The National Briefing

Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA) has raised serious concerns about the worsening conditions facing the Bapong community in the North West. Following a direct appeal from the community for support and a recent site visit by MACUA’s national leadership, the organisation warns that growing fear, militarisation, and criminal activity in mining-affected areas ar...

Latest business news with Ntaoleng Lechela - Business Reporter Inflation expectations slip to close to 3% target  2. Starlink seemingly moves closer to entering SA market  3. Markets Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA) has raised serious concerns about the worsening conditions facing the Bapong community in the North West. Following a direct appeal from the community for...

The first G20 Sherpas’ Meeting under the new United States Presidency is scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., on 15–16 December 2025. G20 Sherpas serve as the personal representatives of G20 leaders and are responsible for steering negotiations, shaping the summit agenda, and coordinating workstreams throughout the year in preparation for leaders’ outcomes....

Africa Update Report with Advocate Sipho Mantula, Researcher: Thabo Mbeki African School of Public & International Affairs: Unisa 15 December 2025 1.    Eritrea- IGAD  Eritrea announces departure from the (Intergovernmental Authority on Development) IGAD regional bloc Eritrea has announced its withdrawal from IGAD saying the East African regional bloc has strayed from...

Latest business news with Ntaoleng Lechela - Business Reporter   China’s retail sales decrease in November  2. Local airports near pre Covid travel levels  3. Markets  

Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has issued a Notice of Intent to Cancel the registration of three private higher education institutions — Damelin, City Varsity, and ICESA City Campus — citing prolonged non-compliance with higher education laws and regulations. The move is aimed at protecting students and safeguarding the integrity of South Africa’s higher edu...

NAPTOSA welcomes the decisive steps taken by the Department of Basic Education following reports that several learners in the Pretoria area may have accessed examination papers and marked memoranda before writing. Protecting the integrity of the national examination system is vital to fairness and public trust, and the organisation applauds the Department’s swift response.  Guest: Thiro...

As the country gears up for the festive season and thousands prepare to travel home or head to holiday destinations, KwaZulu-Natal is once again expected to be one of the busiest provinces. How ready is KZN? Guest: Thamsanqa (Thami) Ntuli: The Premier of KwaZulu-Natal   

Guest: Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri - ANC National Spokesperson Guest: Samkele Maseko: Senior Political Reporter, SABC  Guest: Nkosikhulule Nyembezi: Political Analyst  

12 December 2025 1.    Ivory Coast-Sahel- USA Ivory Coast pushes for US spy planes to tackle al Qaeda-linked jihadists in Sahel Ivory Coast wants the Trump administration to station U.S. spy planes in the country’s north to carry out cross-border operations targeting Al Qaeda-allied jihadists wreaking havoc across the Sahel, according to two senior Ivorian security offici...

  Disney invests a billion dollars in OpenAI 2. Agoa gets it first approval post expiration 3. Markets    

Bulgaria has entered a new period of political uncertainty after Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov resigned on Thursday, bowing to intense public pressure and widespread protests over corruption and economic policy. The move comes just weeks before the country is set to join the euro zone, underscoring the gravity of the domestic crisis gripping the nation.     Guest: Dr Kingsley Makhubela...

The battle to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery has become Hollywood’s biggest drama of the year. Netflix and Paramount Skydance are vying for control of one of the industry’s most valuable content libraries, launching competing multibillion-dollar bids that could reshape the future of film, television, and streaming.  Guest: Thinus Ferraira: independent TV critic, writer&n...

Cellphones often start showing signs of trouble around the two- to three-year mark — from random glitches and slowing performance to stubborn charging ports that suddenly stop working. But what’s really behind this decline? Is it simply the natural wear and tear of a heavily used device, or are manufacturers intentionally designing phones with a shorter lifespan to push consumers into...

The Merafong City Local Municipality on Gauteng’s West Rand is facing mounting public outrage as residents continue to endure prolonged water shortages while the municipality remains indebted to Rand Water to the tune of R1.4 billion. At the same time, a new report by the municipal public accounts committee reveals that nearly R30 million was spent on irregularly awarded tenders in just thre...

The Youth Employment Service (YES) has reached a new milestone in creating more than 200,000 quality work opportunities for talented young South Africans.  Guest: Tsholo Mogotsi - Chief Partnerships Officer at the Youth Employment Service    

Latest business news with Ntaoleng Lechela - Business Reporter Retail sales increase in October  2. Grindrod gains momentum as its streamlining efforts improve  3. Markets

Latest business news with Ntaoleng Lechela - Business Reporter The Fed cuts rates  2. SpaceX plans trillion dollar IPO in 2026 3. Markets

As South Africans push through the final stretch of 2025, psychologists are sounding the alarm: a growing number of employees are experiencing “year-end fatigue” — a seasonal surge in exhaustion, irritability and mental overload that typically peaks in November and December.  Guest: Anele Siswana: Clinical Psychologist and Lecturer at the University of the Free State.&n...

South Africa’s general aviation sector has experienced a troubling spike in aircraft accidents this year, prompting concern from the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA). By early December, the country had recorded at least 43 aircraft accidents, including 12 fatal crashes that resulted in 17 deaths—a significant increase compared to the same period in 2024.  Guest: Dean...

Latest business news with Ntaoleng Lechela - Business Reporter Mr Price eyes European market for growth  2. Libstar dumps its mushroom business 3. Markets    

Africa Update Report with Advocate Sipho Mantula, Researcher: Thabo Mbeki African School of Public & International Affairs: Unisa 11 December 2025 1.    Togo- Benin  Alleged leader of Benin coup attempt reportedly finds refuge in Togo The alleged leader of a failed coup attempt in Benin last week has reportedly found refuge in neighbouring Togo, according to various so...

Social media has evolved into a core part of our digital identity — a space where personal views, interests, and interactions leave a permanent footprint. Now, under a new proposal from US authorities, that online footprint could become a determining factor in whether millions of international travellers are allowed to enter the country.  Guest: Emma Sadlier: Social Media Law Specialist...

Sassa responds to caller concerns regarding stokvel payouts and how they may affect their grant     Guest: Paseka Letsatsi: Spokesperson, The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa)    

The Trump administration is facing its most serious national-security controversy of the new term after revelations that a U.S. strike on a suspected Venezuelan drug boat in early September was followed by a second attack that killed the wounded survivors.  Guest: Timothy Walker: Maritime Project Leader & Senior Researcher, Institute for Security Studies