The National Pulse

The department of health says there is no need to cover the coffins of people who died of Covid19 in plastic wraps or mark them with biohazard stickers prior to burial. The department issued a statement following reports it received about the practice of wrapping coffins with plastic. To elaborate further on this, we are joined by…. Guest: Murdock Ramathuba, National Director for Environmental at...

The family of businessman Shonisani Lethole who died in the Thembisa Hospital last year and the Justice for Shoni campaign are demanding the immediate suspension of the hospital's CEO. The family held a virtual press conference today after Health Ombud, Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, released his findings on Lethole's death last year. The Ombud had found that Lethole had received sub-standard care...

Staying with this story of former President Jacob Zuma. So the Constitutional Court has ruled that former President Jacob Zuma must appear and give evidence at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture. But what will happen if the former president refuses to appear before the Commission? To answer this, I'm joined on the line by... GUEST: Dr Llewellyn Curlewis, senior lecturer in criminal and p...

The Hawks says Investigations into the matter of former president Jacob Zuma contravening the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture Act by walking out of the Commission without Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo's permission is still ongoing. Earlier I spoke to Hawks spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Philani Nkwalase, who confirmed that a case of contravening the Commissions Act was opened at th...

Transparency International’s 2020 Corruption Perceptions Index, released today, highlights how corruption has impacted the ability of countries around the world, including South Africa, to manage their health care responses to the Covid-19 pandemic. Even more worrying for South Africa is the fact that our country has once again failed to move above the 50 point on the index, something that is very...

On World News today, we tackle DRC Politics: President Felix Tshisekedi will now be able to appoint ministers loyal to his political agenda – following yesterday’s ousting of Prime Minister Sylvestre Ilunga Ilunkamba, who once worked as an economic advisor to former President Joseph Kabila. To discuss political developments in the DRC is… Guest: Dr Claude Kabemba, Executive Director of the Souther...

In conversation with Dr Sydney Mufamadi who served as the chairperson of the High-Level Review Panel into the State Security Agency. Post damning revelations on the abuse of the State Security Agency's powers over the past decade. Testimonies coming from the Zondo Commission this week suggest that under the Zuma administration - the agency was used as an instrument to achieve political ends. Guest...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed minister of small business development Khumbudzo Ntshavheni as acting minister in the presidency until further notice. The appointment of Minister Ntshavheni, who is also minister of small business development, follows the death of minister in the presidency Jackson Mthembu due to Covid-19-related complications. Minister Ntshavheni now joins me on the line,...

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Saphra) has announced that it will allow a controlled compassionate use of Ivermectin to treat Covid-19. Ivermectin is a widely used drug for the treatment and control of parasites in animals. It is also used to treat several tropical diseases in humans not commonly seen in South Africa. For more on this, we're joined on the line by Dr Naseeb...

Earlier today, Health Ombudsman Professor Malegapuru Makgoba released the shocking findings of an investigation into the death of Shonisani Lethole. Makgoba revealed that Lethole was not fed for 100 hours and 54 minutes during his stay at Tembisa Hospital. Post the release of this shocking report, Makgoba has recommended that Gauteng Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi must urgently appoint an independ...

Two-thirds of adults are willing to take the Covid-19 vaccine, this according to finding of the latest University of Johannesburg and the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) Covid Democracy Survey. The analysis is based on over 10 thousand completed questionnaires that were weighted by race, education and age, making findings broadly representative of the total adult population. But the big pro...

The One South Africa (OSA) movement say they will participate in this year's local government elections with independent candidates. Briefing the media yesterday, following a two-day sitting of OSA's national council, the movement's founder Mmusi Maimane says OSA will not be on the ballot paper but will support independent candidates. He joins us on the line to elaborate further on why they are su...

The Construction, Mining, Energy and Engineering Workers Union (COMEEWU) has written to President Cyril Ramaphosa asking him to restructure his economic recovery plan to be a time based solution. The relatively new union which represents over 3500 members say President Ramaphosa needs to help workers understand what his plan is to restore the loss of income and prevent further job shedding. COMEEW...

Unlocking the encrypted codes of intelligence operations with General Mojo Motau – looking at what has been revealed at the Zondo Commission so far”. Guest: General Mojo Motau, retired South African Army general who served as Chief of Defence Intelligence from 1998 - 2009.

Last week, the South African Weather Service warned about the possibility of heavy downpours in some parts of Limpopo, Mpumalanga and northern KwaZulu-Natal. A lot has happened since then and a lot of people have lost their homes. In Northern KwaZulu-Natal for instance, fifty homesteads have been severally impacted by disruptive rainfall. In Mpumalanga, videos and pictures showing the aftermath of...

World News, today we dissect the findings of Oxfam’s Inequality Report: The report, titled ‘The Inequality Virus,’ reveals that the wealth of the ten richest men has increased by half a trillion dollars since the pandemic began - more than enough to pay for a vaccine for all and prevent anyone on Earth from falling into poverty because of the virus. Guest: Mthandazo Ndlovu, Governance Programmes M...

Police in KwaZulu-Natal have confirmed that two shops have been set alight in the CBD by an unknown group of people. However, it hasn’t been established yet if their actions are somehow linked to anti-foreigner sentiment by some groups that have carried out similar acts in the past. For more on this, we are joined by…. Guest: Colonel Jay Naicker, Police spokesperson in KwaZulu-Natal

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has charged controversial paediatric surgeon Professor Peter Beale with murder over the death of a 10-year-old patient. Professor Beale and anaesthetist Dr Abdulhay Munshi, who was killed last year were Initially charged with culpable homicide after Zayyaan Sayed died following a routine surgery at Johannesburg's Park Lane Hospital in October 2019 GUEST: Ph...

We pay tribute to ubaba uJonas Gwangwa who sadly passed away on Saturday. Many say Gwangwa will be remembered for having used his music to communicate what was happening in South Africa during the struggle against apartheid. Guest: Letta Mbulu, South African jazz singer

The coalition of liquor traders in South Africa have written once again to President Cyril Ramaphosa to urgently lift the ban on the sale of alcohol. The liquor traders comprising of National Liquor Traders Council and Liquor Traders Association of South Africa say over 15,000 taverns will not be able to operate should something not be done to reverse the current ban in the next 7 days. As the cou...

There are growing calls for Mpumalanga Premier, Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane to be arrested for not wearing her mask in public. Premier, Mtsweni-Tsipane was seen on National TV, not wearing a mask during the funeral service of Minister Jackson Mthembu at the weekend. Meanwhile, the Minister of Police, General Bheki Cele says they have launched an investigation to look into the matter... GUEST: Lirandzu...

Why are government communicators sending mixed messages when it comes to Covid19? We assess the negative impact this may have and explain why coronavirus communication may make things worse if is not properly synchronised Guest: Solly Moeng, CEO of Donvalley Reputation Managers

Earlier today, a Ugandan High Court ruled that Bobi Wine’s house arrest was unlawful. High court judge Michael Elubu directed the police and military to immediately vacate Wine’s residence. Wine has been confined to his house since the January 14 presidential election, in which he was declared runner-up to President Yoweri Museveni, who won a sixth term Guest: Dismas Nkunda, Chief Executive Office...

As different countries try different methods to strengthen their fight against Covid19. Last week, three robots, named Shujaa, Tumaini and Jasiri, were provided to Kenya by the United Nations Development Programme in partnership with Japan to support front-line health-care workers in the fight against Covid-19 in Kenya. Guest: Caroline Kiarie, Head of Exploration of the United Nations Development...

We continue our main discussion on the Political Party Funding Act. Many of you may recall the ANC's calls for greater public funding of political parties. ANC Treasurer-General Paul Mashatile was once quoted as saying that the money they get at the moment is not enough and that the threshold for funding of political parties should be increased. He joins us on the line... GUEST: ANC Treasurer-Gene...