The National Pulse

ActionSA president Herman Mashaba has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to "demonstrate real leadership" by cancelling former President Jacob Zuma's presidential perks and benefits. This after the Jacob Zuma Foundation stated that Zuma will not comply with the State capture commission of inquiry and will not appear before the commission as requested. So under what conditions can Zuma's president...

The ANC in the Eastern Cape is calling for Luthuli House to suspend former president Jacob Zuma for his refusal to testify at state capture commission. They are adamant that Zuma is constitutionally obliged to appear before the commission and they insist that he must lead by example Guest: Lulama Ngcukaitobi, Provincial Secretary of the ANC in the Eastern

What is the importance of reading aloud to children in their mother tongue? As the world marks World Read Aloud Day today, we speak to Nal'ibali CEO Yandiswa Xhakaza about the importance of home languages in learning to read. Because many parents and communities have this firm belief that their children will get a head-start in education by learning to read and speak in English instead of their ho...

Tanzania's government says it will delay the purchase of the COVID-19 vaccine until it is satisfied that there are no side effects. This comes at a time when the World Health Organisation is reporting a surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths in Africa as new, more contagious variants of the virus spread to additional countries. GUEST: Zitto Kabwe is leader of the Tanzanian opposition alliance, ACT (Al...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has dismissed rumours that the COVID 19 vaccination program will be compulsory for all citizens. But what if businesses, companies, malls, airports and other areas exercise their right of admission and do not allow patrons, visitors or workers access into certain facilities or buildings if they don't have proof of vaccination? To elaborate more on this, I'm joined on the...

South Africa will today join other countries in marking World Wetland Day. This year's theme of: "Wetlands and Water" looks at the role of wetlands as sources of freshwater and will also tackle issues around the protection and restoration of wetlands. A 2018 National Biodiversity Assessment found that 79% of wetlands are the most threatened of all South Africa's ecosystems. So how important are we...

We now speak to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (scopa) about their calls for an open tender process for the storage and distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine. Scopa says South Africa cannot afford the recurrence of maladministration and fraud in the tender process for the vaccine as it happened in the procurement processes for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) GUEST: Mkhuleko Hlengwa,...

South Africa's frontline healthcare workers will start receiving the COVID-19 vaccine in a few weeks. Yesterday one million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine landed at OR Tambo International Airport from India. A few samples are being sent to the National Control Laboratory in Bloemfontein for testing. The rest of the consignment will remain refrigerated in the BioVac warehouses in Johannesburg awaitin...

We hear from the finalist of this year’s Nedbank and Old Mutual Budget Speech Competition, Mahfouz Raffee whose excellent essay focused on “Land Expropriation” in South Africa. The Nedbank and Old Mutual Budget Speech Competition recognise and highlights the depth of talent, intellect and insight that exists within the ranks of South Africa’s future economic leaders. Guest: Mahfouz Raffee, Undergr...

The South African alcohol industry has welcomed government’s decision to partially lift the ban on the sale of alcohol but at the same time, they are worried about the industry’s long-term sustainability. They say the reinstatement of the alcohol ban for the third time has led to job losses, a rise in illicit trade and a significant decline in its economic contributions. Guest: Maryna Calow, Wines...

Last night, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the South African government will nominate the Cuban Medical Brigade for the Nobel Peace Prize following its assistance in the fight against the spread of COVID-19. The president went on to praise Cuba for deploying 3 700 medical professionals throughout the world. However this announcement has been met with mixed emotions with some arguing that...

How will the first phase of vaccinations work? Now that the country's first batch of Covid19 vaccine doses has arrived – we examine the country’s state of readiness in terms of how vaccination rollout plan will be carried out and we also establish as to whether the training of health workers who would be responsible for administering the vaccines has been completed. Guest: MUSA MOSHABELA, ACTING V...

The SABC says although the past few months have been difficult for the organisation, the public broadcaster's Sales team managed to perform well. For more on this, we're joined by SABC Group Executive for Commercial Sales, Reginald Nxumalo who is relatively new to the position about how the team managed to bring revenue to the SABC despite the challenges the entity faced... GUEST: Reginald Nxumalo...

The ANC in the North West will initiate a disciplinary process for Premier Job Mokgoro and four other ANC members of the provincial legislature. Mokgoro and the four members are accused of colluding with opposition parties in the election of a new Chair of Chairs. The party says this was against the mandate of its caucus. We now speak to North West based political analyst, Andre Duvenage about the...

It's been claimed at the State Capture Commission that government has been bankrolling apartheid assassin, Eugene de Kock, since his parole. A spy at the State Security Agency has revealed to the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture that up to R200 000 was allocated for the upkeep of De Kock. That included a R40 000 salary. The affidavit of the spy - known as Mr. Y - was read out while another...

Former president, Jacob Zuma says he has no intention of testifying at the commission of inquiry into state capture. In a statement released by his foundation earlier today - a defiant Zuma further stated that he does not fear going to prison should his decision to not co-operate with the inquiry be considered a violation of the law. Last week, the Constitutional Court ordered Zuma to cooperate wi...

World News: Can Scotland have another referendum? Following renewed calls for another independence referendum, we look at Scotland’s state of affairs. In 2019, Scotland’s Prime Minister, Nicola Sturgeon formally made the request for the transfer of legal powers to the Scottish government to hold a second independence referendum. You may recall that in 2014, a referendum on independence was held, w...

Tributes are pouring in for world-renowned jazz musician and opera singer - Sibongile Khumalo. She died from stroke-related complications at the age of 63. The Soweto-born singer - affectionately known as Ma'Mngoma - passed away yesterday. For more on her life, we now speak to one of her close friends, fellow musician Sipho "Hotstix" Mabuse, legendary South African musician. GUEST: Sipho "Hotstix"...

Former minister in the presidency Jackson Mthembu will be replaced as an MP by Dr Xiaomei Havard, a member of the ANC in Gauteng. Meanwhile some South Africans have taken to social media under the hashtag #NoChineseInSAParliament to raise their concerns and frustrations regarding the swearing-in of Dr Harvard, a Chinese national. They say a South African citizen should have been appointed for the...

What do you make of serious allegations that the government, through the State Security Agency's "Operation Lock", paid apartheid hitman Eugene de Kock R40,000 every month after his parole? The revelations came from testimony at the Zondo Commission by two current State Security Agency spooks "Mr Y" and "Ms K", whose Identities have been protected for obvious reasons. So how does Cosatu feel about...

The South African Social Security Agency, SASSA is refuting fake social media misinformation and claims about the expiry of the SASSA-SAPO Card. SASSA says the information has caused wide spread panic among beneficiaries and that this might be one of the reasons they are experiencing overcrowding in local SASSA Offices GUEST: Sassa spokesperson, Paseka Letsatsi

What do you make of serious allegations that the government, through the State Security Agency's "Operation Lock", paid apartheid hitman Eugene de Kock R40,000 every month after his parole? The revelations came from testimony at the Zondo Commission by two current State Security Agency spooks "Mr Y" and "Ms K", whose Identities have been protected for obvious reasons. So how does Cosatu feel about...

On Wednesday, the Presiding Officers of Parliament announced that given the current COVID-19 regulations, this year’s State of the Nation Address will be different, with no imbongi (praise singer) and many other activities associated with the event. However, Contralesa is not impressed by Parliament’s decision as they view indigenous South African poetry as conduits of history – they are arguing t...

Earlier today, the Independent Electoral Commission assured South Africans that they are ready to implement the Political Party Funding Act that will come into effect on the 1st of April. The commission also revealed that they are currently considering a proposal that was tabled by the EFF to merge local government elections with provincial and national elections. Guest: George Mahlangu, Chief Exe...

World News: We speak to Zimbabwean investigative journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono, who was released on bail on Wednesday after spending three weeks in prison. Chin’ono was arrested earlier this month and charged with communicating falsehoods after he tweeted that police had beaten an infant to death while enforcing COVID-19 lockdown regulations. Guest: Hopewell Chin’ono, Zimbabwean investigative jour...