The National Pulse

The leadership of the DA and the UDM are meeting in Pretoria today in attempts to revive their relationship. UDM leader Bantu Holomisa says the meeting was arranged by DA leader John Steenhuisen. The parties are expected to discuss mending their broken relationship following the removal of the UDM mayor Mongameli Bobani in Nelson Mandela Bay Metro. Guest: Dr Ntsikelelo Breakfast, Political analyst...

Chaos has yet again erupted in the Tshwane Special Council meeting currently taking place in the Capital City. The meeting was petitioned by opposition parties ANC and EFF. The opposition want to table motions of no confidence to oust the DA Mayor Stevens Mokgalapa and Speaker Katlego Mathebe. The Speaker and opposition, however, are disagreeing on the agenda and order of the meeting. Guest: Liela...

Gauteng Human Settlements and Co-operative and Traditional Affairs MEC Lebogang Maile has given the Tshwane Municipality deadlines on service delivery. He has instructed the municipality to address a number of issues including sanitation, corruption and maladministration before March this year. Maile says if the municipality fails to implement these deadlines he will consult the Minister and initi...

We learn more about Africa/ Scotland Business Network: An initiative that was started late last year which has already managed to secure great successes for the SA economy. Guest: Nicola Probyn, Co-founder of the Africa/Scotland Business Network

ANC Veterans have expressed outrage at what they describe as a political assault on Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan. They say casting blame on Pravin for the state of affairs at Eskom is disingenuous. Guest: Mr Thami Ntenteni, ANC veteran

On World News today we focus on Lesotho political crisis – examining the core issues at the heart of the conflict. Meanwhile President Cyril Ramaphosa has sent a high-level delegation to Lesotho to help facilitate transition, amid tensions and reports that Prime Minister Tom Tabane is willing to step down soon. Guest: Sophie Mokoena, SABC Foreign Editor

Parents Cautioned Against Posting Pictures of Children's First Day of School: A private security company, Vision Tactical has cautioned parents against posting pictures of children's first day of school. The company says excited parents can unknowingly place their children in danger by posting pictures of their child wearing uniform. Guests: Mohamed Dabhelia, communications manager at private secu...

The case against a 60 year old suspect accused of the rape of three siblings, has been postponed to 22 January. The man - who is the husband of the girls' aunt- is said to have raped the three girls throughout the years. The youngest victim, who is now 15, told neighbours about the rapes which led to his arrest. The suspect made a brief appearance at the Roodepoort Magistrates Court, West of Johan...

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education, Kwazi Mshengu, says schools affected by storm damage in December will receive mobile classrooms to assist them. At least 81 schools in the province were damaged. Mshengu says he does not expect learning to be delayed at these schools today. Guest: KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education, Kwazi Mshengu

Members of the National Metal workers Union, NUMSA picketed outside the Eskom Head office in Megawatt Park in Johannesburg today. The purpose of the picket was to raise their concerns on the unbundling of Eskom and the privatisation of state owned entities. Guest: Phakamile Hlubu-Majola, Numsa national spokesperson

Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi visited Khutlo Tharo secondary school in Sebokeng in the Vaal to assess the damage caused by a fire this morning. The school's administration block caught fire early this morning causing extensive damage. Investigations are under way to determine the cause of the fire. Guest: Gauteng education spokesperson, Steve Mabona

NSFAS says it has received over 500,000 first time applications. But many other applicants are still in limbo due to challenges associated with registering online. Many of our Safm listeners who tried to apply for funding online cited challenges with uploading documents for registration purposes. For possible solutions on the challenges faced by applicants, we're joined on the line by the Executiv...

Human Rights Watch has expressed its concern regarding SA’s lack of accountability when it comes to the issue of xenophobic crimes. In its World Report 2020, the organisation says South Africa’s action plan fails to address a key challenge fuelling the problem. World Report 2020 is Human Rights Watch’s 30th annual review of human rights practices around the globe. The 652-page volume reviews human...

Today on Both Sides of the Story we examine the effectiveness of SA’s firearm amnesty drives, asking – Is it possible to silence the guns in South Africa? Earlier on today, Minister of Police General Bheki Cele said since the amnesty began in December last year, a total of 2 266 firearms have been surrendered to police stations across the country. In the past three amnesties, in 1994, 2005 and 201...

Residents living in the Ngwathe municipality in Parys, Free State have been complaining about brown water pouring from their taps. The Vaal Action Group, which monitors pollution in the Vaal River, is qouted as saying that this problem has been ongoing for years. Yesterday one of our listeners Tshego who was in Ngwathe over Christmas sent us pictures via WhatsApp of a glass filled with brown water...

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia De Lille says government employees doing business with the state will face the music. She says they're violating the law and they will now be charged criminally or may face civil claims. She has warned civil servants in her department to stop this practise immediately. Guest: Jay Kruuse, Director of the watchdog group the Public Service Accountabil...

What is the role and power of youth in Society? General Peter Thekiso outlines the objectives of the South African Youth Cadets and also talks extensively about the role of youth cadets in changing young people’s lives. Guest: General Thekiso, Commander in Chief and the leader of the all the youth cadets in South Africa

Old Mutual has won its appeal against an earlier order reinstating its former CEO Peter Moyo. Moyo was suspended by the financial serves giant in May and axed in June, with Old Mutual citing a breakdown in trust and a conflict of interest related to NMT Capital, a boutique investment firm he co-founded. Guest: Eric Mabuza, Peter Moyo’s lawyer

Talks to end Libya’s civil war broke down after military leader Khalifa Haftar rejected a proposed truce agreement. Russia and Turkey pushed the fighting parties to accept the cease-fire as Libya endured its worst violence since the 2011 NATO-backed ouster of Muammar Qaddafi, which ushered in years of instability that divided the country between rival administrations. Guest: Musa Mdunge, Internati...

Following the killing of a patient at Clairwood Hospital in Durban last week. The National Health and Allied Workers Union has threatened to go on strike if security is not improved in health facilities around the country. Guest: Ayanda Zulu, Provincial Secretary of Nehawu in KwaZulu-Natal

Today on Both Sides of the Story, we talk about the school uniform industry and looking at different ways that can be introduced to curb anticompetitive behaviour in the industry. In 2018, the Competition Commission instituted investigations and conducted a survey into the R10 billion industry after receiving complaints about the high prices. On the other hand, the department of education already...

The South African Union of Students (SAUS) says many students are frustrated at different universities in the country. It says higher learning institutions are not willing to resolve the challenges many students are facing such as registration fees and student accommodation. The Union says students at the University of Venda, Unisa in Durban and the University of Limpopo are already protesting bec...

Guest: Mzwakhe Matukane, Senior Director at the University of Johannesburg's (UJ) Department of Finance

A Free State health official and another suspect were arrested on Friday after they were allegedly found in possession of one-point-two million rands' worth of Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. The Free State health department has meanwhile vowed to intensify efforts to hold all those responsible for the theft of medication accountable. David Motau, the Head of the Free State Health Department

SA’s Finance Minister Tito Mboweni took to social media on Sunday calling on Lesotho to open its border to a “co-federal” state with South Africa. His bold idea has drawn both praise and criticism, with citizens of both countries discussing the pros and cons of the proposal online. Guest: Dr Sethulego Matebesi, Political analyst from the University of Free State