The National Pulse

The condition of South Africa’s government-owned assets and deteriorating infrastructure is a serious challenge that frustrates citizens and businesses daily. But key issues like water management, hospitals and logistics in the country can be turned around using locally-developed tech solutions, according to South African-based enterprise asset management company Pragma. To hear more about these s...

South Africa's Grade 5 pupils have been ranked last out of 59 countries in maths and science in an international standardised test conducted last year. However, the country's Grade 9 performance in maths in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) has shown "a remarkable upward trend" after pupils' scores improved by eight points from 389 in 2019 to 397 last year. The Depa...

Members of the All-African Alliance Movement have successfully challenged their expulsion from the MK Party in the Western Cape High Court. The AAAM members allege that MK Party leader, Jacob Zuma, sidelined them after the May 2024 elections after they endorsed the MK Party and got some of their members to vote for the party. SABC News Reporter, Canny Maphanga has been following the case and she j...

The High Court of South Africa has overturned the government’s plans to add 1.5 megawatts of new coal-fired power to the national grid. The court found that the government failed to adequately consider the impact of coal on children’s rights, particularly their right to a healthy environment.   GUEST: Brandon Abdinor, Head of the Pollution & Climate Change Programme at the Centre for Environme...

We tell you more about the findings of the latest GenNext Report. This as the younger generations are becoming more critical of the powers that be, and need more from their government and companies that have control over their lived experiences. So do we understand how our young people feel about the world around them and are we meeting them where they are? To unpack the outcomes of the report is…...

As the Isle of Man government continues to attract more foreign professionals through recruitment incentives - we are told that more South African professionals are making their way to this tiny Island which is situated in the middle of the Irish Sea. So what draws them to this island? For more on this, we are joined by……   GUEST: Marnie Delaney-James, founder and MD @Isle of Man Opportunities

Following reports of massive financial mismanagement within the National Student Financial Aid Scheme. Parliament’s Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Tebogo Letsie has accused the student funding organisation of destroying students’ lives, saying the organisation’s actions are causing students to rely on sugar daddies for financial support.   GUEST: Tebogo Letsie, Parliam...

Today we chat to Chanel Hauvette, Senior Marine Ranger at CapeNature’s Robberg Nature Reserve - who is the newly crowned winner of the ‘Best Marine Ranger’ category of the 2024 African Conservation Awards. She has been recognised for her extraordinary dedication to marine conservation. She manages hundreds of annual strandings, from seals and birds, to endangered turtles and sea horses. GUEST: Cha...

Brigadier Donald Mdhluli, Mpumalanga SAPS Provincial Spokesperson

President Cyril Ramaphosa reconfigured his GNU Cabinet last night, announcing that Thembi Simelane would take over as minister of human settlements. Thembi Simelane will be replaced by Mmamoloko Kubayi as minister of justice and constitutional development. According to a statement released by the presidency, the move, “was to ensure the effectiveness of the Cabinet in delivering to its mandate and...

For the first time, South Africa’s influencer marketing landscape has been mapped in a comprehensive benchmark report designed to empower both brands and influencers. YOUKNOW Technologies, South Africa’s leading marketing technology and analytics provider, has teamed up with The Racket Club, an integrated experiential agency, to release the 2024 South African Influencer Benchmark Report. To get mo...

KwaZulu-Natal police have assured residents of protection from possible violence linked to an ongoing taxi strike in Durban. Taxi operators from the Durban Long Distance Association have been striking for five days after their vehicles were impounded over operational permits. The taxi operators blocked some roads in the Durban CBD in what KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said w...

A Northview high school deputy principal is currently fighting for his life in hospital, after he was shot six times in his office by unknown men. The incident happened yesterday and according to the department of education in Gauteng, police investigations are underway. GUEST: Steve Mabona, Spokesperson for the Department of Education in Gauteng

Former Justice Minister’s troubles are far from over - following the announcement that the office of the Public Protector will investigate corruption allegations against her. The inquiry follows a complaint lodged by ActionSA in August, accusing Simelane of corruption linked to the collapse of VBS Mutual Bank. GUEST: Athol Trollip, ActionSA Parliamentary Leader

Was President Cyril Ramaphosa correct in deciding to reshuffle former Justice Minister Thembi Simelane or do you think he should have removed her from the Cabinet like some people are suggesting? The key thing to note about this discussion is that Simelane has not been criminally charged.   GUEST: Sandile Swana, Political analyst and Governance expert

Johannesburg City Manager Floyd Brink has been instructed by the High Court in Johannesburg to vacate his office within ten working days. His appointment has been set aside and declared unlawful, the judge also awarded the Democratic Alliance costs in this matter. The case was brought by the DA last year, citing concerns over Brink’s appointment. For more reaction to this, we are joined by…. GUEST...

The University of Johannesburg has been ranked top university in the Sub-Saharan region. According to the Times Higher Education’s 2024 Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings, UJ was particularly recognised for its high performance in the access and fairness as well as the resources and finance pillars. To explain what this means for the university is…… GUEST: George Mpedi, Vice-Chancellor & P...

Earlier on, I spoke to the CEO of the Black Business Council, Kganki Matabane, about a statement his organization put out calling on Business Unity South Africa to stop claiming to represent all of business in South Africa. To get a reaction from this statement, I am joined on the line by… GUEST: Cas Coovadia, CEO of Business Unity South Africa

South Africa and Nigeria are cementing ties with the 11th session of the Bi-National Commission under way in Cape Town. 11th Bi-National Commission coincides with 30 years of diplomatic ties between the 2 countries. It is also worth noting that Nigeria accounts for approximately 64 percent of South Africa's total trade with West Africa. SABC News Reporter, Lulama Dlepu joins me on the line to brea...

South Africans with credit cards issued by major South African banks are complaining that fraudulent transactions processed by Facebook are draining their accounts. Customers from these banks contacted MyBroadband, complaining that large amounts have been deducted from their cards. They all said that the transaction description contained the contraction “FACEBK”. Jan Vermeulen, My Broad Band edito...

Mary Phadi has returned to MK Party as its Mpumalanga convenor after winning her case against the party. Phadi, who is a renowned businesswoman and president of the Truckers Association of South Africa, was fired for alleged mismanagement of funds and hatching an assassination plot against her rival in the party. SABC News Reporter, Motsebi Monareng, SABC News Reporter was in court and joins me on...

South Africa has officially launched its G20 Presidency, with President Cyril Ramaphosa promising to bring the development priorities of the African continent and the global south more firmly onto the agenda of the G20. South Africa has adopted the theme “Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability” for its G20 Presidency. For more on this significant moment for South Africa and what it means, we are...

Latest figures from Stats SA show that South Africa’s economy unexpectedly contracted in the third quarter. This unexpected slowdown has been largely caused by a big drop in agricultural production, with transport, trade and government services also contributing to it. For further elucidation on this, we are joined by….. GUEST: Risenga Maluleke, Statistician-General of South Africa & Head of S...

We hear from the Black Business Council (BBC) on why they want Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) to stop claiming to be the sole representatives of South Africa’s business interests. They are calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to urgently intervene on this matter as there is no organisation that can claim to represent South Africa without the blessing of the government leadership. For more clar...

South Africa’s major banks will appear before Parliament’s Trade, Industry and Competition Committee next year to explain their policies. This after Parliament’s chairperson of the trade, industry and competition criticised them over credit practices and banking charges, saying that at times banks impose unilateral policies without transparency.   GUEST: Mzwandile Masina, Parliament’s Chairperson...