Political Desk: “Promises vs Progress” – An Accountability Assessment

Thabiso Tema, POWER BREAKFAST host, speaks to Professor Susan Booysen, political analyst, about how during SONA 2025 the president made several commitments — including water security, energy, state-owned enterprise reform, and safety and security — and whether these were merely promises or if tangi…

Those Implicated at the Madlanga Inquiry Will Be Prosecuted, Says National Director of Public Prosecutions Adv Andy Mothibi

Thabiso Tema, POWER BREAKFAST host, speaks to Lebogang Ramafoko, executive director at Corruption Watch, about how the newly appointed National Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Andy Mothibi, and South African Police Service (SAPS) Commissioner General Fannie Masemola have reiterated ongoin…

Justice, Witness Protection, and Accountability in the Emmanuel Mbense Case — What the Law Says and What Recent Developments Reveal About Systemic Gaps

Thabiso Tema, POWER BREAKFAST host, speaks to Elton Hart, legal analyst, about how the recent death of Wiandre Pretorius has intensified scrutiny around the Emmanuel Mbense murder case, raising serious legal questions about witness protection, accountability, and the integrity of South Africa’s cri…

As Mining Indaba 2026 Unfolds, Is South Africa Maximising Its Mineral Wealth — or Missing a Critical Opportunity to Turn Resources into Real Economic Growth?

Thabiso Tema, POWER BREAKFAST host, speaks to André Lourens, economist at the Minerals Council of South Africa, about how global investors, mining executives and policymakers gather in Cape Town for the 2026 Investing in African Mining Indaba, once again placing South Africa at the centre of conver…

South Africa to End Decades-Long Peacekeeping Role in DR Congo, Withdrawing Troops from MONUSCO

Thabiso Tema, POWER BREAKFAST host, speaks to Ricardo Teixeira, defence analyst at the Institute of Race Relations, about South Africa’s announcement that it will withdraw its troop contribution to the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), …

When Policy Fails at the Workplace: Minimum Wage and Non-Compliance

South Africa’s national minimum wage will increase from R28.79 to R30.23 per hour from 1 March 2026, marking a R1.44 adjustment to protect low-income workers against inflation and rising living costs. The National Minimum Wage Act applies to most workers in the formal and informal sectors, includin…

Team South Africa Kicks Off at 2026 Winter Olympics

South Africa is officially competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics, which kicked off today in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, with the largest Winter Olympic team in the country’s history. For the first time, five athletes will represent the nation across four winter sports disciplines. Thabiso T…

Broken Promises and Existential Threats: The Human Cost of Heidelberg’s Land Delays

We unpacked growing concerns from residents in the Lesedi Local Municipality in Heidelberg who are beneficiaries of the Ikageleng Land Release Programme — also known as the Rapid Land Release Programme (RLRP). At the centre of the dispute are allegations that government-promised free building plans…

Parliamentary Tensions Rise Over Ad Hoc Committee Witness Appearances

The African National Congress (ANC) Study Group on the Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations raised by Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has issued a strong rebuke of what it describes as politically motivated attacks aimed at the Speaker of the National Assembly, Cde Thoko Didiza. The sta…

Who Polices the Police When the System Is Broken?

Both the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry and the Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee were established in July 2025 as an emergency response to explosive allegations that South Africa’s criminal justice system has been "captured" by organized crime. The catalyst for both was a public media briefing on Jul…