The National Pulse

``A passenger bus has been sprayed with bullets in a suspected Al-Shabaab attack in Mandera South, on Kenya's border with Somalia, security officials in the county have told local media in the country. The attack comes hours ahead of the sentencing of three Westgate mall attack suspects in Nairobi. The three are accused of aiding and conspiring to aid the attack that left 71 people dead. The 2013...

This month, the South African Human Rights Commission celebrates twenty five years of its existence - but 25 years later, what is the current state of human rights in South Africa - to what extent has the existence of these rights under constitutionalism been effective and has the commission done enough in terms of implementing its constitutional mandate and exercising its specific powers? For mor...

On Saturday, Sudan’s government and rebel groups signed a landmark peace agreement that is aimed at ending decades of war in which hundreds of thousands died. The peace agreement covers a number of complex issues, from land ownership, reparations and compensation, to wealth and power sharing and the return of refugees and internally displaced people. Guest: Ebrahim Dean, Researcher at the Afro-Mid...

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has thanked all the teachers for saving the academic year during a pandemic. This as the world celebrates teachers with the theme "Teachers: Leading in crisis, reimagining the future". Motshekga honored teachers at the Mamelodi Teachers Centre, East of Pretoria. Motshekga also thanked the over Four-hundred- thousand educators who choose to remain in the cou...

The Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (CASAC), last month (17th Sept) marked its 10th anniversary of the founding of CASAC at Liliesleaf Farm, in Johannesburg. The Council is a project of progressive people who want to advance the country's Constitution as the platform for democratic politics and the transformation of society. CASAC will this Wednesday celebrate their 1...

Former KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, General Mmamonyane Ngobeni and Captain Aswin Narainpershad have been released on bail of R20 000 and R10 000, respectively, after appearing at the Durban Magistrate's court earlier today. The two appeared in connection with allegations of fraud and corruption related to the inflation of accommodation prices for KwaZulu-Natal South African Police Services,...

Former Democratic Alliance chairperson in Gauteng John Moodey has joined Herman Mashaba’s Action SA party. About a month ago, Moodey left the Democratic Alliance saying that he needed to venture into other avenues, after decades of being the DA leader in Gauteng. He also said he cannot be part of an organisation that is comfortable with being the main opposition in the country. Moodey joins us now...

World News: We look at Zimbabwe’s proposed law that will criminalise and impose stiff penalties for campaigning against the country through private correspondence with hostile foreign governments with the intention to harm the country. Will this not harm the country’s relations with other countries? Guest: Dr Ibbo Mandaza – Political analyst & Executive Chairman of the Southern African Political E...

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) says it will go ahead with its major strike action this week. While the strike action will primarily focus on the wage dispute, Cosatu’s general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali says the federation also wants President Cyril Ramaphosa to speed up prosecutions of corrupt individuals. He joins us now to elaborate further….. Guest: Bheki Ntshalintshal...

Prof. Resia Pretorius from Stellenbosch University speaks to Bongi Gwala about bio code technologies. There will be at least 4 500 cancer fatalities and 8 000 from cardiovascular disease, according to the World Health Organisation. These statistics are exacerbated by the circumstances and lack of health care for many of these victims in developing countries. Prof Resia Pretorius, head of Stellenbo...

He is a well-known flamboyant gangster from Horizon Deep, his fingers have seen more rings than boxers, his outfits are so colourful they leave chameleons confused; his tsotsitaal-driven performances were nostalgic and endearing. Who am I talking about? We'll I am talking about veteran actor Darlington Michaels, known to many as the infamous Georgie "Papa G" Zamdela from Isidingo. He now joins me...

The Hawks have raised the bar - literally - And many businessman and politicians could find themselves behind these very bars, should allegations of corruption levelled against them are proven true in court. This week the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation made several arrests of prominent figures in Gauteng, Freestate and most recently in KwaZulu-Natal. The supply chain manager in KZN p...

We dissect KwaZulu-Natal’s Cogta investigation report that was tabled before council members of accused municipalities on Wednesday this week. The report highlights irregular, unauthorised and fruitless expenditure by current and past employees of Ugu District and Msunduzi municipalities. Guest: Sipho Hlomuka, MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal

World News: It is official; Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni will be on the ballot paper for next year’s general elections. On Wednesday, the East African Court of Justice ruled in Museveni’s favour when it found that the removal of the presidential age limit didn’t violate the East African Community Treaty. Guest on the line (Uganda): Dismas Nkunda, the Executive Director of Atrocities Watch Afr...

Today we take a closer look at the unfinished business of the post Truth and Reconciliation Commission. You may be asking yourself, why have there been no prosecutions of apartheid-era perpetrators of war crimes or gross human rights violations on any side of the conflict. We unpack a seven-year series of top-secret negotiations between the SADF war-chiefs and the very top leaders of the African N...

Today and tomorrow - this time, we will profile two prominent figures in the creative industry. Today we start with veteran South African actress, Tina Jaxa. You might know her from her roles as Priscilla Mthembu in Generations, as Lorraine Dhlomo in Isidingo and for her role as Eve Sisulu in the sitcom Madam & Eve. Tina who is a highly acclaimed and talented actress, has also acted in several the...

We now tell you more about KwaZulu-Natal’s partnership with the government of Indonesia, paying a special attention to trade relationships and economic opportunities between these two nations. On Tuesday, KZN MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Nomusa Dube-Ncube met the Indonesian delegation and the aim of the meeting was to enhance cooperation between Indonesia and the...

World News: As Governments across the globe continue to seek interventions that are aimed at curtailing the devastating effects of COVID-19 on economies. We are joined by Moses Vilakati, Minister of Tourism in the Kingdom of Eswatini to discuss regulations, the opening of borders and their readiness to welcome tourists. The Kingdom of Eswatini has received the Safe Travels Stamp of approval from t...

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse is suggesting that the Minister of Transport should extend the validity of driving licenses from five to ten years. They argue that this should save the South African consumer and government time and money as well as improve the administration and manageability of the renewal process by the state. Guest: Julius Kleinhans, Executive Manager for Public Governance @...

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is demanding a probe into the alleged criminal history of the three police officers accused of killing 16-year-old Nathaniel Julies in August, in Eldorado Park, Johannesburg. The party says it will submit written parliamentary questions to find out more about the possible criminal records of the 3 police officers. This after one of the accused was discovered to have a...

KwaZulu-Natal police have confirmed the discovery of the bodies of two women in the bushes at P Section in KwaMashu north of Durban. The women are believed to be in their twenties. This follows the brutal discovery of the body of a four-year-old child Sanelisiwe Mhlongo in the same area. She had gone missing overnight. Her body was found covered with clothes belonging to a male family member GUEST...

The Hawks have arrested several officials and businessmen following evidence at the State Capture Commission relating to the 2014 Free State Asbestos Project. More arrests are expected in various parts of the province today. The suspects are expected to face charges - including fraud, corruption, theft and money laundering - in relation to an over 200-million-rand asbestos audit deal GUEST: Hawks...

Several medical groups are calling for accountability and action to restore the confidence of health care in South Africa. They are saying that it is becoming increasingly difficult to deliver health care to the nation while health care workers feel besieged. Joining us to elaborate further is….. Guest: Professor Martin Brand, President of the Federation of South African Surgeons (FoSAS)

As the world continues its fight against Covid-19 – we hear from Joanie Fredericks on what needs to be done to overcome hunger challenges on the Cape Flats where many people face crisis-level malnutrition. Guest: Joanie Fredericks, Chairperson of the Tafelsig Mitchells Plain CAN

We continue yesterday's discussion about the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) cautioning its members against getting involved the governing ANC's internal matters. In a statement, SANDF Chief, General Solly Shoke distanced the defence force from what he called a 'purported meeting to discuss petty party-political matters'. Shoke said the SANDF remains an organisation which is above pol...