The National Pulse

What will it take to end mass shootings in the U.S? According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been more than 200 mass shootings in the United States of America since the beginning of this year, with the latest incident having occurred at Texas shopping mall over the weekend, leaving more than six people dead.   GUEST: Ricardo Gressel, Social activist

Today we celebrate the South African Police Service (SAPS) K9 search and rescue team, after they were recently recognised by the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for their incredible intervention in the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria. The SAPS K9 Search and Rescue teams have been involved in numerous recovery operations across the world including the Haiti 2010 earthquake. GUEST: Brigadier...

City of Johannesburg’s mayor, Kabelo Gwamanda has announced his mayoral committee after being elected into the position earlier today. He replaces his fellow Al Jama-ah comrade, Thapelo Amad who resigned two weeks ago. His mayoral committee includes former mayor of Johannesburg, Dada Morero who is the new MMC for Finance, while transport MMC Kenny Kunene retains his position. We’re now joined by S...

The Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association regional taxi council in Cape Town has been dealt a blow, following the murder of its training officer, Chairmaine Bailey. Bailey was shot dead allegedly while she was attending a meeting yesterday. The 56 year old’s murder comes just a month after the killing of rival taxi association Codeta’s boss, Sizwe Khobocwana. It is not clear yet what the motive of the...

The iconic Fun World Park, which has been operating on Durban beachfront for 75 years, was recently closed – following the cancellation of a month-to-month lease with the operator. However, the eThekwini Municipality has announced that it has big plans for the site and is currently finalizing plans for a world-class facility that will attract tourists and beach-goers. Joining us to outline plans f...

Britain is buzzing as the coronation of King Charles III will take place tomorrow in a ceremony that will also crown his wife, Camilla, as Queen. But what does this historic moment mean for the citizens of the United Kingdom as this will be Britain’s first coronation in 70 years. Joining us to discuss this and also to talk more about what King Charles reign has been like so far is….. GUEST (UK): S...

The recent landing of UAE president Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan with an entourage of 500 people in the Eastern Cape has not only caused outrage, but also started a conversation about land ownership by foreigners in South Africa. Former Public Protector Advocate Thuli Madonsela said in a Twitter Space conversation that she does not think foreigners should own land in South Africa. Many Afri...

We celebrate Lwazi Ngcungama who designed a beautiful replica of the 1996 Bafana Bafana jersey. Last year, Ngcungama's designs won the competition for South Africa national teams' next kits. He had to borrow a computer from his friend to design the kits. World Cup-bound Banyana Banyana cannot wait to wear the new jersey. GUEST: Lwazi Ngcungama, Graphic Designer

Commuters can breathe a sigh of relief as Putco busses will be back on the road tomorrow. The bus company suspended service due to fuel shortages and non-payment of subsidies by the Gauteng government. However, a new agreement is now in place. Gauteng premier, Panyaza Lesufi says a longer  service agreement with the entire bus service sector  to avoid disruptions like today’s. Those affected by to...

The case of kidnapping and murder of two boys from Soweto whose bodies were found mutilated will continue in court tomorrow.  Five -year-old Nqobizitha Zulu and six-year-old Tshiamo Rabanye were buried last week, a third child who was kidnapped with them escaped and was found alive. The five year old helped give some details that helped with the investigation, we are now joined by the father of th...

The South African Police Service has apologised after the personal details of the Krugersdorp gang rape victims were disclosed in the WhatsApp messages on SAPS WhatsApp groups, which found its way to social media. After conducting an internal investigation, the SAPS found that the personal information of victims was released inappropriately but no ill-tent was uncovered. But how damaging was this?...

how can SAPS bring justice to victims and what measures are they going to put in place to avoid a repeat of such information breach?   GUEST: Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, SAPS National Spokesperson  

Who was behind an alleged drone attack on Moscow’s Kremlin? Russia has accused Ukraine of an assassination attempt on Russian President Vladimir Putin using drones. However, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has denied that Kyiv was involved, saying that they are only focusing on defending their villages and cities. So what’s likely to happen next? For more on this, we are joined by…..   GUEST...

Parliament has passed a law that will make sign language a 12th language in South Africa.  The bill was tabled by the Department of Justice and Correctional Services for approval by members of parliament. It went through a rigorous process that includes public hearings for a year before it was passed. The law seeks to recognise the rights of people who are deaf, including those who are hard of hea...

As this year marks 45 years since the death of Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe. Today we remember the contribution that Sobukwe and other political prisoners that were incarcerated at Robben Island made to the political freedom that we all enjoy today. Sixty years ago today, Robert Sobukwe was banished to Robben Island as a political prisoner.   GUEST: Professor Saths Cooper, Chairperson of the Robben Is...

Dr Nandipha Magudumana along with five co-accused in the Thabo Bester escape case will wait until the 11th  and 12th of May to apply for bail. They face a list of charges including fraud, as well as aiding and abetting the escape of a convicted criminal from prison. The charge of murder has however been dropped. The body of the man who was burnt inside Thabo Bester’s cell was identified as Katlego...

The last group of South Africans that was still in the process of being evacuated from Sudan has been released from Egypt. The 22 people were stranded on a boat for four days as the South African embassy in Egypt negotiated for their release after they escaped the conflict. They had been in Sudan on a work project since September last year. They will be flying out of Egypt later today. We’re now j...

Let’s go to Zambia now as it is widely reported that a group of armed police officers have surrounded the house of former President Edgar Lungu to conduct a search, allegedly, involving three motor vehicles and a title deed. T GUEST (ZAMBIA): Emmanuel Mwamba, Zambia's former Ambassador to Ethiopia and former Permanent Representative to the African Union

Elias Monage explains why Black Business Council is against a privately funded investigation into corruption at Eskom. He is of the view that Business Leadership South Africa’s decision to fund Eskom’s investigation is inappropriate and teetering on serious interference.   GUEST: Elias Monage, President of the Black Business Council (BBC)

A truce between Israeli forces and Palestinian militant groups has been reached after the death of a Palestinian hunger striker in Israeli custody added to heightened Israeli-Palestinian tensions. Palestinian leaders accused Israel of causing the death of Adnan, the first Palestinian hunger striker to die in Israeli custody in more than 30 years. GUEST: Naeem Jeenah, Senior Researcher @Mapungubwe...

Who will be the next mayor in the City of Johannesburg? The council is voting today, after Al Jama-ah’s Thapelo Amad resigned from the position just three months after he was voted in. The ANC and the EFF have fielded Al Jama-ah’s Kabelo Gwamanda. PA leader, Gayton McKenzie has resigned as mayor of Central Karoo and he has in the past expressed interest in the position. To discuss the state of the...

reaction to that briefing by government on the school nutrition programme in KwaZulu-Natal, we’re now joined by Vee Gani, Chairperson of KZN Parents Association.

Following the Thabo Bester prison escape scandal. The Department of Correctional Services has announced that it has decided to terminate its concession contract with the Bloemfontein Correctional Services (BCC). The department has given the BCC 90 days to vacate the Mangaung prison in the Free State. For more explanation on this, we are now joined by…. GUEST: Chrispin Phiri, Spokesperson for the M...

We examine the US Commission on International Religious Freedom’s call to blacklist India over religious freedom. The commission is arguing that the country continues to mistreat minority groups as it enforces discriminatory policies in relation to religion.     GUEST: Salman Khan, Independent political analyst on South-East Asia

Is the relationship between the ANC and the alliance healing? President Cyril Ramaphosa today addressed Cosatu members at the official Worker’s Day Ceremony in Bethlehem in the Free State. The last time Ramaphosa attended a Worker’s Day event, he was hackled by workers and had to be quickly rushed out of the venue in the North West. Today, he spoke about the importance of a solid relationship betw...