The National Pulse

Earlier today, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula released preliminary stats on fatalities on South Africa’s roads since the start of the festive season. What is worrying about these figures is that close to 700 people have died so far since the start of the festive season. Guest: Ayanda Allie-Payne – Spokesperson for the Minister of Transport

World News: We dissect Zimbabwe’s current state of affairs as the country continues its downward spiral. Our neighboring country is currently experiencing financial hardships and this has somehow led to a muted festive season for many Zimbabweans (we are told). Guest: Eddie Cross, Economist based in Zimbabwe

Durban is expecting about 540 thousand visitors this December. KwaZulu Natal enjoys more relaxed restrictions around the opening of beaches, than the Garden Route which is closed completely. The local tourism sector in KZN is already forecasting a 62% decline in domestic tourism due to Covid-19. But for those travelling to the province, we have lined up Thulisile Galelekile, General Manager of Mar...

The African National Congress (ANC) will not be celebrating its January 8 statement in Limpopo next year. Officials have decided to cancel the 109 January Celebrations of the party due to the second wave infection rates in the country. GUEST: SABCNews, Senior political reporter, Samkele Maseko

The Public Service Association (PSA) is being taken to court for the fourth time by its suspended deputy general manager Tahir Maepa. The PSA, which is one of the country's biggest public service unions says Tahir Maepa was suspended after a damning report reportedly found him guilty of misconduct. Tahir has rubbished findings from the report and has vowed to clear his name of any wrongdoing. To e...

The Western Cape is one of the domestic travel destinations in South Africa preferred by foreign tourists. With several local attractions and venues, the city of Cape Town received 2.6 million international visitors in 2018 with a growth of 11.5% in international arrivals at Cape Town International Airport. But with Covid19 affecting almost every province in the country – why should South Africans...

About three hours ago, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo provided an update on the work of the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture thus far. During the briefing Zondo revealed that the commission has so far managed to call in a total of 278 witnesses since it began its work in August 2018. Zondo also revealed that the Guptas non-appearance will not affect the credibility of the commission’s...

The ANC in KZN has voiced concern about the manner in which party members have been arrested in the past - claiming the process risks delegitimising the state's capability in its handling of prosecutions. The ANC's Integrity Commission in the province gave Zandile Gumede the green light to return to her positions - both in the ANC and the provincial legislature. Gumede was asked to step aside afte...

the importance of observing lockdown regulations during the festive season. Yesterday, government gazetted changes to its lockdown regulations for the festive season, aimed at tackling a second wave of Covid-19 infections. Guest: Lungi Mtshali, Spokesperson for the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs

Tomorrow, President Cyril Ramaphosa will host the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tshisekedi on a working visit to South Africa. The visit will be an opportunity to reflect on ways to advance the African Union’s vision and developmental Agenda 2063 and to enhance the two countries’ strategic cooperation. In keeping with South Africa’s commitment to enhance bilateral relations...

Karabo Ozah joins us to outline the objectives of the amended Children's Act which has been received with mixed reactions with its critics arguing that it will lead to a decline in adoptions. So does this bill advance the interests of South Africa’s children? Guest: Karabo Ozah, Director of the Centre for Child Law in the Faculty of Law at the University of Pretoria

The DA intends on laying a complaint against Police Minister Bheki Cele after he reportedly abused his powers by ordering police officers to shut down a film shoot at Camps Bay beach in Cape Town. Yesterday Minister Cele with SAPS management inspected various beaches in Cape Town to assess the level of adherence to lockdown regulations. GUEST: Andrew Whitfield, DA Spokesperson on Police

The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) says they will being making outstanding payments for workers who have not received their Covid-19 TERS benefit payment. This week, the UIF, an entity of the Department of Employment and Labour started doing payment re-runs for outstanding claims for previous months. GUEST: Spokesperson at the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), Makhosonke Buthelezi

The EFF has 24 hours to remove or delete comments they made against former Finance Minister Trevor Manuel. This after the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed the EFF's appeal against a high court judgment which ordered them to pay Manuel R 500 000 in damages for defamation. Party leader Julius Malema and EFF MP, Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi accused Manuel of corruption and nepotism in the appointment of Sout...

In conversation with Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane about her office’s first ever clean audit achievement. It is for the first time in the Public Protector SA’s 25-year history that the institution’s financial statements have been found by the Auditor-General to be free of material misstatements and to have no material findings on performance reporting or non-compliance with legislation. I guess the...

The Great Brak River Business Forum, AfriForum and a guesthouse owner are challenging government's decision to close down certain beaches. The applicants have filed an urgent court application for Garden Route beaches to reopen during the festive season. GUEST: Great Brak River Business Forum chairperson, Wilhelm De Wet

Northern Cape police say they've arrested a man on the national wanted list. Police spokesperson Olebogeng Tawana says Nicholas Manci was arrested in Kuruman. GUEST: Northern Cape Provincial police spokesperson, Captain Olebogeng Tawana

The festive season is upon us and over the years this period has contributed to many road fatalities, this despite numerous campaigns to stop the carnage on our roads. While the country battles with the Covid19 pandemic; trying to ensure citizens comply with Covid19 protocols, there is another battle in trying to ensure that road users comply with traffic laws. Both battles are challenging; one ha...

This year, South Africa celebrates 26 years of freedom and democracy but many argue that very little has been achieved when it comes to reconciliation. So what do we need to do to correct this and keep the country on the path of peace, also to ensure that our country moves beyond persistent cycles of economic inequality? Guest: Yasmin Sooka, is a human rights lawyer & former Executive Director of...

Next month, Public Protector Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane will appear in the Pretoria magistrate's court on three counts of perjury. Following a perjury complaint against her laid by Accountability Now director Paul Hoffman in August last year. According to Hoffman, Mkhwebane’s criminal charge arose from a Constitutional Court judgment that found she was dishonest in her conduct in the case surroun...

Lekwa-Teemane Local Municipality Mayor Mpho Pilane has been released on R1 000 bail for alleged rape and abduction of two minors. He is accused of allegedly abducting two girls, taking them to a guest house, getting them drunk with alcohol and reportedly raping one of the minors. GUEST: ANC Women's League secretary general Meokgo Matuba

The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) has expressed concerns over the capability of the health sector amid a rise in coronavirus cases - saying they believe the industry is ill-prepared for the second wave. South Africa is recording a steady increase in new infections - having recorded over 866-thousand cases since the start of the pandemic and 23-thousand Covid19-related de...

Members of the South African National Cargo Transport Drivers Association marched to the National Bargaining Council offices in Johannesburg today. The truck drivers are marching over the recent spate of attacks on truck drivers. Dozens of truck drivers have been attacked and their vehicles set alight in the past few months. Most of the incidents have occurred on highways in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Na...

The ANC's Integrity Commission has recommended that the party's secretary-general, Ace Magashule, step aside. This after Magashule appeared before the party's Integrity Commission at Luthuli house in Johannesburg at the weekend. Magashule is out on 200-thousand-rand bail for criminal charges relating to a multi-million rand asbestos project while he was premier in the Free State. GUEST: Tessa Doom...

Following two farm attacks in KwaZulu-Natal, we hear from the Democratic Alliance in the province and they are demanding that government must move with speed on matters involving farmers and farm workers. The party is also accusing government of not doing enough to tackle farm murders in general Guest: Chris Pappas, DA Spokesperson for Agriculture and Rural Development in KwaZulu-Natal