5 Mid Mornings

t’s 5FM’s birthday month, and this week we’re celebrating being Born to Party! Joining us is someone who brings both the sound and the style — DJ, model and creative Ponahalo Mojapelo! We’re talking about her journey behind the decks, what makes a great party and how she keeps a dance floor moving. Ponahalo, welcome to 5 Mid Mornings. 

Yesterday we asked listeners how they celebrated the end of their high school careers. Now, we’re handing the conversation over to the Class of 2026 as they prepare to close the chapter on uniforms, school bells, homework and seeing their friends every day. We want to hear how matrics are making their final school moments count, from grade-wide celebrations and memories with friends to school traditions, souvenirs and new ways of marking the end of their school years.

From Hand-Me-Downs to Second-Hand Finds Growing up, getting clothes from an older sibling or a couch from a relative wasn’t always something you were excited about. Sometimes you just wanted something new — something that was yours first.But call that same jacket “vintage” or that couch a “thrift find”, and suddenly there’s a story to tell. “Thanks, I thrifted it” can sound like a brag, especially when you’ve found something unique for a fraction of the original price.So what changes how we feel about owning something someone else owned? Is it saving money, finding pieces nobody else has, reducing waste — or simply getting to choose it yourself?And where do you draw the line? You might happily buy a second-hand car, dining table or designer handbag, but hesitate when it comes to shoes, a mattress or kitchen appliances. What would you proudly buy second hand, and what must be brand new?

I don’t know if you’ve seen this but, Wicked star Cynthia Erivo called her friend and The View co-host Sunny Hostin after her comments about the Cornell sexual-assault allegations sparked backlash. Sunny, a former prosecutor, focused on her interpretation of New York law. Some viewers felt her remarks sounded like victim-blaming. Speaking on the Behind the Table podcast, Sunny maintained that she wasn’t defending the accused and wanted the law changed. According to Sunny, Cynthia called with a personal concern: the clip she’d watched didn’t reflect the woman she knew, whose career had included protecting women and children. Cynthia acknowledged that they’re both blunt, but encouraged Sunny to lead with empathy so people could better receive her explanation. Sunny said she followed that advice the next time she discussed the case. And that opens up a conversation about friendship: when your friend says something that lands badly, how do you handle it? Do you immediately defend them because you know their intentions, or do you pick up the phone and explain why people are upset? Knowing someone’s heart can help you understand them, but can you also help them see how their words affect other people? And if you’re the one receiving that call, would you appreciate the honesty — or feel like your friend should be backing you?

Friendships naturally change as people get older, move cities, start families and enter new relationships. But how much should a friendship change when your best friend gets a new partner? We hear a listener’s voice note and unpack where friendship, relationships and boundaries fit together.

It’s back-to-school time, so we’re putting your teen movie knowledge to the test! These are the movies we grew up watching — the ones that had us believing high school would be filled with dramatic makeovers, massive house parties, cliques and somehow absolutely no actual schoolwork. We’re going to play you a clip featuring three scenes from three different teen movies, and your job is simple: name all three movies correctly. Let’s see how well you really know your teen movie classics!

It’s back-to-school today, and for matrics, we’re getting into that final stretch of the year. Final exams are around the corner, university applications are being finalised, and suddenly you’re expected to make some pretty big decisions about what comes next.At 17 or 18, you're basically being asked: “What do you want to do with the rest of your life?”And traditionally, the path felt quite straightforward. You finished school, chose what you wanted to study, got the qualification and then went into that profession. You studied accounting, you became an accountant. You studied teaching, you became a teacher. Your qualification was almost seen as the blueprint for your career.But that path doesn't necessarily look as straightforward anymore.Today, you can study one thing and end up working in a completely different industry. Someone with a law degree could end up in marketing. Someone who studied engineering could move into finance. Someone with a communications degree could build a career in tech. And some people might change careers several times throughout their working lives. There are obviously professions where the qualification still directly determines what you can do — you're not becoming a doctor because you watched a few YouTube videos. But for a lot of careers, your degree might be the beginning of your working life rather than a decision about what you'll do forever.And maybe that's an important conversation to have at this time of year, because there are thousands of young people choosing degrees right now who might feel like they're choosing their entire future.So we want to hear from people who have already been through it.

If you’re still walking around with that little green ID book, this one is for you — because after years of hearing that it’s eventually going away, we finally have actual dates. Home Affairs has announced that it will stop producing green ID books on 31 March 2027. But don't panic and throw yours away just yet! If you already have one, it will remain valid for another year. From 31 March 2028, the green ID book will officially no longer be recognised as a valid form of identification.  And there are still a LOT of them out there. Home Affairs says around 14.7 million South African citizens and permanent residents still only have the green ID book. The department wants those people to move over to Smart IDs before the deadline.  Part of the reason for getting rid of it is security. Because it's paper-based and the photograph can be physically manipulated, Home Affairs says research has identified the green book as one of the most fraud-prone identity documents on the continent.  And getting a Smart ID is becoming easier too. As of August, Smart ID services had expanded to 372 participating bank branches, with more than half a million people already using the bank programme to make the switch.  So, basically: the green mamba is officially entering retirement.

In celebration of World Teachers’ Day, Karabo and Yonaka give flowers to the teachers who left a lasting impression on our lives. Karabo gave her primary school teacher an appreciation call and tears were shed. Listeners share the teachers they’ll never forget and the moments, lessons and words that have stayed with them long after leaving the classroom.

Quiet quitting may have started as a workplace trend, but are we now quietly quitting friendships, relationships and other parts of our lives too? Karabo and Yonaka unpack whether slowly pulling away is a healthy way of protecting your peace — or whether we’re becoming more reluctant to have uncomfortable conversations.

In this episode, we speak to the CEO of Afrika Tikkun about why AI could genuinely help close SA’s inequality and unemployment gap, and the importance of how AI use is being taught. We further understand why judgement and ethics can't be taught as a module, why age matters and what teaching the responsible use of AI looks like.

This Heritage Month, we wanted to take a moment to really appreciate the country we get to call home. And that's how our Love Letters to Mzansi began. We started right here in Gauteng, then travelled to KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, celebrating the people, places, cultures, sounds and little things that make each province special. And this week, we took it even further, showing love to all nine provinces. From Limpopo to the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga to the Northern Cape, Free State to North West and everywhere in between, we've been reminded that every corner of Mzansi has something worth celebrating. And after travelling across the country through these love letters, there's only one way we could end it: with one final

After celebrating Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, Love Letters to Mzansi opens the floor to the rest of the country. South Africans are invited to share what they genuinely love about their province — from the food and slang to the music, people, traditions, landscapes and everyday things that make home feel like home. This isn't about the biggest tourist attractions; it's about the things locals know and love that give each province its own personality.

How was running the 5km? Speak on the run being dedicated to Elizabeth. Will you be running again soon?

We talk a lot about dealbreakers in romantic relationships, but friendships have them too. From constantly cancelling plans and only calling when they need something, to breaking your trust, competing with you or disappearing when you need support, some behaviours can slowly change the way you see a friend. Real Talk No Filter asks: Is there a friendship dealbreaker you think people are way too willing to overlook?

There was a time when Sunday had a rhythm: church, a big family lunch, music playing, cousins running around and relatives catching up. But for many people today, Sunday has become a day for gym, groceries, laundry, errands, meal prep or simply getting some time to yourself. Culture Shift looks at how the traditional Sunday has changed, while exploring how younger South Africans are also giving traditions like the seven-colour meal a new life online. What did Sundays look like when you were growing up, and what does your Sunday look like now?

Founder of Phashasha, Nceba Makisi joins for a candid conversation about various efforts he personally puts into the community's differently abled persons. He highlights his challenges and what values are at the work of the organisation. As a differently abled person himself, he speaks about how he connects the community with clinics and facilities to help make their lives just a little easier.

Programmes Manager, Sima Diar, brings the details of the "Spring Into Hope" event that NISAA co-hosted with their sister organisation, the National Shelter Movement of South Africa. We also learn about how critical it is to constantly support GBV organisations fund-rasing events - to increase their capacity in the fight against GBV-F.

A gender activist and communications specialist joins 5 Mid-Mornings to unpack how coded language, euphemisms and social media censorship are changing the way we talk about gender-based violence.

After 12 years away from our screens, Soul City is back with a brand-new generation of talent in Soul City: Let’s Rise. The new 13-part series follows five young women navigating love, ambition, education, identity, relationships, family expectations and the realities of growing up in South Africa today. At the centre of the story are five new faces —  Pule Buys as Samke, Neo Malaka as Siza, Lufuno Mdau as Rhulani, Bohlokoa Nkalai as Neo, Asibonge Ntuli as Thando — who are stepping into a franchise that has been part of South African television for decades. Today we’re joined by Pule, Neo and Asibonge to talk about becoming part of the Soul City legacy, getting to know their characters, the stories they’re telling and what it means to be part of this new chapter.

There was a time when being independent meant doing everything yourself. You figured it out, kept your problems to yourself and, if you needed help, you probably tried everything possible before actually asking for it.  But that attitude seems to be changing. More people are becoming comfortable saying, “I actually need help with this". Whether it’s asking a friend for emotional support, asking family for financial help, admitting you’re struggling at work, asking someone to teach you something, or simply saying, “I don’t know how to do this.” There’s also more conversation around the idea that asking for help doesn’t mean you’re incapable. Sometimes it means you know your limits, you trust the people around you and you’re willing to learn. And maybe adulthood has taught us that doing everything alone isn’t necessarily a sign that you’re strong. Sometimes knowing when to ask for help is the stronger move.