The National Pulse

The new Chinese Foreign Minister is set to embark on the seven-day tour of Africa. Minister Qin Gang is hitting the ground running as he is set to visit Ethiopia, Gabon, Angola, Benin and Egypt. The purpose of the visit is to deepen ties between the continent and China. The visit is already underway and sets to wrap up on 16th January 2023. We are joined by...   Guest: Dr Emanuel Matambo, Research...

A t least 20 families affected by the Boksburg tanker explosion are pursuing legal action against a number of stakeholders who could be liable for the explosion that claimed 37 lives. The legal action is being taken against the company that owns the tanker, Infinite Fleet Transport as well as the outsourcing company that employed the driver. However, other parties including Prasa, the City of Ekur...

The Social Development department is raising concern over an increase in gender based violence cases in the province. It says many of them were reported during the festive season. Many of the women died in the hands of their intimate partners, including Zibuyile Ngubeni from Bergville who was bludgeoned to death by her husband. The department is calling on communities to work together in protectin...

Our next guest has filed a court application against the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. They want to hold her in contempt of court for not releasing documentation in relation to the Government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the data used to inform the COVID-19 regulations and the extension of the State of Disaster (2020 - 2021). Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma...

The Department of Health says there have been no major changes yet in hospitalisations and deaths related to Covid-19 after a new covid-19 variant was reported by scientists in South Africa. While encouraging people to get vaccinated and get vaccine boosters, it says immunity of South Africans is still strong. The department will also finalise a change in timelines for additional boosters and ensu...

The Department of Minerals Resources and Energy has approved the environmental authorization for gas and oil exploration on the West Coast. Our next guest is raising concerns that this approval has not taken into consideration the negative impact will have on ocean wildlife as endangered leatherback turtles migrate to the area. They also argue that the decision is in direct contradiction of the co...

For those who may have missed it, there was a viral video on social media that showed the crowds not singing the English and Afrikaans segments of the national anthem. During the course of the video, crowds could be seen heckling after the Sesotho verse of the album. Guest: Brett Heron - Member of Parliament of the GOOD Party  

The public school system in the state of Seattle has filed a lawsuit against big tech firms for the social harm that their social media apps cause to young people. According to the lawsuit, students' performance has worsened and schools hiring professionals to identify children at risk. The lawsuit seeks compensation for monetary damages and other penalties. This is not the first of its kind as  U...

How do the families of the Cradock Four feel about the death of Apartheid police minister, Adriaan Vlok without accounting for his crimes? The Cradock Four, Fort Calata, Matthew Goniwe, Sparrow Mkhonto, and Sicelo Mhlauli were anti-apartheid activists. They were arrested in a road block, assaulted, tortured and later brutally murdered by apartheid security police. Mkhonto and Mhlauli’s bodies were...

As we all start the year in high spirits with aspirations to be more efficient and achieve more goals this year, how do we turn those ‘new year, new me’ goals and new year’s resolutions into something tangible? How can we turn that positive energy into implementable goals, instead of just aspirations that we keep renewing at the beginning of each year without results?   Guest: Clinical Psychologis...

It has been over a year since the blaze that ravaged Parliament and the rebuilding process has still not gotten underway. Opposition parties have voiced their concerns about the viability of their temporary home at City Hall and the practicality of virtual meetings for the foreseeable future. Our next guest is calling for the Speaker of Parliament, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Ngqakula, to hold the State of th...

Limpopo police have opened an inquest following the discovered of eight bodies at a mine near Burgersfort. The deceased are suspected to have been mining illegally before they go trapped. Police say heavy rains in the area pushed mud towards the entry of the mine and blocked, leaving the deceased unable to come out. Guest: Limpopo police spokesperson, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo.  

Do South Africans have reason to worry yet about the Covid-19 strain that was reported by researchers at Stellenbosch University? Scientists say the XBB.1.5 variant is the most transmissible sub-variant detected in the pandemic so far. It was discovered during a process of DNA sequencing in the laboratory. The Health Department says those who are not vaccinated, should do so as soon as possible ....

Humanitarian organization, Gift of the Givers has been at the forefront when it comes to helping people in need during times of crisis. Unfortunately, it has been reported that their Cape Town office has fallen victim to crime where several appliances, donations, and laptops have been stolen. The organization is calling for communities to stand up against criminal activities. We are joined by...  ...

A man has been arrested for the illegal dispensary of diesel and gas worth the value of R200 000. The suspect was unable to produce a license permitting him to sell 3800 litres of diesel and 27 gas cylinders found in his possession. There has been a rise in these incidents in the past 12 months with an Eskom employee getting arrested for stealing diesel worth R500 000 from the Atlantis operations....

Brazilian authorities are investigating who was behind the storming of the Brazlian Congress, Supreme Court and the Presidential  Palace over the weekend. Thousands of Bolsonario protestors stole the country's original 1988 Constitution and seized guns from the presidential security offices. This morning, the governor of Brasilia (Ibaneis Rocha) has been suspended for not securing the capital and...

Today is the annual commemoration of the death of SACP and ANC stalwart Joe Slovo who died on the 6th of January in 1995. Slovo will always be remembered for having participated in the drafting of the Freedom Charter in 1955 – he was also the Chief of Staff of the ANC's armed wing Umkhonto we Sizwe. Post 1994, Slovo was appointed minister of Housing after South Africa’s first non-racial democratic...

The South African Society for Educational Psychologists has expressed concern about certain medical aid that have stopped funding them despite a proclamation by the Minister of Health. According to the organisation, discrimination against educational psychologists has a negative impact on children, parents, and practitioners. To tell us more about this issue…      GUEST: Dr. Guru Kitnasamy – Repre...

Researcher at Wits University and gender-based violence activist - Lisa Vetten - says there are several complex reasons for the rising number of teenage pregnancies in South Africa. Over 100 teenagers gave birth on Christmas and New Year's days. The figures that the National Health Department has released, have raised alarm bells for local health care authorities. Vetten outlines some of the chall...

A Durban High School matric learner from the class of 2022 will be attending Harvard University in the United States. Nureldin Mohamed has been accepted to Harvard University with full financial support based on his Cambridge AS results (A grades) and predicted A-level results. He joins us on the line to discuss his matric academic journey, this accomplishment, and future plans...    GUEST: Nureld...

The Ekurhuleni Municipality says it has secured the area where a fuel tanker overturned earlier today after scores of community members rushed in with containers to collect the tanker's leaking fuel.  We find out more about what happened and the current state of the scene…  GUEST: William Tladi - Ekurhuleni Emergency services spokesperson

This year South Africa takes over the rotational presidency of BRICS. So how should the country use its position to champion the African agenda and what is it that South Africa should focus on during its presidency? The ANC’s commission on international relations is calling on government to support the expansion of BRICS by admitting additional members – but will those additional members add any v...

It’s official, the United States is now demanding mandatory Covid-19 tests on all travellers from China. All air passengers aged two and older now require a negative result from a test no more than two days before departure from China, Hong Kong or Macau. The new rule has been introduced by President Biden’s Administration as concern grows over widespread transmission of the virus in the world's m...

Seven years have passed since the Fees Must Fall protests and movement began, but many previously disadvantaged students continue to experience financial exclusion. Fees Must Fall and other movements inspired and fueled the work of organisations like WeSolve4x, a nonprofit that assists with student fee settlement. We are joined by the CEO to speak more on the work of the foundation and how student...

The SA Transport and Allied Workers Union, the Abanqobi Workers Union, and the Kungwini Amalgamated Workers Union allege that their members' donations for health benefits had been "robbed." The security guards claim that because Affinity Health has not paid for their medical aids they are unable to seek private healthcare. The unions state that monthly deductions continue and have reached out to t...