The National Pulse

President Cyril Ramaphosa presented his plan to deal with the power crisis in South Africa. Amongst other things, Ramaphosa announced a plan to diversify sources of power to include renewable energy. Eskom will be buying electricity from independent power producers in the next three months. He also announced a plan to import power from countries in the SADC region. He has also requested proposals...

Why are we seeing more and more South Africans revolting against Members of the Executive? The country is currently caught in myriad corruption scandals linked to politically connected people stealing funds meant to help the needy. We have also witnessed from time to time, South Africans voicing their frustrations through protests. Earlier today we saw how Sports, Arts and Culture Minister, Nathi...

The South African Poultry Association (Sapa) is calling on Minister of Trade and Industry Ebrahim Patel to renew anti-dumping duties as they fear that non-renewal of tariffs could lead to job losses. For more on this, we are joined by….     Guest: Izaak Breitenbach, GM of the South African Poultry Association's Broiler Organisation (SAPA) 

The TPN Credit bureau says the number of South Africa’s residential ‘squatters’ have risen in the last decade and worsened by Covid-19. By ‘residential squatter’, the credit bureau refers to tenants who have failed to pay their rent for three consecutive months and continue to occupy property for a fourth month. The bureau also says the number of tenants in good standing dropped to 80.78% from 81....

Mozambican police have arrested a father and his brother for attempting to sell three children living with albinism. The pair allegedly planned to traffic the minors to neighbouring Malawi. This is very worrying, considering the fact that murders of people with albinism is a topic of concern in countries such as Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania - where many people with albinism are hunted for their...

Sipho Mkhatshwa appeared before the Nelspruit Magistrate Court (Mbombela) as his bail application continued this morning. Mkhatshwa are facing charges of murder, rape, and kidnapping of Hillary Gardee. The body of Hillary Gardee was found murdered in April near a plantation between Mbombela and Sabie. The other two accused, Philemon Lukhele and Mduduzi Gama, will apply for bail on Wednesday (27 Ju...

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has published a notice for public comment on the government's intention to cap the price of 93 octane petrol. As things stand, the exact price of petrol is set by the government and selling the fuel at any other price is illegal. The Fuel Retailers Association has called for the Ministry to deal with illegal traders before seeking public comment on pr...

What next for Sekunjalo Group? We find out from Dr Iqbal Surve as it is public knowledge now that Standard Bank has terminated its relationship with the Sekunjalo Group, following what they termed, ‘a comprehensive client review process’ - however, the bank did not give the specific reasons, because of client confidentiality clauses.    Guest: Dr Iqbal Surve, Sekunjalo Executive Chairman

President Cyril Ramaphosa has ratified the appointment of Justice Mandisa Maya to become Deputy Chief Justice. In a statement, the President lauded her experience and her work in transforming the judicial system. The President also highlighted that her appointment will inspire young women to ascend to leadership positions regardless of their socio-economic circumstances. She takes office from 1st...

The Department of Health in Limpopo has condemned the blocking of a bulk pipeline supplying water to the Saint Rita’s Regional Hospital in Sekhukhune. It is alleged that some community members from Riverside settlement have seized the distribution valves of the pipeline and have permanently closed the supply to the hospital for two weeks now. For more on this, we are joined by…..    Guest: Neil Sh...

Post the ANC’s elective conference in KwaZulu-Natal. Sihle Zikalala has failed to make it into the provincial executive committee. To explain what this means for the former chairperson’s political future in the province is….    Guest: Zakhele Ndlovu, political analyst based @UKZN

Tunisians are voting today, in a referendum on a controversial new constitution, which will entrench significant new powers on President Kais Saied. However, some opposition parties in the country have called Saied’s move a coup that risks a return to the kind of autocratic rule that characterised Tunisia before the 2011 Arab spring uprisings. So how significant is today’s referendum vote given th...

It will be a busy weekend for the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal as the province elects leaders who will move the party forward. Delegates have started gathering. President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to close the conference on Sunday. KwaZulu-Natal is one of the provinces marred by factional battles among leaders, so how are things looking like on the first day of the conference?   Guest: SABC News Politic...

Finance Minister, Enoch Gogongwana today announced the appointment of the Ntiyiso Consulting group as a partner in the process of turning things around at the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality. The municipality was placed under administration in April after a long period of financial mismanagement and lack of service delivery. Ntiyiso Consulting group will be a National Cabinet Representative, ma...

The Police in Limpopo have dispatched maximum resources in the search for three suspects connected to the killing of a Limpopo mayor on Thursday evening. The mayor of the Collins Chabane local municipality in Malamulele, Moses Maluleke was killed during the attack while his 18-year-old son was injured. The ANC Limpopo, this afternoon visited Maluleke’s home, and Richard Shilenge . Guest: Jimmy Mac...

President Cyril Ramaphosa hosted his counterpart from Ivory Coast, President Alassane Ouattara this morning. The visit was the second leg of bilateral discussions between the heads of state. The two nations have signed additional agreements to strengthen trade relations in key sectors such as mining and transport. Guest: SABC News international reporter - Khayelihle Khumalo.  

South Africa’s inflation reached a 13-year high in June. Most of the commodities with the sharpest price hikes are basic necessities like bread, electricity, oil, fuel and public transport. The Reserve Bank’s Governor Lesetja Kganyago just announced yet another increase in interest rates (figure to be confirmed). South Africa has an inflation targeting monetary policy, however, as we have seen the...

Let’s go back to this story we closed the show with yesterday and get more details. Police in Delmas in Mpumalanga arrested two immigrants who were allegedly using a police bakkie as a diesel tanker. Officers were on patrol on the N12 where they pulled over a suspicious bakkie that was heavily loaded. They found 500 litres of diesel in a tank. Police also realised the bakkie was a police vehicle s...

The department of health has demoted two officials and given them final written warnings for their involvement in the management of the Digital Vibez Contract. Popo Maja and  Dr Anban Pillay have each been handed a "salary level demotion" for 12 months. Furthermore, Dr Pillay has been suspended for three months without pay.   Guest: Health Department Spokesperson, Foster Mohale

Trade union Solidarity today launched a skills bank where engineers and technicians can register so their skills can be re-recruited to help alleviate the crisis at Eskom. The creation of this knowledge bank comes in the wake of announcements made by Pres Cyril Ramphosa and Public Enterprises Minister, Pravin Gordhan that the services of competent former Eskom employees, locally and abroad, should...

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi resigned on Thursday following the fall out of national unity government, setting the country on an economic crisis and a possible early election. Draghi, an unelected former central banker has led a broad coalition for 18 months. Draghi's coalition crumbled on Wednesday when three of his main partners snubbed a confidence vote he had called to try to end divisi...

The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal is expected to kick of its elective conference from Friday – 22 July following a series of postponements earlier this month. President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to show – up amid controversy related to the party’s step aside resolution and the Phala Phala farm incident. The province is a stronghold for the RET (radical economic transformation) faction and it seems to be...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has highlighted the plight of entrepreneurs providing services for government entities. He was speaking earlier at the inaugural Black Industrialists and Exporters Conference. Ramaphosa says government needs to fix the issue of taking forever to pay businesses providing services for the state.   Guest: Black Business Council CEO, Kganki Matabane. But before speaking to hi...

The Public Protector’s Impeachment Inquiry has adjourned. Three witnesses have given testimony so far. Mkhwebane’s legal representative, Advocate Dali Mpofu claimed that she sought the input of the State Security Agency for the correct wording in her order about the constitutional mandate of the South African Reserve Bank, where she recommended that it gets amended in order to avoid economic insta...

The Department of Transport has been given 21 days to respond to the demands of taxi associations. If the Department does not respond, the National Taxi Association will embark on a total shutdown. The industry has been calling on the department to assist them given the fuel hikes. Some taxi associations have implemented taxi tariff hikes on commuters as a result.   Guest:  Lwazi Khoza, Spokespers...