The National Pulse

TGCSA is the only officially recognized quality assurance body for Tourism products in South Africa. The Council has been operating for over a decade, working with a mandate to maintain and increase the standards and quality of Tourism services, facilities and products in South Africa. Quality assurance plays a critical role in the attractiveness of a product and destination for consumers abroad a...

    In August last year, Western Cape Education MEC, David Maynier, announced that 2,407 teacher posts in public schools would be cut this January. Independent researcher and education consultant, Dr. Seelan Naidoo says data analysis shows only schools from poor areas have lost contract teachers. The Western Cape Department of Education dismisses these claims. To tell us more, I am joine...

Former Post Office CEO, Mark Barnes wrote an opinion piece which tackles the issue of a supply and demand of skills in the country. According to Mark, where titles are more valued than achievements, failure is inevitable. Mark Barnes joins me on the line to tell us more… GUEST: Mark Barnes, Former Post Office CEO

Families of Apartheid victims intend to sue government over its failure to investigate and prosecute political crimes that were committed during Apartheid. They also want an order that will compel President Cyril Ramaphosa to establish an independent and public commission of inquiry into the political interference that resulted in many of those crimes not being resolved. For more on this, we are j...

As today marks Day 5 of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. We get an update from Youmna El-Sayed in terms of how this ceasefire agreement has been implemented so far.   GUEST: Youmna El-Sayed, Gaza Strip Correspondent  

E-hailing taxi operators are currently protesting in Pretoria over operating permits and impounding of vehicles. The inability of e-hailing taxi operators to obtain operating licenses has been a contentious issue in South Africa for quite some time now. To elaborate further on this, we are joined by…… GUEST: Melithemba Mnguni, Secretary General of the E-hailing Partners Council (EPCO...

A few weeks ago I spoke to Professor Anthony Turton, the spokesperson for Project Blue about their citizen-driven investigation which found that several sampled beaches exceeded safety limits for E. coli and Enterococci; two common indicators of water contamination. The City of Cape Town disputes a few things about this report. Before I talk to Gregg Oelofse, the City of Cape Town’s City Man...

Overcrowding problem in South Africa’s correctional facilities remains a serious issue. We understand that in the 2023/2024 financial year - South African prisons had an overcrowding rate of 48%. According to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services, there are several issues that contribute to this and one of them being the large number of foreign nationals in the syst...

US President, Donald Trump, signed an executive order on Monday directing the US to again withdraw from the landmark Paris climate agreement, dealing a blow to worldwide efforts to combat global warming. Nolo Mokoena, CIO and co-founder of CRTV Development joins me on the line to talk about the effects and opportunities the USA's withdrawal from the Paris agreement will have on the Africa looking...

St Mary's School Waverley has sparked conversations across social media after a letter was sent to senior school parents and guardians about introducing a no cellphone policy. Late last year I had conversations with NPO’s about banning phones at schools and now this is becoming a reality. St Mary’s School Waverley’s headmistress, Seipati Shiakallis joins me on the line to tell us...

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition wants to create a R100-billion fund to support black-owned businesses. Business, the DA, and civil society groups have slammed the proposal. The CEO of Business Unity South Africa, Khulekani Mathe joins me on the line to discuss this fund…   GUEST: Khulekani Mathe, CEO of Business Unity South Africa

Burkina Faso has banned the use of colonial era wigs by Judges, marking a significant move to decolonise the country’s judicial system. Through this move, the West African nation says it wants to break away from colonial traditions as it seeks to embrace practices that reflect the country’s cultural heritage. GUEST: Dr Yaa Ashantewaa Archer-Ngidi, Visionary founder & Director of Af...

The Institute of Race Relations has rejected the proposed national minimum wage increase, arguing that it is likely to impact the job market negatively. They are urging the National Minimum Wage Commission to reduce the national minimum wage by 25% as they are of the view that this will help bring back up to half a million jobs that were destroyed over the past five years. GUEST: Gabriel Crouse, E...

Latest data from Stats SA shows consumer inflation edged up slightly in December, but remains contained below the mid-point of the Reserve Bank’s target range. So should we expect another 25 basis point cut? To react to this is……. GUEST: Dawie Roodt, Director & Chief Economist of the Efficient Group

Today Eskom is celebrating 300 days without loadshedding, a feat they attributed to delivering energy security and inclusive socio-economic growth. The entity's group executives said this milestone was the result of the Generation Recovery Plan implemented in March 2023. Tshepo Kgadima, Energy Analyst joins me on the line to give us an analysis on the past 300 days… GUEST: Tshepo Kgadima, E...

The World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting takes place in Davos from 20-24 January 2025. Economist, Xhanti Payi joins me on the line to talk to us about the investment put into the World Economic Forum, the intersection of the G20 and WEF as well as how to maximise benefit of this annual meeting… GUEST: Xhanti Payi, Economist

The United States will recognize only two sexes, male and female, that are unchangeable, new US President Donald Trump ordered yesterday as he moved to quickly end a range of policies aimed at promoting racial equity and protecting rights for LGBTQ+ people. Peace Maquba, Intersex Rights Officer at Iranti House, an organisation that advocates for the rights of the LGBTI+, joins me on the line to re...

The EFF has vowed to report Patriotic Alliance deputy leader, Kenny Kunene, to the SA Human Rights Commission for his controversial tweet on social media platform, X, regarding illegal miners. EFF MP, Sinawo Tambo, joins me on the line to discuss the controversial tweet… GUEST: Sinawo Tambo, EFF MP

The Marota Royal House which plays an important role in safeguarding customs and traditions of the Bapedi Nation has rejected Advocate Ngoako Ramathlodi’s recent appointment as the first Prime Minister of the Bapedi Kingdom, arguing that their Kingdom doesn’t have a prime minister position, and also they were never informed about his appointment. Some of you may recall that on the 28th...

The Trump Administration has reinstated Cuba to a U.S government list of state sponsors of terrorism, which means that a reprieve that was recently issued by former President Joe Biden has been reversed. Joining us to react to this is… GUEST: Father Michael Lapsley, Honorary Life President of The Friends of Cuba in Cape Town

U.S President Donald Trump has signed a slew of executive orders, including an order to begin the process of withdrawing the U.S from the World Health Organisation and from the Paris climate deal. Immigration was also part of the slew of day one executive orders. While some applaud the changes, others have warned that some of these executive orders are bad for democracy. For more reaction on this,...

The Democratic Alliance has called for Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, to be removed from Cabinet after reports that the Hawks’ investigation into her conduct involving R2.5 million tender corruption is ready for prosecution. To share the DA’s reasons on why the Minister must be removed, I am joined on the line by… GUEST: Dianne Kohler Barnard MP, DA Spokespers...

The ANC top brass has decided to reconfigure the Gauteng and KZN provincial executive committees, opting not to disband the structures completely. It is understood that ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa, Deputy President Paul Mashatile, first deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane, and former president Thabo Mbeki, were some of the leaders who opposed the decision to disband the structures, warnin...

Former statistician general, Dr Pali Lehohla, wrote a piece on the education crisis in the country as also reflected by tweets from former UCT Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mmamokgethi Phakeng. Dr. Pali Lehohla joins me on the line to share his views with us as reflected in his piece… GUEST: Dr Pali Lehohla is a Professor of Practice at the University of Johannesburg

The North West police are on a man hunt for an alleged Stilfontein mining kingpin, Lesotho national, James Neo Tshoaeli, also known as Tiger. To get more details on this story, I am joined on the line by… GUEST: Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, National Spokesperson for SAPS