The National Pulse

Finannce minister, Enoch Godongwana has granted Eskom an exemption from regulations that require State Owned Entities to disclose expenditure that does not comply with the provisions of the PFMA. A notice in the government gazette of 31 March says Eskom will be exempt from disclosing its annual reports for three years, starting from the financial year that runs until end-March 2023. We’re now join...

The South African Communist Party has presented the outcomes of its Augmented Central Committee meeting that took place this past weekend. Among other things, it has resolved to contest elections in 2024 through what it calls an effective and reconfigured alliance. It is also calling on cabinet to withdraw South Africa from the International Criminal Court. This follows a warrant of arrest issued...

Renesh Thakoorden from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) explains how the newly established Indoor Energy Storage Testbed will strengthen South Africa’s ability to support local players in the battery value chain. GUEST: Renesh Thakoorden, Researcher & Electrical Engineer at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

Absa’s Purchasing Managers Index shows the South African manufacturing activity contracted in March, showing a deterioration in business conditions in the manufacturing sector for a second month. The index fell to 48.1 points in March from 48.8 points in February. Absa says domestic demand seems to be struggling, with some comments referring to local demand faltering due to load-shedding. Despite...

Now that the culprit in the biggest cyber beach South Africa has ever seen has been sentenced, what are some of the lessons we can learn from Experian’s data breach as consumers. Data fraudster Karabo Phungula was sentenced to 15 years last week for fraudulently obtaining personal data of 24 million South Africans during a data breach that has incurred the credit bureau over R5million in costs. We...

The Port of Durban has welcomed ocean liner Queen Mary 2 to the City's port. According to eThekwini Municipality, Queen Mary 2’s return is expected to be a major drawcard for cruise liners and it will bring positives for the tourism sector in the province.   GUEST: Lindiwe Khuzwayo, Head of Communication @eThekwini Municipality 

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has announced its preliminary revenue collection results for the 2022/2023 financial year, which reflects a significant growth trajectory over the past few years. To explain what informs this growth is…. GUEST: Edward Kieswetter, SARS Commissioner

For the first time in two weeks, there would be no protests in Kenya today - after Raila Odinga and President William Ruto agreed to sit down and discuss several issues that have led to anti-government protests in recent weeks. But, will the upcoming talks between these two leaders produce great outcomes? We find out from….. GUEST: Dr Chidochase Nyere, Political analyst from UJ’s Institute for Pan...

Benedict Chere talks about his business journey: Gone are the days when South Africans would say there is no magic food for a hangover cure. Thanks to Benedict Chere for starting a business that cures ‘Babalaz.’ But as we all know that starting a business is tough and challenging on all fronts – so what motivated him to come up with this business concept and how challenging was it for him to start...

It’s all systems go for the resumption of the Democratic Alliance’s elective conference that is due to take place tomorrow at the Gallagher Estate in Midrand. Helen Zille will be running for re-election as the DA’s federal council chairperson. She joins us now to discuss party politics and SA’s state of affairs.   GUEST: Helen Zille, DA’s Federal Council Chairperson

Prosecutors in New York are working to co-ordinate Donald Trump's surrender to court officials, after he became the first former US president to be charged with a crime. Trump has been indicted on charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. To explain what this means is….. GUEST (UK): Professor Scott Lucas, Professor of International Politics at the University o...

We pose this question as the country’s main opposition party gears up for its elective congress this coming weekend. When the Democratic Alliance was formed in 2000, we were told that the party was established to protect and strengthen democracy in South Africa and to build a strong opposition that will somehow be able to restrict the one-party dominance of the ANC. But has the Democratic Alliance...

Water samples from Jukskei and Klip rivers have been collected for analysis after four people who recently attended baptism ceremonies held at the two rivers tested positive for cholera. This increases the number of cholera cases in South African to 10. The health department says none of the four people had recently traveled outside the country. Guest: Spokesperson for the Department of Health, Fo...

Bongani Baloyi now has a new political home. The former Action SA Gauteng Chairperson announced his departure from the party a few weeks ago. He has now launched a new political party. Xiluva is a new political party that will contest election in 2024. Baloyi says it is built on the ideological philosophy of Ubuntu, community and multiracialism. He says it is for people who want a real alternative...

Guest: Dirk Kotze

Former president Thabo Mbeki has once again challenged the ANC’s position in relation to the ongoing Phala Phala matter, accusing the party of protecting President Cyril Ramaphosa. Mbeki sent a letter to ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile, registering his dissatisfaction in terms of how the party is handling the matter. For more on this, we are joined by…..   GUEST: Bongekile Macupe, News24 journ...

What next for Lesotho MPs, post their debate regarding a motion that is aimed at reclaiming huge parts of land from South Africa. Rapelang Radebe says all that is left now is for the Parliament of Lesotho to decide as to whether they agree or reject the motion. He joins us now to elaborate further on this…..   GUEST: Rapelang Radebe, SABC Correspondent based in Lesotho

Suspended Public Protector, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane says she had no ulterior motives when she investigated President Cyrl Ramaphosa’s CR17 campaign. She says she investigated due to lack of transparency around donations towards the campaign. She estimates around R1.2 billion was donated to the by different individuals and entities towards the presidential campaign. Advocate Mkhwebane has been...

As the biggest night in British theatre is fast approaching. Today we celebrate SA actress Pamela Nomvete who is in the running to receive the Olivier Award for best actress in a supporting role. The Olivier Awards are Britain's most prestigious stage honours and they will take place at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday (2 April). GUEST (UK): Pamela Nomvete, South African actress

Leigh Matthews’ killer Donovan Moodley’s bid to get parole has caused outrage as many believe he does to deserve it. He will find out later today whether or not he will be granted parole. Moodley abducted Matthews from Bond University in Sandton in 2004, and held her captive while demanding a ransom from her family. He then murdered her after receiving the ransom. NPO, Women and Men Against Child...

Non-Profit Organisation, Love Life says the sexual violation of children in schools by teachers is concerning and should be addressed. This follows Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga’s written response to parliament this week saying sexual violations by teachers against pupils rose by 46% from 92 to 169 between 2019 and 2021. The organisation says this shouldn’t be accepted and action is ne...

Post the election of Cilliers Brink as the new Executive Mayor of Tshwane. EFF’s Regional Chairperson Obakeng Ramabodu says the red berets are not going to allow the multi-party coalition in the City of Tshwane to remove the speaker, Mncedi Ndzwanana. He joins us now to elaborate further on this…..   GUEST: Obakeng Ramabodu, EFF Regional Chairperson (City of Tshwane)

As Africa continues to witness many high-profile visits from leaders from different countries – today we assess Kamala Harris’s visit on the continent as she is the latest high-profile person to visit Africa. Once again the conversation is about whether her visit is about countering Russia and China's growing influence on the continent or there is more to it. On Monday Harris pledged $139 million ...

An update on a story we did yesterday. The Education department in the Eastern Cape has suspended three teachers at a school in Bizana following allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault against pupils. Parents approached activists for help after the school failed to act on it and the teachers allegedly threatened to take legal action should they speak on the issue. A team of counsellors...

The Tshwane University of Technology has launched its Artificial Intelligence Hub. It is the second institution in the country to set up an artificial intelligence hub. It will serve as a space for knowledge generation, research and development, as well as implementation, targeting sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, mining, agriculture and the automotive industry. How will this hub work and w...