5 Mid Mornings

Who’s that female TV character you absolutely love to hate? The complicated, messy, morally questionable one you just can’t stop watching? There’s been a shift in the way women are portrayed on our screens. We’re moving away from female characters who are simply good or bad. We’re seeing women who are ambitious, messy, powerful, flawed, complicated sometimes completel...

For previous generations, having children was often seen as a natural part of adulthood. You finished school, built a career, got married and started a family. But that timeline seems to be changing.   A 2026 study published in the South African Medical Journal found that births recorded in South Africa’s public-sector healthcare facilities fell by 20% between 2021 and 2025. More S...

This Women's Month marks 1 month since the inception of the Mama Mosima Grace Educational Foundation and we spoke to the Founder, Sylverster Mashilo. The creation of the foundation is in honour of his mom's passing and as an organisation seeks to address some of the issues that women face in society.

Celebrities have enormous platforms. Millions of us follow them, stream their music, watch their movies and pay attention to what they say. And if your favourite celebrity never comments on what’s happening in South Africa or around the world, does it change the way you see them?

South Africa’s latest unemployment figures are out, and unfortunately, the picture has gotten worse. The official unemployment rate has risen to 33.6% in the second quarter of 2026, up from 32.7% in the previous quarter. That means around 8.5 million South Africans are officially unemployed, while the number of employed people has fallen to 16.7 million. And it’s young people who conti...

Are you a big fan of true crime documentaries? Women make up the majority of true crime audiences, with some studies suggesting they account for around 80% of listeners and viewers. Psychologists believe this is partly because true crime helps women understand danger, recognize warning signs, and learn how to navigate potentially risky situations. But it's not all about fear—many women also...

Gen Z appears to be changing the way it approaches alcohol, with more young people choosing sobriety, moderation or simply drinking less. The conversation also extends to millennials, many of whom are reassessing their relationship with drinking for reasons including health, fitness, finances, productivity and personal experiences. Is this a lasting cultural shift or just another wellness trend th...

When the bill arrives at the table, things can get awkward fast. The 5 Mid-Mornings team unpacks the different ways friendship groups handle paying when they go out, from splitting the bill equally and paying for what you ordered to taking turns covering the group. Listeners share their own rules, including how they deal with alcohol, expensive orders, tips and friends who don't pay them back.

For years, we were told not to skip breakfast and to eat three meals a day. But with the rise of intermittent fasting, intuitive eating and other approaches, more people are choosing eating patterns that work differently. 5 Breakfast chats to dietitian Fozzie about whether breakfast is essential, how to know if an eating pattern is right for you, the role of meal timing and when it might be worth...

While tertiary institutions are places of higher learning, students are also navigating the early stages of adulthood as well. Yonaka goes to campus and asks fellow students what's the biggest lesson they've learnt while at varsity.

Karabo and Yonaka give updates on the soccer weekend. 

We heard from Jade who had just started a new job and wasn't sure whether she should join her new colleagues for after-work drinks. She was worried about mixing work and friendships, but after hearing your advice, she decided to go. The drinks turned out to be a success, everyone was welcoming, she had a great time, and she left feeling much more comfortable about settling into her new workplace....

Founder and Chairperson of the SSL Community Hub Sinovuyo Mtshikwe joins us for a conversation about the programmes offered by the organisation and the impact made so far. We also hear about the reason behind the creation of the foundation and how Mzansi can lend a hand

When it comes to voting, the proportion of voters aged 18-19 was relatively high, reaching 69% in 2011 and 71% in 2016 and 2021, indicating consistency in participation among this age cohort. Similarly, declines were also noted in the 20 - 29 and 30-39 age groups. In particular, voter participation in the 20-29 age group fell from 49% in 2011 to only 35% in 2021. This indicates a diminishing inter...