The National Pulse

Students across the country are calling on Minister of Higher Education, Dr Blade Nzimande to extend the National Student Financial Aid Scheme allowances to February next year. You may recall that recently, Nzimande announced that the November allowance payment was the last one and he implored students not to be impulsive spenders. Guest: Misheck Mugabe, President of the South African Union of Stu...

About two hours ago, the African National Congress Deputy Secretary General, Jessie Duarte and Treasurer General Paul Mashatile briefed the media on the outcomes of the meeting of national officials around the latest developments within the party. As expected, most journalists who attended the briefing wanted to know if the ANC has taken any decision in relation to its Secretary General Ace Magash...

The IEC has rejected Action SA's appeal to register as a political party. In September, the commission rejected the party's application because of similarities with the Party of Action and the use of the South African flag on its logo. Former Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba is the founder of Action SA which was officially launched last month. Mashaba left the DA over a leadership disagreement at...

The National Lotteries Commission says there was no conflict of interest in granting funds to former Hawk spokesperson Hangwani Mulaudzi's Foundation. Mulaudzi resigned on Monday after the DA lodged a complaint with Police Minister Bheki Cele related to R3million he allegedly received from the Commission to establish a sports centre in Limpopo. We now speak to Raymond Joseph, an Investigative Jour...

An arrest warrant has reportedly been issued for ANC Secretary General, Ace Magashule. Reuters quotes the Daily Maverick news website which is not giving a source for the information. It is believed that the warrant of arrest relates to the alleged irregular awarding of a 255 million rand tender for the auditing of asbestos roofs in the Free State. Guest: Xolani Dube, Researcher and political anal...

Professor Helen Reese shares her thoughts on what Pfizer's landmark COVID vaccine results mean for the pandemic and for the rest of the world. On the other hand, earlier on today - Wits University and its Reproductive Health and HIV Institute held a virtual media briefing where they announced a breakthrough in HIV prevention. They say initial results from clinical trials show that an injection eve...

On World News today, we examine Ethiopia’s escalating conflict. This as the violence in the northern area bordering Eritrea and Sudan threatens to destabilise Africa’s second-most populous country. Ethnic conflict in the region has simmered since Abiyb Ahmed took over in 2018. For analysis on this, Guest: Prof Mammo Muchie, South African Research Chair (SARChI) Innovation Studies @Tshwane Universi...

A warrant of arrest has been issued for the ANC’s secretary-general Ace Magashule. The arrest warrant relates to a R255-million asbestos contract in the Free State. Magashule will appear before the Bloemfontein High Court later this week. Guest: Kebby Maphatsoe, President of the ANC's uMkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA)

Former Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, Prasa chief executive, Lucky Montana has made serious allegations against Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize. In an interview with the Daily Maverick, Montana accused Dr Zweli Mkhize, who in his capacity as then ANC treasurer-general, of being Involved in alleged financial dealings with Angolan businesswoman Maria Gomes, who between 2013 and 2014 secured...

How can Science and technology help South Africa's economic recovery and address the country's energy crisis? Well these are some of the challenges that will take centre stage at the upcoming virtual Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) 7th Biennial Conference this week. The country's economy has been directly impacted by load-shedding that resulted in disruptive electricity suppl...

Brackenfell High school in the Western Cape has been accused of racism. The school allegedly organized a white-learners-only Matric dance and reportedly excluded black Matriculants. Earlier on today EFF members in the province clashed with some parents at the school, when protesting against the allegations of racism. Guest: Western Cape Education MEC, Debbie Schäfer guest: Guillaume Smith, Chairpe...

The Electoral Commission says it is prepared to run free, fair and safe by-elections across the country on Wednesday when it conducts by-elections in 96 wards in 56 municipalities. The commission has been unable to hold elections since March this year due to the coronavirus lockdown and it now wants to clear the backlog of all outstanding by-elections simultaneously this week. Guest: Mawetu Mosery...

There is a new R80-million litigation fund which is set to level the playing field in South African law. Do you remember Nkosana Makate, the inventor of the Please Call me service who ended up taking Vodacom to court? The legal battle continues to rage, but would it ever have gotten to the courts without some money behind it? It's often the case that worthwhile cases don't see the light of day bec...

Staying with the U.S elections, we now speak to Researcher and Political Analyst, Dr Dale McKinley, who says US corporate capital and the ultra-wealthy will continue to rule the economic and developmental roost, Irrespective of who wins the presidential race between Donald Trump or Joe Biden. Dr McKinley further states that "what happens in the domestic realm of the US reverberates across the glob...

Are you as a South African concerned about the second wave of Covid-19? This as the number of Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations are on the rise in the Eastern Cape. For the latest we now speak to Professor Mosa Moshabela, Dean and Head of School, Nursing and Public Health at UKZN's School of Medicine about how we should go about, bracing ourselves for the second wave.... Guest: Professor Mosa Mo...

Worrying reports coming from Mozambique suggest that 20 men have been dismembered during a traditional initiation ceremony. This massacre is reported to have followed attacks and raid on the villages nearby where a Jihadist group has reportedly dominated for the past three years. Some have described the attack on a traditional ceremony as something that highlights the group's militant mission for...

The Department of Home Affairs has commenced the process of deporting 20 foreign nationals who were part of the asylum seekers and refugees who were protesting in Cape Town last year. The deportation of these foreign nationals follows a successful law enforcement operation which was undertaken by the Department of Home Affairs and other relevant government departments. You may recall that the grou...

The New Year is almost upon us - An opportunity to relax and celebrate with friends and family - For criminals, an opportunity to capitalize on unsuspecting victims who are in 'holiday mode'. With the New Year just several weeks away, many residents are gearing up for a night of parties, fireworks and drinking. Setting off fireworks as New Year is ushered in, is extremely traumatic for most animal...

Solidarity Youth has accused the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) of failing to meet its contractual and statutory obligations to bursars by failing to disburse funds to tertiary institutions. This after several bursary recipients were allegedly informed by their respective tertiary institutions that NSFAS failed to pay their study fees. Solidarity Youth has since written a letter to...

The government has gazetted 50 strategic integrated projects valued at R340 billion as part of its infrastructure development plans. Addressing the Infrastructure South Africa Project Preparation Roundtable and Marketplace in Midrand, on Tuesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said they were also working with the private sector and identified several other projects in the pipeline. So what is the main...

Traditional Leaders Organisation, Contralesa, is urging tavern owners to keep noise levels down as Matriculants officially started writing their final exams today. More than one million matriculants are sitting for their National Senior Certificate (NSC). The organisation's president Kgoshi Larmeck Mokoena says they have received complaints from some members of the public about high levels of nois...

We discuss road safety and explain to you as to why second-hand tyres are one of the biggest dangers to safety on our roads. In case you didn’t know this - every year there are more than 14 000 deaths recorded due to road accidents. Of these road accidents 41% can be attributed to the mechanics of a car, including tyres. Guest: Darren Hayes-Powell, Chairperson of the South African Tyre Manufacture...

Is Dudu Myeni doing herself a favour by refusing to answer questions? Myeni took the stand at the State Capture Inquiry on Wednesday to respond to allegations of corruption, bribery, fraudulent awarding of tenders and intimidation levelled against her by various witnesses. She is also accused of being a key player in orchestrating the suspensions of officials at Eskom. Guest: Nkosenhle Mzinyathi,...

The Supreme Court of Appeal has set aside the requirement that companies dealing with government must be 51% black owned. On Monday the court ruled that the preferential procurement regulations, approved by then Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan, in 2017, were invalid. We now speak to Sakeliga, formerly known as AfriBusiness, who are an Independent business community, about their litigation against...

We continue monitoring the U.S elections as President Donald Trump and his rival Democratic challenger Joe Biden both feel confident about certain victory in the presidential election. Trump has also stated that attempts to frustrate his win would be taken to the Supreme Court. For the latest we are now joined on the line by our reporter, Sherwin Bryce-Pease GUEST: Sherwin Bryce-Pease, SABC New Yo...