The National Pulse

As thousands of tertiary students across the country have embarked on the new academic year, research that was conducted by the University of Stellenbosch Business School has found that the certificates and degrees they aim to earn may have little impact on South Africa’s economic performance. What is even more interesting is that the same research also found that school-leavers with grade 8...

Is South Africa ready to do away with face masks or is it too early to have this kind of conversation? Well some experts believe that our country is now ready to do away with public health measures such as sanitising and outdoor mask-wearing. What’s your view? Guest: Dr Nkateko Mnisi, Task Team Member of the South African Medical Association Trade Union (SAMATU)

World News: As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its twelfth day – we hear from the Ukrainian citizen who is going to share with us in terms of how things are at the moment and what’s the situation like on the ground in Ukraine.   Guest :Tetiana Gaiduk, Ukrainian citizen currently based in the city of Khmelnytskyi

The Democratic Alliance has opened a criminal case against former director-general at the Department of Correctional Services and former DG of the State Security Agency (SSA), Arthur Fraser, regarding irregularities during his time at the SSA. The party says millions of rand, if not billions, were reportedly siphoned off or spent irregularly during Fraser’s time.   Guest: Dianne Kohler...

Forty years after anti-apartheid activist, trade unionist and medical doctor, Dr Neil Aggett was found hanging in his cell at the notorious John Vorster Square police station, the Johannesburg High Court has ruled that his death was not a result of suicide. This morning, Judge Motsamai Makume delivered judgment in the reopened inquest into Aggett’s death back in 1982. The judge ruled th...

On Tuesday the 1st of March, the Free State Department of Agriculture and Rural Development hosted a welcoming ceremony for the deployment of 14 Compulsory Community Services Veterinarians (CCS Vets) to the province. The announcement on the deployment received a negative response from a group of students who were sent by the Free State Provincial Government to study and obtain a Veterinary&nb...

The US has extended sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by one year, accusing President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime of implementing policies that threaten America’s foreign policy. Joining us to react to this is….. Guest: Kennedy Mandaza, ZANU PF spokesperson based in South Africa

An uproar has ensued in Limpopo, following provincial government’s plan to hire foreign nationals in public service. Recently, Health Department in the province issued a circular advertising low level jobs. The circular had a clause that allowed foreign nationals to also apply – however this caused a furore among South Africans who felt they can’t compete for such posts with fore...

Earlier on today, Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla announced that children aged 10 to 14 have been recording the highest percentage of positive Covid-19 tests. But what really informs this worrying trend?   Guest: Dr Joe Phaahla, Minister of Health  

We now focus on the Zulu royal family dispute: It’s public knowledge that the Zulu monarchy has been plunged into controversy following (ukukhothama kweSilo) the death of King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu. So post yesterday’s court ruling, we now know that Prince Misuzulu kaZwelithini may soon be enthroned king of the Zulu nation. But what exactly did the court say in rela...

Why coherence is important in communication? We try to make sense of the mixed messages from the South African government and look at the negative effects this may have on brand South Africa and the country’s international standing. We all know that mmessages that contain inconsistencies could cause severe embarrassment to the government and it can never be disputed that to be legitimate pla...

The 10 men arrested in connection with the deadly Rosettenville shooting were back in court today. The group, allegedly set to commit a cash-in-transit heist on the day, are facing a string of charges. Four of the 10 have been ordered to prove that they are in South Africa legally.   The men face eight counts of murder, as well as charges of attempted murder, possession of unlicensed fir...

Teaching and learning has been brought to a halt by parents of pupils at Sele Primary School in Tekamahala Village in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga. The angry parents accuse  the department of education of failing to fulfil its promise to rebuild their dilapidated school. Majority of classes at this school have cracks on the floors. Apparently the department has been promising to refurbish this s...

Health authorities in KwaZulu-Natal are concerned that only fewer people have been vaccinated in the province. Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane recently revealed that the number of people who have vaccinated in the province is extremely low and according to her, those that live in rural areas and townships are the ones that are not coming out to vaccinate.    Guest: Tulio de Olivei...

SADC has launched Regional Counter Terrorism Centre to advance counter-terrorism prevention. The launch of the centre comes at a time the Region, through the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) is in the middle of fighting terrorism and violent extremism in Cabo Delgado. Following the launch of the centre, there are those who argue that there is still a need for the adoption of counter-terrorism me...

Parents and management at Modilati Secondary School in Hammanskraal have met to establish what happened when some learners reportedly fainted and hallucinated at the school a few days ago. Teaching and learning was interrupted at the school after a number of  learners from different classes fainted. It was reported that other learners were running around the school acting strange. Teachers we...

We now tell you more about SALGA’s National Conference that is currently underway in Cape Town. The conference theme is “Consolidating the role of local government in rebuilding local communities to meet their social, economic and material needs”. Addressing the National conference, President Cyril Ramaphosa says over the past 27 years, government has made commendable  progr...

Against the backdrop of recent reports of babies being dumped, the Western Cape Department of Social Development has warned members of the public that dumping a baby is a criminal offence. They are also appealing to all expectant mothers who are unable to take care of their babies to seek assistance either at any clinic, or to approach their nearest department of social development local office. &...

What now for Libya as the incumbent prime minister refuses to relinquish power? As Libya’s parliament pushes ahead with its plans to replace the incumbent prime minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah who was installed through a UN-supported process last year. Dbeibah continues to refuse to step down, which leaves Libya without a unified government. For more analysis on this, we are joined by…...

The National Health Department has raised concerns about the rising number of illegal abortions in the country. This is despite the existence of 346 public health facilities authorised to perform legal and safe abortions. The Deputy Minister for the Department of health says many women, who opt for illegal abortions claim that the reception at public health facilities is unwelcoming. He acknowledg...

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has fired suspended Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz from the provincial Cabinet with immediate effect. Winde’s decision comes after receiving the findings of an independent investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct made against Fritz. The report found that there was sufficient credibility in the allegations of sexual misconduct and alcohol abuse le...

Tonight's fuel price increase is expected to come as a blow to farmers and subsequently the already financially-burdened consumer. According to Agri South Africa, several farmers may be put out of business due to operating costs caused by the increase. The Ukraine-Russia conflict is also a cause for concern - farmers will be hard hit and it's the emerging farmers that are most likely to take...

About 200 staff members of state-owned South African Airways will be let go at the end of March. These employees chose not to take voluntary severance packages during SAA's business rescue process and opted to be placed on a government-run training scheme. SAA resumed operations on the 23rd of September 2021 after being the first state-owned enterprise to go into business rescue in Decem...

Gauteng driving school operators say they won’t stop protesting until their demands are met. This follows calls for the scrapping of the online drivers' licence booking system implemented in the province. The operators are not happy with the system, as they argue that they are now struggling to make bookings for their clients.   Guest: Moss Letsholo Spokesperson for the National Driving...

Following reports of maltreatment of some Africans attempting to flee Ukraine. The Nigerian government has taken exception to this. In a statement released yesterday, the government urged customs authorities in Ukraine and neighbouring countries to treat its citizens with dignity amid growing accusations of racism at the Ukrainian border. So far, a total of 256 Nigerian nationals have been evacuat...