The National Pulse

Today, the Defence Ministers of the European Union are convening for an informal meeting in Brussels. We understand that the ministers will discuss the EU’s military support to Ukraine, the military crisis management and defence readiness of the EU and defence financing. This meeting largely extends the Foreign Affairs Ministers meeting that took place yesterday. Just how vital are these back to b...

In conversation with Nomzamo Mbatha – after she recently received an international award as Best African Actress at the 2024 Septimius Awards held in Amsterdam for her role in Shaka iLembe.   GUEST: Nomzamo Mbatha, South African Actress

Yesterday we spoke to Jacqui Uys, spokesperson of the Joint caucus leader in the City of Tshwane about a pending motion of no confidence in Mayor, Cilliers Brink. A few hours ago, Mayor Brink tweeted: “I’ve just learnt that @Action4SA’s Tshwane caucus leader has told media outside Tshwane House that the party is leaving the Tshwane Multi-Party Coalition. I haven’t received any notice to this effec...

Earlier on, we spoke to Colleen Makhubele who announced today that she has joined the MK Party. This was another shock move in South African politics as the former South African Rainbow Alliance leader bowed out of the party she formed after her ousting from COPE. Political Analyst from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Zakhele Ndlovu joins me on the line to talk about this move…   GUEST: Zakhele N...

The Chief Executive Officer of the Nelson Mandela Museum will engage SAFM listeners on how the Museum is preserving, promoting and protecting the Legacy of Nelson Mandela. GUEST: Dr Vuyani Booi, Chief Executive Officer of the Nelson Mandela Museum

Back in September 2023, The South African Rugby Union warned that it will take legal action against companies that ambush its intellectual property rights after securing a court order restraining Eskort from continuing a marketing campaign using the Springboks brand and IP. How valuable, you may ask, is the Springbok brand? Mike Sharman, Chief Creative Officer of Retroviral will help us answer tha...

  Yesterday we spoke to Jacqui Uys, spokesperson of the Joint caucus leader in the City of Tshwane about a pending motion of no confidence in Mayor, Cilliers Brink. A few hours ago, Mayor Brink tweeted: “I’ve just learnt that @Action4SA’s Tshwane caucus leader has told media outside Tshwane House that the party is leaving the Tshwane Multi-Party Coalition. I haven’t received any notice to this eff...

Professor Thuli Madonsela shares her thoughts on the VBS saga around allegations against justice minister Thembi Simelane. She is arguing that before we assume corruption, let’s wait for a legal investigation to take its course. GUEST: Professor Thuli Madonsela, is the Law Trust Chair in Social Justice and Law Professor at the University of Stellenbosch

Let’s move to Zimbabwe now where some ZANU PF members are reportedly calling for the country’s Constitutional amendments to enable current President Emmerson Mnangagwa to continue to lead beyond 2028. Under the current rules, the president can only serve a maximum of two five-year terms. To help us look at the political implications of this proposal, we are joined by…..   GUEST: Dr William Jethro...

Colleen Makhubele is the latest high-profile person to join former president Jacob Zuma’s MK Party. She says the party has provided the platform for young progressive leaders to find a political home for expression and service. But why join them now soon after forming SARA? She joins us now to elaborate further on this…..   GUEST: Colleen Makhubele, former SARA President & new member of the MK...

Today we celebrate Dr Criselda Kananda for her resilience and innovation in health advocacy. This following her recent appointment as the innovative product specialist at the Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology (CDE).   GUEST: Dr Criselda Kananda, Innovative product specialist at the Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology  

Earlier on we spoke to the MK Party Youth League’s Nkateko Mkhabela about their statement condemning what they call disruptions of unity in the progressive caucus. What does political analyst, Nkosikhulule Nyembezi make of what the MK Party’s Youth League raised? Nkosikhulule joins me on the line…   GUEST: Nkosikhulule Nyembezi, Political Analyst  

Manaka Publicity founder, Tlhogi Ngwato wrote a piece on how brands can sometimes get themselves into a PR night by trying to seize the moment by newsjacking. One of the brands she looked at is this year’s Miss Universe Nigeria who invited Chidimma Adetshina to participate in this year’s pageant after the whole Miss SA drama. Tlhogi Ngwato joins me on the line to tell us more…   GUEST: Tlhogi Ngwa...

  The Asset Forfeiture Unit of the National Prosecuting Authority in collaboration with the Special Investigating Unit, has obtained a preservation order from the High Court of South Africa Gauteng Division to preserve four high-value properties, financial transfers, and a vehicle all linked to the siphoning of millions of rands from the National Lotteries Commission.   GUEST: Lumka Mahanjana, NPA...

  The Tshwane multi-party coalition government responded to the ANC's attempts to remove Mayor Cilliers Brink via a press conference earlier today. The ANC wants Brink ousted through a motion of no confidence that will likely be debated on Friday.   GUEST: Jacqui Uys, City of Tshwane Multi-Party Government’s joint caucus leader

As more migrants have attempted to cross the border from Morocco to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in the last few days. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez who is currently on a three-day tour of West Africa says his country will expand its circular migration program to Mauritanians in order to combat people smuggling and trafficking networks.   GUEST (Ivory Coast): Gemma Parellada, is the longest...

After several media reports containing allegations of corruption against the Minister of Justice and constitutional Development, Thembi Simelane. President Cyril Ramaphosa has requested a detailed report and briefing from the minister on the matter. But is this enough coming from the president or more action should be taken against minster?   GUEST:  Wayne Duvenage, OUTA CEO

The uMkhonto weSizwe Youth League says it is worried that recent developments in the political space, involving Floyd Shivhambu ditching the EFF for Zuma’s MK Party may disrupt the unity and the overall assignment of the Progressive Caucus in Parliament.   GUEST: Nkateko Mkhabela, Spokesperson of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party Youth League (MKP YL)

We hear from an engineer who has designed a device that is aimed at assisting with protection of manholes which also serves as an early warning system to prevent sewage spills.   GUEST: Chris Nganga Kimaru, Civil Engineer & MPG Inventor

Earlier on, I spoke to the Statistician-General, Risenga Maluleke about the Victims of Crime Survey that was released today. According to the survey, the number of South Africans who've experienced violent crime in the past 5 years has increased.   GUEST: Professor Kholofelo Rakubu, Criminologist

The DA has submitted a request to the chair of the Justice Parliamentary Portfolio, for the Minister of Justice, Thembi Simelane, to appear before the portfolio to answer to allegations that the Minister received a “loan” of R575 600 from Gundo Wealth Solutions in 2016, a company directly linked to the unlawful investments of municipal funds into the now-defunct VBS Bank during her tenure as the m...

View for You SA inspects on your behalf How many of us have bought cars and found defects a couple of weeks or days later? Malcolm Cavie came up with a solution to assist people who either don’t have the time or don’t know how to inspect cars before they purchase. Let’s find out more about this service from Malcolm Cavie, the founder of View for you SA Guest: Malcolm Cavie, Founder of View For You...

We dissect the outcomes of the Auditor General’s report on the local government audit outcomes. What is very concerning about the 2022-23 report is the fact that out of 257 municipalities across the country, only 34 municipalities obtained clean audits. Surely this is unacceptable – but what is at the core of this problem and why so much regression?   GUEST: Tsakani Maluleke, Auditor General

KwaZulu-Natal police and Durban metro police officers conducted a raid in the Durban CBD today. The police were searching for illegal firearms, hijacked buildings and undocumented foreign nationals. KZN Police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda joins me on the line to give us more details about this raid   GUEST: Colonel Robert Netshiunda, KZN Police spokesperson

  In conversation with Youmna El-Sayed, who has been covering the war in Gaza as an Al Jazeera correspondent. El-Sayed is of the view that the media is doing the world a disservice by not reporting genuinely about the issues and the extent of the war on the thousands of victims, including children who have died since the start of the war.   GUEST: Youmna El-Sayed, Award winning journalist & Re...