The National Pulse

A coalition of artists, writers and publishers has written to Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies to challenge the Copyright Amendment Bill, due to be adopted by the National Council of Provinces on Wednesday. The coalition comprises writers, book and music publishers, film directors, producers, musicians, performing artists, film and television workers, content creators and business people. Th...

Cheryl Zondi has decided to testify yet again in the rape trial of Pastor Timothy Omotoso, following the recusal of judge Mandela Makaula. Zondi made the announcement at a press briefing in Johannesburg. She said that despite the fact that she is going to have to re-live the trauma of testifying, she is more determined than ever to see the case through. On Friday, Judge Makaula officially recused...

Dr Peter Oberhem has written an article saying that those who are opposed to legal rhino horn trading either do not understand the realities of rhino conservation, or have a vested interest in rhino remaining endangered. As we all know that this has been an issue that the country has been battling with for many years as the poaching continues. Guest: Mr Pelham Jones who is chairman of the Private...

The failure by the government to move on the establishment of a franchise ombud is a “huge bone of contention”. That’s according to Franchise Association of SA. Less than one-fifth of franchise companies were registered with the industry body and moves to bring them into the fold had come to naught despite efforts in the past three years or more to do so. This means small investors who sink their...

South Africa can expect severe power cuts until Wednesday as none of the myriad technical problems confronting Eskom has an immediate fix, this is according to Eskom. Eskom imposed power cuts last week at stage 1 and 2, escalating it to stage 4 at the weekend. On Thursday, Eskom stated the power cuts were due to a Guest: Adil Nchabeleng - Energy expert

The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal says it does not rule out the possibility of removing its mayor who has been arrested in connection with the murder of former ANC Youth League secretary-general - Sindiso Magaqa - in 2017. The mayor from a municipality in southern KwaZulu-Natal was arrested yesterday by the police's National Task Team investigating political killings in the province. Seeing that the electi...

There was drama in Pretoria today after President Cyril Ramaphosa got a taste of what train commuters go through on a daily bases. Incidents of delays, packed cabins and broken windows when the president took a train as part of the ANC's election campaign. It caused a delay to the arrival of ANC deputy president David Mabuza on his election campaign trail. He was meant to take a train from Atterid...

South Africa’s long-term low economic growth might be attributed in part to poor education outcomes, according to an International Monetary Fund (IMF) working paper on education, which was released earlier this month. It is entitled: Struggling to make the grade: a review of the causes and consequences of the weak outcomes of South Africa’s education system. On average, South Africa spends over 6%...

The Chartered Institute of Government Finance, Audit & Risk Officers (CIGFARO), is hosting the Audit & Risk Indaba to be held in East London ICC from 10 – 12 April 2019. The event draws participants from Government Departments and Municipalities in all the Provinces. It will be attended by Senior Municipal personnel, Councillors and Government Finance, Audit & Risk Managers. More than 300 delegate...

SCHOOL DRUGS IN THE WC Western Cape schools battling rampant drug use. Statistics obtained from the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) have shown that out of 145 primary school pupils tested for substance abuse, 84 tested positive. At high schools, 478 out of 655 pupils tested positive. The tests were conducted on pupils suspected of drug abuse. At primary schools 56 of those who tested posi...

As you may have heard by now about the attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand - which left at least 49 people dead and how they have sparked horror, revulsion and dismay across the globe. Pakistan, Turkey, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Malaysia and Fiji are among nations who've conveyed their condolences to families of those killed. What should we read into this? Guest: Naeem Jeenahm Execut...

the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation in partnership with Fliptin, Microsoft and Idea Collective will host “AI in Mitchells Plain” bootcamp. They say that access to information is a universal human right. So to address the problem of some youth being left out due to various circumstances, the girls-only bootcamps attempt to address the systematic exclusion of youth in a variety of 21st century careers....

Former Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas's lawyer Wim Trengrove, has called into question a previous statement by the Gupta brothers claiming that a meeting between Jonas, Duduzane Zuma and Fana Hlongwane never happened. Jonas has been testifying again at the state capture commission in Parktown in Johannesburg. He was being re-examined by Trengrove who also placed doubt on Hawks head Berning...

Taxi commuters in Soweto say the closure of the ranks and routes used by feuding taxi associations - WATA and NANDUWE - is going to have a negative impact on them. Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC Ismail Vadi has ordered the closure of ranks and routes today, following the ongoing violence between the rival associations. Fifteen taxi operators have been arrested and their taxis impounded for defyin...

Today being World Kidney day we get to understand what it is we are to learn about our kidneys and also the transplant side of things. For a perspective on this, we are joined on the line by… Guest: Dr Tholang Khumalo, Nephrologist at the Dialysis Unit at The Nelson Mandela Childrens Hispital NMCH.

Recently at the Buy Local Expo, the CEO of Proudly South African said that the value chain associated with producing and buying locally is such a critical factor in improving our economy and our lives in general. This is a notion sighted by many people who feel that it is better to import than buy local. The cement sector is one of those who are calling for us to buy local. Guest: Njombo Lekula PP...

POLICE UNION RESPONSE TO CELE Minister of Police Bheki Cele addressed the media today as police threatened to strike across the country. Officers around the country threatened to go on strike over promotions and to tell us more about South African Policing Union’s (SAPU) reaction of today’s media briefing, Guest: Mpho Kwinika – President of South African Policing Union

The issue of banning plastic for environmental reasons has been debated for many years. But now those in the plastic industry disagree with this as they feel that it is a simplistic response to a complex problem. How then do they suggest that we deal with the issue? To talk more on this. Guest: Anton Hannekom – Executive Director of Plastics SA

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme has come out to clarify funding issues regarding student accommodation. We have been seeing students protesting and shutting down operations at tertiary institutions. Guest: Kagiso Mamabolo – Spokesperson for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme

Today is the beginning of Anti-racism week and in a country like ours, where incidents of racism are a daily occurrence, one wonders where do we start? Will we as a nation ever stop seeing things through racial eyes? What should we learn from this week? For a perspective ion this. Guest: Busisiwe Nkosi - Anti Racism Week Co-ordinator

The Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria has successfully completed the world's first ever middle ear transplant that has allowed a 35-year-old man to be able to hear again. We are joined by Guest: Dr Aaron Motsoaledi – Minister of Health

The Free State DA has called on Premier Sisi Ntombela to make an urgent intervention in municipalities that owes water entities billions of rands. DA provincial leader, Patricia Kopane says many of the municipalities have an accumulated debt of over three billion rand in unpaid water fees. She also singled out Matjhabeng municipality with a debt of more than two billion rand. Kopane has called on...

Police Minister Bheki Cele has conceded that promotions in the police service are long overdue. He was addressing the media following the reported threats of a national by members of the police force starting on Monday next week, over a lack of promotions. Police unions POPCRU and SAPU have distanced themselves from the looming strike. Cele says it would take three financial years to promote all 4...

The Diageo Empowerment Trust South Africa says that it has kicked off a new round of funding for social entrepreneurs for 2019. They go on to say that they will be engaging early-stage social entrepreneurs who not only aim to make money while doing social good but who are also using technology in innovative ways to do so. Guest: Sinethemba Mafanya – Manager at Diageo Empowerment Trust South Africa

Gugu Ncube, the daughter of prominent Zimbabwean politician Welshman Ncube, was arrested outside the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Wednesday after she had staged a nude protest. She had said she was protesting naked because “nudity is a sign of my dignity that l have been stripped of”. Guest: Lolo Saliso ,From #TotalShutdown