The National Pulse

Turmoil and protests continue to shake Latin America as the region sours on democracy with the ongoing protests in Brazil and Peru due to discontent driven by corruption, inequality, and lack of services. To help us understand what’s happening in that region is…   GUEST: Professor Arlene Clemesha – Professor of Contemporary History at the University of Sao Paulo

The Standard Transfer Specification Association says time is running out to update ten million prepaid electricity meters in South Africa by 24 November 2024. The association says vendors, including Eskom and municipalities in South Africa, must execute the Token Identifier Rollover project but many have hardly started. To help us understand the implications of this is… GUEST: Don Taylor – Directo...

Brand south Africa has taken a numbe of South African companies to the World Economic Forum in Davos in a bid to foster partnerships with stakeholders to solve some of South Africa’s issues. This year’s theme is “cooperation in a fragmented world” and these businesses will be keeping the development agenda at the forefront of discussions. Old Mutual is one of the companies forming part of the dele...

President Cyril Ramaphosa will no longer appear before the court on Thursday. The South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg has granted him an urgent interim interdict against private prosecution by former president Jacob Zuma. Deputy Judge-President Roland Sutherland ruled that Ramaphosa had successfully made a prima facie case with regards to his right to personal freedom being violated by Zuma....

Several South African organisations have threatened to sue Eskom over the impact of frequent load-shedding and the utility's failure to provide a comprehensive plan to address the rotational power cuts. Eric Mabuza is leading the legal challenge, and joins us on the line to tell us more on this decision... GUEST: Eric Mabuza, lawyer

ActionSA in Free State is calling for the council in Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality to be dissolved. The call follows the axing of Mangaung Mayor Mxolisi Siyonzana by the ANC's interim provincial committee following engagements about lack of service delivery in the municipality. ActionSA says the entire council needs to be dissolved. We're now joined by Patricia Kopane, ActionSA Chairperson in...

Joburg central has descended into chaos, with the city police firing rubber bullets at protesters resulting in some businesses shutting their doors. We find out more with the Johannesburg Metro POLICE Spokesperson –    GUEST: Xolani Fihla

Authorities are still searching for a tiger that escaped from a property in Johannesburg South property over the weekend. It’s understood the animal escaped when the fences were cut and attacked a man and a dog on the run. According to the Walkerville community policing forum, despite an overnight search, the tiger has not been found, let’s find out on the latest with… GUEST: Gresham Mandy – Walke...

Quality Education Council Umalusi has given the Department of Basic Education permission to release the 2022 matric exam results, the announcement was made at a media briefing in Pretoria on Monday. The quality assurance body stated its concerns regarding various irregularities that occurred during the 2022 final examinations, ranging from cheating, to learners writing exams in unaccredited facili...

The United Nations Human Rights division has called on Iran to halt all executions, following the execution of two more people who were arrested in the ongoing protests against regime change in the country, bringing the number of executions to four. The UNHR cites unfair trials based on forced confessions as gross human rights violations, we find out more on the latest developments with… GUEST: Ib...

The SIU says five non-profit organisations received funding of approximately R56 million for community development projects. Amoung those organisations- South African Art and Development Association which is linked to Kwaito legend Arthur Mafokate, the organisation applied for grant funding to assist unemployed youth in the poor and rural areas. In the next segment we speak to SIU spokesperson Kai...

We continue with our tributes to the late former speaker of Parliament, Frene Ginwala. We’re now joined by the ANC’s First Deputy Secretary-General, Nomvula Mokonyane.

South Africa’s first speaker of a democratic parliament Frene Ginwala has died at the age of 90. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office announced on Friday that Ginwala, who was a recipient of the Order of Luthuli, died at home on Thursday after suffering a stroke two weeks ago. In this next segment we reflect on the life and legacy of the late Frene Ginwala.  Guests: Mark Maharaj,  ANC veteran.  Sell...

Last year health workers in Zimbabwe staged a week-long strike over poor pay and deteriorating working conditions, a move that halted services in the sector. Since then, the bill to stop any industrial action has been fast-tracked in parliament and subsequently passed into law. In the next half hour we speak to Dr. Charles Sinkala, International Relations Consultant.  Guest: Dr. Charles Sinkala, I...

Cosatu is cautioning against the recycling of under performing ministers as President Cyril Ramaphosa deliberates on the looming cabinet reshuffle. The federation says it will not interfere in the process of appointments, however it does not expect him to appoint people who are facing corruption allegations and people who have previously underperformed in their portfolios. We’re now joined by Cosa...

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi today gave an update on the latest developments with the Gauteng government's response to the deadly gas tanker explosion that occurred in Boksburg on Christmas Eve. Lesufi announced that the death toll from the tragic Boksburg gas tanker blast has risen to 40. Lesufi says that among the deceased were 12 healthcare workers. In the next segment we speak to the premier...

President Cyril Ramaphosa is seeking an urgent interdict to stop the private prosecution led by former president, Jacob Zuma. Ramaphosa approached the court after Zuma instituted proceedings against him, citing that Ramaphosa was an 'accessory after the fact' in his case against prosecutor Billy Downer. We speak to SABC reporter, Zoleka Qodashe about what happened in court today.   Guest: Zoleka Q...

US domestic flights have now resumed after an IT failure in a critical aviation safety system. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that the system that alerts pilots and airlines about any hazards was not functioning. The breakdown led to more than 7,800 flights being delayed and 1,200 being canceled. In the next segment we look at the implications of such a massive disruption and how t...

Has the process of holding Steinhoff and its leaders accountable been adequate in comparison to the company’s crimes? The Johannesburg Stock Exchange has barred former CEO, Markus Jooste for 20 years from Directorship as well as R15 million worth of fines for submitting false financial statements and violating listing rules. The company’s share price plunged by over 90% and lost over R200 billion...

guest: Dawie Roodt

There have been several fires that have displaced informal settlement dwellers across Cape Town from 30 December 2022 to 10 January 2023. The City of Cape Town says that the national Department of Human Settlements has cut its grant funding to provide emergency building starter kits to help over 1500 fire victims. The government has called on communities not to cluster shacks as it poses a fire ha...

Laerskool Danie Malan in Pretoria North was a battlefield this morning as black parents accused the school of refusing to admit black children for grade one. The school’s governing body is refuting the claims and says this is an issue of placement with the provincial department. The EFF is calling on the school to find a permanent solution to the issue. SABC News Reporter, Sashin Naidoo

German car manufacturer, BMW has issued an apology for an advert that caused uproar last week. In the advert, they use a photograph of a black woman standing next to their latest BMW 5 series vehicles with the popular phrase “We are our ancestor’s wildest dreams’, however, the word ancestors is cancelled to change the word tag line “we are our wildest dreams”. Many people found the advert to be ra...

As the country waits to hear about the cabinet reshuffle, questions loom large surrounding the performance agreements that the ministers signed. For some ministers, these agreements are up for review this year. The real question is whether these reviews actually hold the ministries accountable given the extent to which service delivery is not taking place. Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa aske...