The National Pulse

Today we debate the issue of medical tourism asking – is it appropriate for African leaders to seek medical help abroad, while neglecting their own healthcare systems? I’m sure many of you will agree that for many years now, this has become a common pattern among African leaders. But when will it ever end? Guest on the line (Zim): Prof Lovemore Madhuku: President of the NCA Party and P...

Violent protests over service delivery issues in Middelburg have erupted in the Mhluzi Township. Trucks have reportedly been burnt in the area. Mhluzi residents are protesting against higher rates and taxes charged by the municipality. Executive Mayor of Steve Tshwete local municipality Diphala Joseph Motsepe say the Council will be meeting this frriday to address the concerns of residents who are...

New Nation Movement reacts to Mapisa-Ngqakula’s election as Speaker of the National Assembly. Leading up to her election, the movement made it very clear that they were opposed to her nomination, arguing that she was not the right person for the job. Guest: Bulelani Mkhohliswa, National Executive Director of the New Nation Movement

One of our listeners who is pregnant yesterday sent us a voice note to raise her concerns around Covid-19 as a pregnant women. She said she wanted to get the jab but was told that she needs to get a consent form from her gynaecologist. Earlier on I spoke to Dr Angelique Coetzee, chairperson of the South African Medical Association, SAMA about what is the procedure when it comes to people who are p...

Violent protests over service delivery issues in Middelburg have erupted in the Mhluzi Township. Trucks have reportedly been burnt in the area. Mhluzi residents are protesting against higher rates and taxes charged by the municipality. To tell us why Middleburg is burning is… Guest: “Barry White” - Middleburg community member

World News: Burkina Faso's president has declared three days of national mourning - after terror attacks that killed 47 people, including 30 civilians in the latest attack in the north of the country. The assault occurred yesterday near the northern town of Gorgadji. Also another interesting development in the country is that Thomas Sankara’s assassination trial will begin in October this ye...

Cape Town residents are concerned about the brutal and serial killing of cats in the suburb of Manenberg. Over 42 cats have been slaughtered and dumped in people's back yards since July 15. The horrific killings have raised concern about the psychological state of the killer or killers, with some local residents citing Satanism as a contributing factor. Meanwhile, the South African Satanic Church...

The president of the African Transformation Movement, ATM, Vuyo Zungula says parliament will be contravening lockdown regulations with the sitting arrangements for the election of a new speaker of parliament. In a letter to the acting Speaker of Parliament Lechesa Tsenoli, Zungula says Members of parliament need to lead by example by limiting the number of guests and participants in the National A...

Motorists have until 31 August 2021 to ensure their licences are renewed - however, reports from our listeners are that licence centres are closing as early as 8 O' Clock in the morning and that many are still struggling to with technical challenges to get a booking on the eNatis system, which is just the first step in the process. Opposition parties and other stakeholders have since called for an...

The number of fatalities in the bus crash that happened on the Kei Cuttings, between Butterworth and East London has been revised to 30 after the department of transport in the province earlier stated that the death toll increased to 31. Provincial spokesperson Unathi Binqose says currently eight people have not been identified by their families. GUEST: Eastern Cape Department of Transport Spokesp...

World News: Yesterday, SADC Chairperson and President of Malawi, Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera called for equal vaccine access. Chakwera was addressing the 41st Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Guest: Gospel Kazako, Malawi's Minister of Information and government spokesperson

Just how rife is corruption in municipalities across the country? A new report released by Corruption Watch earlier today - shows that South Africa has a leadership crisis. The report also provides an understanding of how corruption manifests at the local level, including the extent to which some municipalities have been captured to serve private interests. Guest: Melusi Ncala, Corruption Watch Re...

The South African Democratic Teachers Union, SADTU in KwaZulu-Natal have been picketing outside the Moses Mabhida Building in Pietermaritzburg, calling on the provincial Department of Education to address non appointment of teachers, non-payment of educators, termination of substitute Teacher's contracts. GUEST: Ms Nomarashiya Caluza, the Provincial Secretary of South African Democratic Teachers U...

934 girls between the ages 10 to 14 gave birth between April 2020 and March 2021, according to the Gauteng Health Department. The details of teenage pregnancies in the province were revealed by the provincial Health MEC, Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi, in her written reply to questions by the DA's spokesperson on social development, Refiloe Nt'sekhe, in the provincial legislature on Tuesday. We now speak...

Following Dr Susan Vosloo’s controversial statements about Covid-19 vaccines. The Health Professions Council of South Africa has confirmed that a formal complaint has been filed against her. For further elucidation on this, we are joined by…. Guest: Chris Tsatsawane, Head of Corporate Affairs at the Health Professionals Council of South Africa

The South African Medical Association has issued a stern warning to medical professionals who spread fake news about the Covid19 vaccines. SAMA’s statement was released immediately after a video surfaced in which well-known Cape Town heart surgeon Dr Susan Vosloo made controversial statements about Covid-19 vaccines. Guest: Dr Angelique Coetzee, chairperson of the South African Medical Assoc...

Given what’s currently happening in Afghanistan – on world news today we ask - what are the global political ramifications of Taliban taking over Afghanistan and also what about Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan, was it the right one? Guest: Na'eem Jeenah, Executive Director of the Afro-Middle East Centre

As the country commemorates the 9th anniversary of the Marikana Massacre, President Cyril Ramaphosa has not yet lived up to his promise to go and apologise to the widows of the 34 Marikana miners who were killed by police during a wage dispute in 2012. In 2017, then Deputy President, Ramaphosa apologised for the way in which the Marikana shootings unfolded in 2012. But he denied any involvement in...

An inmate at the Leeuwkop prison, Johannesburg, has reportedly been charged for the murder of 50-year-old prison warden Eunice Moloko. She died last week while on duty at the prison's Covid-19 isolation site. Her body was discovered on the floor with her jacket covered with blood. GUEST: George Moloko, Eunice Moloko's brother-in-law GUEST: Correctional services spokesperson, Singabakho Nxumalo

There are growing concerns that the Taliban will impose Sharia law in Afghanistan. This as the Taliban has changed the name of Afghanistan to "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan", under Sharia law. When Taliban ruled the country from 1996 to 2001 they imposed Sharia, a strict interpretation of Islamic law which meant women could not work, girls were banned from attending school and women had to cover...

It’s part two of our conversation with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on the benefits of indigenous plants. Dr Nomusa Dlamini takes us through the CSIR processes in terms of how they conduct their research on African medicines and several other South African herbs and formulations. Guest: Dr Nomusa Dlamini, Principal researcher in agro processing and food cluster &...

Authorities in the Eastern Cape have expressed concern about the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases at schools. According to the department of education in the province, the number of learners infected so far with Covid-19 is at around 1 341. Guest: Sihle Mnguni, Acting DDG for Corporate Services: Eastern Cape Department of Education

The people of Zambia have spoken. The Electoral Commission of Zambia announced Hakainde Hichilema’s victory over incumbent President Edgar Lungu earlier today. Hichilema secured a stunning landslide victory as he got 2,810,777 votes against Lungu's 1,814,201. However he has his work cut out for him, as his supporters are looking to him to increase employment and cut out corruption. Guest: Hi...

South Africa has a shortage of organ donors and a lack of education is making the organ transplants list even longer. August is the National Organ Donation Awareness month and campaigns have been launched to educate people about the importance of becoming donors. The Organ Donation Foundation says COVID-19 had an immediate and devastating impact on transplant activity as the infection became more...

UIF officials suspended over alleged irregularities in the disbursement of relief funding meant to support businesses and employees during the Covid-19 lockdown have returned to work after their suspensions were lifted this according to acting Commissioner of the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), Advocate Mzie Yawa. GUEST: Acting Commissioner of the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), Advocat...