The National Pulse

Residents in Diepsloot demand the release of the three arrested community leaders amid the Diepsloot protests. Reverend Dithuge Thokwane of the Methodist Church in Diepsloot today went to visit the arrested leaders and will have a community meeting this afternoon at 16:00 on a way forward.   GUEST: Reverend Dithuge Thokwane, one of the community leaders in Diepsloot  

There are now reports that the Gauteng health department spent around R115 million to build more hospital wards at Kopanong Hospital in Vereeniging during the Covid-19 pandemic. The project is, however, incomplete because the service provider "could not finish the project". Guest: Jack Bloom - DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC

The Acting Public Protector, Kholeka Gcaleka has cleared President Cyril Ramaphosa of wrongdoing in relation to the Phala Phala matter, saying that her office could not find evidence showing that the president was actively involved in the day-to-day operations of Phala Phala farm. However, ATM leader Vuyo Zungula says his party is going to challenge the report through a judicial review, as they ar...

The Democratic Alliance has laid a complaint with the Public Protector against ANC Secretary General, Fikile Mbalula and Deputy President, Paul Mashatile. The complaint follows media reports on Media24 alleging Mashatile was living a life of luxury funded by people who benefited from state tenders. The party also says Mbalula was loaned R3 million by the COO of the National Lotteries Commission. W...

Following the JSC’s recommendation. President Cyril Ramaphosa has decided to suspend Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela who is the presiding judge in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial and Judge Nomonde Mngqibisa-Thusi. Complaints against both judges were lodged in 2020 by Judge President, Dunstan Mlambo, who accused them of delaying judgements.   GUEST: Mvuzo Notyesi, JSC Spokesperson

The Citrus Growers Association of South Africa wants government to intervene in ensuring that the EU’s pest regulations are relaxed as they are making it difficult for them to conduct business with their European counterparts. The organisation is arguing that the current regulations are discriminatory and unjust as they are affecting their industry negatively.   GUEST: Deon Joubert, EU Special Env...

However, it ran into a legal hurdle because it did not provide for clear regulation on sex work. The department of Justice and correctional services department says the bill has not been abandoned, however, it is in the process of being enhanced because parts of it remain unconstitutional. It says there will still be consultation on issues around regulation. However, the Sisonke National Sex Worke...

South Africa is currently battling a teenage pregnancy problem. Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, revealed that between April 2021 and March 2022, girls aged 10 to 19 had almost 90 000 pregnancies. Many teenage mom drop out of school due to lack of support and many never go back. There are many interventions to try curb teenage pregnancy, however, there are very few programmes designed...

We look at the annual Muslim pilgrimage of Hajj which commenced on Monday in Saudi Arabia. For the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, more than 2.5 million Muslim pilgrims are expected to attend this year’s Hajj. Joining us to explain the importance of Hajj and what it means to Muslim community across the globe is…..   GUEST: Sheigh Rafiq Hassan, Founder and Director of the Islamic Interfaith...

ANC Secretary General, Fikile Mbalula spoke at the ANC’s electoral conference in the Western Cape this past weekend. While speaking on issues around regime change, Mbalula touched on the affairs in Zimbabwe. He said the West is trying to push for regime change in Zimbabwe and they want opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa to take over. He says if the sanctions against Zimbabwe were legitimate, they w...

A government owned game reserve in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape no longer has game animals after people suspected to be from Lesotho allegedly slaughtered 30 zebras and 20 black hartebeests to eat. The Ongeluksnek Nature Reserve is located  on the border of Lesotho and South Africa has had animals being stolen and slaughtered since 2018. The game reserve;s management says it has become impossible...

Earlier on today, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube, together with the Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi and eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda visited the community of Inanda to assess damage caused by the storm. Disaster management teams are currently conducting assessments to determine the full extent of the damage to infrastructure while on the other hand, government officials...

Heads of state from the East African Community are meeting in Angola in an effort to come up with possible solutions that will restore peace on the African continent, in particular, the Democratic Republic of Congo. For more analysis on this, we are joined by…..   GUEST: Nixon Katembo, African affairs commentator who also works for Channel Afrika

The decision by Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi to terminate the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit has been declared unlawful, unconstitutional and invalid. Motsoaledi has been directed to reconsider the issue and follow a fair process that complies with the law. The case was brought by the Helen Suzman Foundation and the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa following the depa...

ANC Secretary General, Fikile Mbalula is in the Free state. He is engaging residents of Parys following an incidents where ANC T-shirts were burnt following the expulsion of former Secretary General, Ace Magashule. Magashule comes from the area. Mbalula addressed the media earlier. What came out of that media address? We’re joined by SABC News Senior Political Reporter, Samkele Maseko.

How should a country with a history like South Africa deal with incidents of racism that we see happening every now and then? The South African Communist Party says it will lay a charge against author, Nicole Barlow shared in reaction to a Sunday Times story about Minister Mantashe attending a Cosatu event instead of another event with President Cyril Ramaphosa. In the reaction she says ‘we missed...

Different parts of KwaZulu-Natal have been hit by a tonardo that has destroyed houses and left some roads damaged The tonardo comes after warnings about heavy rains and possible flooding in some parts of the province. KZN is still reeling from floods that ravaged the province, leaving a trail of destruction and claiming lives. To help us understand what is happening in KZN, we are now joined by Mn...

The South African Poultry Association says two farms in Mpumalanga have an outbreak of a highly infectious H7 Avian Flu strain. The last strain that broke out in Western Cape wiped out over one million birds a few months ago. This strain detected in Mpumalanga is different. SAPA says the problem is not yet out of control and there is no reason for alarm. So far, it is wild birds that are positive,...

Eight people have died and eight others were injured when a bakkie they were travelling in overturned on a rural road in Eliotdale in the Eastern Cape. The bakkie was carrying 16 traditional healers who were on their way to a ceremony. The driver allegedly lost control and the vehicle veered off the road before rolling several times. We’re now joined by Eastern Cape Transport Spokesperson, Unathi...

It turns out that more people are applying for smart IDs and passports. Following this observation, the department of home affairs has decided to extend its operating times by two hours, which means that as from today up until Friday, the department will now start operating from 08:00 am to 17.30pm. But this is just a temporary extension. To give us more details on this is….   GUEST: Siya Qoza, Sp...

Earlier on today, Human Rights Watch released its 68-page report titled “This Government is Failing Me Too: South Africa Compounds Legacy of Apartheid for Older People.” The report suggests that South Africa is failing to take care of its older people. It also found that the department of social development has failed to allocate sufficient resources for community and home-based care and support s...

The high unemployment rate remains a major concern in South Africa. Statistics South Africa has once again highlighted this problem when releasing its latest Quarterly Employment Statistics data earlier on today. According to the organisation, South Africa lost 97 000 jobs between March last year and March this year. But is there a political will to arrest this problem? Political economist, Dr Lum...

Diepkloof in Soweto remains volatile after after tensions flared up as protesters pelt police with stones and police firing rubber bullets. The police continue to monitor the situation after some residents were arrested for public violence. The residents were protesting against lack of access to clean water, issues around housing as well as electricity. A vehicle belonging to the SABC was also dam...

It has been a year since the Enyobeni tragedy that claimed the lives of 21 children. The tragedy raised concern about the availability of liquor to minors in South Africa. Families of the deceased children and the community came together earlier today to commemorate their lives in a memorial service. As we commemorate the year since that tragedy, there was another ‘pens down’ party in East London...