The National Pulse

Today we dissect the politics of the African National Congress in KwaZulu-Natal. The province will send the biggest delegation to the ANC Elective Conference, which is due to commence next week Friday. However, it is no secret that ANC branches in KwaZulu-Natal are split between those supporting Cogta Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, former health minister Zweli Mkhize and those in favour of Presi...

As more measles cases continue to spread across the country. We are told that Health Minister Dr Joe Phaala will soon update the nation on the current situation and he will also outline government’s plan of action in terms of how they hope to repress the spread of this highly contagious disease.     GUEST: Ramphelane Morewane, Acting DDG for Health Programmes at the Department of Health

The B97 taxi route between Belville and Paarl in Cape Town has been reopened after 18 months of negotiations among taxi associations. The route was shut down following a violent dipute that claimed 83 lives. Its closure affected many communities including Gugulethu, Dunoon, Atlantis as well as Worcester and Ceres. An agreement has been signed between CATA Boland Taxi Association and the Paarl Alli...

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has launched its new brand campaign, with the caption 'SABC everywhere for everyone, always'. This brand campaign is devised to further resonate with new and existing audiences and showcase the increased brand value offered by the public broadcaster.   GUEST: Gugu Ntuli, SABC's Group Executive for Corporate Affairs and Marketing 

Professor Lyal White helps us understand the ongoing political chaos in Peru. Yesterday, the president of Peru Pedro Castilo was ousted by congress and arrested on a charge of rebellion after he attempted to dissolve parliament.  Following his arrest, Vice President Dina Boluarte replaced him and became the first female leader in the history of the country.   GUEST: Professor Lyal White, Founder o...

The UK government has approved a controversial plan to open the country's first new coal mine in three decades. But activists who are opposed to the idea argue that for the UK to open a new coalmine shows Britain’s ‘posturing, double standards and broken promises when it comes to climate commitments’. Joining us to react to this is…..  GUEST (UK): Tony Bosworth, an energy campaigner at Friends of...

How far is the bid to get an additional public holiday this December? Fedusa wrote to President Cyril Ramaphosa in October requesting an additional holiday because Christmas Day will be on a Sunday this year. According to the Public Holidays Act, “whenever any public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be a public holiday.” Consequently, Monday 26 December 2022, the Day of Goodwi...

Earlier on today, Eskom announced that it will implement stage 6 load-shedding from 12:00 (noon) until further notice. The power utility said this is due to a high number of breakdowns since midnight, and the need to strictly preserve the remaining emergency generation reserves.    GUEST: Lungile Mashele, Energy analyst 

How long will it take before the SABC board can start working? Parliament has finally approved a shortlist of candidates selected to be in the SABC board. The public broadcaster has been without a board for two months delays in the vetting process by the State Security Agency. The list has twelve candidates as well as three more who are on the reserve list in case any of the preferred 12 candidate...

How do you process the pressure that comes with growth as you climb up your career ladder? Revelations by Springbok winger, Sbu Nkosi about his mental health after a three week disappearance has been seen by many as a wakeup call for people both in sports and outside, about the impact of work pressure as one grows in their career.  How do you cope as expectations and pressure mounts in your career...

Earlier on today, Gauteng Police Commissioner Elias Mawela released the crime stats for the province. According to him, the COVID-19 lockdowns helped keep the crime rate down but, now that restrictions have been lifted, crime is beginning to rise again. So what kind of crime prevention initiatives is he going to introduce in order to deter potential offenders?     GUEST: General Elias Mawela, Gaut...

National Spokesperson for the Department of Correctional Services Singabakho Nxumalo says two inmates attacked and stabbed three prison officials at the St Albans Correctional Centre in Gqeberha. The incident occurred during breakfast and according to the department, a full-scale investigation will be launched and legal steps will be taken against the perpetrators.    GUEST: Singabakho Nxumalo, Sp...

what’s behind Tunisia’s economic woes? This as Germany is fast becoming a key destination for disillusioned young Tunisians who are looking for better economic opportunities as many of them remain unemployed. We are told that Germany granted 5,474 work permits to Tunisians from January to October this year, up from 4,462 in the whole of last year.  GUEST: Izak Khomo, African affairs commentator  ...

Indonesia has banned pre-marital sex. The country had already banned adultery, and in the new law, it also bans cohabitation of unmarried couples. Those found guilty will face a jail sentence of up to a year. This includes tourists from other countries. How is this likely to affect tourism in the country? We are now joined by Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, CEO of the Tourism Business Council of South Afri...

We are still coming to you live from the Cape Town International Convention Centre as scientists gather at the World Science Forum hosted by the Department of Science and Innovation. We are now joined by Lihle Sabisa, a BSC Water and Engineering student at the University of Western Cape. Lihle is also a member of the UrbanBetter Cityzens initiative. The initiative amplifies young people's voices w...

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) has registered CAB-LA, a new anti-HIV jab, which eliminates one’s chances of contracting HIV through sex. The injection has also been approved in other countries such as the US, Australia and Zimbabwe. To explain how this new jab will help in the battle against HIV/Aids is……  GUEST: Professor Salim Abdool Karim, epidemiologist who is...

Yesterday, Sudanese political parties and the military signed a framework deal, that they said would pave the way for two-year civilian-led transition towards elections and end a sometimes violent standoff triggered by last year’s coup. The deal could mark a new phase for Sudan, but has already faced resistance from protest groups opposed to negotiations with the military and from Islamist faction...

We continue our broadcast live from the World Science Forum at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Stakeholders in the science field from companies to universities and government departments are gathering here, to discuss how science can be used as a vehicle for social justice. South Africa was selected by Unesco to host the event for the first time this year.   Guest: Minister of Highe...

We continue our broadcast live from the Cape Town International Convention Centre where the Department of Science and Innovation is hosting the World Science Forum. The forum was established by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in collaboration with Unesco. We are now joined by Professor Tamas Freund, a neurobiologist and president of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the co-chairs of this scienc...

We are coming to you live from the Cape Town International Convention Centre where the Department of Science and Innovation is hosting the World Science Forum under the theme "Science for Social Justice". The gathering takes place every two years and deliberates on the social and economic relevance and responsibility of science.   Guest: Mmapei Chaba, Chief Director for Multilateral Cooperation an...

Today, Judge Dawie Fourie of the High Court in Pretoria granted SECTION27’s application for leave to appeal in the South African Council of Educators (SACE) case, which concerns the actions of two violent educators who employed corporal punishment in classrooms in 2015 and 2019. After their cases were dealt with, both teachers were fined R15,000 but only paid R5,000 each because R10,000 of the fin...

Yesterday, President Cyril Ramaphosa filed papers to the Constitutional Court to review and set aside the Section 89 panel report. The report found that the President has a prima facie case to answer in relation to the theft of a large sum of US dollars from his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo two years ago.     GUEST: Dr. Llewellyn Curlewis, Senior Lecturer in Criminal and Procedural Law at the Unive...

Seven people have been injured and one has died following a shooting this past weekend in Manenberg, Cape Town. The victims of this shooting were socialising at a park when assailants fired shots . Three of the victims were teenagers. More law enforcement officers were deployed into the area on Wednesday last week after another shooting that claimed two lives. Western Cape MEC for Community Safety...

The South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) says it will lay a complaint against two members of Parliament’s independent panel that was put together to investigate the Phala Phala matter. The teachers union believes the panel's chair, retired Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo and Judge Thokozile Masipa misled Parliament and the public by making conclusions against the president based on hearsay...

Political party Al Jama-Ah is in the process of pursuing change in divorce and marriage registration laws in South Africa. The party has gazetted notice to introduce the Divorce Amendment Bill. The bill is open for public comment until the 17th of December. Currently South Africa does not recognise marriages solemnised under Sharia law as valid civil marriages. The party says Muslim marriages are...