The National Pulse

The Zimbabwean Government has told Chris Maroleng that he is not allowed to cover the election in Zimbabwe that is due to take place next week. Maroleng and his colleagues have been deported by the Zimbabwean authorities back to South Africa after arriving in the country on Tuesday.   GUEST: Chris Maroleng, CEO of Good Governance Africa

Popcru says the latest crime stats prove the significance of next week’s Policing Indaba which they say will address the escalating levels of violent crimes in the country. However, they are also concerned that most reported cases of murder come from both KwaZulu-Natal’s Inanda and uMlazi police stations. For more on this, we are joined by…. GUEST: Richard Mamabolo, POPCRU Spokesperson

Police investigator Thabo Mosia says he didn't take any swabs for DNA testing from the kitchen door knob at the Kelly Khumalo home in Vosloorus east of Johannesburg. He says this is because a number of people had used the door. Mosia is being cross-examined by the defence counsel of one of the five men accused of the murder of Senzo Meyiwa in the High Court in Pretoria. Meyiwa was shot at the Khum...

Russian officials have accused Ukraine of launching a drone attack on a building in Moscow. The attack caused a powerful explosion that was heard across the business district of the Russian capital city. The Russian defense ministry has since revealed that there were no casualties after air defenses managed to deal with the situation. So what consequences are likely to follow after this? GUEST (Sc...

Following Oscar Pistorius’s decision to approach the Constitutional Court regarding his parole application. We hear from Dr Llewellyn Curlewis about whether or not the ConCourt is likely to overturn the Supreme Court of Appeal’s decision to deny him parole. About four months’ ago Pistorius's bid for parole failed on the grounds that he had served half of his prison term. GUEST: Dr Llewellyn Curlew...

Cultural expert, Kgoshi Setlamorago Thobejane unpacks the history of the Rain Queens of Balobedu and its complex internal politics. This as we attempt to comprehend the ongoing quarrel over who should ascend the throne of the Balobedu Queenship. For centuries, the heir to the Balobedu throne has been matrilineal; however, there are those who want to change this ancient cultural practice as they wa...

What does it mean to UCT for the university to have retained its top spot and what contributed to this latest ranking? UCT has done it again. According to the latest rankings, the University of Cape Town remains the best ranked university on the African continent. GUEST: Professor Sue Harrison, UCT Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Internationalisation.

How do Cope and IFP suggest the process to formalise the taxi industry be handled? The two parties are against Al Jama-ah’s call for the amendment of legislation in order for national government to regulate the industry. Cope and IFP say they are in support of the formalisation of the sector to ensure stability and subsidise commuters, however there is no need for the legislation to be amended. We...

A recent report  shows only 8% of South African households possess all 22 perceived necessities for a decent standard of living. The 'Decent Standard of Living: Findings on Possession of Social Perceived Necessities in 2022' report looks at how non-income dimensions of poverty affect people's lives according to three categories, social networks, and social wage. The report was a collaboration amon...

Several political parties have advanced different arguments in relation to the Basic Laws Amendment Bill. The EFF says the department of education should consider lowering the school entry age to 3. But how practical is this proposal?   GUEST: Mzwanele Manyi, EFF MP

The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure says it's all systems go for the BRICS Summit to be held in Sandton next week. The structure which is led by the South African Police Service, State Security Agency, as well as the National Defence Force, says they have beefed up security in all the areas where the delegates are going to be including the airport. Around 40 heads of states i...

The labour department is yet to come up with the legal framework around how inspections will be done at people’s homes to ensure safety of domestic workers. This as domestic workers are eligible for payment under the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act. This is a bid to ensure their safety in the work environment. The amendments also cover chauffeurs and gardeners.  This means...

As today marks 11 years since Marikana massacre. The National Prosecuting Authority has come under fire for delaying the prosecution for the gruesome killings of the Marikana mineworkers. The Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa says the NPA does not take the plight of the families seriously. Let’s now find out from the NPA if this is indeed true. Joining us for this conversation is…. G...

Seven more members of SAMWU who have been leading the worker’s strike in the City of Tshwane have been dismissed. The total number of people who have been fired for taking part in the recent unprotected strike against the city is not at 100. Six of the seven ar4e shop stewards. We’re now joined by Mpho Tladinyane, Secretary of SAMWU in Gauteng.  

We chat to the winners of the SA Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee Schools Challenge. Yesterday, the South African Reserve Bank in partnership with the Department of basic education announced the winners of this year’s competition. The competition is about testing Grade 12 learners’ knowledge and understanding of monetary policy, and the critical role the SA Reserve Bank plays in the economy....

A 13-year-old schoolgirl from Crowthorne Christian Academy has not been able to attend school this week after she was violently thrown out of class for having dreadlocks. A video that made surfaced on social media shows the child being forcefully removed and her mother being pushed by the school principal’s husband. The mother of the child says she reinstalled the child’s dreadlocks after the scho...

The Democratic Alliance and six other political parties have begun talks to form a coalition that will govern the country, should the ANC fail to secure 50% of the general elections next year. It is for the first time that political parties are negotiating a coalition agreement prior to an election. To explain what this means is Solly Msimanga, DA Gauteng leader as most of you are probably aware t...

The situation is now calm in Libya after heavy fighting between the two main armed groups linked to the Tripoli-based government. At least 27 people were killed and 106 others injured when clashes broke out. We understand that the clashes were triggered by the detention of the head of the 444 Brigade, Colonel Mahmud Hamza, by the rival Al-Radaa Force on Monday. So who is this influential Colonel M...

Action SA leader and former City of Johannesburg mayor, Herman Mashaba says any investigations of councillors in the City of Joburg were within the law. This follows allegations that former executives in the City of Joburg unlawfully sanctioned investigations on councillors that were not compliant with the approved Group Forensics and Investigation Services delegations of authority. City of Joburg...

Will the ANC Youth League apologise to Public Enterprises Minister, Pravin Gordhan? Gordhan demanded an apology after ANC Youth League President, Collen Malatji said he is obsessed with selling state owned enterprises. The comments followed an announcement about the process of unbundling Eskom. Gordhan says the comments fuel misinformation. We’re now joined by ANC Youth League spokesperson, Zama K...

Today we tell you more about Makaziwe Mazaleni's journey which somehow demonstrates how passion and expertise can be utilised as universal qualities that transcend gender boundaries. Despite the odds and societal expectations, Makaziwe has shattered records by becoming the first woman graduate in a programme dominated by men. GUEST: Makaziwe Mazaleni, the first woman graduate on the Repair Program...

The Speaker of the City of Johannesburg will submit a report to the council on the outcomes of a probe into former leaders of the city who allegedly used the Group Forensics and Investigation Services  system to victimise councillors. It is alleged former executives unlawfully sanctioned investigations on councillors that were neither compliant with the local government disciplinary regulations or...

The South African Medical Association is calling on people to continue prioritizing hygiene and social distancing to avoid being infected by the new Covid-19 variant. This follows an announcement by the World Health Organisation. The WHO says this variant is like to cause an infection spike, however, it is not severe. This variant is reportedly more transmissible compared to previous variants. We’...

Earlier on today Stats SA announced that South Africa’s unemployment rate for the second quarter of 2023 has declined slightly to 32.6% from 32.9% in the first quarter. However, youth aged between 15-24 years and 25-34 years recorded the highest unemployment rates of 60,7% and 39,8% respectively. Joining us to explain the latest job stats is….. GUEST: Risenga Maluleke, Statistician General of Sout...

Members of Parliament in Ethiopia have voted in favour of the state of emergency as they support government efforts to quell violence in the Amhara region. Violence has flared across Amhara over a disputed plan to absorb regional security forces into the national army, just this past Sunday an air strike killed at least 26 people in the region. For more analysis on this, we are joined by….. GUEST:...