#FeelGoodStory -5 school kids complete SA's toughest 250 km hike - the Grand Traverse Guest: One of the three male students who partook Konstantino Giokos. He attends Treverton College in the Midlands

Guest:  Sheilan Clarke  - Head of Communications at My Vote Counts #TopStory –The signing of the #ElectoralAmendmentBill

Guest:  Sheilan Clarke  - Head of Communications at My Vote Counts #TopStory –The signing of the #ElectoralAmendmentBill

Guest: Mighty Jaime – Researcher, Analyst and political analyst TRENDING NEWS #PietermaritzburgMassShooting #AfriForum #Ramaphosa #Namibia #SowetoKids #Sudan #ElectoralAmendmentBill

We're in conversation with the Director General at the Department of International Relations, Zane Dango. This follows the conversation we had with Prof Anthoni Van Nieuwkerk last week regarding the South African government taking legal advice on how to handle an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin in the event the Russian leader attendsmit in August. The department has been raised issues with how our guest analysed its stance on matters pertaining to Putin, Russian and the ICC. We'll clarity a few matters and also talk about international relations and how South Africa chooses to respond to matters pertaining to international relations.  Zane Dango - Director General at Dirco

The Department of Home Affairs says that it is introducing temporary measures to assist foreign nationals facing delayed outcomes to their waiver and visa applications due to the backlog at the department. The backlog, which extends back to 2016, is due to a lack of personnel and the long processes involved in processing an application. The holders of the long-term visas can now legally remain in South Africa until 31 December 2023, although the lateness of the decision – 48-hours before these visa holders technically expire – has drawn sharp criticism.  Yusuf Simons - Acting DDG for Immigration

The Tshwane council attempted to sit for a second time on Wednesday to elect an executive mayor.  Last Friday, elections could not take place after councillors from the DA-led coalition staged a walkout, in protest to two expelled ActionSA councillors being allowed to vote. The position of mayor was left vacant since Dr Murunwa Makwarela resigned earlier March. It seems like all parties in the coalition a facing their own internal party squabbles; how does this translate to the possibilities of the City of Tshwane having a credible mayor anytime soon? GUEST - ZOOM:          Levi Ndou - Political Analyst

South Africa’s government is taking legal advice on how to handle an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin in the event the Russian leader attends a Brics Summit in August. The ICC issued the warrant against Putin on March 18 for war crimes related to the alleged abduction of children from Ukraine. Eventually SA will have to take a stand. GUEST:         Prof Anthoni van Nieuwkerk -  International relations expert

President Cyril Ramaphosa hosted his counterpart, Tanzanian President Samia Hassan, for her first official state visit since she took office. Ramaphosa said that South Africa remained indebted to many African countries such as Tanzania for their efforts in helping the nation usher in a democratic dispensation. Acknowledging Tanzania’s significant contribution during South Africa’s struggle for democracy, Ramaphosa said the two African nations share deep historical and political ties. The state visit also coincides with the second session of the South Africa-Tanzania Bi-national Commission, which aims to strengthen bilateral relations between the two states. GUEST - ZOOM: Nixon Katembo -  African Affairs analyst and Executive producer at Channel Africa Swahili service

Free State police have launched a manhunt for suspects after five illegal miners, also known as zama zamas, were killed execution style at a mine in Virginia.  Preliminary investigation reveals that they were shot and killed execution-style. One of the five was identified as a Mozambique national. As he was identified by his brother residing in Thabong, Welkom. GUEST - ZOOM: Leeto Nthoba - Political analyst and lecturer at the Central University of Technology

Yesterday, the suspended public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane continued her testimony before the parliamentary committee for her section 194 inquiry. During her testimony on Wednesday, Mkhwebane described the conditions she found when she became public protector in 2016.     The committee is investigating Mkhwebane's fitness to hold office, with many calling for her impeachment. GUEST:        Karyn Maughan - Senior legal journalist at News24

Yesterday, Uganda's parliament took up a bill that would criminalise identifying as LGBTQ, with lawmakers saying the current ban on same-sex relations does not go far enough. Anti-LGBTQ sentiment is deeply entrenched in the highly conservative and religious east African nation, with same-sex relations punishable by up to life in prison. According to Human Rights Watch, more than 30 African countries ban same-sex relations, but Uganda's law, if passed, would appear to be the first to criminalise merely identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer. Michael Arereng - Former executive Producer at Channel Africa and Veteran broadcast journalist (he is based in Kampala, Uganda)

The former mayor of Tshwane, Murunwa Makwarela, resigned earlier today. He says his resignation is not an admission of guilt but rather to allow the City of Tshwane to focus on service delivery. Makwarela tendered his resignation after it was found that the submitted letter of rehabilitation he used to prove that he was not insolvent is fake. Yesterday, Makwarela was reinstated as the mayor of Tshwane with immediate effect. This was announced by the City of Tshwane city manager Johann Mettler, saying that Makwarela was able to provide the council with a notice of solvency rehabilitation. On Tuesday, he was disqualified to hold the office of mayor due to a Constitutional provision that an unrehabilitated, insolvent person can’t hold public office. Dr Corne Mulder - Multi-Party Coalition spokesperson

Violent and lengthy strikes have been a feature of South Africa’s industrial relations for a while now. There are very few mechanisms in place to curb violent strikes, even though their effects are visible all over the country. Strikes of this nature have devastating effects on the economy and result in injury to members of the community as well as non-striking workers. While every employee has a right to strike, does that right extend to extreme and illegal action?  Guest: Ms Jahni De Villiers - Director and sole owner of Labour Amplified, a labour and management consultancy

1.      The country closely watched the Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana deliver his budget speech a week ago, and we have since heard different views from various experts, analysts and market players. On This Week Today, we hear from young people from Universities in the country on their take on the speech and the economy at large. Guests: Leela- Lind Devar, Undergrad Student at Wits University, Goitsione Magonare, Undergrad Student at Wits University, Sphesihle Thusini, Postgrad student at North West University

Dr Chidochashe Nyere, Research Fellow at the Institute for Pan African Thought and Conversation, University of Johannesburg Ukraine Association of South Africa - Inna Coetzee Spokesperson for the Russian Embassy in SA - Alexander Arefiev

Government has, in terms of the Disaster Management Act of 2002, declared a national state of disaster to enable an intensive, coordinated response to the impact of floods that are affecting Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, the Northern Cape, and North West. The National Disaster Management Centre has classified the impact of current, above-normal rainfall in various parts of the country as a national disaster. The National Disaster Management Centre has received reports ranging from flooded homes, vehicles swept away by floodwaters and overflowing dams and sewerage facilities, to the loss of basic infrastructure and damage to roads, bridges and a Limpopo hospital. A national toll has not yet been released. But the bad weather threatens seven provinces. Last year, we experienced the worst flooding in our history, mainly affecting KZN where heavy rains triggered impressive mudslides that swept away people, bridges, roads and entire buildings.

This evening we get the views from a broad range of civil society organisations and experts on what President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address means for different sectors, including GBV, health and anti-corruption efforts. Most of the focus was on the energy crisis, boosting the economy and corruption fighting efforts, and many civil society organisations are of the view that he neglected the health, education and gender based aspects. GUESTS – STUDIO:   Anele Yawa - General Secretary of the Treatment Action Campaign Wayne Duvenage - CEO of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse Adv Brenda Madumise-Pajibo - Activist and Director at Wise Collective

Livestock theft has been on the rise for years, and this has had devastating consequences for subsistence and commercial farmers, and the red meat economy generally.  Several cases, in the Eastern Cape, North West, Free State, Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, suggest the involvement of organised crime syndicates. But now the big story is in the Eastern Cape, where the fatalities have left law enforcement and South African up in arms. But is this a new occurrence? A livestock thief could be a neighbour, a local livestock speculator or even a livestock auctioneer.  Nkosi Mwelo Nonkonyana - Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders and Contralesa provincial chair GUEST - ZOOM:  Lenin Ndebele - News24's Africa desk editor

GUESTS : Nkosi Mwelo Nonkonyana - Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders and Contralesa provincial chair

Thulani Maseko, chairperson of a coalition of pro-democracy groups, was shot dead at his home in Luyengo, about 45km from the capital, Mbabane, on Saturday.  The murder has prompted outrage. The United Nations, European Union, the UK and many human rights organisations in southern Africa have condemned the murder and called for a thorough investigation. Authorities in Eswatini have promised a full investigation of the murder of a leading pro-democracy activist amid widespread fears that state security agencies may have been involved. Mark Heywood -  Maverick Citizen Editor and human rights activist

We’re in conversation with the Democratic Alliance, this is at the backdrop of the motion of no confidence that saw the ousting of Mpho Phalatse as the Executive Mayor of the City ofJoburg. ActionSA, which is a DA coalition partner, called out the DA for “abandoning Johannesburg mayor Mpho Phalatse and the residents of Joburg”. Allegations by Action SA - saying that the DA didn't support Dr Phalatse because she had ambitions of a higher position in the party 2. The state of coalitions and why the DA is in the firing line of coalitions 3. What about the people? Service delivery is being impacted by this.  GUEST:        Cilliers Brink - DA National Spokesperson

GUEST - ZOOM:        Viola Motsumi - MEC for Education in the North West province              Elijah Nkosi - HOD Mpumalanga Department of Education AND head of the Provincial Learner Improvement Plan            Mahlubandile Qwase -  HOD Eastern Cape Department of Education

The European Union and the United Kingdom are preparing to enter a phase of negotiations starting next week aimed at overcoming the dispute over the post-Brexit trading relationship. This will take place well ahead of the anniversary of Northern Ireland’s peace agreement in April, which is another thorny issue in the EU.  according to people familiar with the matter. The UK foreign minister James Cleverly and European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic announced earlier this week that the EU had agreed to use the UK’s live database tracking goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. This was a first sign of progress in a long-running dispute on post-Brexit trading rules and a step that paves the way for negotiations on other more complex issues, such as checks on agri-food goods, state aid and VAT. Other outstanding issues include disagreement over the governance of the Northern Ireland protocol, with the UK demanding that the European Court of Justice be totally stripped of its role in settling Brexit disputes in the region. That remains a red line for the EU. GUEST - ZOOM:   Musa Mdunge - Political Analyst based in the UK; MAndela Rhodes Scholar  

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has agreed to an 18.65% increase in electricity tariffs, effective from 1 April this year.  Initially, Eskom had applied for a 32% tariff increase for the 2023/24 year, which starts in April. A court order required Nersa to make a final decision on the tariff by 24 December, but the regulator was granted an extension to Thursday, 12 January after its Electricity Subcommittee required more time to deliberate on 14 areas of concern. Eskom, which implemented continuous Stage 6 load shedding this week, motivated for large tariff hikes on the back of rising diesel costs. And then, Minister Gwede Mantashe announced that the ANC has resolved to move certain state-owned entities back into their relevant portfolios. This would see Eskom moved out of Pravin Gordhan's Department of Public Enterprises and into Mantashe's department. GUEST - PHONE: Hilary Joffe - Business Day columnist; editor-at-large for Business Day

As the 16 days of activism against violence on women and children draws to an end, we engage civil society organisations about the impact that violence has on communities. Since its inception, the campaign seeks to find ways to address and eliminate abuse and violence on women and children, globally. The impact of this abuse and violence is multifaceted. The socio-economic status, the health system, the justice system, child development, crime. Now to help make sense of some of the many issues, we speak to civil society organisations about their work and what ordinary South Africans are dealing with. We'll also get a sense of the relationship that civil society has with the government and why their recommendations are not being considered.  GUEST - STUDIO:                    Sihle Sibisi - GBV activist and Founder of Kwanele Foundation GUEST - ZOOM:                    Mariam Mangera - National Coordinator for the National Shelter Movement GUEST - ZOOM:                     Golden Miles Bhudu - President at South African Prisoners Organization for Human Rights (SAPOHR)

GUEST - Pontsho Pilane, communications manager at Soul City Institute for Social Justice

GUEST: Lukhanyo Vangqa, Political analyst

GUEST - Xolani Dube, Political Analyst Lihle Ngcobozi, Governance and Development Analyst

On Tuesday, the ANC released names elected by its 4,000 branches to contest national leadership positions at its conference in December. Cabinet ministers Lindiwe Sisulu, Mmamoloko Kubayi, Senzo Mchunu and Enoch Godongwana were among some big names who failed to muster enough support for nominations to the ANC’s top six positions. Explaining the failure to adhere to the 50-50 gender representation in the top six nominations, former president Kgalema Motlanthe said the gender parity rule could not apply as the top officials were not a structure.  The party’s electoral committee put forward national executive committee member Nomvula Mokonyane and the general manager at Luthuli House, Febe Potgieter-Gqubule, as the two women nominated for the position of deputy secretary-general. President Cyril Ramaphosa received 2 037 nominations and is set to face a challenge from former health minister Zweli Mkhize, who received 916 nominations. GUEST - PHONE: Lukhanyo Vangqa - Political Analyst 

The Public Servants Association (PSA) , which represents almost 235 000 public servants, embarked on a national strike three weeks ago. The PSA strike had a serious impact on  activities of departments, especially Home Affairs, Transport and Border Control. On the 19th of November, we engaged Reuben Maleka of the PSA. This week again, we saw another public sector strike. Three union federations - Cosatu, Saftu and Fedusa - joined forces to ensure that the government honours its 2018 wage agreement. And the failure of government and organised labour to resolve the current impasse on the ongoing salary negotiations has caused uncertainty and sparked fears in the country, particularly as unions threaten to down tools. GUEST - ZOOM:   Michael Bags - Labour Analyst

GUEST :  Dr Ina Gouws - Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Studies and Governance at the University of Free State

GUEST :   Reuben Maleka - PSA spokesperson

The ANC's National Executive Committee kikcked off its first physical meeting in years on Friday.Meetings of the NEC – which is the ANC's highest decision-making body in between conferences – have been virtual since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. During this meeting, the party will also consolidate its nominations ahead of its 55th national conference in December. The ANC is also expected to receive reports from its integrity commission – with some hoping this will include an assessment into the Phala Phala farm saga involving party President Cyril Ramaphosa. The ANC's electoral committee – which is expected to take over the reins as it approaches its 55th conference - is also set to report to the NEC. The electoral committee's report and reports from the preparatory team handling the national conference are likely to give more insight into how the branch general meetings have fared – along with the final tally of numbers expected to attend the event. The Free State Province is yet to have its elective conference GUEST - PHONE: Abongile Dumako - SABC journalist @NASREC  

GUESTS - phone: Saul Molobi - CEO of Brandhill Africa & author of “De/constructing brand Africa: A Practitioner’s Perspective” ALSO [former Chief Director: Public Diplomacy at DIRCO, 2009-2012; and South Africa’s Consul-General to Milan, Italy, 2012-2016]  Peter Fabricius - an independent journalist and analyst on foreign policy issues. he writes mainly for the Daily Maverick and the Institute for Security Studies

GUESTS - Phelisa Nkomo - Development Economist & Board Chair of OxFam Colin Coleman is co-chair of the Youth Employment Service, member of boards, a former partner at Goldman Sachs and former senior fellow at Yale University’s Jackson Institute. 

This week was an important for Electoral Reform as civil society has made a call for Members of Parliament to vote against the Electoral Amendment Bill after it was adopted last week. Some opposition parties have come out to state their dissatisfaction with the letter and have called on civil society to allow Parliament to its work. GUEST -   Dr. Sithembile Mbete - Director of Programmes at Futurelect

Yesterday, former Prime Minister Liz Truss resigned after 44 days in office. She was the shortest serving Prime Minister in history. In speech, she outlined that she could not deliver what she had been elected to achieve: GUEST -   Prof. David Monyae - Director of China-Africa Studies at University of Johannesburg GUEST -  Valley Fontaine - Broadcast Journalist, University Lecturer AND Media Trainer

● Treasury’s decision to blacklist Bain and Co for 10 years ● NPA adds McKinsey to R398m Transnet corruption trial ● Is this type of consequence sufficient to ensure accountability from corporates ● What this means for project State Capture GUESTS: Adv Stefanie Fick - Executive Director of the Accountability Division at OUTA - Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse Tebogo Khaas - Founder & Chair Interest SA

● State of Eskom’s balance sheet ● Intervention from National Treasury to help stabilise the balance sheet GUEST - Colin Coleman : Co-chair of the Youth Employment Service, a former partner at Goldman Sachs

Is Eskom facing a political crisis or an engineering cris or both Compared to other power utilities around the world, are these challenges normal? Makhura’s comments on Eskom [We can’t keep complaining about the energy problem. We can’t keep pointing fingers at Eskom. We need to encourage young people to innovate and build these big batteries] Leaders cutting their trips short to deal with Eskom - has it ever yielded any positive results? Eskom appoints 18 from Solidarity’s list of 300 skilled engineers - should we be hopeful? Does Eskom have the money to add more to its expenditure list? Former Statistician General’s comments on Matshela Koko [Lehohla said just bring the man back to fix everything then you can arrest him later] Guest 1:  Hilary Joffe - Editor-at-large for Business Day

Russia’s address and the UN General assembly and the exit! Biden and Ramaphosa’s meeting - key take outs from there Anti-war protests in Russia and the arrest of hundred of protesters Could we be seeing a third world war?  GUEST:   Prof Antoni van Nieuwkerk - Thabo Mbeki African School for Public International Affairs  

More than 1500 delegates, including global health experts, policymakers and community leaders attended the 7th South African Tuberculosis (TB) Conference in Durban this week. The TB conference, which started on Tuesday and ends today, hosted plenary discussions about medicines and ways to treat the airborne disease.  South Africa is said to have alarming TB infection rates, coupled with the largest HIV/AIDS prevalence globally. Authorities and scientists took advantage of this conference to reinforce their commitment to the fight against TB. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), South Africa is among the top 30 countries with the biggest TB burden worldwide. Despite TB being preventable and curable, this airborne disease is the second leading infectious killer following COVID-19 worldwide. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 alone in South Africa, the country recorded 328 000 new TB infections. It is said that of this, about 60% of patients also have HIV. GUEST:  Priashni Pundit-Subrayen - Technical TB Director. The Aurum Institute

According to three political parties – the UDM, PAC and African Transformation Movement (ATM) – President Cyril Ramaphosa is colluding with the DA to ensure the unlawful removal of suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane from office. These parties have joined Mkhwebane in her application that she be allowed to go back to work, following a ruling by the Cape Town High Court last Friday, which set aside her suspension by Ramaphosa. Guest: Mbekezeli Benjamin - Research and Advocacy Officer at Judges Matter

Mary Elizabeth Truss is Britain’s new Prime Minister, replacing a controversial predecessor, Boris Johnson, whose stormy three-year tenure produced numerous scandals and left the economy in a precarious state. Truss will be taking the reins during a turbulent period as spiraling energy prices and record inflation throttles the Brits and strikes become more frequent GUEST :  Valley Fontaine - Broadcast Journalist, University Lecturer AND Media Traine 

On Tuesday Statistics South Africa released the latest GDP figures, highlighting that the country’s economy in the second quarter of 2022 was smaller than it was before the coronavirus pandemic struck.. Load-shedding, floods and industrial unrest drove SA’s economy to shrink back below prepandemic levels in the second quarter, with the economic growth rate for 2022 now expected to come in at less than 2% despite the government’s progress with structural reforms. GUEST :  Dr Nombeko Mbava - Executive Director of Duvalele Evaluation Advisory (Pty) Ltd

The Western Cape High Court has declared President Cyril Ramaphosa’s suspension of Busisiwe Mkhwebane invalid. But according to section s172(2) of the Constitution, an order of constitutional invalidity against the president has no force unless it is confirmed by the Constitutional Court. Today Mkhwebane’s legal representative, Dali Mpofu, informed the Section 194 Inquiry about the order. Mkhwebane has been fighting her suspension in the courts. She also criticised the section 194 committee for proceeding despite a Constitutional Court appeal. GUEST : Lukhanyo Vangqa - Political Analyst  

Guest: Prof. Macharia Munen - Professor for International Relations at the United States International University Africa in Nairobi  Kenya's outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta pledged Thursday that there would be a smooth transition of power after a hotly disputed election whose outcome could be challenged in court. Kenyatta had backed his erstwhile foe Raila Odinga in the 9 August poll after falling out with his deputy William Ruto, who won the presidential race by a narrow margin.  The outcome has also caused a schism within the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). Four of its seven commissioners have disowned the results and accused the body's head of acting outside the constitution. Any challenge to the results of the August 09th election must be lodged by Monday afternoon with the Supreme Court which then has 14 days to issue a ruling. If it orders an annulment, a new vote must be held within 60 days.