The National Pulse

It's been claimed at the State Capture Commission that government has been bankrolling apartheid assassin, Eugene de Kock, since his parole. A spy at the State Security Agency has revealed to the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture that up to R200 000 was allocated for the upkeep of De Kock. That included a R40 000 salary. The affidavit of the spy - known as Mr. Y - was read out while another...

Former president, Jacob Zuma says he has no intention of testifying at the commission of inquiry into state capture. In a statement released by his foundation earlier today - a defiant Zuma further stated that he does not fear going to prison should his decision to not co-operate with the inquiry be considered a violation of the law. Last week, the Constitutional Court ordered Zuma to cooperate wi...

World News: Can Scotland have another referendum? Following renewed calls for another independence referendum, we look at Scotland’s state of affairs. In 2019, Scotland’s Prime Minister, Nicola Sturgeon formally made the request for the transfer of legal powers to the Scottish government to hold a second independence referendum. You may recall that in 2014, a referendum on independence was held, w...

Tributes are pouring in for world-renowned jazz musician and opera singer - Sibongile Khumalo. She died from stroke-related complications at the age of 63. The Soweto-born singer - affectionately known as Ma'Mngoma - passed away yesterday. For more on her life, we now speak to one of her close friends, fellow musician Sipho "Hotstix" Mabuse, legendary South African musician. GUEST: Sipho "Hotstix"...

Former minister in the presidency Jackson Mthembu will be replaced as an MP by Dr Xiaomei Havard, a member of the ANC in Gauteng. Meanwhile some South Africans have taken to social media under the hashtag #NoChineseInSAParliament to raise their concerns and frustrations regarding the swearing-in of Dr Harvard, a Chinese national. They say a South African citizen should have been appointed for the...

What do you make of serious allegations that the government, through the State Security Agency's "Operation Lock", paid apartheid hitman Eugene de Kock R40,000 every month after his parole? The revelations came from testimony at the Zondo Commission by two current State Security Agency spooks "Mr Y" and "Ms K", whose Identities have been protected for obvious reasons. So how does Cosatu feel about...

The South African Social Security Agency, SASSA is refuting fake social media misinformation and claims about the expiry of the SASSA-SAPO Card. SASSA says the information has caused wide spread panic among beneficiaries and that this might be one of the reasons they are experiencing overcrowding in local SASSA Offices GUEST: Sassa spokesperson, Paseka Letsatsi

What do you make of serious allegations that the government, through the State Security Agency's "Operation Lock", paid apartheid hitman Eugene de Kock R40,000 every month after his parole? The revelations came from testimony at the Zondo Commission by two current State Security Agency spooks "Mr Y" and "Ms K", whose Identities have been protected for obvious reasons. So how does Cosatu feel about...

On Wednesday, the Presiding Officers of Parliament announced that given the current COVID-19 regulations, this year’s State of the Nation Address will be different, with no imbongi (praise singer) and many other activities associated with the event. However, Contralesa is not impressed by Parliament’s decision as they view indigenous South African poetry as conduits of history – they are arguing t...

Earlier today, the Independent Electoral Commission assured South Africans that they are ready to implement the Political Party Funding Act that will come into effect on the 1st of April. The commission also revealed that they are currently considering a proposal that was tabled by the EFF to merge local government elections with provincial and national elections. Guest: George Mahlangu, Chief Exe...

World News: We speak to Zimbabwean investigative journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono, who was released on bail on Wednesday after spending three weeks in prison. Chin’ono was arrested earlier this month and charged with communicating falsehoods after he tweeted that police had beaten an infant to death while enforcing COVID-19 lockdown regulations. Guest: Hopewell Chin’ono, Zimbabwean investigative jour...

The department of health says there is no need to cover the coffins of people who died of Covid19 in plastic wraps or mark them with biohazard stickers prior to burial. The department issued a statement following reports it received about the practice of wrapping coffins with plastic. To elaborate further on this, we are joined by…. Guest: Murdock Ramathuba, National Director for Environmental at...

The family of businessman Shonisani Lethole who died in the Thembisa Hospital last year and the Justice for Shoni campaign are demanding the immediate suspension of the hospital's CEO. The family held a virtual press conference today after Health Ombud, Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, released his findings on Lethole's death last year. The Ombud had found that Lethole had received sub-standard care...

Staying with this story of former President Jacob Zuma. So the Constitutional Court has ruled that former President Jacob Zuma must appear and give evidence at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture. But what will happen if the former president refuses to appear before the Commission? To answer this, I'm joined on the line by... GUEST: Dr Llewellyn Curlewis, senior lecturer in criminal and p...

The Hawks says Investigations into the matter of former president Jacob Zuma contravening the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture Act by walking out of the Commission without Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo's permission is still ongoing. Earlier I spoke to Hawks spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Philani Nkwalase, who confirmed that a case of contravening the Commissions Act was opened at th...

Transparency International’s 2020 Corruption Perceptions Index, released today, highlights how corruption has impacted the ability of countries around the world, including South Africa, to manage their health care responses to the Covid-19 pandemic. Even more worrying for South Africa is the fact that our country has once again failed to move above the 50 point on the index, something that is very...

On World News today, we tackle DRC Politics: President Felix Tshisekedi will now be able to appoint ministers loyal to his political agenda – following yesterday’s ousting of Prime Minister Sylvestre Ilunga Ilunkamba, who once worked as an economic advisor to former President Joseph Kabila. To discuss political developments in the DRC is… Guest: Dr Claude Kabemba, Executive Director of the Souther...

In conversation with Dr Sydney Mufamadi who served as the chairperson of the High-Level Review Panel into the State Security Agency. Post damning revelations on the abuse of the State Security Agency's powers over the past decade. Testimonies coming from the Zondo Commission this week suggest that under the Zuma administration - the agency was used as an instrument to achieve political ends. Guest...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed minister of small business development Khumbudzo Ntshavheni as acting minister in the presidency until further notice. The appointment of Minister Ntshavheni, who is also minister of small business development, follows the death of minister in the presidency Jackson Mthembu due to Covid-19-related complications. Minister Ntshavheni now joins me on the line,...

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Saphra) has announced that it will allow a controlled compassionate use of Ivermectin to treat Covid-19. Ivermectin is a widely used drug for the treatment and control of parasites in animals. It is also used to treat several tropical diseases in humans not commonly seen in South Africa. For more on this, we're joined on the line by Dr Naseeb...

Earlier today, Health Ombudsman Professor Malegapuru Makgoba released the shocking findings of an investigation into the death of Shonisani Lethole. Makgoba revealed that Lethole was not fed for 100 hours and 54 minutes during his stay at Tembisa Hospital. Post the release of this shocking report, Makgoba has recommended that Gauteng Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi must urgently appoint an independ...

Two-thirds of adults are willing to take the Covid-19 vaccine, this according to finding of the latest University of Johannesburg and the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) Covid Democracy Survey. The analysis is based on over 10 thousand completed questionnaires that were weighted by race, education and age, making findings broadly representative of the total adult population. But the big pro...

The One South Africa (OSA) movement say they will participate in this year's local government elections with independent candidates. Briefing the media yesterday, following a two-day sitting of OSA's national council, the movement's founder Mmusi Maimane says OSA will not be on the ballot paper but will support independent candidates. He joins us on the line to elaborate further on why they are su...

The Construction, Mining, Energy and Engineering Workers Union (COMEEWU) has written to President Cyril Ramaphosa asking him to restructure his economic recovery plan to be a time based solution. The relatively new union which represents over 3500 members say President Ramaphosa needs to help workers understand what his plan is to restore the loss of income and prevent further job shedding. COMEEW...

Unlocking the encrypted codes of intelligence operations with General Mojo Motau – looking at what has been revealed at the Zondo Commission so far”. Guest: General Mojo Motau, retired South African Army general who served as Chief of Defence Intelligence from 1998 - 2009.