The National Pulse

Peddie-born mathematician, Aviwe Sofoyiya, has published a Grade 12 Mathematics practice manual for school pupils. While working with IKAMVAYOUTH and the SHELL STEM Program in Peddie, Aviwe got a chance to engage with Grade 12 learners, and she realized that most learners are not struggling with the subject because they lack knowledge, most are struggling due to a lack understanding the step-by-st...

The 13 accused in the VBS Mutual Bank scandal appeared in the High Court in Pretoria. The accused are implicated in the looting of over R1.9 billion from the bank between 2015 and 2018. SABC News Reporter, Horisani Sithole was in court today and joins me on the line…   GUEST: Horisani Sithole, SABC News Reporter

    Earlier on we spoke to the leader of Operation Dudula, Zandile Dabula, about foreign-owned shops being shut down in Soweto yesterday. Civil society organisations are always keeping an eye on such activities.   GUEST: Hailey Shamebo, President of the United Africa

In conversation with Deidre Lodwig about “how rapidly changing technology is shaping the workplace and the world”. Having managed both the Vodacom and MTN brands in various capacities, Lodwig is no novice when it comes to this subject. GUEST: Deidre Lodwig, MD MTN United  

Small hospitals in the Eastern Cape are set to be "repurposed". A total of 19 small hospitals will be affected by the move. The province has 92 hospitals in total and small hospitals that have less-than-50 bed capacity will be repurposed. Is this a good or bad thing to do by the provincial government? GUEST: Russell Rensburg, Director of the Rural Healthcare Advocacy Project  

The 44th Ordinary SADC Summit of Heads State and Government will be held on 17 August 2024 in Harare, Zimbabwe under the theme: “Promoting Innovation to unlock opportunities for sustained economic growth and development towards an Industrialised SADC”. South Africa’s government has dismissed calls by the DA for this week’s SADC summit to be moved from Zimbabwe because the Harare government abused...

We hear from the Department of Health following the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’s decision to declare the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS). Of major concern is the fact that the number of Mpox cases in the country has now increased from 22 to 24.   GUEST: Foster Mohale, Spokesperson for the National Department of Health

We hear from Operation Dudula on why they are closing down migrant-owned spaza shops in Jabavu, Soweto. We understand that the organisation decided to embark on this action after a 21-year-old man was allegedly shot by an illegal immigrant at the yellow spaza shop. Joining us for this discussion is…..   GUEST: Zandile Dabula, Leader of Operation Dudula

Our guest helps us understand the significance of Pakistan Independence Day, this as the country celebrates its 78th Independence Day today. The South Asian country, along with neighbouring India, attained independence following the end of British colonial rule in the sub-continent in 1947. Given the ongoing tensions between the government and the opposition post this year’s general elections – ho...

Left-handed children comprise approximately 10% of the global population and often face challenges in a predominantly right-handed world of education. Teachers are also not trained in inclusive pedagogies for left-handedness. To address these issues, the Centre for Education Rights and Transformation at the University of Johannesburg, in collaboration with the African Left-Handers Foundation is ho...

The Indlulamithi South Africa Scenarios Trust has published a book detailing realistic future trajectories of South Africa by 2035, influenced by significant trends and dynamics, after years of research and engagement with stakeholders in communities, civil society, business, and politics.   GUEST: Pali Lehohla, Former Statistician General of South Africa

    The Johannesburg Crisis Alliance, along with its convening organizations acknowledges the resignation of Kabelo Gwamanda as the Executive Mayor of Johannesburg. The Johannesburg Crisis Alliance says while this development reflects the widespread pressure and discontent from Joburg residents and civil society, the organization stresses that this is not a victory but rather a critical moment for...

Youth aged 15-24 years and 25-34 years continue to have the highest unemployment rates at 60,8% and 41,7% respectively according to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey for quarter 2 of 2024. Youth Capital’s Kristal Duncan-Williams believes that, the informal economy could possibly unlock opportunities for young people in SA. GUEST: Kristal Duncan-Williams, Project lead at Youth Capital

My Vote Counts says it’s determined to ensure changes are made to the amended Political Party Funding Act. Yesterday, the Western Cape High Court reserved judgment in the case between My Vote Counts, the Presidency, Parliament and the Departments of Home Affairs and Justice and Constitutional Development. My Vote Counts lodged an urgent application against the parties due to the amendment of the A...

Johannesburg executive mayor Kabelo Gwamanda from the Al Jama-ah Party has finally bowed to civil society and political pressure and tendered his resignation to the Speaker of the council, Margaret Arnolds, earlier today. Calls for Gwamanda’s resignation or axing had recently intensified with opposition parties and civil society organisations arguing that his tenure had been marred by unmitigated...

As it has been confirmed that the scourge of unemployment remains a huge hurdle that the country is facing – our key question is, where are we going wrong and what needs to be fixed, and is there a political will to turn our economic situation around? We find out from ……   GUEST: Dawie Roodt, Chief Economist @Efficient Group

Let’s now dissect South Africa’s frightening unemployment rate. This after Stats SA’s announcement that the country’s official unemployment rate increased from 32.9% in the first quarter of this year to 33.5% in the second quarter. So what informs these latest figures? We hear from…..   GUEST: Risenga Maluleke, Statistician-General of South Africa and head of Statistics South Africa

In conversation with South Africa’s youngest Olympian Bayanda Walaza, who was also declared the world's fastest teenager in March this year. Walaza won a silver medal as a member of the 4x100m relay team during the recently concluded Olympics in Paris.   GUEST: Bayanda Walaza, a Grade 12 learner at Curro Hazeldean in Pretoria, SA Sprinter & Olympic silver medallist  

Iconic fashion designer Sonwabile Ndamase who designed Nelson Mandela’s famous shirts was recently honoured at Eastern Cape Fashion Week with the Cape Aloe Legacy Award. He joins us now to talk about this special recognition …….   GUEST: Sonwabile Ndamase, Fashion designer

Action SA has written to the Department of Home Affairs, giving the exact locations of 23 houses in Temba, Hammanskraal where alleged illegal immigrants are living and running shady businesses. The party has now asked for raids to be carried out. GUEST: Herman Mashaba

SANPARKS released a statement earlier today about an incident involving a driver that bumped a lioness with his car on the H1-4 between Satara and Olifants Camp on Friday. As is usually the case with a lion sighting in the road, there were a lot of vehicles as the visitors were jostling for positions to get the best possible view of the pride. Unfortunately, the experience was ruined for many as a...

The Department of Electricity has reiterated that the country is not completely safe from load shedding just yet. Briefing the media in Tshwane earlier today, Electricity Minister, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa lauded the improvement at power utility, Eskom, for boasting an improved energy availability factor and an extension to the life of its Koeberg nuclear plant. GUEST: Tshepo Kgadima, Energy Analyst...

The former personal assistant of the former Free State premier Ace Magashule will be back in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court tomorrow. Thirty-seven-year-old Moroadi Cholota made her first court appearance this morning and the matter was postponed. She was extradited from the US on Thursday last week. Cholota is facing charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering along with Magashule and o...

We look at Mia Le Roux’s crowning as Miss South Africa and what it means for the deaf community and for the disability sector in general and the key thing really is - what can the rest of us learn from this proud and historic moment? Through this conversation, we also look at some major barriers that deaf people face in various communities. For more on this, we are joined by….   GUEST: Professor C...