The National Pulse

The Eastern Cape legislature’s portfolio committee on education has slammed the government for a shortage of almost 2000 teachers, including over 300 principals. The committee says the basic education department has failed to sufficiently budget to ensure vacant positions are filled in Eastern Cape schools. The department’s budget can only fund 80% of the vacant posts. The committee will table a r...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has given the green light to the Special Investigating Unit to probe dealings of the Free State premier's office, and specifically look into former premier, Ace Magashule's tenure. The investigation will include bursaries that were given to students and possible unlawful expenditure of government funds in relation to the bursary scheme. We’re now joined by SIU Spokesperso...

Can SA Post Office be saved or it will simply die a slow death? Minister of communications and digital technologies Mondli Gungubele joins us to outline the objectives of his department's draft business rescue plan that is aimed at rescuing the ailing SA Post Office from being liquidated. Given its terrible financial position, currently the organisation intends to retrench more than 6 500 employee...

South Africa is the latest country that has expressed its desire to host a peace summit between Ukraine and Russia. Earlier on today, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said “we must be receptive to the possibility of South Africa hosting the peace summit”. You may recall that last month, Denmark also expressed its interest to hold a peace summit. So what will it mean for a country li...

The youth of Tshwane gathered today for the Climate Action Youth Seminar by the Ranyaka Community Transformation, to discuss climate change mitigating measures. The city was recently hit by floods that left many people in townships like Mamelodi homeless. What is the role of young people in fighting against climate change? We're now joined by Thabang Shongwe. Thabang is the co-founder of Backyard...

Social Enterprise, Kusini Water has partnered with Nedbank to provide clean water to the community of Hammanskraal. The area was hit by a cholera outbreak in May, claiming over 20 lives. President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the area today. Kusini Water is a social enterprise that builds water treatment systems using nanotechnology and and locally sourced macadamia nut shells. The company has been pro...

Rogerwilco’s  Township Customer Experience (CX)  Report for 2023 reveals consumers prefer value over brands. It also shows 25% of respondents spend half their salary services and goods sold within the township, and 51% of respondents buy from spaza shops on a daily basis. This is a 7% increase from 2022. Another interesting finding is the fact that younger people in the township are opting for sto...

The minister of home affairs Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has revealed that his department has decided to extend Zimbabwean Exemption Permits. The permits were due to expire in three weeks time, however, they will now be valid until the end of the year. Motsoaledi joins us now to elaborate further on this….. GUEST: Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, Minister of Home Affairs 

How do the holders of the Zimabwean Exemption Permits feel about the new extension. The department of home affairs extended the validity of the permits to December. This is to allow time to process the increase of applications for Visa Waivers from permit holders. The department says it receives between 1000 and 1500 applications daily. We're now joined by Luke Mufaro Dzviti, Chairperson of the Zi...

We hear from the Democratic Alliance Students Organisation (DASO) on why they don’t want Professor Patrick Lumumba to address an event at UCT. They say it is disgraceful that in a time when gay people in Africa are fighting for their rights and acceptance, the EFF Student Command would choose to give a platform to someone who advocates for their persecution and murder. Lumumba was recently quoted...

European Union interior ministers are currently meeting in Luxembourg to discuss the issue of refugee crisis in Europe. They have been grappling with this issue since 2015 as most of them couldn’t agree on how to reform migration policy. So are they likely to reach a different outcome this time around? We find out from…. GUEST: Musa Mdunge, Political Analyst and PhD candidate based at the Universi...

Al Jama-ah leader says Ganief Hendrick’s his party will continue to support City of Joburg Mayor, Kabelo Gwamanda. This follows allegations that he scammed residents out of insurance investments through a Ponzi scheme. Hendricks says there is no basis for the allegations.

ActionSA has filed a motion of no confidence against City of Johannesburg Mayor, Kabelo Gwamanda. Gwamanda was elected the mayor of the City of Joburg just a month ago and had his first Stare of the City Address yesterday. ActionSA cites allegations that Gwamanda scammed residents out of funeral insurance investments through a ponzi scheme. We are now joined by Funzi Ngobeni, Gauteng Provincial Ch...

Kudakwashe Takawira, Robotics Team Coach & Lilitha Siyo, Team Captain: “Learners from Zwelethemba High School to compete at robotics competition in US”

Commuters in the City of Tshwane have been left stranded after a decision to suspend the operation of the Tshwane Bus Service yesterday afternoon. This follows what the city calls an illegal strike by members of the South African Municipal Workers Union. It says they are unhappy about salary increases and overtime payments. The City of Tshwane says it will inform SAMWU to direct its members to ret...

Western Cape police are probing the murder of the Codeta Chairperson, Siyabulela Mandyoli. The 52 year old taxi boss was shot last night in Khayelitsha. He was instrumental in the negotiations leading to the reopening of the B97 taxi route between Mbekweni and Bellville and ensuring a peaceful coexistence between taxi associations in the Western Cape. We’re now joined by Mandla Hermanus, Chairpers...

What will it take to turn around South Africa’s economic fortunes? Following yesterday’s important meeting between the government and business sector. The Presidency has revealed that various government departments will collaborate with business to address key priorities that will enable South Africa to fast track its economic growth trajectory. Joining us to discuss the outcomes of the meeting is...

Former President Jacob Zuma will appeal today’s High Court ruling, which set aside the private prosecution of advocate Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughn. So legally speaking, what are his chances of success on appeal? For more on this, we are joined by….   GUEST: Dr Llewellyn Curlewis, Senior Lecturer in Criminal and Procedural Law at the University of Pretoria.

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has fined Microsoft $20 million for illegally collecting and retaining children’s personal data. The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and to protect and educate consumers. But how did the Microsoft database breach happen? To unpack this for us, we are joined by….. GUEST: Arthur Goldstuck, CEO of the World Wide Worx

Former cabinet spokesperson, Mzwanele Manyi is heading to parliament. His name appears on a list of new EFF members who will be sworn in as MPs. Manyi announced a few weeks ago that he was leaving ATM to go and join the EFF. He said at the time that he was joining as an ordinary member of the party to work on the ground. We’re now joined by political analyst, Dr Levy Ndou.

The department of water and sanitation has released its report on the state of South Africa’s municipal drinking water. The report assesses all aspects of safe water provision in the country. Last year’s report identified 334 wastewater systems in a critical condition. The department says it has received corrective action plans from 168 municipalities, however, only 34 of the 168 plans  were being...

In a bid to assist law enforcement agencies in the fight against crime, University of Cape Town (UCT) student and community activist, Zukile Ntentema, is set to establish the first youth violence-prevention centre in the country and he joins us now to outline its objectives.  GUEST: Zukile Ntentema, UCT Student & Community activist

The International Air Transport Association has singled out South Africa for its high airport charges and poor operational inefficiencies. The organisation says South African airports want a 38% increase in airport charges, while the Air Traffic Navigation Services wants a higher increase. It is hosting its annual summit on the aviation sector in Turkey. It says most service providers in air navig...

South Africa has dodged a technical recession following the growth of the GDP by 0.4% in the first quarter of 2023. The GDP contracted by 1.1% in the last quarter of 2022 sparking fears of a recession. The growth comes as load-shedding continues to lead to many businesses shutting down as production costs rise. The growth has been driven by manufacturing, transport, storage, communication and cons...

Is South Africa short of sculptors? Following the arrival of two statues of Nelson Mandela and O.R Tambo that were made in China. The Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal says it will write to the public protector and the auditor-general to request that the statues be investigated. However, eThekwini Municipality says there is nothing amiss about the procurement process that was followed in relati...