Guest: Adv. Brenda Madumise-Pajibo - Director- Wise4Afrika

The City of Johannesburg is embroiled in controversy regarding the appointment of Helen Botes, the acting Chief Operating Officer (COO) and former CEO of the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC). 28.03.2025 12:06 ↓

    Guest: Helen Botes: Acting Joburg   City Manager  

Amid growing concerns over a recent borehole incident that damaged the Gautrain tunnel in Johannesburg, the Borehole Water Association of Southern Africa (BWA) has stepped forward to clarify misconceptions about borehole drilling. 28.03.2025 4:36 ↓

Guest: Albertus Lombaard: technical advisor in the Borehole Water Association of Southern Africa Drilling Division

Finland has reclaimed its spot as the world’s happiest country for the eighth consecutive year, according to the 2023 World Happiness Report. What does it takes to create a happy society? 28.03.2025 8:26 ↓

Guest: Prof Talita Greyling: School of Economics, University of Johannesburg 

South Africa is currently experiencing a concerning rise in respiratory diphtheria cases, with a significant number of infections recorded in 2024 and 2025. 28.03.2025 8:16 ↓

    Dr Jocelyn Moyes: Medical epidemiologist, The National Institute For Communicable Diseases Of South Africa

On Wednesday, Members of Parliament (MPs) expressed significant concerns about the potential liquidation of Ithala Bank. Will iThala Bank close like the VBS Bank? 28.03.2025 4:52 ↓

Guest: Khaya Sithole: Independent analyst

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) police have raised serious concerns over criminals impersonating police officers to carry out house robberies and other illegal activities. 28.03.2025 5:24 ↓

    Guest: Mary de Haas: KZN violence monitor

Africa Update Report with Lerato Tsebe an independent African Researcher 28.03.2025 4:59 ↓

    28 March 2025   DRC Foreign Affairs Minister thanks SA For SA troops that were part of SADC Mission.   SOUTH SUDAN: Calls for calm following Vice President Machars arrest.   ZIMBABWE Zimbabwe Police  in Harare has issued a prohibition order barring residents from carrying items which can be used as weapons, amid calls for demonstrations scheduled for March 31.

According to the latest BankservAfrica Take-home Pay Index, South African salary earners experienced a further boost in their purchasing power in February, as real take-home pay saw its highest level in three years 28.03.2025 5:19 ↓

    Guest: Elize Kruger: Independent Economist

What happens when a national budget fails to gain sufficient support in parliament, What would be the consequences for the government's ability to fund key programs like social grants, education, and healthcare? 28.03.2025 6:02 ↓

    Guest: Cedrick Frolick: National Assembly House Chairperson for Committees, Oversight, and Public Participation 

the rise in gambling addiction in South Africa and RISE Mzansi’s proposed interventions to tackle this crisis. 27.03.2025 6:56 ↓

    Guest: Makashule Gana : RISE Mzansi Chief Organiser

South Africa's Health Minister, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, will withdraw recently implemented regulations that prohibited the sale, importation, and manufacture of foodstuffs containing hemp and cannabis. 27.03.2025 7:39 ↓

    Guest: Gareth Prince: Lawyer and Rastafarian    

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has called on Parliament to amend the 2025/26 Budget, specifically demanding the reversal of a proposed value-added tax (VAT) hike aimed at addressing South Africa's R58 billion budget deficit. 27.03.2025 5:30 ↓

    Guest: Mathew Parks: Parliamentary Coordinator, Congress of South African Trade Union ( COSATU)

Bafana Bafana are at risk of a three-point deduction following their controversial decision to field Teboho Mokoena, who was suspended for accumulating two yellow cards, in their 2-0 victory over Lesotho. 27.03.2025 6:48 ↓

Guest: Nkululeko Nkewu: Co-founder of iDiski Media

Africa Update Report with Lerato Tsebe an independent African Researcher 27.03.2025 4:28 ↓

  27 March 2025   DRC Foreign Minister to meet with Ronald Lamola today. ( This follows Defence Ministers visit last week).   Namibia to require all US citizens to have a visa from April. ( The US is Going first, but there are more to follow).   German authorities target 17 suspects of founding or being members of Eritrean exiles that are being accused of trying to overthrow th...

What happens if the National Budget is not approved? 27.03.2025 6:41 ↓

    Guest: Dzingira Matenga: Managing director at the Nityiso Consulting Group

As outlined in its 2023/2024 Audit Action Plan Progress Report, SASSA's efforts to address past financial mismanagement are yielding positive results, ensuring that the agency is better equipped to serve millions of social grant beneficiaries.  27.03.2025 6:36 ↓

    Guest: Tsakeriwa Chauke: Chief Financial Officer, The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA)

A major security breach has been uncovered involving senior officials from the Trump administration, who accidentally disclosed sensitive military plans in a Signal messaging group. 27.03.2025 7:05 ↓

    Guest: Noëlle Van der Waag-Cowling is from the Department of Strategic Studies in the Faculty of Military Science (and our cybertech guru), Stellenbosch University

The activist group #UniteBehind, led by director Zackie Achmat, has accused Parliament's Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests of acting “underhandedly” and “unlawfully” by adopting a revised Code of Conduct for MPs without public consultation. 27.03.2025 7:42 ↓

  Guest: Zackie Achmat: #UniteBehind director

During a public hearing on the new marriages bill in Mthatha (Eastern Cape), many residents voiced their support for the proposed legislation but strongly opposed including same-sex marriages. 26.03.2025 15:09 ↓

Guest: Thiruna Naidoo: Outright International: Africa Programs Officer

Eskom has successfully added the final unit of Kusile Power Station, Unit 6, to South Africa’s national grid, marking a significant milestone in the country’s energy infrastructure development. 26.03.2025 9:05 ↓

Guest: Daphne Mokwena: Eskom Spokesperson

Over the past five years, just 4% of over 5,000 reported child abuse cases handled by the Teddy Bear Foundation have resulted in convictions, highlighting the profound challenges within South Africa’s justice system. 26.03.2025 7:10 ↓

Guest: Dr. Shaheda Omar: Clinic Director: Teddy Bear Foundation