The National Pulse

The practice of lobola is seen as an important part of African marriages and culture but some gender activists think the practice has steered towards the commodification of women's bodies and that lobola entrenches the system of patriarchy and gender inequalities. Traditionally lobola was negotiated by the heads of the two families, uncles or any other senior members of the two families. Tradition...

The EFF have once again called for the removal of Paul Kruger statue in Tshwane. The party want the statue replaced with late anti-Apartheid activist Solomon Mahlangu. The party believes the statue is a symbol of Apartheid. GUEST: Obakeng Ramabodu, Leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters, EFF in Tshwane Region

Expanded public works programme (EPWP) workers are protesting half naked outside Tshwane's municipal offices. The workers are reportedly demanding permanent contracts from the municipality. Last week the City of Tshwane started with its Expanded Public Works Programme lottery recruitment drive. The capital is the first city to implement the system where candidates are selected by a computer system...

South Africa's multi-billion-rand Healthcare industry is facing a surge in healthcare fraud, waste and abuse. The private healthcare industry is increasingly compromised by irregular claims submitted by medical scheme members and healthcare service providers. The Government Employees Medical Scheme, GEMS today hosted a virtual Symposium to address the emerging challenges and to examine some of the...

Afriforum's youth wing has threatened legal action against any university that wants to make Covid-19 vaccination mandatory for students. This after reports that the University of Cape Town (UCT) is considering to deny access to students who have not been vaccinated against Covid-19. GUEST: Paul Maritz, Manager of Solidarity Youth and Career Development

Gangsterism in Grabouw schools is slowly becoming a social problem. Recently, the Grabouw Youth Patrollers, who search schoolchildren for dangerous weapons, confiscated 95 weapons ranging from pairs of scissors, pangas, knives and screwdrivers – something that is very concerning indeed? But why all of a sudden there is this problem of gangs in Grabouw schools? To talk about this, we are join...

World News: Yesterday, protesters stormed Namibia's parliament as the National Assembly was about to vote on a $1 billion compensation offer from Germany to acknowledge the 1904-1908 genocide against the Herero and Nama people. Guest: Joseph Kauandenge, Secretary-General of the National Unity Democratic Organisation in Namibia

A man arrested and charged with incitement of violence in July following the violent unrest in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal is on the ANC's candidate list. The ANC has registered criminally accused Keke Tabane as one of its ward candidates in the Johannesburg despite Tabane facing a charge of inciting violence. GUEST: Sasabona Manganye, ANC Gauteng provincial spokesperson

The Green Connection and small-scale fishing communities say NERSA is making decisions that will adversely affect coastline communities and the environment. This after the regulator approved three-generation licenses for Karpowership South Africa. The floating power ship provider has been granted generation licenses for Saldanha Bay, Coega, and Richards Bay. NERSA's decision comes after the Enviro...

The Constitutional Court has upheld the Supreme Court of Appeal’s ruling that the removal of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction at UNISA was unlawful and unconstitutional. UNISA had approached the Con Court to seek leave to appeal the ruling. Speaking to SAfm, Gauteng Education Mec says a race-based institution in a non-racial society won’t succeed and that we should thrive for non-r...

The Constitutional Court has upheld the Supreme Court of Appeal’s ruling that the removal of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction at UNISA was unlawful and unconstitutional. UNISA had approached the Con Court to seek leave to appeal the ruling. Guest: Kallie Kriel, AfriForum CEO

Doreen Hlangu and her hired hitman Mnqobi Miya were each sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Jabulani Hlongwa. Hlongwa was murdered for refusing to pay damages after impregnating Hlangu and his argument was that he had already paid lobola.   Guest: Sihawu Ngubane, Professor of African Languages, School of Arts @UKZN

KwaZulu-Natal police have confirmed the arrest of a 54-year-old Bulwer man for the alleged, ongoing rape of his daughter since 2012. The daughter is now 20. It is believed that social workers met with the daughter during which she detailed how her father had groomed her as his sexual slave. GUEST: Mhlabunzima Memela, Spokesperson for the Department of Social Development in KwaZulu-Natal

World News: A petrol station cashier was killed following a row over a face mask in Germany. It is reported that the suspect told police officers that he acted out of anger and he further stated during interrogation that he rejected the measures against the coronavirus. So what can we learn as South Africans from this unfortunate incident? Guest: Dr Kgosi Letlape, Health activist and President of...

Political parties and independent candidates intending to contest the local government elections have until 17:00pm today to submit their candidate lists to the Electoral Commission of South Africa.   Guest: Natasha Phiri- SABC Reporter

Yesterday we received a call from Ayanda who said that he is going to vote, but will then rather spoil his ballot. Let’s take a listen to what he said……     Guest: Thembelani Mazibuko – Researcher at the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa  

As you’ve heard in the news that a team of social workers has been dispatched to investigate an incident of rape following reports of a 52-year-old man accused of having sex with his biological daughter for more than 12 years at Bulwer in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands. It is believed that the victim lost her mother, but stayed with her sibling, the father and her stepmother. It is alleged that...

Western Cape police are investigating the shooting death of a primary school teacher in Cape Town. The 52-year-old man, who was a grade 6 teacher at Heinz Park Primary School in Philippi, was shot and killed minutes after arriving at school on Tuesday morning.   Guest: Jonavon Rustin, Provincial Secretary of Sadtu in the Western Cape

Yesterday, a Rwandan court sentenced Paul Rusesabagina to 25 years for terrorism. You may recall that Rusesabagina was portrayed in a film called ‘Hotel Rwanda’ as a life-saving hero during the Rwandan genocide that occurred in 1994. Rusesabagina has also been a vocal critic of President Paul Kagame, who has now led Rwanda for more than 20 years. Joining us to discuss his conviction is...

South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor has described as disappointing the UK government's decision to keep the country on its red list for travel - holding in place restrictive and expensive quarantine conditions for local travellers. The UK revised the list on Friday, removing eight countries, including Egypt and Kenya. Despite hopes, South Africa d...

About two hours ago, the Electoral Commission briefed the media on the outcomes of the voter registration weekend and they also gave an update on the preparations of the upcoming local government elections which are scheduled to take place on the 1st of November. Guest: IEC Deputy Chief Electoral Officer, Mawethu Mosery

The EFF wants the ANC disqualified from contesting an election in ward 21 in the Msunduzi Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal.  This comes after clashes between ANC and EFF supporters in a voting station. EFF leader Julius Malema had to force his way into the registration venue after supporters of the ANC prevented his vehicles from entering the premises. The incident happened in KwaDambuza outside...

The Constitutional Court today dismissed the Democratic Alliance's application to have the Electoral Commission's (IEC) decision to re-open the candidate nomination process - declared unlawful. Meanwhile, the Inkatha Freedom Party says despite it accepting the Constitutional Court's latest decision on the upcoming local government elections, the party believes the apex court may have erred in its...

On World News today we focus on Russia’s parliamentary elections: The country’s ruling party is on course to maintain its majority in parliament. With a third of all the ballots counted so far, indicating that the United Russia party has won some 45 percent. This puts President Vladimir Putin in a good position ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Guest: John Keiger, Retired Profes...

The Constitutional Court today ruled that former President Jacob Zuma's rescission application does not meet the requirements for rescission. The apex court upheld its decision to sentence Zuma to a 15-month jail term for being found in contempt of court, for his refusal to testify on state capture. Zuma served only two months of his jail term before he was granted medical parole earlier this mont...