The National Pulse

Earlier today, Equal Education members in Gauteng staged a protest against Minister Motshekga’s proposal to remove deadlines to fix schools from the infrastructure law. Following this, we now speak to Amnesty International South Africa as the organisation is accusing the department of basic education of trying to evade accountability. The organisation has been pushing the department to eradicate i...

world leaders are reacting to the death of the former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe who was shot while campaigning for a parliamentary election. Several reports suggest that Abe was shot at twice while he was giving a speech in the southern city of Nara and security officials at the scene were quick to react as they tackled the gunman, and the 41-year-old suspect is now in police custody. But...

Boris Johnson has resigned as Conservative Party leader after facing mass resignations from the ministerial ranks and a cabinet revolt. His resignation means that an internal election to pick a new leader of the Conservative Party who will also be the next prime minister will commence soon. Johnson's almost 3-year-long tenure as prime minister will likely be remembered most for his ushering of Bri...

Following its two-day National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting. The SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) is calling on Eskom’s CEO Andre de Ruyter and the entire government of the ANC to step aside. The trade union has also picked 24 August as a tentative date for a one-day national strike in response to numerous issues affecting the working class.     Guest: Zwelinzima Vavi, General Secretary...

Trucks blocked roads in protest against the rising cost of fuel and poor service this morning in Mpumalanga and Kwa-Zulu Natal. The N2 and R34 outside of Richard's Bay were cleared this morning. However, roads have still been blocked as The N4 between Mbombela and Maputo. On average, 1500 trucks travel between Mbombela and Maputo daily and delays could cost operators up to R234 million per day. To...

Today marks a year since former President Jacob Zuma turned himself into the Estcourt Correctional Centre to begin his 15 month sentence. The former president was first charged for being in contempt of court when he did not take the stand at the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture. The former president's arrest sparked days of violent protests across KZN and parts of Gauteng which would...

JB Marks local municipality has alerted motorists that the N12 between Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp in the North West is currently blockaded with stones and burning tyres by angry protesters who are unhappy about continued water shortages in the area. Spokesperson for the JB Marks local municipality in Potchefstroom, Jeanette Tshite, says traffic officers are currently directing motorists to alter...

The price of petrol went up again at midnight, hitting a record high. For the first time we are paying over R25 for a litre of petrol. Financial pressure is mounting as food prices also continue to skyrocket, while we are also dealing with long hours of load-shedding. Are we heading towards a recession? Stanlib’s Chief Economist, Kevin Lings.

Are there darker days ahead for the residents of the City of Tshwane? The municipality owes Eskom owed Eskom R908 Million and it missed its June 17 deadline. Eskom says the municipality only managed to pay R30 million in June. The power utility says it has rejected the capital city’s attempt to negotiate a payment plan. So, what is the way forward?   Guest: City of Tshwane Spokesperson, Selby Boka...

Yesterday, Police Minister Bheki Cele clashed with anti-crime activist Ian Cameron at a community meeting at Gugulethu in the Western Cape. Cele told Cameron to shut up after he accused him of neglecting the Western Cape. Following this incident, we speak to a reputation specialist about how this unfortunate behaviour will impact on Cele’s integrity as the executive head of policing, we also exami...

The presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda are expected to meet today amid tense relations between the two neighbours. Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of supporting the M23, a former Tutsi-dominated rebel group that was defeated in 2013 but took up arms again in November last year. In recent months, the group has clashed with Congolese troops in fighting that has forced thousands of peo...

What legal options does the late Mthokozisi Ntumba’s family have now that the police officers who were accused of murdering him have been acquitted? Ntumba was hit by a stray bullet and died when police fired rubber bullets on protesting students in March 2021. Charges against the police officers who were accused of killing him were dropped today because none of the witnesses could identify any of...

Pride Month just came to an end. The month commemorates the fight for equal rights and justice for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. Over the past few years we have seen many corporates coming on board, however, many have found the involvement of corporates in Pride Month events to be performative and  thing they do just for one month. What does life look like for members o...

We unpack the Human Rights Watch report, detailing the serious dangers to life and health posed by abandoned coal mines in South Africa’s Mpumalanga coal belt. Human Rights Watch found that the government has failed to make progress on addressing the dangers of abandoned coal mines, and that the industry, through its inaction, has created ongoing problems that affect communities’ safety and health...

The Democratic Alliance marched to Gauteng Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi’s office today, in protest against the proposed Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill. The bill proposes that language and admission policies in schools be under the control of the department and not the schools. We spoke to the DA’s Khume Ramulifho on Monday and he said if it gets passed into law, the bill will disempower Scho...

Earlier on today, the department of correctional services confirmed that former police crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli has been released on parole. Mdluli and co-accused Mthembeni Mthunzi were sentenced to five years in prison for kidnapping, assault and intimidation in September 2020. According to the department of correctional services, “Mdluli qualifies to be considered for parole after...

    Guest: Professor Andre Duvenage, Political analyst based at North West University Business School  

Yesterday, the International Monetary Fund delegation visited Tunisia to commence negotiations over a bailout package aimed at rescuing the country’s ailing economy. It is public knowledge that Tunisia’s political instability has worsened the country's economic conditions since President Kais Saied ousted the government in July 2021.    Guest: Naeem Jeena, Executive Director, Afro-Middle East Cent...

At least 1700 employees who work for Mafube, Masilonyana, Tokologo and Kopanong local municipalities in the Free State have not been paid their salaries. Many of them say it has been three months since they last received a salary from the municipalities. Two of the municipalities were listed among those with no capacity to deliver services by Auditor General, Tsakani Maluleke. Many of the workers...

Two sets of twins have died in a shack fire in Hendrina, Mpumalanga. Police say two shacks caught fire when power was restored after load-shedding in the area. They suspect an illegal connection could have been the case of the fire. The children has been left in the care of a 17 year old who was sleeping in another shack when the fire started.   Guest: Mpumalanga Police Spokesperson, Brigadier Sel...

As the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal prepares for its upcoming provincial elective conference that is due to take place in two weeks’ time. We speak to the party’s provincial spokesperson, Nhlakanipho Ntombela about how they are going to deal with party members who are facing criminal charges who want to contest for provincial leadership positions.     Guest: Nhlakanipho Ntombela, ANC spokesperson in KZN  ...

Two more suspects have been made in Belfast following the discovery of 39 people at a farm in Belfast in Mpumalanga. The 39 victims who include women and children had allegedly been trafficked from Mozambique to come and work at the farm. The father and son duo arrested today are alleged to be the masterminds. For more on that we are now joined by Mpumalanga Hawks Spokesperson, Captain Dineo Sekgo...

The Democratic Alliance in Gauteng says it will take to the streets on Tuesday in protests against the proposed Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill. The bill proposes to put control over school and language policies in the hands of the department and move it away from schools. The party says if this bill gets passed into law, it will disempower Scholl Governing Bodies with regards to language and...

Former Post Office CEO, Mark Barnes has urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to appoint South Africa’s 100 best people to fix the country.     Guest: Mark Barnes, Former Post Office CEO,