The National Pulse

Let's touch base now with SAFTU General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi who has been in the forefront of a strike by workers at Clover. They have been on strike across the country for eight weeks. They are demanding that the company stop plans for further retrenchments or job losses, and reinstate all workers. To find out what is going on there and also what is at the core of the proposed retrenchments,...

World News: People in Nigeria can tweet again. This after the country lifted a ban on Twitter at midnight after the social media platform agreed to open a local office, among other agreements with authorities in the West African country, according to a senior government official. The country's government suspended Twitter last year in June after it removed a post from President Muhammadu Buhari th...

Seventeen people have been killed in a head on collision between a 22 seater bus and an SUV on the N1 near Mookgophong in Limpopo. Several bodies were discovered inside the burnt bus. Meanwhile, seven people who were injured in the accident have been discharged from hospital. Investigations into the cause of the collision are underway. Limpopo Traffic spokesperson, Mike Maringa now joins us on the...

Gauteng Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi has committed to place all pupils in the province by the end of the month. 700 online applicants remain unplaced. Lesufi was speaking at the opening of a new school in Sedibeng in the Vaal, as pupils in inland provinces start the new academic year. Gauteng needs another 100 new schools to accommodate the high demand. Hundred-and-two thousand new pupils entered...

The first day of school can be very emotional, tough or exciting for both parents as well as their kids; parents often post back to school photos of their kids under hashtags such as #BackToSchool or #Grade1, posing with signs stating information like the name of their school, their grade or teacher. Although starting Grade one is a major milestone, it often comes with danger - Given the school ki...

Arguments over the validity of the late amaZulu King Goodwill Zwelithini's are still continuing in the High Court in Pietermaritzburg. Earlier, Judge Isaac Madondo dismissed the application of his first wife and Widow Queen Sibongile Dlamini-Zulu to amend her founding affidavit. She is asking the court to assert her right to 50 per cent of the late amaZulu King's estate based on her civil marriage...

The first day of school can be both exciting and nerve-racking for parents and children alike. Many well-known personalities took to social media today to post pictures of their bundles of joy starting Grade one for the first time, well others of pictures of their of their kids starting a new grade, and one of those well-known parents is Tumi Sole, a lawyer and founder of #CountryDuty, he joins us...

The Stellenbosch University has raised more than eight-point-one million Rand to reportedly clear student debt. The University says 166 graduates have been able to graduate thanks to the donations. For more on this we're joined on the line by Pieter Swart, Director for Principal Gifts and Transformational Giving at Stellenbosch University... GUEST: Pieter Swart, Director for Principal Gifts and Tr...

Willie Fouche, Chief Forensic Officer, at the Forensic Pathology Services in Gauteng says crime scene forensic Investigators are not to blame for the police's forensic DNA backlog. The Police Ministry says there is a huge backlog in DNA testing at the Police Forensic Science Laboratories, which causes delays in the burial of some crime victims. Fouche says there is a huge misconception that the wo...

Len Cloete, the man who was shot in the head by a police officer during an altercation at a lodge in Muldersdrift, Gauteng, last year is currently going through rehabilitation. For the latest update, we're joined on the line by Mr. Mike Bolhuis, Specialist Investigators into Serious Violent and Serious Economic Crimes... GUEST: Mr. Mike Bolhuis, Specialist Investigators into Serious Violent and Se...

There has been mixed reaction to news that matric results will no longer be published in the media. The 2021 Matric results will no longer be published on public platforms in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act. This is something student organisation Cosas has been calling for over the years. Let's get a response from them as we welcome….GUEST: Thabang Mokoena, President Ge...

The Mbatha family has been informed that DNA results confirm that the charred remains found in a torched car in June 2021 in Klipgat, Northwest is that of Sam Mbatha. The family says it can now proceed with the funeral arrangements. Sam Mbatha, a member of the LGBTIQ+ community was reportedly killed because of his sexual identity. Police in the province are still investigating a case of murder. Fo...

Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula has today outlined the implementation of the Taxi Relief Fund in Sandton. He says that over R1 billion has been set aside to assist the taxi industry. The big question then becomes how the funds will be distributes and who qualifies? Also why has it taken so long? To help us understand, we are joined on the line by… Guest: Lawrence Vinkile, Spokesperson...

WORLD NEWS: Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa has fired another minister. State security minister Owen Ncube has been removed "with immediate effect for conduct inappropriate for a minister of government". Ncube was reportedly a close ally to the president before and after his ascension to power. GUEST: Political analyst, Dr. Ibbo Mandaza

    The Cape Town Magistrates Court has ruled that Zandile Mafe, who is accused for torching parliament, be referred to a mental institution for 30 days for mental observation. He will be back in court on the 11th of February. The state had submitted to court a medical report which diagnosed him with a condition called paranoid schizophrenia. The defence objected to the medical report "a...

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa says desperate attempts that are unfolding in the country won't succeed. Delivering the ANC January 8 statement at the weekend, Ramaphosa warned those involved in the destruction of the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court that the people will emerge stronger. The ANC NEC Statement charts the way forward for the country and provides direction for the State o...

Several prominent South African politicians have warned against the adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccines. ACDP leader Kenneth Meshoe says every person taking the vaccine should be informed about adverse reactions and possible injuries after taking the jab, while Jacob Zuma Foundation spokesperson and Member of the African Transformation Movement (ATM) party, Mzwanele Manyi says there are growing r...

  Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, says government will intensify its efforts in encouraging parents to vaccinate their children from the start of the 2022 academic year. This is in an attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19 as learners return to school on Wednesday. Motshekga is expected to make an announcement tomorrow on the plans for the new academic year. GUEST: Elijah Mhlang...

As the 2022 academic year begins, the Competition Commission of South Africa has urged all schools, School Governing Bodies, community structures, parents and government to comply with the guidelines on school uniform. The Commission has published an educational pamphlet on the role that schools, SGBs and parents can play to help lower the price of school uniform and other learning-related materia...

The Architect of the National Assembly building Jack van der Lecq says the most critical part to rebuilding it, is to test the structural integrity of the building. The old and new National Assembly buildings were guttered by a fire that broke out last week. Van der Lecq is the person who designed the building as early as 1984 and the building was completed and opened in 1988. He joins us on the l...

SAA's interim board says that it intends instituting internal investigations and disciplinary processes with the aim of "cleaning the company of all vestiges of its shameful past". This follows the release of part one of the Zondo Commission's report. The board goes on to say that this is in line with its fiduciary responsibility and legal obligations under the Public Finance Management Act. Guest...

Let's speak now to Wayne Duvenage who wrote a very interesting article about what to do while we are waiting for the NPA to take action. He points out that according to strong evidence provided at the Zondo Commission, Swissport paid around R30-million whilst lubricating the procurement process, in order to secure a R1,5-billion five-year SAA contract. As the bidding for the licensing tender for t...

Political dynasties have been dominating the African continent for decades. Many political clans or families tend to groom and later hand over power to their children and analysts say this practice is detrimental to African countries. Such political dynasties are evident in the Moi family, the Kenyattas and the Odingas in Kenya, the Gnassingbes in Togo, the Debys in Chad, the Bongos of Gabon, the...

Can customers hold City Power accountable for direct damage caused to household appliances, spoiled food or loss of Income as a result of load-shedding, power surges or power outages? And how does the City of Joburg determination whether a claim is successful or not? For clarity on this, we're joined on the line by Isaac Mangena, Spokesperson for City Power... GUEST: Isaac Mangena, Spokesperson fo...

The ANC Vhembe Region in Limpopo has come out strongly against a planned visit to the region by suspended Secretary General Ace Magashule. Magashule was scheduled to address members of the Sumbandila Branch of the Ward 8 in Musina. Regional secretary, Rudzani Ludere says no branch should invite Magashule to any political activities... GUEST: ANC's Vhembe Regional Secretary in Limpopo, Rudzani Lude...