Drivetime

Jordan releases anti-ISIL Salafi leader

Jordanian authorities have released Salafi leader Assem Barqawi, better known as Abu Mohammad al-Maqdesi, after having served a five-year prison sentence on allegations of jeopardising state security and recruiting jihadists to fight in Afghanistan. His release came as a surprise to some after the escalating war in Syria has presented…

19 Jun 2014 11AM 18 min

Corruption Watch

Corruption Watch will participate in a global campaign, “Unmask the Corrupt’ launched today 19 June by Transparency International (TI). The campaign’s aim is to end the impunity enjoyed by perpetrators of corruption. Online from Corruption Watch is executive director David Lewis

19 Jun 2014 10AM 9 min

Fraud claims in Afghan elections

Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah yesterday demanded election organisers stop counting ballots because of widespread fraud, potentially derailing what is seen as a make-or-break vote before most foreign troops leave. Millions of Afghans turned out on Saturday for a second-round run-off to elect a successor to President Hamid Karzai, a…

19 Jun 2014 10AM 14 min

General Household Survey

South Africans are constantly complaining about the access to basic services but the latest General Household survey by Stats SA says that life here is not that bad. The question is…what is the quality of these services? To give us a break down is the statistician general

19 Jun 2014 10AM 12 min

Iraqi Ambassador on ISIS

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis) has taken over from the al-Qa'ida organisation founded by Osama bin Laden as the most powerful and effective extreme group in the world. Isis now controls or can operate with impunity in a great stretch of territory in western Iraq and…

18 Jun 2014 11AM 27 min

Dr Fouzia Siddiqui SA tour

Dr Fouzia Siddiqui, the sister of famed political prisoner Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, will be visiting the mother city this week to raise awareness on the detention and torture of her sister at the hands of US authorities. The visit is part of a countrywide tour of South Africa. to tell…

18 Jun 2014 10AM 7 min

Post SONA Analysis

The county's fragile economy took centre stage last night as President Jacob Zuma delivered his seventh State of the Nation Address, promising "far-reaching interventions" following damaging labour unrest and economic downgrades in recent weeks. Analysts have had mixed reactions to President Jacob Zuma's State of the Nation Address, which many…

18 Jun 2014 10AM 14 min

High praise for state-of-nation address from President

The ruling party had high praise for President Jacob Zuma's state-of-nation address last night, but opposition leaders described it as "mediocre" and "muted". In the wake of the country's credit ratings downgrade, Zuma somberly acknowledged that economic growth has lagged far behind government's target and that many South Africans are…

18 Jun 2014 10AM 5 min

SONA pre analysis

Analysts say President Jacob Zuma’s will have to deliver a strong message on government’s plan to boost the economy, considering the recent outlook downgrade by credit ratings agency Fitch. In February, Zuma spoke mostly of government’s past successes, repeating the familiar refrain that the country has “a good story to…

17 Jun 2014 11AM 15 min

SACCI on SONA

Expectations are high for President Jacob Zuma as he focuses on the economic situation of the country when he opens parliament at 7pm tonight. Zuma has a difficult task now that South Africa may be dipping into another recession with economic growth having contracted in the first quarter and international…

17 Jun 2014 10AM 10 min

SONA scene setter

The media are getting ready at Parliament for President Jacob Zuma's seventh state-of-the-nation address. Zuma will delivery his address at 7pm tonight, following the usual pomp and ceremony. Online from Parliament’s precinct is our reporter Ra’eesah Isaacs / Andriques Petersen

17 Jun 2014 10AM 3 min

SONA scene setter Cont.

The 4-6 pm current affairs Drivetime Show is hosted by veteran journalist Shafiq Morton, winner of two Vodacom Awards, and an AfriCAN author’s award. Analytical and thought-provoking, Morton brings his decades of experience as a photo-journalist, historian and broadcaster to the show, added with his unique brand of humour and…

16 Jun 2014 10PM 3 min

Transitional Justice In Africa Fellowship

Last week we spoke to Ms Friederike Bubenzer, from the Institute of International Justice and Reconciliation who hosts the Transitional Justice in Africa Fellowship Programme. The programme has been designed to attract and bring together scholars and practitioners in the field of transitional justice to compare, reflect and write on…

16 Jun 2014 10AM 9 min

Youth Day with Shaka Sisulu

As we celebrate Youth Day and what it means, DriveTime Producer, Zahrah Isaacs, caught up with Walter Sisulu this morning about what youth day means to someone coming from a political background…

16 Jun 2014 10AM 9 min

Sudan Leaders agree to form new government

South Sudan's president and rebel chief have met in Addis Ababa in a bid to end six months of civil war, agreeing to forge a transitional government within a 60-day deadline, Ethiopia's prime minster says. President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar met on Tuesday on the sidelines of…

13 Jun 2014 10AM 15 min

Platinum Strike: Agreement Reached

The five-month platinum strike could end on Friday if workers accept a new offer which would see basic pay increase by R1,000 a month for the lowest paid. The strongest sign of a deal is that this is the first time in two months that leaders of the Association of…

13 Jun 2014 10AM 6 min

Trojan Horse

The British government stepped up its anti-Muslim campaign this week by moving to put five schools in Birmingham, England’s second largest city, into “special measures”. The decision was taken by the official schools inspectorate Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills). It came comes after a campaign…

12 Jun 2014 11AM 18 min

Welcome To The World Cup

The World Cup 2014 is upon us! Get ready for thrills, spills, colour, noise and some of the most tired football cliches known to man. What comes to mind when you hear the word Brazil? Is it soccer? the beaches of Rio? The beautiful women? While these are all common…

12 Jun 2014 10AM 6 min

ISIL: Rising power in Iraq and Syria

The city of Tikrit, hometown of late president Saddam Hussein, fell to the ISIL yesterday afternoon in less than 48 hours after the capture of Mosul, Iraq's second city. Tikrit, within Salahuddin province, is only 140 km away from capital Baghdad. Meanwhile, violence continued in other cities as eleven people…

12 Jun 2014 10AM 15 min

Up in the Arms Deal

A "one-sided approach" at the arms deal commission is leaving reams of contestable evidence unchecked and unchallenged, arms deal "critics" say. The commission is divided into two "phases": phase one consists of evidence mainly given by government officials, including the defence department and former ministers. Phase two consists mainly of…

12 Jun 2014 10AM 11 min