The National Pulse

Today we chat to Archbishop Dr Thabo Makgoba, the Archbishop of Cape Town - who is widely respected for his unwavering commitment to justice and ethical leadership. Makgoba has been the recipient of many awards and honours over the years, and he is one individual who is not afraid to express his thoughts and feelings around difficult and sometimes emotionally charged issues. Hopefully our conversa...

As expected, the ruling FRELIMO party has won the elections in Mozambique. However though, the results were particularly concerning for Renamo as they have been ousted as the country’s main opposition party. Their dismal performance in this year’s election is largely attributed to Venancio Mondlane, who only left Renamo shortly before the elections to run as an independent candidate. Post the elec...

As you may have heard in the news that MK party has appointed Former public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane as the uMkhonto weSizwe Party’s new convenor for Mpumalanga. Willies Mchunu who was once the ANC’s Premier for KZN has been announced as the KZN Convenor. Our senior political reporter Ntebo Mokobo has been watching the developments and now joins us on the line…   GUEST: Ntebo Mokobo – SABC Sen...

The ANC will hold its four day NEC meeting this afternoon in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni. Top of the agenda is the party’s electoral decline at the 29 May polls, where they lost their majority for the first time. ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula says the NEC will deal with the diagnostic overview of the state of the party. We will bring you the press briefing live as soon as it starts, but for now to...

In conversation with Bianca Biehler who is one of the 2024 TransUnion Rising Star Awards winners. The awards celebrate the next generation of leaders who are shaping the future of the corporate and public sectors. Bianca has successfully led end-to-end digital transformation and innovation projects across various industries.   GUEST: Bianca Biehler, Senior Digital Advisory Consultant @NTT DATA Inc...

    Yesterday we spoke to DA National Spokesperson, Willie Aucump about the statement the party released condemning President Cyril Ramaphosa for referring to Russia as “a valuable ally and friend” during an engagement with Russian President Vladimir Putin. None of the DA’s Cabinet ministers are attending the 16th BRICS Summit. Are the cracks in the GNU deepening? To help us answer this question,...

24 learners from Enzani Primary in Mpumalanga were rushed to hospital earlier today for suspected consumption of contaminated food. Michael Mdluli, SABC News Reporter has been following this story and he now joins me on the line to give us the latest updates  Guest: Michael Mdluli, SABC News Reporter

The Kuamsha app was developed as part of a study to address depression in adolescents in rural and low resource settings. The app, based on behavioral activation principles, comprises a six-module interactive narrative game supported by weekly phone calls from trained peer mentors. To tell us more about the app, how it works and the different modules it has, I am joined on the line by…   GUEST: Dr...

KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Thamsanqa Ntuli, spearheaded the launch of the Provincial Integrated Safer Festive Season Campaign earlier today, at the Dr. JL Dube Stadium in Inanda. The Premier joins me on the line to tell us more about the safer festive season campaign…   GUEST: Thamsanqa Ntuli, KwaZulu-Natal Premier

Earlier today President Cyril Ramaphosa told delegates at the BRICS Summit that South Africa welcomes the Russian initiatives that are aimed at strengthening a number of BRICS countries through the various networks aimed at improving the future of BRICS countries’ transport networks and connectivity under the theme ‘Innovation and Digitalisation of Transport’. He also remarked that existing global...

Next month, the South African Poultry Association will submit its application for VAT-free chicken products to parliament. According to the organisation, the application for VAT-free chicken was in line with statements by President Cyril Ramaphosa on helping the country’s poor. For more clarity on this, we are joined by….   GUEST: Izaak Breitenbach, CEO of the South African Poultry Association

    President Felix Tshisekedi thinks so as he has just announced that he will establish a committee to look into changing the constitution next year. According to him the current one has its weaknesses as it does not fully cater for the country’s needs. What is concerning though is that we have witnessed other African presidents using constitutional reforms to circumvent term limits. Can he be tr...

The African National Congress reacts to the Democratic Alliance’s stance on Russia and the Government of National Unity. This after the DA leader John Steenhuisen sparked controversy by distancing his party from Russia.   GUEST: Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, ANC National spokesperson  

In conversation with Tshepang Lutshaba who is spearheading and championing the fight against cancer. Lutshaba founded an organisation called SA United Against Cancer (SAUAC) with the sole hope of changing lives and making a difference in the lives of ordinary South Africans.   GUEST: Tshepang Lutshaba, founder of SA United Against Cancer (SAUAC)

The Democratic Alliance released a statement earlier today distancing itself from recent comments made by President Cyril Ramaphosa during bilateral engagements with Russian President Vladimir Putin. DA National Spokesperson, Willie Aucump joins me on the line to tell us more about the party’s statement…   GUEST: Willie Aucump, DA National Spokersperson

Russia rolled out the red carpet to its allies yesterday as it hosts the latest BRICS summit in a show of strength to the West. SABC News Reporter, Khayelihle Khumalo-James has been following today’s proceedings and joins me on the line to update us on what’s been happening…   GUEST: Khayelihle Khumalo-James, SABC News Reporter

Gauteng is today convening the Gauteng Local Government Turnaround Summit. The 2-day summit will bring together leaders to address service delivery, infrastructure, and governance issues across municipalities. To get more details about the kind of outcomes we should expect from the summit, I am joined on the line by…   GUEST: Theo Nkonki, Spokesperson for the MEC for Department of infrastructure D...

Build One South Africa leader, Mmusi Maimane, delivered the party’s submission to the Electoral Reform Consultation Committee Chair Advocate Richard Sizani on proposals to improve the country’s electoral system at the Home Affairs Ministry in Pretoria. Deadline for public submissions is the 31st of October 2024. To breakdown the party’s submissions, I am joined on the line by… GUEST: Mmusi Maimane...

More arrests have been made against those involved in dealing with unpolished diamonds and fraud. The suspects were arrested in Gauteng and North-West Provinces. The mastermind allegedly advertised unpolished diamonds on social media and invited protentional investors to invest in his alleged diamond dealing business, with a promise of a lucrative return which never materialized. To tell us more a...

Election observers working for the European Union (EU) say evidence has been found of irregularities during counting and unjustified alteration of election results at some polling stations and district level in Mozambique. The observers have urged the country’s Constitutional Council to address these concerns during the validation of results process, in respect of the will of voters. So what’s the...

After recent revelations by the Department of Home Affairs that the country has spent more than R52 million in five months on deporting more than 19 000 illegal foreigners. We are joined by the African Transformation Movement (ATM) to clarify its position regarding the deportation of illegal immigrants. While the party does not oppose deportation, they are of the view that it is an ineffective sol...

With more than 30 countries wanting to join BRICS – we assess major points of convergence and divergence among established and emerging powers in their visions of world order and try to understand if this won’t temper with the group’s efficiency. For more on this, we are joined by……   GUEST: Prof. Patrick Bond - Political Economist and Distinguished Professor of Sociology at the University of Joha...

Joe Public was recently named Agency of the Year at the Loerie Awards 2024. The agency and its clients bagged 35 Loeries and we understand that 34 of those were for clients across a variety of categories. I must add that their win was not surprising as some of you may recall that last year, they were named the Most Effective Independent Agency in Africa and the Middle East. GUEST: Dr Pepe Marais,...

The South African Federation of Trade Unions held a media briefing in Johannesburg today on the country’s Labour laws amendments. The Trade Union has rejected the Labour Laws Amendment bill vowing to fight what it calls a legal offense against workers’ rights. SAFTU General Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi joins me on the line to tell us more about this… GUEST: Zwelinzima Vavi, SAFTU General Secretary