The National Pulse

Latest News, Trends, and light features for an afternoon commute- Business, Traffic, Weather and Sport

The Democratic Alliance has filed an application in the High Court in Pretoria against President Cyril Ramaphosa's announcement to close schools. Schools have been closed until the 24th of next month. However Grade 12 learners and teachers will return on the third of August while Grade 7 learners return on the tenth. The DA is asking the court to declare the closure unlawful and unconstitutional....

What Is the Special Investigating Unit (SIU)? This afternoon we will learn more about one of South Africa's anti-corruption body dedicated to tackling serious malpractices or maladministration in the administration of the state. Not much is known about the SIU as the Unit has been largely overshadowed by other anti-corruption investigation units such as the Hawks, the Public Protector and NPA. But...

We look at the preliminary results of an in vitro study on ColdGuard. Apparently, early results show that ColdGuard can offer a protective barrier against harmful viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 by local virus deactivation in the oral cavity. Therefore, ColdGuard sprayed onto the mouth and throat could lower the risk of infection and decrease the viral load locally. Lowered viral load may decrease vira...

World News today: Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni has been nominated unopposed by his party to run for a sixth presidential term in the elections due to take place early next year. Museveni has been the president of Uganda since 1986 when he overthrew the then-government of Milton Obote after waging a five-year guerrilla war Guest: Professor Martin Rupiya, from the African Centre for the Constr...

BSS: Last week we spoke to Professor Debbie Bradshaw, Chief Specialist Scientist, at the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) about how natural deaths have increased by 59% against historical trends. The council's Burden of Disease Research Unit partnered with the University of Cape Town's Centre for Actuarial Research to examine the deaths trends that had been exacerbate by Covid-19. Pr...

Is your business being billed correctly for electricity by its local municipality? With over 900 different tariff options, the South African municipal tariff structure for grid-tied electricity is quite complicated and it's easy for businesses to end up on the wrong one. Because of this, many local businesses are inadvertently paying significantly more in energy tariffs than they rightfully should...

Last week Friday, Gun Owners of South Africa’s interim interdict for expired licence holders was set aside by the Supreme Court of Appeal. In 2018, Gun Owners of SA secured interim relief in the form of an interdict against SAPS, prohibiting them (meaning the SAPS) from taking action against expired licence holders Guest: Paul Oxley, Chairman of Gun Owners South Africa

On World News today, we ask – Was it a wise move for South Africa to approach the International Monetary Fund and what are the conditions for this massive loan? Guest: Professor Patrick Bond, Professor in the School of Governance at the University of the Western Cape

On Monday, the IMF approved South Africa’s request for emergency funding under its Rapid Financing Instrument, saying this was a low interest loan that would contribute to the government’s fiscal relief efforts without impacting on its sovereignty as it grappled with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Let’s get reaction from Cosatu, as you may know that initially they were opposed to government...

BSS: Student body - The Congress of South African Students (COSAS) - claims to have shut down several private schools in Gauteng today. Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that all public schools would close for four weeks starting from today, in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19. Matric leaners, however, will stay at home for only a week, while grade seven pupils will return to...

Can changing our food system reducing future pandemics? We speak to Donovan Will, the Director of ProVeg South Africa, about a new report that looks at the relationship between pandemics and our food system. This as there is growing consensus among NGOs, academic institutions, and the scientific community that the global food system needs to change if we are to prevent future pandemics Guest: Dono...

The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) in Gauteng has also called for an investigation into the provincial Health Department's awarding of tenders. This after a 125-million-rand tender was awarded to Royal Bhaca, a company owned by the husband of the presidential spokesperson and Gauteng ANC PEC member, Khusela Diko. Meanwhile the ANC in Gauteng will meet today to discuss alleged ir...

How do we solve South Africa’s youth unemployment conundrum? Jake Willis joins us to discuss youth unemployment during Covid19 and he will also share possible solutions on how to go about tackling this problem. This as youth unemployment continues to rise in the country as over 3 million young people have been unemployed since the beginning of February this year. Guest: Jake Willis, CEO and Co-Fou...

Time now for Beyond Innovation. Today we speak to Keneilwe Sebola, a PhD student with the Centre for Biological control at Rhodes University. Keneilwe's PhD research was key in helping to clean up the Hartbeespoort Dam, in the North West Province, which for years has been plagued by Water Hyacinth - one of the world's most invasive aquatic weed. Keneilwe now joins us on the line to elaborate furth...

The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) say natural deaths have increased by 59% against historical trends. The council's Burden of Disease Research Unit partnered with the University of Cape Town's Centre for Actuarial Research to examine the deaths trends that had been exacerbate by Covid-19. The Research Council's report also found that there is a 'huge discrepancy' between reported...

Smokers' hopes are up in smoke this as the Pretoria High Court has dismissed the Fair Trade Independent Association's (FITA) application for the unbanning of tobacco products. FITA had applied to appeal the court's earlier judgment against the sale of tobacco products. Guest: Sinenhlanhla Mnguni - Chairperson of the Fair-trade Independent Tobacco Association (fita)

The Eastern Cape Provincial Government has informed the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality of its intentions to place it under administration. Currently, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality without a permanent executive mayor is in a dysfunctional state. Joining us to discuss the municipality’s state of affairs is Guest: Joleen Steyn-Kotze, political analyst

The South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) in Tshwane says its members were promised increases prior to the coronavirus outbreak in the country. Workers demonstrated outside Tshwane House this week - with some calling for the head administrator Mpho Nawa to vacate office. Nawa has reiterated that the City cannot afford pay-outs due to the negative economic effects of the coronavirus pandemi...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed the Border Management Authority Bill of 2020 into law, which came into effect on Monday. The Bill aims to strengthen border control and give authorities effective functions at ports of entry. Guest: Home Affairs Minister, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi

The South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) in Tshwane says its members were promised increases prior to the coronavirus outbreak in the country. Workers demonstrated outside Tshwane House this week - with some calling for the head administrator Mpho Nawa to vacate office. Nawa has reiterated that the City cannot afford pay-outs due to the negative economic effects of the coronavirus pandemi...

eBundu Lodge – a business transaction went wrong? We speak to the co-owner of eBundu Lodge, Sbusiso Shabalala about the ongoing legal tussle that threatens the stability of their business. Apparently, the previous owner is not happy about the acquisition of eBundu Lodge and all its properties and investments. However, the current owners succeeded in all legal battles that went right up to the Supr...

On World News today we discuss Tanzanian politics focusing on Tundu Lissu who has declared his intention to return to the country three years after surviving an assassination attempt. Tundu has vowed to campaign for the presidency of the United Republic of Tanzania in the forthcoming general election that is due to take place in October this year Guest: Robert Amsterdam, Tundu Lissu’s lawyer

BSS: The Central University of Technology, Free State Alumni Executive Committee is calling upon all universities to stop with-holding of certificates of unemployed graduates with outstanding tuition fees. The Committee says although Universities are struggling to keep up with widening debts of their alumni, society must and should question the fairness of refusing these graduates access to their...

The government has extended its Covid-19 Temporary Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) benefits by 6 weeks. The COVID-19 TERS benefit is to assist employers and workers during Coronavirus lockdown. Guest: Mr Teboho Maruping, Commissioner of the Unemployment Insurance Fund, UIF