The National Pulse

Post the Thabo Mbeki Africa Day Annual Lecture. We speak to Sophie Mokoena who had a one-on-one interview with our former president Dr Thabo Mbeki. During her conversation with him a lot of topical issues came up, including the issue of the controversial ‘Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer’ song and our former head of state defended the struggle song, saying it doesn’t mean white far...

The governments of Britain and Mauritius have signed a deal that will annul a colonial era treaty, which will allow Mauritius to retain control of the Chagos Islands. Over 50 years ago, the UK and US forcibly displaced the entire Chagossian Indigenous people to set up a US military base on the Island of Diego Garcia and prevented their return to live in their homeland, which according to Human Rig...

    Following the government gazette that was recently released by the minister of communications, Solly Malatsi, which proposes amendments to the Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment policies. SAFTU says President Cyril Ramaphosa’s meeting with Trump was a calculated ploy to sell out South Africa’s economic sovereignty to foreign billionaire interests. For more on this, we...

Today we are joined by another revered South African scholar who has contributed extensively to the country’s higher education sector and that is Professor Tinyiko Maluleke. He currently serves as the Vice Chancellor and Principal of the Tshwane University of Technology. Some of you know may know him as an academic and researcher specialising in religion and politics, as well as Black and Af...

Rescue efforts are underway to bring to the surface close to 300 mine workers who are trapped underground in the Kloof gold mine. According to the National Union of Mineworkers, the miners have been trapped for almost 24 hours. To give us the latest, we are joined by…. GUEST: Livhuwani Mammburu, NUM National Spokesperson

The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources and the Central Energy Fund invited members of the media to the official launch of the South African National Petroleum Company in Sandton today. This event marked the operational commencement of SANPC, the new state-owned entity formed through the integration of iGas, PetroSA, and the Strategic Fuel Fund. For more on this, I am joined on the line...

There are some encouraging signs in the fight against crime in the country as murder rate decreases by 12.4%. However, there is still a lot of work to be done as the ministry of police acknowledges that the issue of violent crime remains a major problem. According to the police, some of the fourth quarter successes were achieved through targeted intelligence driven operations. So why can’t t...

As we observe Africa Month, our guest Philani Mdingi explains why data sovereignty is Africa’s next liberation struggle. Mdingi is of the view that data sovereignty is not a luxury but a necessity for digital self-determination that African nations must invest in. GUEST: Philani Mdingi, Executive Director of Tech for Good

Earlier on we played clips from the conversation President Cyril Ramaphosa had with US President Donald Trump last night. We also shared clips from some of the South African delegation, Golfer, Ernie Els, Businessman, Johann Rupert, Minister John Steenhuisen and COSATU’s Zingiswa Losi. The President says the meeting with Trump was a success. What do experts think? For more on this, I am join...

Today marks day two of the Women20 South Africa Inception Meeting that is currently underway in Cape Town. The event is hosted under theme “Women in Solidarity”. This year’s meeting marks a decade since the establishment of the W20 and offers a strategic moment for the African continent to shape the G20’s gender agenda under South Africa’s Presidency. To tell us more...

The families of the two babies who were abducted on Tuesday night from Dora Nginza Hospital in Gqeberha are still looking for answers. The babies were stolen from the nursery, while still in incubators, with security guards present. They were returned late yesterday and reunited with their mothers. For more on this story, I am joined on the line by… GUEST: Sisipho Ngcumbe, SABC News Reporte...

Post the City of Ekurhuleni’s two-day digital strategy validation session that recently took place in Thembisa. We hear from Yandisa Sokhanyile in terms of what this strategy is all about and how the City of Ekurhuleni intends to use it to reshape township economies. GUEST: Yandisa Sokhanyile, CEO of Konecta and co-founder of WiTech Africa

During his meeting with the US President Donald Trump yesterday. President Cyril Ramaphosa strongly denied Trump’s claims of persecution and genocide against White South African farmers. However though, Donald Trump insisted and repeated claims that land is being taken away from White South Africans. So did our delegation succeed in pushing back against this narrative? For more on this, we a...

Did President Ramaphosa succeed in winning over the international community in terms of how he handled President Trump? We ask this question as most of you are probably aware that diplomatic tensions between South Africa and the US are mainly over claims of racial violence and that has somehow affected foreign aid and international relations between these two countries. Joining us for this convers...

Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, tabled the Fiscal Policy Framework for 2025 earlier today. For more on this, I am joined on the line by… GUEST: Steve Swart, ACDP MP

    Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, tabled the Fiscal Policy Framework for 2025 earlier today. For more on this, I am joined on the line by…   GUEST: Songezo zibi - Rise Mzansi leader

Afriforum has launched a court bid to have the land expropriation act declared unconstitutional. They are arguing that the Act in its current form contains legal contradictions and could lead to the abuse of state power. To elaborate further on this, we are joined by…… GUEST: Kalie Kriel, AfriForum’s CEO

This coming weekend, UJ students and staff members will take part in the annual fundraiser event that is aimed at helping the varsity’s educational community. Since 2015, the UJ Future Walks have provided financial assistance to students in need. This is a wonderful initiative considering the fact that the lack of financial support forces many students to drop out or remain unemployed. For m...

Government will reduce the borrowing requirement over the 2025 MTEF period: it has also proposed budget reforms to improve the quality of spending and root out waste for the 2026 budget process. But what were some of the key take aways from this year’s budget? For more on this, we are joined by ……   GUEST: Dr Azar Jammine, Director & Chief Economist of Econometrix

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has announced a hike in general fuel levy for petrol and diesel. Joining us to react to this is…… GUEST: Visvin Reddy, MK Party MP & National Convener of a lobby group called People Against Petrol and Paraffin Price Increases (Pappi)

Labour and community-based organisations under the banner 'People Against Budget Cuts' held a media briefing earlier today at St George's Cathedral Small Hall in Cape Town. The collective held this briefing to voice concerns about the prospect of deepening austerity measures in the latest budget. What do the collective make of the budget delivered a few hours ago? I am now joined on the line by&he...

Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, tabled the Fiscal Policy Framework for 2025 earlier today. We’ll be getting reaction from the EFF as well as getting comment from the party on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to the US, particularly on who has been reported to being in the US with the President. I am now joined on the line by…   GUEST: Chumani Matiwane, EFF MP

A lot has been said about what’s likely to be discussed by these two leaders, with the Presidency making it clear that the meeting is aimed at resetting and revitalising bilateral relations between South Africa and the United States of America. Given the frosty relations between these two countries, many, including ratings agencies are worried that this could spill over to trade. But can Sou...

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says it will still appeal against the judgement which found Nigerian televangelist, Timothy Omotoso, not guilty, saying his presence is not required. Attorney and Legal Analyst from Donda Attorneys, Melusi Xulu joins me on the line to give us a legal analysis and tell us how likely is the NPA to succeed? GUEST: Melusi Xulu, Legal Analyst from Donda Attorney...

MK Party’s Member of Parliament, Sbonelo Nomvalo joins us to explain why his organisation wants Advocate Shamila Batohi to resign. The party is not happy about the NPA’s handling of certain high-profile cases. But is it fair to call for her head?   GUEST: Sbonelo Nomvalo, MK Party’s MP & Member of the Justice Portfolio Committee in Parliament