The National Pulse

We now tell you more about the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Scholarship programme that is aimed at assisting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and remote rural areas to achieve their academic dreams. Joining our discussion is Charmain Mabuza and we will also hear from Sabelo Hlatshwayo, a top achiever who has received a full scholarship to study BSC in computer science. Guests: Charmain Mab...

In a historic development for transparency and accountability in South Africa. President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed the Political Party Funding Act into law. The Act prohibits donations by foreign governments and agencies, and precludes members of political parties from receiving donations other than for political-party purposes. To explain what this means for political parties moving forward is…....

Traditional leaders are calling on government to relax regulations when it comes to viewing and handling the body of the dead during Covid19. It’s a well-known fact that in South Africa and across the globe, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected our lives in almost every way imaginable, including how South Africans of all cultures and religions grieve, honour and bury their dead Guest: Nkosi Mwelo No...

The Kingdom of Eswatini has become the first African country to join former US President Donald Trump administration's anti-China "Clean Network" programme. The Clean Network initiative aims to address the threats to data privacy, cyber security and human rights violation. The US-Eswatini agreement was signed last week, making Eswatini the 60th country to join the programme. GUEST: Eswatini's mini...

A hospital and the Kwa-Zulu Natal government reportedly granted permission to the wife of late KZN transport MEC Bheki Ntuli to bid her husband farewell. The 63 year old Ntuli succumbed to covid-19 complications last week. Ms Ntuli who is currently recovering from COVID-19 was allowed to briefly say her goodbyes to her husband from an ambulance during his funeral service GUEST: SABC Reporter, Jaye...

We examine the role of the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) in terms of how their regulatory processes work. SAHPRA as you may know, they have oversight responsibility of regulatory checks and approvals for public delivery and the use of medicines and other critical health technologies, including vaccines. Our discussion is informed by the urgent need for Covid19 vaccine...

Well in South Africa, things are about to change. Victims of sexual offences can now receive adequate justice, following a signed prescription by President Cyril Ramaphosa last year which states that prosecutions of people suspected of having committed sexual offences, are now allowed irrespective of when the crime was committed. Guest: Daleen Gouws, spokesperson of Action Society

Post the release of the Interim Report by the Section 59 Investigation Panel. We hear from the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS), following adverse findings against them. The Interim Report found that GEMS along with other medical schemes committed unfair racial discrimination towards Black, Indian and Coloured health care providers. Guest: Dr Stanley Moloabi, Principal Officer of the Gov...

GUESTS: 1. DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE ANC, COMRADE JESSIE DUARTE 2. DA LEADER, JOHN STEENHUISEN 3. MKHULEKO HLENGWA, IFP MP AND NATIONAL SPOKESPERSON 4. GENERAL BANTU HOLOMISA, LEADER OF THE UDM

The SABC says the 'No work, no pay' principle will apply to workers who go on strike. Dozens of SABC employees are gathered outside the broadcaster’s headquarters in Auckland Park. They are preparing to drive to the Union buildings to hand over a memorandum to President Cyril Ramaphosa. SABC employees are protesting against the retrenchment of around 300 permanent staff at the public broadcaster....

The SABC says the 'No work, no pay' principle will apply to workers who go on strike. Dozens of SABC employees are gathered outside the broadcaster’s headquarters in Auckland Park. They are preparing to drive to the Union buildings to hand over a memorandum to President Cyril Ramaphosa. SABC employees are protesting against the retrenchment of around 300 permanent staff at the public broadcaster....

It’s a big day today in the United States of America as president elect Joe Biden is set to be inaugurated as the 46th U.S. president. But how did the Democrats defeat President Trump in last year’s election? Some believe that the Democrats economic message that spoke to both non-college-educated white voters and people of color made the difference. But then again, there are those who believe that...

Transgender people face discrimination, harassment and victimization not only in public, but at home and also in the health care settings. Despite significant progress made by transgender movements here and abroad in the last decade, resulting in greater public awareness, trans people continue to face a barrage of blatant discrimination. GUEST: Ditshego Ditshego, a Journalist, writer, broadcaster...

We revisit our discussion on the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) calling for Arthur Fraser, the national commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services to resign. POPCRU says Fraser has contributed nothing to the transformation of the department since taking office in 2018. The Union also accused Fraser of being ignorant and out of touch with the deteriorating conditions un...

What did Trump do wrong and what has Biden promised the American people and will he be able to keep his word? Some experts believe that President Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic was a watershed moment for his presidency. On the other hand, Biden has promised to put forward a raft of relief measures in his first 24 hours as president, and reverse a few of President Trump’s most controv...

Trade union Fedusa wants government to temporarily suspend retrenchments during the national lockdown. The union acknowledges that the extended level 3 restrictions are to help curb the spread of the virus, but they are calling on companies to exhaust all options before resorting to retrenchments. Guest: Ms Riefdah Ajam, General Secretary of Fedusa

World News: 2020 has been difficult for the Black community in the United States of America. Their struggles were witnessed through Black American activists who agitated for human rights and called attention to the devaluation of Black lives not only in the United States but all over the world. So are minority groups in the U.S, particularly African Americans optimistic about Joe Biden’s presidenc...

South African funeral parlours have ran out of coffins due to an increase in the number of deaths in the country. The Covid-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the situation. The Funeral Practitioner's Association is now considering buying coffins from neighbouring countries, to mitigate the shortage of supply. Guest: Vuyo Mabindisa, Spokesperson of the South African Funeral Practitioners Associat...

Unethical journalists from media organizations should face fines, suspension or lifestyle audits according to recommendations by the Enquiry into Media Ethics and Credibility on the ethical challenges facing the industry in South Africa. The report into Media Ethics and Credibility commissioned by the South African Editors Forum - SANEF - was prompted by The Sunday Times' apologies in 2019 for its...

As we unpack the outcomes of the Section59 Interim Report - we hear from Dr Donald Gumede, the chairperson of the National Health Care Professionals Association (NHCPA). You may recall that back in 2019, Gumede accused several medical aid schemes of racially profiling black, Indian and coloured doctors. Guest: Dr Donald Gumede, Chairperson of the National Health Care Professionals Association

This as authorities grapple with violence that has resulted in more than 100 people killed in Sudan’s Darfur region. The ongoing violence poses a test for Sudan’s transitional government which signed a peace deal with rebels from the war-torn western region last year Guest: Naeem Jeenah, Executive Director of the Afro-Middle East Centre

The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) is calling for the immediate removal of the National Commissioner for the Department of Correctional Service's (DCS), Mr Arthur Fraser. POPCRU says Fraser has contributed nothing to the transformation of the department since taking office in 2018. The Union has also accused Fraser of being ignorant and out of touch with the deteriorating condition...

Gauteng Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi has criticized independent schools that have decided to reopen this morning. Briefing the media earlier today, Lesufi says this is reckless behaviour by the schools and action will be take and that any school operating in Gauteng is in defiance of the State. GUEST: Gauteng Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi

Gift of the Givers has opened a doctors' accommodation at Bhisho Hospital, in the Eastern Cape. The Non-governmental organization and disaster relief group says the hospital has been losing out on interns, community service doctors and senior medical personnel, due to a lack of suitable accommodation on site. GUEST: Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, Founder, Director and Chairman of Gift of the Givers

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) will be embarking on a full-blown strike at all of Macsteel plants and operations countrywide. Numsa says "It is simply inhumane to retrench workers during the COVID19 pandemic". So how did Numsa's first strike to reinstate 99 employees who were reportedly forcefully retrenched by Macsteel go? Guest: Irvin Jim, General Secretary of the Nat...