The National Pulse

President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed former deputy minister of finance Mcebisi Jonas as South Africa’s Special Envoy to the United States of America. Jonas is entrusted with the responsibility to advance South Africa’s diplomatic, trade and bilateral priorities. For more reaction on this important appointment, we are joined by…… GUEST: Sophie Mokoena, SABC News Interna...

Gun Free South Africa has welcomed the proposed amendments under the private security industry regulation act, which will impose stricter limitations on using firearms by private security companies. However, the private security companies have warned that the proposed restrictions threaten the operational effectiveness of security companies. Let’s hear from Gun Free SA on why they think this...

The ANC’s Study Group on International Relations and Cooperation has criticised the recent visit to Israel by members of the Democratic Alliance, the Patriotic Alliance and the African Christian Democratic Party, arguing that their visit constitutes a clear endorsement of Israel’s policies. For more on this, we are joined by…… GUEST: Supra Mahumapelo, Chairperson of the A...

    African Unite Borders Bus Trucks Association released a statement today welcoming new drone and body-cam technology that will be used by the Border Management Authority and Home Affairs to safeguard some of South Africa’s ports of entry. Despite welcoming the technology, the association feels this is not enough. To tell us why this is not enough and what else should be done, I...

Professor Michael Rudolph from UJ helps us understand the challenges of hunger among students in higher education in South Africa. According to Stats SA, our country has been experiencing high levels of food and nutrition insecurity in recent years. Food has become expensive and inaccessible to many people, including students in institutions of higher learning. So how best should South Africa tack...

KwaZulu-Natal is bracing for an exceptionally busy Easter weekend, with traffic volumes expected to surge to more than 1,500 vehicles per hour at tollgates across the province starting next Thursday. In response, the provincial government has launched a massive road safety operation, deploying over 950 law enforcement officers to ensure road safety. For more on this, I am joined on the line by&hel...

Let’s move to Zimbabwe now where government authorities have begun the process of compensating white farmers who were negatively affected by the country’s land reform programme. Between 2000 and 2001, thousands of white farmers were forcibly removed from their land under a contentious government initiative that was aimed at rectifying historical injustices from the colonial era. So how...

Earlier today, the Electoral Commission in KwaZulu-Natal launched the Schools Democracy Programme Focus Week. According to the commission, the main aim of the project is to deepen the understanding of electoral democracy and the importance of youth participation in election processes. Joining us to elaborate further on this is…… GUEST: Moagisi Sibanda, General Manager for civic and d...

    The Border Management Authority will deploy four high-tech drones and 40 body-worn cameras at various border posts and ports of entry over the Easter period to address illegal crossings. Home Affairs Minister, Dr. Leon Schreiber, made the announcement during a joint media briefing with the the Border Management Authority in Pretoria on the authority’s operational plans for the...

Amnesty International has just released a new report on sexual violence committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan. The report shows that the RSF have carried out widespread conflict-related sexual violence, including rape, gang rape and sexual slavery across towns and villages in Sudan. For more on the outcomes of the report, we are joined by…..   GUEST: Sarah Jackson, Amnes...

The Executive Mayor of Tshwane, Dr. Nasiphi Moya delivered her State of the City Address earlier today at the Tshwane House Council Chamber. The mayor now joins me on the line to share some of the key take outs from the address… GUEST: Dr. Nasiphi Moya, Executive Mayor of Tshwane

    The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has reopened the inquests into the deaths of ANC leader Chief Albert Luthuli and human rights lawyer Griffiths Mxenge. According to apartheid regime’s records, Luthuli was killed after being hit by a train in 1967 in Groutville, north of Durban, while Mxenge was brutally stabbed 45 times in 1981 in Umlazi near Durban. Both inquests are s...

South African mental health advocate Ncazelo Mlilo has been internationally recognised at the prestigious Women Changing the World Awards. She walked away with two global awards and a prestigious runner up honour. Ncazelo is the co-developer of the Tree of Life Methodology, currently applied in over 60 countries, including the U.S, Australia, Brazil, India, Germany and Canada. GUEST: Ncazelo Mlilo...

    Earlier today, the Commission for Gender Equality, the Human Rights Commission and the CRL Rights Commission outlined their response to what they say are systemic failures in the justice system. Their update comes after the acquittal of Timothy Omotoso brought into sharp focus the plight of GBV victims. Javu Baloyi, Commission for Gender Equality Spokesperson joins me on the line to...

The Road Accident Fund (RAF) has welcomed a five-year sentence for a woman who attempted to defraud the organisation more than R650,000. According to RAF, the woman submitted the same claim twice. GUEST: McIntosh Polela: Spokesperson, Road Accident Fund (RAF)

Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, released a statement earlier today setting the record straight on the issues raised by the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies, Khusela Sangoni Diko. The Minister joins me on the line to set the record straight… GUEST: Solly Malatsi, Minister of Communications and Digital Techno...

Civil rights group AfriForum is calling for a public apology from police minister Senzo Mchunu. In a statement released today, the group accused the minister of making false allegations and failing to correct inform the public regarding the investigation into the alleged rape of a seven-year-old girl at Bergview College in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape. For more on this, I am joined on the line by...

The EFF has filed papers in the Western Cape High Court to intervene in the Democratic Alliance’s bid to challenge the 2025 Budget. Just like the DA, the party also wants to interdict the implementation of the Budget. GUEST: Gumani Tshimomola, EFF Senior Researcher

China has warned of severe consequences as the trade war continues between Beijing and Washington - after US President Donald Trump imposed an astounding 104% in tariffs across all Chinese imports. GUEST: Professor David Monyae, Director of the Centre for Africa-China Studies at the University of Johannesburg

The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies, Khusela Sangoni Diko, has expressed serious concern at what appear to be attempts by Minister Solly Malatsi to erode state capacity and thwart South Africa’s transformation laws. The chairperson joins me on the line to share more on this… GUEST: Khusela Diko, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee o...

A forensic investigation into the 2024 George building collapse uncovered unqualified personnel who lacked formal qualifications in engineering, irregularities in registration, gaps in the competency of key personnel, and breaches of occupational health and safety standards. Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane released the report earlier today. The Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements h...

Our guest, Stafford Masie helps us understand the business model behind Bitcoin as most of you are probably aware that the market for financial products and services associated to crypto assets has expanded rapidly. GUEST: Stafford Masie, Technology Angel Investor & board member

    The Nkomazi Magistrates Court has ordered a former Mpumalanga teacher who sexually assaulted a learner to pay R38, 000 in maintenance over the next two years. The case began in 2022, and we understand that initially, the educator denied paternity and at some point during the learner’s first pregnancy, he pressured her into terminating the pregnancy by ingesting rat poison, some...

DA Leader, John Steenhuisen spoke to SABC News at the back of the ANC press briefing. In his reaction to what the ANC Secretary General, Fikile Mbalula had to say about the GNU, John Steenhuisen had this to say… GUEST: Professor Dirk Kotze, Political Analyst from UNISA

Earlier today, President Cyril Ramaphosa opened and addressed the Policing Summit held at the Emperors Palace Convention Centre in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng. The President touched on police applying Batho Pele when undertaking their duties… GUEST: Kamogelo Mogotsi, Ministry of Police Spokesperson