The National Pulse

We hear from Agri SA on why they want President Cyril Ramaphosa to lift the ban on wine sales over weekends. They are arguing that the wine sector is a major contributor to domestic and international tourism in South Africa and therefore the ban on the sale of wine especially over weekends makes no sense Guest: Christo van der Rheede, Deputy Executive Director at Agri SA

A Johannesburg doctor accused of culpable homicide has been shot and killed. Anaesthetist, Dr Abdulhay Munshi, was killed after stopping to check his vehicle which had been rammed into from the back. Paediatrician Dr Peter Beale and Dr Munshi handed were facing culpable homicide charges after 10-year-old Zayyaan Sayed died following a routine surgery. The South African Medical Association (SAMA) s...

State-owned South African Airways, SAA is facing liquidation, after the government has not been able to find investors to fund the airline's business-rescue process. The government had until this week to source funding and determine whether to continue with the business rescue plane to save the airline, which was already operating on a shoestring budget which was near depletion. Meanwhile, adminis...

As the new normal is constantly changing and updating, and we witness the Covid19 pandemic forever altering our lives. Our guest explains why innovation solutions for a sustainable existence for humans are becoming increasingly urgent. She will also explain how the voyage to Mars will evolve earth. Guest: Dr Adriana Marais, theoretical physicist and technologist - founder of Proudly Human

World News: We dissect the findings of the Human Rights Watch Report that was released earlier on today; titled “They Have Robbed Me of My Life’: Xenophobic Violence Against Non-Nationals in South Africa.” The report has found that xxenophobic harassment and violence against African and Asian foreigners living in South Africa are routine and sometimes lethal. It also accuses the South African gove...

President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation at seven this evening on the country's risk-adjusted response to the Covid-19 pandemic. His address comes at a time when the country experienced a sustained decline in transmission and now with speculation that he will move the country to Alert Level One. We now speak to two political parties; the African Transformation Movement (ATM) and Freedom F...

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has unveiled a new security plan for the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, Prasa. Speaking during a media briefing earlier on, Mbalula says more police officers will be deployed to railway stations across the country, to ensure the safety of commuters as well as infrastructure. Meanwhile, the South African Cleaners, Security and Allied Workers Union (SACSAWU)...

KwaZulu-Natal residents have been urged to use water sparingly as dam levels continue to drop in the province. According to the ministry of water and sanitation, over the last three months, dam levels have plummeted in the province from 62.4% to 55.5% this week. To give us more information about the current situation is… Guest: Sputnik Ratau, spokesperson for the department of water and sanitation

World News: Following the UAE-Israel normalisation agreement that was announced last month. Yesterday, U.S President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani at the White House in Washington, for the signing of an agreement dubbed the “Abraham...

The Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (Safcei) has raised concerns regarding the City of Cape Town’s protocols in its management of baboons in the Cape Peninsula. The multi-faith NGO says that in recent years, members of the public have raised the alarm over aggressive baboon management tactics, as well as the high number of baboons killed under the City of Cape Town’s prot...

Government mortuaries are starting to take strain as the funeral undertaker strike gains momentum. Undertakers are currently protesting over their working conditions and remuneration. They're also demanding the out-sourcing of mortuary facilities. The three day national strike will affect the movement of dead bodies between homes, hospitals and mortuaries nationwide GUEST: Peter Matlatle, Co-ordin...

Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced three amendment bills, one of which will expand the scope of the National Register for Sex Offenders. In South Africa, the sex offenders register is private but there are growing petitions for it to become publicity accessible. But opposing voices say amendments to the existing legislation on sexual offenses could see a surge in vigilantism GUEST: Nel...

The ANC will reimburse the government for their trip to Zimbabwe on an Air Force flight. Senior ANC members flew to Harare where they met with the ruling ZANU-PF, amid allegations of human rights violations in that country GUEST: Ongama Mtimka, a lecturer and political analyst based at Nelson Mandela University

Earlier on today, the Public Service Commission hosted a virtual media briefing on the Quarterly Bulletin titled: The Pulse of the Public Service. The Bulletin focused on amongst others, the non-payment of government suppliers by departments, implications of lockdown in the Education Sector, complaints and grievances handled by the PSC, the role of the PSC in promoting ethics and sound leadership...

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) update us on their ongoing lunch-time demonstrations, this as they prepare for their planned nationwide strike in both the public and private sectors. The union’s general secretary, Zola Saphetha has warned that government’s failure to meet their demands for salary increases for public servants and improved working conditions might...

The South African Communist Party (SACP) has lambasted National treasury for its way of running its affairs. At the centre of the latest controversy is the loan request from the IMF and the World Bank aimed at assisting South Africa deal with the economic impact of the covid-19 pandemic which has already claimed over 15 thousand lives in the country GUEST: Dr Alex Mashilo, Spokesperson for South A...

Human Rights Commissioner in the Western Cape, Chris Nissen explains why the commission is worried about the number of deaths in police custody. The commission is not impressed about how the latest case involving Leroy Oliphant was handled. Guest: Chris Nissen, Western Cape Human Rights Commissioner

World News today: West Africa’s regional leaders have given Mali’s military until tomorrow to name a transitional president and a prime minister. They also want president and prime minister who will lead the transitional government to be civilians. Given the current situation in Mali – are these recommendations implementable? Guest: Musa Mdunge, International relations political analyst

Why are we failing to fast-track transformation in this country - despite us having substantial legislative and regulatory framework which is intended to ensure economic empowerment? According to the department of labour, Black South Africans only account for 15% of top management positions in this country and 65% of top management roles go to white workers. Guest: Duma Gqubule- Founding Director,...

Today on Beyond Innovation we discuss making fuel cells possible through hydrogen. Energy dot com describes it as a clean fuel that, when consumed in a fuel cell, produces only water. Hydrogen can be produced from a variety of domestic resources, such as natural gas, nuclear power, biomass, and renewable power like solar and wind. The growing demand for electricity and ever so present load sheddin...

The National Prosecuting Authority, NPA in its latest annual report, says it has achieved a 75-point-2 percent conviction rate for sexual offences. It claims it's the highest conviction rate in the past five years and says a special focus has been placed on this category of crime. But the Women's Legal Centre says it's an incorrect assumption, because fewer cases have been finalised this year... G...

Cosatu in the Western Cape is calling on provincial government to lower water tariffs in the province. They also want fixed water levy to be removed, arguing that there is no longer a drought in the City of Cape Town. Guest: Malvern de Bruyn, Provincial secretary for Cosatu in the Western Cape

World News today: A Belgian judge has ruled that a tooth taken from the remains of assassinated Congolese independence leader Patrice Lumumba be returned to his family. The story goes that the tooth had been seized from a Belgian policeman who by his own account took it while helping to dispose of Lumumba's body after the charismatic leader was murdered in 1961. So how significant is this move and...

Yesterday marked 76 years since the ANC Youth League was formed. As we commemorate their 76th anniversary – we ask, who’s to blame for the current state of the youth structure of the ruling African National Congress and why is this once seminal, vibrant and influential structure so dysfunctional today? Guest: Thandi Mahambehlala, National Convener of the ANC national youth task team (responsible f...

Following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s criticism of the banks, we hear from Lawrence Mavundla, who is the founding President of the African Council of Hawkers and Informal Businesses (Achib). Yesterday, President Cyril Ramaphosa criticised the banking sector for not doing enough to support businesses during the battle against Covid19 Guest: Lawrence Mavundla, founding President of the African Counc...