The National Pulse

Last year, South Africa’s Constitutional Court ruled that the common law defence of ‘reasonable and moderate parental chastisement’ of children is unconstitutional. But what is worrying is the fact that recently, a couple appeared in court for sjambokking their 12-year-old daughter to death over rumours that she was seen kissing a boy. This story has sparked outrage and raised new questions about...

There are those who argue that Boko Haram is no longer just a threat to the state of Nigeria but to the entire continent of Africa – but is the continent doing enough to assist Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram? We revisit this topic following recent developments in Nigeria where more than 300 students are reported missing and Boko Haram group has claimed responsibility for the abduction of...

Speculations are rife that the National Coronavirus Command Council might consider closing beaches during the Christmas period to help slow the rapid spread of Covid19. President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation tonight on developments to the country's response to the coronavirus pandemic. GUEST: Craig Lambinon - Spokesman for the National Sea Rescue Institute

A Northern Cape couple is expected to apply for bail in the Jan Kempdorp Magistrates Court following their arrest for the murder of a burglar. The couple allegedly assaulted the man to death last week. Violent crimes and petty crimes in general tend to increase gradually over the festive season, so with this in mind, what are your rights when it comes to self-defence? And what constitutes as self-...

Motorists will now be able to service their cars at a business of their choice and not one approved by the manufacturer. This follows the publication of guidelines to this effect by the Competition Commission which will come into effect in July 2021. This will also apply to the fitting of car parts that are not original. Guest: Commissioner at the Competition Commission, Mr Thembinkosi Bonakele

The Minister of Public Enterprise, Pravin Gordhan, Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola and Eskom Group Chief Executive, André de Ruyter, earlier hosted a virtual media briefing to announce important developments regarding the fight against corruption at the embattled power utility, which is battling to keep the lights on with ageing infrastructure and has rising debt. Yest...

Judgment in the matric rewrite case has been delivered today. Afriforum, teachers union Sadtu, and two groups of individual pupils wanted the Gauteng High Court to overturn the Basic Education Department's decision ordering a rewrite of two leaked matric papers. Guest: Nomusa Cembi, Spokesperson for the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (SADTU)

The human rights organisation #Africa4Palestine says Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng's latest comments undermine medical science and South Africa's position on the distribution of vaccines. This after Mogoeng Mogoeng’s prayer against COVID-19 vaccines, which he warned might seek to harm people, raised eyebrows. However, earlier on today, Mogoeng defended his controversial prayer saying he never stat...

Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo has been re-elected after a tightly contested election. Akufo-Addo obtained 51.6% of the vote, compared with 47.4% won by his main rival, ex-President John Mahama. Mahama has not yet conceded defeat. His party has rejected the results, citing alleged irregularities and they are considering legal action to overturn the election results. Guest: Faith Mabera, Senior...

A family who bought a ten-million-Rand mansion in Hout Bay say they cannot enjoy their new home as they are struggling to evict a tenant who lived on the property before the previous owner sold it. The new property owner, Ms Emily Vollmer says she has spent exorbitant amounts in legal fees trying to remove Mr Adrian Mitchell. GUEST: Emily Vollmer, the owner of a R10 million mansion in upmarket Hou...

Today is the last day of 16 Days of Activism, has enough been done to curb gender-based violence? If so, why do we continuously see such heinous and gruesome acts of GBV dominating our headlines year in year out, despite massive campaigns to prevent such? Does it have something to do with the way men are brought up or there are other psychological factors at play... GUEST: Lisa Vetten, Research co...

ANC Northern Cape provincial secretary Deshi Ngxanga has applied for residential plot in Orania. Orania is an Afrikaner town in South Africa, located along the Orange River in the Karoo region of the Northern Cape province. The town residents state that anyone who defines themselves as an Afrikaner and identifies with Afrikaner ethnicity or culture is welcome to live in Orania. The Orania Movement...

We examine the Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme - which is designed to support a spectrum of opportunities, focusing on job creation through public employment; on job retention in vulnerable sectors; on direct support to livelihood strategies; as well as on fast-tracking high-impact employment enablers. Guest: Rudi Dicks, Head of Project Management Office in the Presidency

This year’s Human Rights Day theme relates to the COVID-19 pandemic and focuses on the need to build back better by ensuring Human Rights are central to recovery efforts. This day also reminds us that respect for human rights is the responsibility that all of us must carry, including civil society organizations. Recently, the Foundation for Human Rights conducted a survey on the respect for human...

World News: In conversation with the Secretary General of Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North. You may recall that in October this year - Sudan’s transitional government and several rebel groups signed a peace agreement aimed at resolving years of war in which hundreds of thousands of people died and millions displaced. However, two powerful rebel groups – the Darfur-based Sudan Liberation Mo...

Nelson Mandela Bay Executive Mayor Nqaba Bhanga says the Eastern Cape Cogta MEC Xolile Nqatha does not have powers to declare his election as Mayor null and void. Bhanga, was replying to a letter from MEC Nqatha declaring his election invalid. Bhanga was elected during a protracted council meeting on Friday, where PA councillor Marlon Daniels presided over the election. This after Speaker Buyelwa...

The Auditor-General's office has found that competitive processes were not followed in the procurement of PPE by the Department of Health and Basic Education. Presenting the second special report on the financial management of Government's COVID-19 initiatives, Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke says they found deviations were not approved at the appropriate level. She says some of the PPE supplied...

A manhunt has been launched to track down two prisoners who reportedly escaped from the Kgosi Mampuru prison in Tshwane. GUEST: Correctional services spokesperson, Singabakho Nxumalo

Four officials in the eThekwini Metro have been arrested for fraud and corruption in connection with the Waste removal tender. One official who is a deputy Head of Supply Chain together with his wife and two others service providers were arrested by the Hawks this morning. Some of the suspects are also alleged to have raked in tenders from the office of the mayor. GUEST: Hawks national spokesperso...

Today being International Anti-Corruption Day. We dissect Corruption Watch’s report, titled “Our Future is not for Sale.” The report was released earlier on today and it highlights the devastating impact of corruption on the lives of young people in South Africa, and how their prospects have been affected by the pervasiveness of corruption in the country. Guest: Kavisha Pillay, Head of Stakeholder...

We learn more about this year’s comprehensive National Road Safety Campaign called “It’s not just about you”, which is calling on people to change their behaviour by considering their loved ones and other citizens when faced with the decision to drink and drive or drink and walk this festive season. The campaign is aimed at reducing alcohol-related accidents/ fatalities by 20% this year Guest: Sba...

What political bearing will the outcome of ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule's court case have on the party? And are Magashule's supporters really planning a special ANC conference at which Ramaphosa would be removed? To answer this and more, we're now joined on the line by Professor Steven Friedman, Professor of Political Studies, at University of Johannesburg... GUEST: Professor Steven Friedma...

KwaZulu-Natal government is considering closing down its beaches during the festive season to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the province. The Idea comes after the "Matric Rage" event, hosted annually in Ballito on the north coast, was identified as a coronavirus super spreader event. Many young people who attended this event are reported to have tested positive for the virus. GUEST: Dr Sandile Ts...

With only a few hours left before 17 municipal ward by-elections, scheduled to take place in different parts of the country tomorrow. The IEC has once again declared its state of readiness. Voters, election staff, and all those entering the voting station will be required to wear a mask at all times. Voters are also encouraged to bring their own pens to mark their ballot papers, although pens will...

On World News today, we focus on DRC political tensions: On Sunday, DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi announced that he intends to form a new coalition government and warned that he might be forced to dissolve parliament and hold fresh elections if he was unable to do so. Reports coming from Congo suggest that coalition that has governed the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for 20 months, forg...