The National Pulse

China's leader Xi Jinping has secured a historic third term as president from the country's rubber-stamp parliament. It follows a consolidation of power that has made Mr Xi, 69, China's most dominant leader in generations.   GUEST ON THE LINE: Professor David Monyae - Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Johannesburg, and Co-Director of the UJ C...

Today we are picking up from where we left off on A bonding session conversation around giving homework to children and the whole concept of introducing responsibilities to small children. Some listeners raised concerns about the amount of work that is being given to small children to take home after school. When is the best time to gradually start giving homework to children and how does one bala...

Murunwa Makwarela has been reinstated as Tshwane mayor after he was able to produce a certificate proving he is a rehabilitated insolvent. Makwarela was disqualified as a councillor after he could not produce proof to Tshwane City Manager Johann Mettler that he was rehabilitated after he was declared insolvent and sequestrated in August 2016. guest: George Matjila guest: Selby

Two learners were killed early this morning in a crash involving three vehicles on the N4 toll road between Vosman and Emalahleni. Several learners sustained injuries ranging from mild to moderate. This happened when two mini-bus taxis and an articulated truck collided.   Guest: Moeti Mmusi Spokesperson Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison Mpumalanga

Russia unleashed “a massive rocket attack” that hit critical infrastructure and residential buildings in 10 regions of Ukraine, the country’s president said Thursday, with officials reporting at least six deaths in the largest such night-time attack in three weeks. GUEST: Siphamandla Zondi – Professor of politics and international relations at the University of Johannesburg

Four people have died amid ongoing protests by members of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu), Health Minister Joe Phaahla said on Thursday morning. Phaahla was conducting a visit to Charlotte Maxeke Hospital. The minister said a government legal team was considering what action to take in regard to the deaths, which he said could be "attributed directly to the strike...

The death of 3 year old Kganya Mokhele at Little Ashford Pre-school after a bookshelf apparently fell on him has sent shockwaves across the country. The school says Kganya reached for a toy that was on the bookshelf and it collapsed on top of him. To discuss safety in Early Childhood Development Centres, we’re now joined by GUEST: Professor Eric Atmore, Director of the Centre for Early Childhood D...

The appointment of Dr Kgosientso Ramokgopa as minister of electricity is being welcomed outside the borders of South Africa. Namibian member of parliament and deputy leader of the Landless People’s Movement, Henny Seibeb Dr Ramokgopa’s appointment brings hope that the power crisis will be solved. He was speaking in parliament in Namibia. He says He and his party believe Ramokgopa will bring fresh...

Protests by Nehawu members against the 3% salary increase by government have been intensifying across the country. In some hospitals there have been reports of members blocking both patients and healthcare workers from entering, causing disruptions. The labour court on Monday upheld an interdict to stop the protests, however, members have continued as the union appeals it. What has the situation i...

As we observe International Women’s Day – we look at the challenges faced by South African women who are excluded from the country’s economy. The Assembly of the Unemployed says South Africa is sitting on a ticking time bomb as mass unemployment drives income inequalities with women being more affected than men.   GUEST: Princess Majola, Coordinator of the Assembly of the Unemployed    

We unpack the new Illegal Migration Bill, which seeks to address the UK’s Channel crossing crisis. The bill enables detention of illegal arrivals, without bail or judicial review within the first 28 days of detention, until they can be removed. However, human rights campaigners have condemned this bill, saying it is illegal, unworkable, and utterly inhumane.     GUEST (Scotland): Musa Mdunge, Poli...

Following Parliament’s decision to pass a draft resolution to downgrade the South African embassy in Israel. Let’s now hear from the South African Zionist Federation, as they are calling on South Africa’s political players to cease their divisive and inconsistent foreign affairs agenda and manage South Africa’s international affairs with uniformity, principle and dignity. The organisation is again...

Yesterday, Parliament passed a draft resolution to downgrade the South African embassy in Israel. The resolution was proposed by the National Freedom Party (NFP). However, members of parliament from the Democratic Alliance (DA), African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and Freedom Front Plus (FF+) all spoke out against the motion to downgrade the embassy.   GUEST: Sha...

Wits SRC President Aphiwe Mnyamana has been suspended following protests at the institution for over a week. Students have been protesting over financial exclusion as well as lack of accommodation. Mnyamana was suspended following allegations of misconduct. The university says it gave him an opportunity to make presentations, however, he failed to make presentations. He shared on his social media...

Earlier today, Police Minister Bheki Cele led a Ministerial Crime Prevention Imbizo at the Westbury Recreational Hall. The area has recently seen an escalation in gang and drug-related shootings. Residents in and around the Sophiatown policing area had an opportunity to engage the Police Ministry, SAPS, and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi on policing. Joining us to tell us more about what was discu...

The Special investigating Unit is probing over 100 law firms for receiving over R300 million in duplicate payments from the Road Accident Fund. Some of the law firms have already signed  acknowledgement of debt to the value of over R60 million. The firms received duplicate payments as compensation to people who were injured in motor vehicle accidents in South African roads.   Guest: SIU spokespers...

Will President Cyril Ramaphosa’s appointment of Dr Kgosientso Ramokgopa as the new minister of electricity in the presidency help us solve our crisis? Ramaphosa announced Dr. Ramokgopa last night as part of his cabinet reshuffle. This minister will focus reducing the severity and frequency of load-shedding, He will liaise with ministers in the energy department and public enterprises to ensure coh...

Hundreds of sub-Saharan Africans left Tunisia over the weekend – after President Kais Saied’s controversial speech concerning illegal immigration. About two weeks ago, Saied told security forces to expel all illegal immigrants, accusing African migrants in particular of being part of a conspiracy to change Tunisia’s demographic make-up by making it more African and less Arab. Following his controv...

The driver of a truck that was involved in a multi-vehicle crash near the M41 on-ramp in Durban North yesterday morning has handed himself over to the police. Police in KwaZulu-Natal have confirmed that a case of reckless and negligent driving was opened at Durban North SAPS for investigation. For more on this, we are joined by…..   GUEST: Brigadier Jay Naicker, Police spokesperson in KwaZulu-Nata...

Earlier on today, Statistician General, Risenga Maluleke announced that South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) declined by 1,3% in the fourth quarter of last year (that’s between October‒December). According to him, growth was dragged lower mainly by finance, trade, mining, agriculture, manufacturing and general government services.   GUEST: Risenga Maluleke, Statistician General of South Afr...

eThekwini Metro Police say a truck driver involved in today’s multi-vehicle crash on the M41 in Durban fled the scene. It is believed the truck driver lost control of his truck and plunged into more than 50 cars that were in bumper to bumper traffic. 16 people were injured and one was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition. We’re now joined by eThekwini Metro Police Spokesperson, Boysie Zun...

  Wireless Access Provider’s Association says load-shedding is killing 5G in South Africa. 5G has been sold as more efficient than LTE, however, cellular towers that use 5G use more power than LTE. This means network providers are now spending more money on diesel to keep the towers running, increasing production costs. Are we likely to see cellphone companies ditching 5G to save on production cos...

Radio veteran, Mark Pilgrim died yesterday after a yearlong battle with stage 4 cancer. Pilgrim had been in the radio industry for over two decades, having worked both for the public broadcaster and privately owned radio stations. He had been sharing his journey through cancer treatment on his social media pages, giving updates on how he is doing and speaking about how hopeful he was that he would...

GUEST: Michael Rossouw, Senior Consultant Investment