The National Pulse

Ann Bernstein explains why her organisation (CDE) wants the department of small business and development to shut down. According to her, the flawed belief that government can create businesses must be abandoned and that small business development must be placed firmly in the hands of the private sector. She joins us now to elaborate further on this……. GUEST: Ann Bernstein, Executive...

Yesterday, many South Africans woke up to the awful news of stage 6 load shedding after about twenty days of no incident. According to Eskom, four units went down at Camden Power station, at about 01:30am on Sunday morning, necessitating the escalation of load shedding to stage 6. So does this mean that load shedding is back in full force? For more analysis on this, we are joined by….. GUES...

Today we speak to someone who rose to prominence in the 1990s as Commissioner and Head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Investigative Unit. He is also widely known for championing and promoting the concept of alternative dispute resolution in South Africa, and I’m talking about Advocate / Justice Dumisa Ntsebeza. GUEST: Justice Dumisa Ntsebeza, Justice of the African Court...

The Budget Justice Coalition reaffirmed their position that a VAT hike, particularly a 2% increase, is a regressive and unjust approach. Instead, the coalition believes that this moment calls for progressive fiscal policy proposals that foreground the rights and livelihoods of the most vulnerable. To tell us more about this, I am joined on the line by… GUEST: Mahfouz Raffee is a member of t...

The Eastern Cape Premier, Oscar Mabuyane as well as the Free State Premier, Maqueen Letsoha Mathae, delivered their respective State of the Province Address today. SOPA’s generally cover wide-ranging political, economic and social matters and also considers the general state of a Province. 2 SABC News Reporters will join me on the line to share key points from today’s addresses…...

Yesterday, I spoke to a SABC News Reporter based in KZN about the deaths in the province that happened due to mudslides after torrential rains. Earlier today, the KZN MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma went to visit families who lost loved ones. For more on this, I am joined on the line by… GUEST: Siboniso Duma, MEC for Transport and Human Settlements in KZN

Today marks the final day of the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting. A lot of issues have been discussed but interestingly, South Africa is pushing for Africa’s inclusion into the global agenda. Another key issue is that yesterday President Cyril Ramaphosa called for cooperation amid geopolitical tensions and rising intolerance. So was this a fruitful meeting even without the attendance of the Un...

Earlier today, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu released the quarterly crime stats for 2024/2025. According to Mchunu, his department has observed an overall decrease in several categories of crime, encouragingly, a 9.8% decrease in murder cases. Reacting to the latest crime stats, Action Society has welcomed Minister Mchunu’s invitation for stronger partnerships between the South African police...

As the war continues in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The U.S Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on James Kabarebe, Rwandas Minister of State for Regional Integration and a senior member of the M23 group Lawrence Kanyuka Kingston. The two leaders are accused of enabling the RDF and M23’s destabilising activities in the eastern DRC. But why sanction a minister and not Presi...

Various departments in KwaZulu-Natal are meeting with the Provincial Legislature’s SCOPA, to report on how they have implemented legislature resolutions, relating to how they handle public funds. We also understand that the issue of Ithala Bank will also top the agenda. For more on this, we are joined by….. GUEST: Tim Brauteseth, Chairperson of SCOPA in KZN Provincial Legislature

Five people have been killed in mudslides at Winklespruit near Amanzimtoti, south of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. This according to the Provincial Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs. For more on this, I am joined on the line by… GUEST: Nonjabulo Mntungwa Makamu, SABC News Reporter

Deadline for registration of spaza shops and other food handling outlets is drawing near. Business owners are reminded once again to register their businesses before next week Friday (28th of Feb 2025). This to avoid being closed and also to ensure that they are compliant. For more on this, we are joined by….. GUEST: Velenkosini Hlabisa, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Af...

As we’ve seen happening in Cape Town and Stellenbosch, Varsity students are protesting because they cannot register due to historic debt and other financial issues. Today, Wits University students who are on a hunger strike took their protest to the Wits Great Hall earlier as they continue making an impassioned plea to the institution’s management to allow them to register despite thei...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially opened the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting that is currently underway in Nasrec. South Africa hopes to use the G20 deliberations to promote inclusive growth, industrialisation, employment, and the reduction of inequality. For more on this, let’s now cross to…….. GUEST: Sophie Mokoena, SABC News International Editor

Foreign ministers from 19 countries, as well as the European Union and the African Union are meeting in our country today and tomorrow. Their meeting will among other things discuss current global geopolitical dynamics and reflect on South Africa’s G20 Presidency High-Level Deliverables, and the Review of the G20@20, which examines the impact of the G20 during the two decades of its existenc...

guest: Mzwanele Manyi 

We continue getting reaction to the budget speech being postponed. I am now joined on the line by… GUEST: Mazwi Blose, EFF MP

We continue getting reaction to the budget speech being postponed. I am now joined on the line by… GUEST: Karabo KHAKHAU, DA National Spokesperson  

For the first time since 1994, the Budget Policy Statement was not delivered due to parties in the executive not agreeing to some issues. We getting reaction from some of the parties in Parliament…   GUEST: Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, ANC National Spokesperson

Was this a necessary embarrassment to test the strength of our democratic rule? How will today’s postponement affect the business of government going forward and what about the markets and investor confidence? Joining us for this conversation is…….. GUEST: Miyelani Holeni, Local government expert with specialisation in revenue management, governance, infrastructure delivery and...

For the first time since 1994, the Budget Policy Statement was not delivered due to parties in the executive not agreeing to some issues. What does this mean for the government of National Unity? GUEST: Asanda Ngoasheng, Political Analyst

The issue of Value Added Tax is at the centre of this huge disagreement as we are told that it was to be hiked by two percentage points. Cosatu also doesn’t support VAT hike……..let’s hear from……   GUEST: Matthew Parks, Cosatu Parliamentary Coordinator

  GUEST: Rachel Bukasa, Executive Director of the Black Sash

Earlier on, I spoke to SABC Political News Reporter, Ntebo Mokobo about the reconfiguration of the ANC leadership in KZN and Gauteng. The ANC national leadership met yesterday to discuss the reconfiguration in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng as part of the party’s renewal efforts. Political Analyst, Sandile Swana joins me on the line to share his views on this reconfiguration… GUEST: Dr. Nt...

Sibusiso Ntuli is a young man who has faced numerous hurdles in his long journey to establish himself as a formidable businessman. For more on this, I am joined on the line by… GUEST: Sibusiso Ntuli, youth activist and businessman