The National Briefing

The Global Briefing: Several countries are warning their citizens against travelling to Saudi Arabia following recent escalations involving Houthi attacks. North Korea has fired multiple ballistic missiles towards waters off its eastern coast, intensifying tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Pakistan is facing a fresh political crisis after President Asif Ali Zardari declared a state of emergency in...

The ANC is asking the Constitutional Court to overturn the IEC’s decision to exclude 181 of its candidates across six municipalities, arguing that their details were uploaded before the nomination deadline and that the “Submit as Final” button is not a legal requirement. The IEC maintains that the formal submission process was not completed. What does this dispute mean for electo...

Guest: Mark Heywood - Human rights and social justice activist   Reality Check with Mark Heywood: Access to sufficient nutritious food and activism - Local activism and why we can all help.

COSATU has reconvened its 15th National Congress amid growing divisions within the tripartite alliance. ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe walked out over speaking-order disagreements. What does this mean for alliance unity?   Guest: Matthew Parks, COSATU’s Parliamentary Coordinator   

Home Affairs has withdrawn its asylum directive following a Constitutional Court ruling, but the legal battle may not be over. Government says it plans to approach the courts to challenge the ruling. What happens next, and what are the implications for asylum seekers and Home Affairs’ legal obligations?  Guest: Mametlwe Sebei - Attorney at Lawyers for Human Rights   

South Africa is bracing for a potentially strong El Niño event during the 2026/27 summer season, raising concerns about drought and its impact on agriculture and food security. While the country is better positioned than during the 2015/16 drought, farmers still face significant risks, particularly from rising input costs and limited access to finance. Guest:  Mr Malapane Thamaga - Sen...

Reality Check with Mark Heywood: Access to sufficient nutritious food and activism - Linking hunger and activism Guest: Mark Heywood - Human rights and social justice activist

The 2026 matric final examinations begin this Tuesday, 13 October, with nearly one million candidates registered across the country’s examination bodies. Quality assurer Umalusi says its state-of-readiness audit has assessed everything from candidate registration and question paper security to marking and the management of exam irregularities. With the exams running until late November, are...

Municipal Watch changes gear ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections - Six candidates who want to become the next mayor of Buffalo City Metro Municipality in the Eastern Cape will face our Know Your Candidates test. Guest: Nqabayomzi Kwankwa – UDM Mayoral Candidate of Buffalo City Metro Municipality Guest: Mkhululi Dlevu – EFF Mayoral Candidate of Buffalo City Metro Municipality G...

Parliament's portfolio committee on Home Affairs held a meeting on Friday where they called for a practical asylum plan. They go on to say that  they have directed the department, led by the Director-General, to evaluate and provide the broader operational plan for implementing the Constitutional Court judgment.  Guest: Mosa Chabane - Chairperson of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Ho...

Municipal Watch changes gear ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections - Six candidates who want to become the next mayor of Buffalo City Metro Municipality in the Eastern Cape will face our Know Your Candidates test. Guest:  Phindiwe Nduku-Petse – ACDP Mayoral Candidate of Buffalo City Metro Municipality Guest: Leander Kruger - DA Mayoral Candidate of Buffalo City Metro Municipality...

The implementation of the Constitutional Court’s asylum ruling has exposed serious questions about decision-making and administration in government. Home Affairs withdrew its directive on processing asylum applications after reception offices were overwhelmed. The department says the directive was issued without the Minister’s knowledge, while government now plans to approach the court...

Government is considering approaching the courts for a supervisory order to guide the implementation of the Constitutional Court’s ruling on asylum seekers. Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, who chairs the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration, says this could give Home Affairs time to strengthen its administrative capacity while ensuring compliance with the judgment. But how would court...

The Global Briefing: A commercial tanker has been hit by multiple projectiles in the Gulf, north of Qatar, with casualties reported by the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency. The wife of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Cilia Flores, is seeking release from a US jail on medical grounds France has extended an extraordinary invitation to Britain to consider returning to the Europe...

Our next guest is a prominent South African development specialist and influential voice in civil society. This week, she wants to go beyond headlines to reflect on the theme: What does Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s legacy ask of us now? This week, she commemorates the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s 95th birthday. This morning, she concludes her reflections by discussing Joy as an act of r...

Guest: Dr Mmabatho Mongae - Head of programme for governance Insights and Analytics at Good Governance Africa   Guest(Studio): Miyelani Holeni - Group Chief Advisor at Ntiyiso Consulting Group    

The pilot phase of South Africa’s National Dialogue has concluded, with 53 dialogues held across all nine provinces and almost 4,900 people participating. Communities raised concerns ranging from unemployment and crime to service delivery and gender-based violence, while also putting forward possible solutions. The findings will now help shape the broader National Dialogue process planned fo...

Municipal Watch changes gear ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections - Six candidates who want to become the next mayor of Maluti a Phofung Local Municipality will face our Know Your Candidates test. Guest: Mandla Holley – ACM Mayoral Candidate of Maluti a Phofung Local Municipality Guest: Gilbert Mokotso -  MAP16 Civic Movement Mayoral Candidate of Maluti a Phofung Local Municipal...

Municipal Watch changes gear ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections - Six candidates who want to become the next mayor of Maluti a Phofung Local Municipality will face our Know Your Candidates test. Guest: Mahlomola Majake – EFF Mayoral Candidate of Maluti a Phofung Local Municipality Guest: Jafta Mokoena – DA Mayoral Candidate of Maluti a Phofung Local Municipality Guest: Cllr T...

Guest: Janet Jobson - CEO of the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation    

Mauritius – Afrikan Union Africa launches own credit agency in bid for cheaper borrowing Africa will launch its own credit rating agency on Wednesday, aimed at countering what many see as unfair assessments by global institutions that make it more expensive for African nations to borrow money. The Africa Credit Ratings Agency (AfCRA), backed by the African Union after nearly a decade of talk...

The Global Briefing: The International Monetary Fund is warning that governments around the world can no longer rely on economic growth alone to deal with mounting debt. Israel is preparing for a national election where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking another term, but his government faces criticism over the security failures surrounding the 7 October 2023 and the protracted conflict...

The Constitutional Court’s ruling has reopened access to South Africa’s asylum system, but questions remain about how government will manage the process. SACR says applying for asylum does not automatically make someone a refugee, and that each claim must still be properly assessed. It also says Home Affairs must balance constitutional obligations with immigration control, national sec...

Guest: Janet Jobson - CEO of the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation    

Guest: Shakes Botswe – EFF m ayoral candidate of Ditsobotla Municipality Guest:  Rodney Phale – Patriotic Alliance m ayoral candidate of Ditsobotla Municipality Guest: Morutse Molefe – ANC m ayoral candidate of Ditsobotla Municipality Guest: Miyelani Holeni - Group Chief Advisor at Ntiyiso Consulting Group