The National Pulse

Judge Piet Koen has dismissed former President Zuma’s application for leave to appeal in the Pietermaritzburg High Court; he ruled that Zuma’s corruption trial should start on the 11th of April. Koen had previously dismissed Zuma’s special plea, that lead state prosecutor Advocate Billy Downer should recuse himself. The Jacob Zuma Foundation says the former President’s lega...

Just like the City of Tshwane, the City of Johannesburg has also embarked on an aggressive revenue-collection campaign. They say they are doing this in order to send a strong warning to municipal account holders, who ignore their pleas and demands to pay their bills on time. Currently - residents, business, and government owe the City around R38-billion in unpaid municipal rates, taxes, and levies...

Residents in Cassandra in Kimberley are frustrated about ongoing electricity cuts. This is largely due to cable theft. Residents have been reporting the matter continuously to authorities, but no permanent solution has been put in place to prevent the crisis. Some residents are on oxygen machines and they are severely affected when the electricity goes off. The Sol Plaatje Municipality says the pr...

About 120 learners from the Ikamva LeSizwe Primary School in the Eastern Cape are receiving medical attention after complaining of stomach aches and vomiting. According to the department of education in the province, these learners started showing signs of sickness after having a meal served at their school during the lunch break period as part of the School Nutrition Programme. To give us an upda...

We get an analysis of what this motion means; how should or how can the voting be done; there have been so many motions tabled in parliament, will this be any different? We’ll also talk about the tests and the waters that the president is sailing through.... which comrades will he axe?   GUEST: Dr Metjie Makgoba - Independent Political Analyst

We’re in conversation with Siviwe Gwarube, DA MP, and this comes after her comments during the sona debate. She says MPs, especially those from the ANC, have assumed a posture of defending members of the executive instead of holding them accountable.  The DA has also called for a motion of no confidence against the administration, saying that President Ramaphosa needs to fire his comrad...

We hear from trade union Solidarity, following Cogta’s decision to extend the National State of Disaster. According to the union, the current state of disaster creates major uncertainty for workers, companies and the economy in general, and it must therefore be terminated.   Guest: Connie Mulder, Head of Solidarity Research Institute

The EFF has opened a case against an SAPS official in the Thabazimbi Waterberg district. This follows a video that has been doing the rounds where a woman is sitting at the back of a car and she's having a conversation with what appears to be a police officer. This woman had laid a charge of rape against the man she's sitting next to and the policeman is heard in the video, telling this woman to l...

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) conducted a joint inspection with government in Alexandra, north of Johannesburg. They assessed progress in implementing the directives following the joint report with the Public Protector in July last year, which recommended that government urgently intervene to correct human rights violations in the township. The report followed the 2019 Alex Shu...

Earlier today, small-scale fishers from Steenberg’s Cove and Langebaan picketed outside the Western Cape High Court. This as Searcher Geodata UK Limited Searcher Seismic Australia present their case arguing that the Western Cape High Court must reconsider its earlier decision, which directed Searcher to discontinue any activities related to the seismic survey. This interim interdict is suppo...

Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that South Africa’s work visa system is being reviewed. Part of this review includes the potential of a remote working visa which will make it possible for professionals to live and work for a foreign company in South Africa. To explain how this remote work visa will benefit the tourism sector is……   Guest: James Vos, City of...

On Saturday, thousands took to the streets across the UK calling on government to intervene in the cost of living crisis as they highlighted the impact of soaring bills and taxes on struggling families. The People’s Assembly co-ordinated the demonstrations, supported by trade unions. Joining us to look at the political ramifications of this is…….   Guest: Guest on the line...

The Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (CONTRALESA) in the Eastern Cape has taken government to court as they are unhappy about the state’s broken promises. The organisation is also complaining about what they term ‘unfair discrimination against traditional leadership by government’.   Guest: Nkosi Mwelo Nonkonyana, Chairperson of Contralesa in the Eastern...

When delivering his sixth State of the Nation Address last night, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) will be extended for 12 months. The SRD grant was first introduced in 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and government has been using it reduce the effects of the pandemic. Joining us to discuss the SRD extension is…….   Guest: Am...

Following the devastating impact of cyclone Batsirai in Madagascar. We learn more about its effects and dangers. Reports coming from Madagascar suggest that the death toll from Cyclone Batsirai is now over 100 while at least 75 thousand people have been displaced.   Guest: Mr Mnikeli Ndabambi, Meteorologist & Executive Manager at the South African Weather Service  

SONA REACTION: While the agricultural sector has been consistently complaining about the escalating costs and the increasing difficulty of transporting agricultural goods. Some of them will be pleased following last night’s SONA as President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that Transnet is addressing these challenges and is currently focused on improving operational efficiencies at the ports throu...

We hear from Mark Barnes on why he wants to save our ailing state-owned enterprise, Post Office. Barnes is leading a consortium that wants to purchase at least 60% of the SA Post Office as he seeks to turn it around so that it can become a profitable business venture again.   Guest: Mark Barnes, former Post Office CEO

A storm of criticism ensued last week following the JSC interviews that were conducted in order to choose the country’s next Chief Justice. The Judicial Service Commission came under heavy criticism over the line of questioning by some of its members, in terms of how they treated some of the candidates during the interviews. But - is the criticism justified – was there something amiss...

    The South African Federation of Trade Unions is today staging a protest outside the Cape Town City Hall where President Cyril Ramaphosa will be giving his State of the Nation Address. They say that they would like to expose the president for not fulfilling his promises. Our reporter Mlamli Maneli is there covering the story and also speaking to the leadership of the union…. &n...

Are South African prisons safe?: We are posing this question following a horrific incident that occurred yesterday morning at the Johannesburg Correctional Centre where three officials were stabbed by an inmate. According to the department of correctional services, criminal charges will be instituted against the inmate in question.   Guest: Singabakho Nxumalo, Spokesperson of the Departm...

World News: We unpack the Human Rights Watch Report that was released earlier today, titled “How Can You Throw Us Back?”: The report  focuses on the 80-90 Cameroonians deported during the final months of Donald Trump’s presidency, between October 2020 and January 2021. It also documents violence, prolonged detention, and other mistreatment Cameroonians experienced in US Immi...

The cash-strapped Amahlathi Local Municipality has reportedly arranged a credit facility with a local Pick n Pay for its employees. They include the mayor, councillors and senior officials. They will get food on credit as the council does not have money to pay salaries until June. According to municipality records, their bank balance is sitting at R1-million- rand while the monthly salary bill is...

The Johannesburg High Court has declared the Mediation in Certain Divorce Matters Act of 1987 unconstitutional. Currently the Act dictates that the Family Advocate can only deal with children of married parents. Unmarried parents have to go through a costly court application, rather than just fill in a form, as is the case when married parents’ divorce.   Guest: Karabo Ozah, Director of...

Former Democratic Alliance federal chairperson and Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Athol Trollip has joined Herman Mashaba’s ActionSA. Trollip says he joined ActionSA because he wants to see real democratic political change.   Guest: Athol Trollip, new member of ActionSA

The City of Tshwane says that it has embarked on an “aggressive and unprecedented” revenue collecting campaign where they are disconnecting water and electricity to government departments, embassies and commercial properties. They go on to say that they are owed R17-billion by government departments, embassies and homeowners who have defaulted on their municipal accounts. To...