The National Pulse

We look at possible solutions to the country’s worsening energy crisis. Dr Zwanani Mathe, Chief Executive of the South African National Energy Development Institute joins us to share thoughts on what South Africa needs to do in order to overcome the current energy crisis.   GUEST: Dr Zwanani Mathe, Chief Executive of the South African National Energy Development Institute 

SAfm Sport On! Presenter Thabiso Mosia helps us understand football sponsorship agreements that involve government administrations and controversies that they attract. This as more South Africans continue to react to SA Tourism’s R1bn proposal to sponsor Tottenham Hotspur football club as part of promoting the country’s tourism sector.   GUEST: Thabiso Mosia, SAfm Sport On presenter  

Following the Daily Maverick’s report that suggests that the South African government is considering a R1bn sponsorship deal with Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspurs. The Ministry of Tourism has issued a statement, saying that the article is ‘riddled with inaccuracies and untruths aimed at tarnishing Minister Sisulu’s image’.     GUEST: Steve Motale, Spokesperson for the Ministry of To...

The Mine Health and Safety statistics for 2022 reveal a sharp decrease in the number of fatalities in South African mines. The statistics were presented to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy today. The number of people who died in South African mines in 2022 decreased by 34% from 74 in 2021 to 49 in 2022. Is this an indication of improving safety in the mining industry? We’re now joine...

Julius Malema and his body guard, Adriaan Snyman’s legal team has continued to challenge the admissibility of video evidence given in their case that was underway earlier at the East London Mangistrate’s Court. The two are accused of firing a rifle at an EFF anniversary celebration in 2018. They face charges of illegal possession of a firearm and contravening the Firearms Control Act and reckless...

There are more and more power couples emerging who are beating the odds and successfully running a business together. Today we speak to the co-founder of Star Cleaner dishwasher, Dikeledi Bokaba – who proves that business and love can mix. Dikeledi and her husband Mpho Bokaba launched their business in 2019 but their journey hasn’t always been smooth sailing, there have been ups and downs.    GUES...

Fully vaccinated people above the age of 50 can now get a 5th Covid-19 booster shot and those between the ages of 18 and 49 are eligible to get their 4th booster shot of either Pfizer or J&J. The waiting period between shots is still 6 months. The health department had said it would work on availing booster shots when a new variant of the virus was reported by scientists in Stellenbosch Univer...

Child rights advocacy group, Women and Men Against Child Abuse has condemned a decision by the court to allow a man accused of sexually abusing children to wait for his extradition outcome at home and not in prison. The 83 year old man appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on several charges of sexual abuse against children. He is also wanted in the UK on similar charges. He is accused of abu...

Yesterday, ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the party's Lekgotla resolved to declare the country's energy crisis a National State of Disaster. He was speaking at the end of the governing party's NEC Lekgotla at Esselen Park in Ekurhuleni last night. So moving forward, how will this work and will it be able to address the country’s worst bout of power cuts?   GUEST: Prof Mark Swilling,...

Are we becoming a welfare state? Recently, President Cyril Ramaphosa revealed that social grants remain a crucial source of income, saying that nearly 25 million South Africans receive grants from the government.   Guest: Isobel Frye, Executive Director at the Social Policy Initiative  

The death toll from a suicide bombing at a mosque in northwest Pakistan has risen to 92. Following this horrific incident, it is widely reported that the terrorist group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has taken responsibility for the blast.    GUEST: Salman Khan, Independent political analyst on South-East Asia 

Former City of Johannesburg Mayor, Dr Mpho Phalatse has announced that she will be contesting for the Federal Leader of the Democratic Alliance in April. Dr Phalatse was removed from her position through a motion of no confidence last week after a previous motion against her was declared unlawful. The position of Federal Leader in the DA is currently occupied by John Steenhuisen. Dr Mpho Phalatse

Zambia’s Public Protector, Caroline Zulu-Sokoni testified before parliament’s section 194 inquiry into suspended public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s fitness to hold office today. Zulu-Sokoni is the third witness to testify. She has been called by Mkhwebane to paint a picture of how the office of the public protector functions in different countries, including hers. What came out of her testimony...

Xola Dekeda, who is an anti-alcohol activist who transformed his life from being a hopeless drunkard to a big security tech businessman.   GUEST: Xola Dekeda, Director @Ukhanyiselo Technologies

Should it be the business of your employer to know how you spend your day after submitting a valid sick note? A former employee of Mediclinic has lost a 10 year battle to get his job back after he was dismissed for dishonesty. Daniel Matras called in sick and submitted a valid sick note, however, he attended a wedding on the day he was off sick. His employer found out and dismissed him. While the...

Judge Piet Koen has recused himself from the former president Jacob Zuma's corruption trial. In adjourning the trial in October last year, Koen had asked the State and the Defence to make written submissions on whether or not he should recuse himself as the trial judge. This came after Zuma wrote to Koen, objecting Advocate Billy Downer's leading of his prosecution. Explaining why he decided to re...

A 17-year-old girl from KwaZulu-Natal reportedly committed suicide after allegedly being bullied at school. It is alleged that the learner was bullied by other learners who consistently told her that she was ugly and mocked her about the shape of her head.  GUEST: Nonhlanhla Khoza, MEC for Social Development in KwaZulu-Natal  

What does Tunisia’s low voter turnout mean for President Kais Saied. Only 11 percent of the country’s electorate voted in yesterday’s parliamentary runoffs, with critics citing this as the public's way of showing their disdain for the current president.  GUEST: Ebrahim Deen, Independent Researcher 

In conversation with Naledi Mokwatlo, an artist who collects alcohol bottle tops and turn them into artifacts. Mokwatlo has a truly inspiring success story and she enjoys telling people’s stories through her work.    GUEST: Naledi Mokwatlo, Artist  

Alleged parliament arsonist, Zandile Mafe snubbed the court yet again today. Pretrial proceedings have been postponed because he refused to leave his prison cell. Mafe was arrested just over a year ago following a fire that burnt down parts of parliament. It is not the first time he is refusing to appear in court. Guest: SABC News Reporter, Atule Joka

Many of our listeners have been communicating frustration with coalition governance as we reported issues in different municipalities this week. Some even go as far as saying this is just a glimpse of the kind of instability we are likely to go through should South Africa go into coalition governance after the 2024 elections. The City of Johannesburg  elects a new mayor today after the ousting of...

Farms in North West and the Free State have been placed under quarantine following an outbreak of African Swine Fever on a farm in Gauteng. As a result of this, the department of agriculture, land reform and rural development has reiterated its call to all pig farmers and pig keepers to only buy pigs directly from known healthy herds, and to prevent contact between their pigs and other pigs or wil...

Free State police have confirmed that a case of two counts of attempted murder are being investigated after the incident that occurred in November last year at a half build house in River Street, Bothaville – where two homeless men were attacked. Allegedly, a 32-year-old homeless man was burnt with inflammable liquid substance, while the second victim, a 41-year-old man was allegedly shot with rub...

Yesterday, Israeli military raided the West Bank city of Jenin and killed at least nine Palestinians. The United Nations has condemned the raid, while the United Arab Emirates, France and China are calling for an urgent UN Security Council meeting to deal with the current situation. However, Israel says it conducted yesterday’s counterterrorism operation to prevent an imminent large-scale attack o...

THE INNERVIEW: Last Week Tuesday we spoke to leader of newly formed United Africans Transformation, Abel Tau about the formation of the party. We then touched on the sexual assault case he is facing that got him expelled from Action SA. He denied sexually assaulting the woman and insisted nothing happened. The family of the woman he assaulted reached out to us and asked to set the record straight...