The National Pulse

Following last night’s hostage drama that occurred at the St. George's Hotel in Irene, we ask - what needs to be done to address challenges faced by former liberation fighters? Guest: Zibuse Cele, MKMVA KwaZulu-Natal convener

Today we will shift focus away from our weekly Thursday debate by discussing a very emotive topic on car repossession by non-sheriffs. One of our listeners sent us a voice note yesterday to raise concerns about tracking and car repossession agents, who are driving around in vehicles with built in cameras and license plate scanning technology who try to repossess people's cars in Holly Wood style....

The Institute of Race Relations believes it is time for the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) to be disbanded. To state their case, the Institute recently launched a petition aimed at enabling South Africans to endorse the call for the disbandment of the NCCC and the restoration of democratic accountability. To unpack the arguments for disbanding the National Coronavirus Command Council...

The situation in Gqeberha remains tense even after Police Minister Bheki Cele and his team met with taxi operators and businessmen in Korsten after violent clash between drivers and shop owners – some of whom are Somalian. Amir Sheik, the spokesperson for the Afrika Diaspora Forum and also member of the Somali board have condemned the recent violence but says their members were more victims...

Understanding the relationship between district, metro and local municipalities, asking - what makes a municipality a metro? Guest: Dr Mike Sutcliffe , Director of City Insight & former eThekwini Municipality Manager

Police Minister Bheki Cele has outlined the police Service's course of action after acts of violence and destruction of property in Korsten, Gqeberha. He earlier met with representatives from taxi associations, business communities to address the tensions in the area. Guest: Ponky Bangani, taxi driver

As pro-democracy protests continue to spread throughout eSwatini. Yesterday, police shot a man dead during clashes with a group of commuter bus operators protesting for political reforms in the kingdom of Eswatini. Guest: Zweli Martin Dlamini, Managing Editor of Swaziland News

No one is better fitted to gear an economic miracle in South Africa than a businessman president. This according to a recent article by former government spokesperson Mayihlome Tshwete, who says the ANC may not be blind to it, but its economic crisis responses don't hold a sense of urgency. He says if the ANC wants to preserve its legacy it must rally behind an economic plan that affords all South...

What is the use of a ballot paper? And how does the IEC determine how many ballot papers are allocated in a certain area, this ahead of an election? To answer this, Aldrin Sampear spoke to Mr Masego Sheburi, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer at the IEC GUEST: Mr Masego Sheburi, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer at the IEC

Botswana's Court of Appeal has started hearing a government attempt to overturn a landmark ruling that decriminalised homosexuality. The country's High Court in 2019 ruled in favour of campaigners seeking to strike down prison sentences for same-sex relationships, declaring them unconstitutional. Botswana is among a handful of countries in Africa, where social codes are often conservative, to have...

Former Mpumalanga MEC for Agriculture, Mandla Msibi's bail application was adjourned following a bomb scare at the Nelspruit Magistrates Court. Msibi and four others are facing two charges of murder and one of attempted murder. Two of the accused were released on 20 thousand rand bail each last week. Meanwhile the provincial ANC PEC has resolved that the embattled MEC, PEC member and Head of Provi...

The National Consumer Commission has launched an investigation into the conduct of Elgin Fruit Juice (PTY) LTD, the supplier of 100% Apple Juice Concentrate. This follows a recent recall of 100% Apple Juice by Coca-Cola Beverages, Pioneer Foods and Woolworths. Guest: Ms Thezi Mabuza, Acting National Consumer Commissioner

    World News: Yesterday, the UN's top court ruled largely in favour of Somalia in its long-running dispute with Kenya over their maritime border. The ruling comes after Nairobi last week said it had revoked recognition of the court’s jurisdiction. So what now for bilateral relations between these two countries? Guest: Abdulkarim Farah, Journalist working for Universal Somali TV

As governments prepare to discuss the 'TRIPS Waiver' at the World Trade Organization this week, Doctors Without Borders or MSF along with some treatment activists and civil society organisations have been protesting outside the embassies of Belgium, the Netherlands and the US in South Africa's capital, Tshwane. The international medical humanitarian organization and others are calling on governmen...

Independent candidates have positioned themselves to take over the running of municipalities with the aim to depoliticise the local government sphere and introduce professional leadership at a local level. We speak to Political Analyst Wayne Sussman about the function of Independent candidates ahead of the 2021 local government election GUEST: Wayne Sussman, political analyst

A R22-million Wits Surgical Skills Lab to train super specialists opens today. The new lab aims to address the critical shortage of expert medical specialists in the country, including surgeons. This as South Africa has been losing a number of surgical experts to the competitive overseas market due to the lack of sufficient highly specialised facilities, infrastructure, and advanced academic train...

Why are Zulu Kings apolitical - Why don't they vote or get involved in politics in the country? We explore these questions, this after the IFP received backlash for using King Misuzulu kaZwelithini on its election poster, ahead of the local government elections. The IFP have since retracted the poster saying the photo of Zulu King, Misuzulu Ka Zwelithini, was erroneously used. The party says disci...

At least 9 people have been killed in a tragic bus accident on the N3 near the Bergville off ramp in KwaZulu-Natal. But do we know what caused this horrific accident? Guest: Kwanele Ncalane, Spokesperson for the Department of Transport, Community Safety and Liaison in KwaZulu-Natal

Yesterday, National Treasury issued a circular that prohibits the use of imported cement on government-funded projects. This has been welcomed by Bryan Perrie, CEO of Cement and Concrete SA, saying that the sector was delighted by the designation, following years of lobbying for protection. Guest: Bryan Perrie, CEO of Cement and Concrete SA (CCSA)

Earlier today, Human Rights Watch launched a report documenting how the Covid-19 crisis and the economic downturn it has caused, have resulted in more people going hungry in Africa and across the world. The report also shows that, while African governments have tried to fill gaps in social protection systems during the pandemic, measures have been inadequate and the vast majority of households hav...

The 2021 Municipal Elections municipal elections will be held on the first of November. Registered voters will elect councils for all districts, metropolitan and local municipalities in each of the country's nine provinces. Many of our SAFM listeners have raised questions on how candidate lists work and whether political parties can change their candidate list immediately after the elections. To s...

The Democratic Alliance has referred the Eastern Cape Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to the South African Human Rights Commission, after it reportedly issued an irregular tender that excludes minorities from tendering. The tender for the Appointment of Professional Land Surveyors for the survey of Provincial State Land, which was issued in September this year by the Department, repo...

Eastern Cape public works MEC Babalo Madikizela has denied allegations that he improperly benefitted from the R1.1 million meant for the memorial service of the late Mama Winnie Madikizela Mandela. This follows the Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s findings that Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane, MEC Madikizela and the provincial ANC, benefitted from political stalwart Winnie Madikizel...

A trial on the assassination of Burkina Faso’s former president, Thomas Sankara is currently underway. Former President Blaise Compaore and 13 others face an array of charges in the death of Sankara. The most worrying thing as the trial kicks off is that Ivory Coast has refused to extradite Compaore since Burkina Faso put out a warrant for his arrest six years ago hence he will be tried in a...

President Emmanuel Macron has revealed that France is going to use its upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union to launch a global campaign to abolish the death penalty. Macron made the announcement on Saturday when France was commemorating the 40th anniversary of the abolition of the death penalty. Guest on the line (Scotland) Musa Mdunge, Political Analyst based at the University...