The National Pulse

The African Transformation Movement has written to the office of the acting Public Protector, Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka to complain against Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi’s decision to declare the Bulembu Airport in Bisho in the Eastern Cape an international port of entry. The complaint follows the landing of the president and ruler of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheik Mohammed b...

The Inclusive Society Institute says it is highly unlikely that South Africa will get a coalition government at national level. It also says no opposition coalition can be ushered in South African without the EFF. This follows the organisation’s Govdem Poll undertaken in collaboration with Ipsos in November-December 2022. It says while it is improbable for a coalition at national government, it is...

U.S President Joe Biden has announced that he will be running for president again next year. Following his announcement, there are those who feel that he is likely to face an uphill battle in the general election as he has been persistently battling low approval ratings for much of his presidency. However, the big question that most people have been asking is - are we likely to see another Biden-T...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his gratitude to Finland as its longstanding partner in progress and development. Ramaphosa is currently hosting his Finland counterpart President Sauli Niinisto on a State Visit at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. Trade and investment, renewable energy and information technology are some of the topics that are expected to dominate the talks between the two...

It was a big weekend for the ruling party as its NEC sat to discuss a variety of issues where NEC member and electricity minister Dr Kgosientso Ramokgopa shared his proposal on how to end load-shedding. As the NEC meeting comes to a close, the party will also be commemorating its late struggle starlwart, OR Tambo where Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe will deliver the keynote address. We’re now join...

Residents of Tembisa in the East of Johannesburg took to the streets today in protest against power cuts in the area. They say hundreds of households have had their power cut off for non-payment, however they say many of the houses that have been switched off do not owe and the municipality has not given an explanation for it. Some of the households have not had power for over a week. We’re now jo...

we unpack the KZN Budget Policy statement that was recently delivered by the MEC for Finance, Peggy Nkonyeni. Owing to some reductions in the provincial budget as a result of the annual updates of the data that is used to determine the portion of the Provincial Equitable Share formula allocated to each province – KZN’s budget will see a reduction of 0.16% compared to the previous period. To explai...

As the situation in Sudan continues to be fraught, the department of international relations and cooperation (DIRCO) has confirmed that the implementation of an evacuation strategy is at an advanced stage. We also understand that currently, there are about 77 verified South African nationals trapped in Sudan. We’re now joined by SABC News Foreign Editor, Sophie Mokoena.

What implications will the new Twitter verification rules and costs have on small businesses? Businesses that still want to continue running ads on the app will have to pay over R18000 per month in order to remain verified and be able to run adverts on the platform. The new rules since Elon Musk took over have caused outrage, as many people who were verified lost their verification badges and are...

Three men have been arrested for stealing a 2.5 metre long crocodile from a farm in Hartbeesfontein in the North West. Police and conservation officers traced the crocodile and found it in a farmhouse and seized a bakkie the suspects allegedly used to transport the crocodile. They have been charged with contravening the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act. We’re now joined by North...

Gerhard Ackerman, who was accused of raping minors, has been found guilty of rape and possession of child pornography by the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg. Ackerman has been on trial facing over 740 charges for his role in a child sex rape ring. For more details on this, we are joined by…..   Guest: NPA Gauteng spokesperson, Phindi Mjonondwane

A group of refugees, comprising of mostly Congolese, Burundian and Kenyan nationals have been evicted from outside the offices of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees offices in Brooklyn, Pretoria. Crying women and children pleaded with the police to leave them alone. However, a recent court order permitted the removal of the refugees who have been camping on the pavement of the UNHCR o...

Will Afriforum be heading to the Constitutional Court following today’s ruling at the Supreme Court of Appeals? The court upheld the Equality Court’s ruling declaring any public display of the apartheid flag as hate speech, unfair discrimination and harassment in terms of the Equality Act. The against the use of the apartheid flag was pursued in 2019, by the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the South...

SASSA grant recipients who utilise the post office for their monthly payouts, are being urged to renew their cards or consider porting their payments via the banks or retail outlets. More than 5.5 million grant recipients use Postbank cards at the country's post offices to receive their monthly grants. However, these cards are due to expire over the next three months, rendering them invalid. With...

Police Minister Bheki Cele has confirmed that two suspects have been arrested following a mass shooting incident in Imbali, outside Pietermaritzburg, where 10 family members were shot dead. To tell us more about what transpired earlier on is…..   GUEST: Brigadier Jay Naicker, KZN Police spokesperson

Charges against the accused in the Nulane investment fraud trial have been dropped. The Bloemfontein High Court dismissed the charges after five of the six accused made an application for discharge in terms of Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act. The section states that an accused person may be acquitted of charges if the state fails to make its case. The high court ruled in February ruled t...

KwaZulu-Natal’s Department of Social Development presented its budget yesterday. Among other things, MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza raised concerns about the impact of national budget cuts on social development projects. The department has allocated over R190 million for the projects meant for elderly care and over R150 million on anti-crime projects. We’re now joined by KZN’s Nonhlanhla Khoza.

It’s new political party season as we head towards the 2024 elections. Yesterday we reported on the launch of Rise Mzansi, today, we have another new political party and it’s called Move. The political party was founded by 26 year old University of Pretoria student, David Kabwa. Kabwa is a PhD candidate in International Relations at the University of Pretoria’s Centre for Mediation in Africa. He w...

The South African Commercial Catering and Allied Workers Union has condemned what I calls tactics that are in bad faith by Makro. Makro employees have been taking to the streets for the past few weeks in protest against an alleged dismissal of 600 workers, looming retrenchments as well as salary increases. The trade union says Makro has compelled workers to accept a 4.5% unilateral increase outsid...

Is it in the interest of South Africa and democracy to have too many political parties, and what are the advantages or limitations of having too many parties? We pose this question simply because more political parties are being launched ahead of next year’s general elections. Just yesterday, two parties were launched, namely; Rise Mzansi and Arise South Africa.   GUEST: Professor Andre Duvenhage,...

As government is yet to decide on whether to terminate the G4S contract, following Thabo Bester’s prison escape. We hear from POPCRU on why they want government to do away with private prisons in South Africa.   GUEST: Richard Mamabolo, Spokesperson of the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union

President Cyril Ramaphosa is hosting Namibian President Hage Geingob on a state visit today at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. The visit aims to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries. Samkele Maseko was at the Union Buildings earlier on today and he joins us now to tell us more about what the two presidents discussed….   GUEST: Samkele Maseko, Senior SABC Political reporter

A new ceasefire is in place in Sudan for 24 hours after yesterday’s ceasefire was broken by rival forces. About 270 people have been killed so far and hundred have been injured. A ceasefire was negotiated and was meant to have been effective for 24 hours since 6pm yesterday. It is not clear yet who broke the truce first as forces loyal to generals in leadership continue their battle for key locati...

Budget Speech for Economic Development & Tourism in KZN: Siboniso Duma – MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs

There is a new political kid on the block. rise Mzansi has been launched and it calls for people to extend their political power beyond just the vote and meaningfully participate in their democracy. Rise Mzansi Leader, Songezo Zibi says it is not just because there is load-shedding or extreme levels of poverty and violence that South Africans feel despondent, but the fact that there is no politica...