The National Pulse

South Africa's economy grew by 1.4% in the fourth quarter of 2018, according to Stats SA this morning. The figure of 1.4% was slightly above the consensus estimates of most analysts and economists of 1.2% growth. This means that annual real GDP increased by a tepid 0.8% in 2018. This was 0.1% more than the projections of most economists What’s behind this? Guest: Siya Biniza - Economist and Direct...

Every Tuesday we talk education matters and today we look at this story of University of Cape Town and its place in the World’s rankings. UCT said today it had moved up two places to reclaim its top 10 position in the 2019 QS World University Rankings by subject, placing among the top 100 universities in a total nine disciplines. The rankings assessed 1,222 institutions, ranking them across 48 dis...

The National Assembly is this afternoon debating the renaming of Cape Town International Airport after the late struggle stalwart, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. EFF leader Julius Malema tabled the motion. The party says due to the contribution Madikizela-Mandela made to the liberation of the country the airport should be renamed after her. Is it about time that Winnie Mandela is honoured in this mann...

Apparently, some Uber and Taxify drivers are on go slow today protesting over the killing of some drivers due to crime and they say Uber and Taxify are refusing to make platforms safer. Guest: Vhatuka Mbelengwa - Representing Uber and Taxify drivers

RAISING THE BOY CHILD Every time our country is dominated by a gender violence story, the public comes up with different suggestions which end up not changing anything as the abuse continues. With the latest on Babes wo Dumo, different organisations are calling for more action against abusers. Interestingly, Jabu Baloyi, from the Commission for Gender Equality, says men need to be taught different...

Three grade eight learners have been suspended from a Soweto high school over the alleged rape of a fellow learner. The alleged rape happened while the learners from the school were attending an orientation camp in De Deur in the Vaal at the weekend. Guest: Hashina Gori - SABC reporter

It seems the Alexandra Township here in Gauteng, popular known as Alex is on fire as we speak. Apparently, multiple homes in the Stjwetla informal settlement in #Alexandra have been damaged Guest: Isaac Mangena - City Power Spokesperson

The suspect in the Babes Wodumo assault case has been arrested and is currently in police custody. This was confirmed by national police spokesperson Brigadier Vish Naidoo. Guest: Nonkululeko Hlophe, SABC in KZN

Tshwane University of Technology’s Polokwane, Soshanguve, Ga-Rankuwa and Pretoria West campuses have been shut down due to protest action by students. Apparently, the protest action is a result of unresolved issues between university management and the student body. Guest: Willa De Ruyter - TUT spokesperson,

A story here that a group of a group of 200 families from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who came to South Africa for a better life, are ready to return home after enduring xenophobic threats and struggles with finding work. This group has approached the KwaZulu-Natal Christian Council (KZNCC) to assist them with efforts to return safely. Guest: Dr Douglas Dziva - KZN CC chairperson

According to the Enabling Environment for Sustainable Enterprises in South Africa (EESE Report 2016) commissioned by the ILO on behalf of Business Unity South Africa (BUSA), “globally, over 95% of enterprises are classified as SMEs and account for 60-70% of the working population. In Europe, 91% of enterprises are classified as micro businesses, and employ between one and nine people and only 1% a...

The South African Prisoners Organisation for Human Rights, SAPOHR, has approached the electoral court protesting on behalf of the prisoner’s rights to register to vote. Guest: Golden Miles Bhudu - President of The South African Prisoners Organisation for Human Rights

Business leaders have gathered in Cape Town today where the Department of Science and Technology and the City of Cape Town are hosting Africa Tech Week which will demonstrate how technology can have an impact on society and business. Technology is advancing in a rapid speed that many countries are battling to keep up with. Guest: Dr Phil Mjwara - Director-General in the Department of Science and T...

Police say they are already investigating the authenticity of the video which shows South African musician, Mandla Maphumulo, popularly known as Mampintsha hitting his girlfriend Babe Wodumo whose real name is Bongekile Simelane. The video has gone viral on social media with many calling for Mampintsha's arrest. Guest: Khalesakhe Mbhemse- SABC Reporter

The PAC might find itself not registered to participate in the forthcoming national and provincial elections. Earlier today the High Court in Pretoria ordered that both the two PAC factions, led by Mzwanele Nyhontso and Narius Moloto submit papers that show who the legitimate party leader is before Thursday. The IEC had also referred the matter back to the two factions earlier this year, when they...

The latest from the Polokwane Magistrate's Court in Limpopo is that five teenagers who are among the eight suspects arrested in connection with the killing of 28-year- old Thorisho Themane - have appeared separately from the adults. The five teenage suspects have had their case postponed to March the 14th for further investigations. Guest: Rudzani Tshivhase - SABC reporter

Not so long ago we were all celebrating the huge petrol price decrease around December. Sadly our joy is short-lived as the AA says that we can expect a big increase in March. What can we attribute this to? Guest: Layton Beard – Spokesperson for the AA

A senior pilot was reportedly asked to resign from SAA earlier this year after it was found that he had flown commercial airplanes for more than 20 years with a fake licence. SAA reportedly discovered that William Chandler's airline transport pilot licence had been forged. Guest: TlaliTlali- SAA spokesperson

This is a good opportunity to showcase some of the talented artisans whose work often doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. As an organisation, we are committed to helping the wider local communities by making a difference to the lives of less fortunate individuals.” Guest: Fatima Anter, Marketing Project Specialist of Cape Point.

Limpopo police commissioner, Nneke Ledwaba, says that they will effect more arrests on the brutal killing of Thoriso Themane. Nine teenagers, including a female, have been arrested in connection with the killing. 27 year old Themane was brutally assaulted and died in hospital. The attack happened at a park in Flora Park, Polokwane, last weekend. Ledwaba has received a memorandum of grievances from...

Afriforum says it will approach the Equality Court in April as a “reluctant respondent” to oppose the Nelson Mandela Foundation’s application to have the old South African flag banned. The foundation made an application to the Equality Court for an order declaring that the gratuitous displays of the old official flag of apartheid South Africa constituted hate speech, unfair discrimination and hara...

PUBLIC PROTECTOR TO NAME AND SHAME Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane today named and shamed dozens of organs of state that defy her remedial action directives. According to her office, there are more than 50 cases where her directives have not been implemented and judicial reviews have not been sought to have the implementations suspended in those cases. She said "The thousands of people who tur...

Parliament’s trade and industry committee has called on trade and industry minister Rob Davies and other cabinet ministers to immediately intervene in whatever way possible to address the crisis in the sugar industry. The industry has been hit with cheap imports and the health promotion levy (sugary beverages tax), which has lowered the volume of sugar used by soft drink manufacturers. It has also...

The South African Policing Union is calling for national police commissioner, General Khehla Sitole, to be removed. The union say this is because they have received several complaints about Sitole from middle commanders countrywide. Guest: Tumelo Mogodiseng - general secretary of the South African Policing Union

SIMPHIWE DANA As you may have heard the ad doing the rounds on our stations that the Simphiwe Dana congregants will once again worship at the “Church of Dana” when Bassline Live & Radio 2000 present the Simphiwe Dana Annual Congregation live at The Lyric Theatre, Gold Reef City on 02 March 2019. What can we expect this time around? Guest: Simphiwe Dana - South African musician