GUEST: Malipo Mbalanga - Regional Secretary General of the Southern Africa Refugee Organisations Forum (SAROF) and the founder and Executive Director of African Refugee and Migrants Aid (ARMA)

GUEST: Malipo Mbalanga - Regional Secretary General of the Southern Africa Refugee Organisations Forum (SAROF) and the founder and Executive Director of African Refugee and Migrants Aid (ARMA)

Educational, Late night talk, Mandate and music. Vox Pops, getting the word from the public.

Educational, Late night talk, Mandate and music.

NIGHT TALK

Night Talk

REFUGEE FORUM’S BID TO INTERDICT ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

Guest; Goodenough Mashego -Independent Political analyst 

South Africa’s showdown with Israel has spilled into Washington’s corridors of power, where the Trump administration weighs punishing Pretoria without severing ties.

Analysts warn exclusion from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) and targeted sanctions against outspoken leaders could follow, yet the US is unlikely to risk a full diplomatic rupture.

At the heart of the clash lies South Africa’s defiant stand at the International Court of Justice and its parliament’s vote to shut Israel’s embassy – moves that have turned a bilateral spat into a test of international law, trade politics and moral resolve.

Independent political analyst Sandile Swana said the US might sanction ANC officials, as well as some anti-US and anti-Israel leaders such as EFF’s Julius Malema and those from Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe party.

“I do not expect them to issue blanket sanctions against South Africa. But they will target individuals,” Swana said.

He said the US didn’t want to impose blanket sanctions because such action would also hurt the white population.

 

In a diplomatic spat, South Africa declared Israeli chargé d’affaires to South Africa Ariel Seidman a persona non grata, giving him 72 hours to leave the country.

 

In retaliation, Israel did the same with South Africa’s ambassador to Palestine, Shaun Edward Byneveldt. “For Israel to expel a foreign ambassador from a neighbouring sovereign nation is against international law,” said Mashego.

 

“The South African ambassador submitted his credentials to the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, rather than to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

 

“By law, Israel should not have the right to expel an ambassador of another country.”

 

The Israeli chargé d’affaires allegedly violated diplomatic protocol by insulting President Cyril Ramaphosa on social media on a few occasions in response to the president’s statement that sanctions do not work.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

 

https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/politics/south-africas-israel-stance-risks-agoa-fallout/

 

 

 

Guest; Goodenough Mashego -Independent Political analyst&nbsp;
South Africa&rsquo;s showdown with Israel has spilled into Washington&rsquo;s corridors of power, where the Trump administration weighs punishing Pretoria without severing ties.
Analysts warn exclusion from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) and targeted sanctions against outspoken leaders could follow, yet the US is unlikely to risk a full diplomatic rupture.
At the heart of the clash lies South Africa&rsquo;s defiant stand at the International Court of Justice and its parliament&rsquo;s vote to shut Israel&rsquo;s embassy &ndash; moves that have turned a bilateral spat into a test of international law, trade politics and moral resolve.
Independent political analyst Sandile Swana said the US might sanction ANC officials, as well as some anti-US and anti-Israel leaders such as EFF&rsquo;s Julius Malema and those from Jacob Zuma&rsquo;s uMkhonto weSizwe party.
&ldquo;I do not expect them to issue blanket sanctions against South Africa. But they will target individuals,&rdquo; Swana said.
He said the US didn&rsquo;t want to impose blanket sanctions because such action would also hurt the white population.
&nbsp;
In a diplomatic spat, South Africa declared Israeli charg&eacute; d&rsquo;affaires to South Africa Ariel Seidman a persona non grata, giving him 72 hours to leave the country.
&nbsp;
In retaliation, Israel did the same with South Africa&rsquo;s ambassador to Palestine, Shaun Edward Byneveldt. &ldquo;For Israel to expel a foreign ambassador from a neighbouring sovereign nation is against international law,&rdquo; said Mashego.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;The South African ambassador submitted his credentials to the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, rather than to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;By law, Israel should not have the right to expel an ambassador of another country.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
The Israeli charg&eacute; d&rsquo;affaires allegedly violated diplomatic protocol by insulting President Cyril Ramaphosa on social media on a few occasions in response to the president&rsquo;s statement that sanctions do not work.
&nbsp;
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/politics/south-africas-israel-stance-risks-agoa-fallout/">https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/politics/south-africas-israel-stance-risks-agoa-fallout/</a>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

South Africa’s Israel stance risks Agoa fallout

Guest: Emre Uygun - Freedom Front Plus councillor City of Cape Town

The City of Cape Town has passed an adjustment budget that will see R115m spent on building a security wall on the N2 ‘Hell Run’, as well as pedestrian crossings, improved lighting, landscaping and access control.

It’s official: the City of Cape Town has allocated R115-million towards the N2 safety project, including for a security wall, following attacks on motorists.

On Thursday, 29 January, during a virtual council sitting, the city’s adjustment budget, which includes this allocation, was adopted.

Local commuters and tourists have been attacked on a portion of the highway near the airport that has become known as the “hell run”. In some cases, GPS directions have led motorists astray and into the hands of attackers armed with stones and firearms.

 

Last year, when the city announced its plans for the wall, they were criticised for a lack of community consultation, shielding tourists from the poverty experienced by communities living next to the highway and failing to address the root causes of crime.

 

On Thursday, during his council speech, Cape Town’s mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis, said the budget of the city’s Urban Mobility Department had been increased by R7-million for the design of the N2 Edge project. A further R108-million would be allocated in the 2027 financial year “to cover the bulk of the construction in that year”.

 

The existing security wall along the stretch of highway in question was “just completely dilapidated, and there is nearly nothing left of it”, the mayor told the council. It needed to be replaced, he said, but did not provide details of the new wall’s dimensions, nor what it would be made of.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-01-29-cape-town-to-spend-r115m-on-wall-to-protect-motorists-on-n2-hell-run/

 

Guest: Emre Uygun - Freedom Front Plus councillor City of Cape Town
The City of Cape Town has passed an adjustment budget that will see R115m spent on building a security wall on the N2 &lsquo;Hell Run&rsquo;, as well as pedestrian crossings, improved lighting, landscaping and access control.
It&rsquo;s official: the City of Cape Town has allocated R115-million towards the N2 safety project, including for a security wall, following attacks on motorists.
On Thursday, 29 January, during a virtual council sitting, the city&rsquo;s adjustment budget, which includes this allocation, was adopted.
Local commuters and tourists have been attacked on a portion of the highway near the airport that has become known as the &ldquo;hell run&rdquo;. In some cases, GPS directions have led motorists astray and into the hands of attackers armed with stones and firearms.
&nbsp;
Last year, when the city announced its plans for the wall, they were criticised for a lack of community consultation, shielding tourists from the poverty experienced by communities living next to the highway and failing to address the root causes of crime.
&nbsp;
On Thursday, during his council speech, Cape Town&rsquo;s mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis, said the budget of the city&rsquo;s Urban Mobility Department had been increased by R7-million for the design of the N2 Edge project. A further R108-million would be allocated in the 2027 financial year &ldquo;to cover the bulk of the construction in that year&rdquo;.
&nbsp;
The existing security wall along the stretch of highway in question was &ldquo;just completely dilapidated, and there is nearly nothing left of it&rdquo;, the mayor told the council. It needed to be replaced, he said, but did not provide details of the new wall&rsquo;s dimensions, nor what it would be made of.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-01-29-cape-town-to-spend-r115m-on-wall-to-protect-motorists-on-n2-hell-run/">https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-01-29-cape-town-to-spend-r115m-on-wall-to-protect-motorists-on-n2-hell-run/</a>
&nbsp;

Cape Town Maps Next Phase Of N2 Security Project

Guest; Ndithini Tyhido - Regional Chairperson and Leader of Opposition in the City of Cape Town, serving under the African National Congress (ANC)

Cape Town’s long-anticipated plan to upgrade safety along the N2 highway has taken a decisive step forward, with fresh details emerging during council’s first working meeting of 2026, reports Cape {town}Etc.

City leadership confirmed this morning, 29 January, that funding has now been formally shifted to move the N2 Edge project into its detailed design phase, marking tangible progress on a safety intervention first flagged last year amid rising concerns from daily commuters using the corridor near Cape Town International Airport.

The project centres on replacing a deteriorated barrier along the N2, a structure city officials say no longer provides effective protection.

 

 

 

 

Guest; Ndithini Tyhido - Regional Chairperson and Leader of Opposition in the City of Cape Town, serving under the African National Congress (ANC)
Cape Town&rsquo;s long-anticipated plan to upgrade safety along the N2 highway has taken a decisive step forward, with fresh details emerging during council&rsquo;s first working meeting of 2026, reports Cape {town}Etc.
City leadership confirmed this morning, 29 January, that funding has now been formally shifted to move the N2 Edge project into its detailed design phase, marking tangible progress on a safety intervention first flagged last year amid rising concerns from daily commuters using the corridor near Cape Town International Airport.
The project centres on replacing a deteriorated barrier along the N2, a structure city officials say no longer provides effective protection.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

REFUGEE FORUM’S BID TO INTERDICT ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

In 1 playlist(s)

Night Talk

Social links

Recent clips