The National Pulse

As tributes continue to pour in for struggle stalwart and the last surviving Rivonia Trialist uBaba uAndrew Mlangeni – we now speak to another ANC stalwart Aziz Pahad, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Guest: Aziz Pahad, former deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Guest: Sophie De Bryn, anti-apartheid activist, best known for leading the 1956 Women's March to the Union Buildings

Do South Africans have a culture of entitlement? And is this sense of entitlement becoming an epidemic in the country? I am asking these questions after I read an article where a group of protesters torched six municipal vehicles and a building in Lamontville, a town in EThekwini in KwaZulu-Natal after their illegal connections to the municipality's electricity grid was cut off. Why do we fail to...

Earlier on today, Corruption Watch released a report titled X-Ray: The critical state of the health sector in SA. The report captures the voices of hundreds of people who have reported corruption in the health sector to Corruption Watch in the eight years of the organisation’s existence. It sheds light on the recurring trends across all the provinces. It also highlights the devastating impact of c...

BSS: The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union, POPCRU, says the steering committees for the police and correctional services need to ensure that the COVID19-regulations are adhered to at police stations and facilities across the country. POPCRU alleges that some station commanders and high-ranking officials are not ensuring that officers adhere to the prescribed quarantine period and are also gro...

91% of South Africans are concerned about being able to pay bills and loans due to the Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a recent survey by TransUnion. TransUnion says the majority of households have been forced to change their budgets in response. Guest: Lee Naik, chief executive officer of TransUnion Africa

In conversation with Professor Corné van Walbeek about the findings of the University of Cape Town’s study which has shown that the average price of cigarettes has increased by nearly 250% compared to pre-lockdown levels. The study, which was based on more than 23 000 respondents, was conducted by the Research Unit on the Economics of Excisable Products (REEP), an independent research unit based a...

On World News today we look at Zimbabwe’s state of affairs through the eyes of the opposition and ask - Why is the country’s economy in such a bad shape - Is there a political will to turn things around? Guest: Tendai Biti, Member of Parliament for Harare East Constituency and the second Vice President of Movement for Democratic Change

Last week Friday, the Democratic Alliance filed an urgent interdict application in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria to prevent government from using emergency funding to bailout SAA. The party also wants Finance Minister’s decision to rescue SAA to be reviewed and set aside. Guest: Geordin Hill-Lewis, DA’s Shadow Minister of Finance

BSS: South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) has lashed out at COSATU for threatening to strike over full taxi load capacity. Cosatu wants government to change the decision and not allow taxis to load on full capacity amid the covid-19 pandemic. SANTACO says when about 70% of workers in the taxi industry stayed home for two months without salaries, COSATU remained mum. It says Cosatu's decis...

The husband of President Cyril Ramaphosa's spokesperson Khusela Diko is reportedly among the beneficiaries of the government's multibillion-rand Covid-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) contracts. This according to reports by the Sunday Independent, who allege that Khusela Diko's husband King Madzikane Diko, reportedly scored a multi-million rand contract to supply PPE's for the Covid-19 pande...

Following recent revelations by Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu that government was discussing the possibility of implementing the basic income grant for the poor. We speak to political analyst Xolani Dube who is against this idea and he says this is another reckless use of state resources by the ruling party aimed at achieving political objectives. Guest: Xolani Dube, Senior Researcher a...

MEC for Health in the Western Cape, Dr Nomafrench Mbombo outlines the objectives of the province’s behavioural change campaign. The campaign comprises coronavirus messaging that is aimed at influencing and reinforcing appropriate behavioural patterns and safety protocols. Earlier on today, MEC Mbombo visited Mitchell's Plain to assess the community's adherence to lockdown regulations. Guest: Dr No...

In conversation with Khandani Msibi who explains the rationale behind Numsa’s decision to roll out remdesivir drug in South Africa. Apparently, the 3Sixty Global Solutions Group has been working with a number of local and international partners to develop and source therapeutic solutions to fight Covid-19. Guest: Khandani Msibi, Group CEO of Numsa Investment Company and 3Sixty Global Solutions Gro...

As we remember our late former President Nelson Mandela – we speak to Justice Albie Sachs (deliberately so) about his legacy and ethical leadership that he provided as many of you may recall that most people often describe Madiba as a symbol for justice, equality and dignity. So we thought inviting Justice Sachs who is an activist in his own right will be a brilliant idea and a befitting tribute t...

The Council for the Advancement of the Constitution of South Africa (CASAC) says there has been a lack of transparency in the nomination of the new Executive Director of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate. Police Minister Bheki Cele nominated Dikaledi Jennifer Ntlaseng for the position and Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Police has endorsed it. CASAC Executive Director Lawson Nai...

In conversation with the Minister of Public Service and Administration who is currently in the Eastern Cape at the O.R Tambo District Municipality where he is going to set up interventions that are aimed at fighting the scourge of Gender-Based Violence. The Minister is also concerned about recent media reports concerning the investigation into allegations of misconduct by the director general of t...

Cold and frustrated South Africans have endured loadshedding in the past few days and some analyst predict that Eskom's intermittent load shedding will continue for the next 18 months. So what is going on at the power utility? I would give you answers BUT I am also in the dark. To shed light on the matter, we are now joined on the line by... Guest: Ted Blom, Energy analyst

The case against former eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede and her co-accused has been postponed to the 10th of September this year. Ms Gumede and seventeen others appeared in the Durban Commercial Crimes Court today, facing charges of fraud and corruption in connection with a 400 million rand Durban Solid Waste tender scandal. Guest: Mzomuhle Dube, who is the spokesperson for the supporters of Zandil...

Dr Judy Dlamini tells us more about Wits Business School’s “Aspire, Higher” sexual health innovation competition which was created to tackle the high number of new HIV infections in young South African women. Guest: Dr Judy Dlamini, Chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand and the founding chairperson of Mbekani Group

We look at Mali’s political crisis, this after President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita rejected concessions aimed at resolving political tensions in the country. Reports coming from the West African country suggest that the court has been at the centre of controversy in Mali since April 29, when it overturned the provisional results for March's parliamentary poll for about 30 seats. Guest: Musa Mdunge, I...

We hear from the ANC Veterans League in Limpopo on why they are against the pending reinstatement of Danny Msiza and Florence Radzilani. The Veterans League has criticised the ANC National Executive Committee’s decision to reinstate these two officials who were suspended for their alleged involvement in the looting of the now-defunct VBS Mutual Bank. Guest: Thabiso Mampuru, Spokesperson of the ANC...

Following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent remarks regarding our nation’s unbecoming behaviour during Covid19. Today on Both Sides of the Story we ask – are South Africans patriotic in working with government to curb the spread of Covid19? This as Brand South Africa has challenged South Africans to alter their psyche during this difficult pandemic period. Guests: Tshepiso Malele, Marketing Manag...

The South Africa Tobacco Transformation Alliance (SATTA) has launched a national campaign to draw attention to the plight of workers in the tobacco sector. The Alliance says the livelihoods of more than 296 000 people are at risk, if government continues with its ban on the sale of cigarettes during the COVID-19 lockdown Guest: Zacharia Motsumi, the spokesperson of the South Africa Tobacco Transfo...

At least 33 officials at Emfuleni Local Municipality, In Gauteng have been implicated in corruption and irregular expenditure amounting to R870m. And yet none of the officials have been held accountable. We now speak to City Press Senior Journalist, Abram Mashego who wrote about this R870m looting spree... Guest: Abram Mashego, Senior Journalist at City Press Guest: Stanley Gaba, Communications Ma...

Earlier on today, Statistics South Africa announced that the country’s Consumer Price Inflation has dropped to its lowest level since 2004 and they say this was mainly caused by falling fuel prices. To explain what this means for the consumers is…. Guest: Xhanti Payi, Economist and Head of research at Nascence Advisory and Research