The National Briefing

Guest: Brooks Spector, Associate Editor at Daily Maverick In Europe, it now appears that relations between the US and Russia are at their lowest level in decades - after the US accused Russia of deliberately bringing down a drone that was flying over the black sea.        

Guest: Advocate Stefanie Fick, executive director of the accountability division at the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse Thirty-nine organisations including Defend our democracy, the Anglican Church and others have all called on the EFF to stop their National Shutdown    

Guest: Michael Lawrence, Executive Director of the National Clothing Retail Federation (NCRF)   Guest: Etienne Vlok, National Industrial Policy Officer of the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers' Union (Sactwu) Guest: Thula Sindi, Fashion Designer and Fashion Designer, founder of AfricaRise Store Mediated Conversation: government is investigating whether SHEIN is operating entirely legal...

Guest: Chrispin Phiri, The Department of Justice's spokesperson The Government has now announced that it has withdrawn the International Crimes Bill.    

Guest: Kenny Kunene, Roads and Transport MMC: City of Joburg There’s been more confirmation from the City of Joburg that most of its bridges are not safe - and there is a huge risk that some of them could collapse        

Guest: Michael Brooks, Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. UKZN and DSI Successfully Launch Test Rockets Phoenix-1C and Phoenix-1D    

Guest: Zwelinzima Vavi, General secretary of the SA Federation of Trade Unions The leader of the EFF Julius Malema yesterday explained why they are going ahead with the national shutdown next week Monday, SAFTU says they are joining the march      

Guest: Dr. Mvuyisi Mzukwa, South African Medical Association chairperson The South African Medical Association has now said that due to the NEHAWU Strike, there is a huge backlog of treatment needed for patients        

Guest: President Bethuel Nkuna, Independent Policing Union of South Africa president The staff shortage at the 10111 call centres across the country now means that  more than 6-million calls had been dropped and not answered    

Guest: Abel Esterhuyse, associate professor of strategy in the Faculty of Military Science of Stellenbosch University The US, the UK and Australia are now going to work together to start a fleet of more nuclear submarines - in what is clearly meant to increase the power of these countries - against china.        

Guest: John Steenhuisen, Democratic Alliance Leader The Democratic Alliance says that they are concerned that there will be violence during the EFF National Shutdown next week Monday    

Guest: Fanele Mondi, CEO Energy Intensive Users Group (EIUG) Guest: William Mabapa, National Union of Mineworkers General Secretary   Guest: Brandon Abdinor, Climate Advocacy Lawyer at Centre for Environmental Rights Mediated Conversation: should South Africa continue to use the coal fired power stations or to use more renewable energy?        

Guest: Prof Janice Limpson, Chair in Biotechnology Innovation & Engagement and Director of RUBIC at Rhodes University RUBIC launches first-ever water testing facility in Makhanda  

Guest: Prudence Moilwa - Executive Head at National Consumer Commission The National Consumer Commission is urging all persons in possession of GIZZU 300Wh and 500Wh Portable Power Stations to immediately stop use and return these to the supplier.        

Guest: Dr. Aslam Dasoo, convener of the Progressive Health Forum Guest: Ali Gule, Community Engagement Officer at OUTA There has been a damning report issued about the state of the Rahima Moosa mother and child hospital by the Health Ombud Professor Malegapuru Makgoba. He says it filthy, unsafe and neglected.                

Guest: Wendy Alberts, CEO of Restaurant Association Of SA A strange problem has emerged as a result of load shedding - because the people who raise chickens can’t slaughter them when the power is out - the chickens get fatter - and that means they’re too fat for restaurants to use  

Guest: Sthembiso Cekiso - Treasurer General of Walter Sisulu University Convocation The student who received R14-million and didn’t return it, Sibongile Mani, has been elected Treasurer of the convocation committee of Walter Sisulu University. She is currently appealing a conviction for theft.  

Guest: Senzo Mchunu, Minister of Water and Sanitation The Water Affairs and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu met with mayors in Gauteng yesterday - he says that while there is enough water for people in Gauteng        

Guest: Felix Washon, Spokesperson for Malawi Red Cross Society More than one hundred and ninety people have now died in the massive flood caused by hurricane Freddy in Malawi - it also hit Madagascar again this week        

Guest: Zeenat Adam, deputy executive director of the Afro-Middle East Centre In Pakistan there have been tense scenes overnight at the compound in Lahore owned by the opposition leader and former prime minister Imran Khan.        

Guest: Faith Mabera, Senior Researcher at The Institute for Global Dialogue Guest: Rob Rose, editor of Financial Mail Guest: Karam Singh, Executive Director: Corruption Watch Mediated Conversation: What do we know about what Glencore was doing - what kind of corruption were they involved in?  

Guest: Prof Frank Tanser, infectious disease epidemiologist US awarded R40 million NIH grant to develop HIV-prevention strategies for rural communities  

Guest: December Mavuso, NEHAWU Deputy General Secretary There was that ruling by the labour appeals court yesterday that the strike and the actions associated with it by Nehawu are illegal.        

Guest: Jacqui Uys, the DA caucus chairperson in Tshwane Yesterday in the Tshwane Council, DA councillors’ ballots were spoiled in the speaker election - because they marked them with numbers to stop them voting for other candidates        

Guest: Funzi Ngobeni, newly appointed ActionSA Gauteng chairperson Funzi Ngobeni has now been appointed the ActionSA Gauteng chairperson after Bongani Baloyi resigned because he had a fallout with Leader Herman Mashaba