Point of View with Phemelo Motene
Point of View with Phemelo Motene, delves into the day’s current affairs, touching on real issues and sharing expert advice on the audience questions between 8pm to 10pm Mondays to Thursdays.
Police committee warns of failures undermining public safety
Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police has warned that weaknesses in criminal investigations, forensic services, police accountability and financial management continue to undermine public safety and delay justice. The committee is calling for measurable action following its review of key policing institutions, while the Justice Department is working on a draft…
Tshwane water crisis leaves 408 people ill
At least 408 cases of gastrointestinal illness have been reported in Tshwane’s Bronkhorstspruit area, with contaminated water identified as the likely source. An investigation found that water from the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Works was not chlorinated between 24 September and 14 October because of problems with the city’s chlorine supplier…
Mbeki to testify as TRC cases inquiry probes apartheid-era prosecutions
Former president Thabo Mbeki is expected to testify before the TRC cases inquiry as it investigates allegations of political interference in the prosecution of apartheid-era crimes. Former president Jacob Zuma’s testimony has been postponed due to ill health, while both former leaders have unsuccessfully sought the recusal of inquiry chairperson…
Profile Feature: Romantha Botha on telling South Africa’s stories
Phemelo is joined in studio by filmmaker, digital creator and speaker Romantha Botha, who uses short-form storytelling to explore South Africa’s history, identity, language and culture. A former journalist, her work includes the Showmax docu-series Sex & Pleasure and kykNET’s Jou Mase Taal. They discuss her journey from journalism to…
ACCES 2026 brings Africa’s music industry together
The Music In Africa Foundation is preparing for ACCES 2026, a pan-African music industry platform connecting professionals, showcasing talent and creating opportunities for growth across the continent. The conference focuses on developing the music industry, supporting emerging artists and strengthening the creative economy. Phemelo speaks to Music In Africa Foundation…
What To Watch: The Other Mommy, Whalefall and Tuesdays with Morrie
On this week’s What To Watch, Leroy Marc reviews The Other Mommy and Whalefall, coming to cinemas in October, and Tuesdays with Morrie, showing at Theatre on the Square from 4 to 22 November 2026.
ConCourt ruling on ANC candidate lists raises questions ahead of elections
The Constitutional Court has ordered the IEC to include 181 ANC councillor candidates previously excluded from the party’s lists, after the ANC blamed technical glitches in the commission’s online system. The ruling has raised concerns about the precedent it could set for electoral deadlines, with the DA questioning its implications…
Zuma’s arms deal corruption trial set for February 2027
Former president Jacob Zuma and French defence company Thales have abandoned further appeals against a ruling clearing the way for the long-delayed arms deal corruption trial to proceed. The National Prosecuting Authority says the trial is now set to begin on 1 February 2027, after more than two decades of…
Tshwane claims financial recovery after R13bn debt burden
The City of Tshwane says its finances have improved since the ANC-ActionSA-led coalition took office, with reduced debt and stronger revenue collection systems. However, Deputy Mayor and Finance MMC Eugene Modise says the metro still needs to improve revenue collection and address its historical debt. Phemelo Motene speaks to Eugene…
IEC races to complete ballot printing ahead of elections
The IEC has printed more than 66% of the 79 million ballot papers needed for South Africa’s 4 November local government elections, with printing expected to be completed by 18 October. The commission says all 23,696 voting stations have been secured, while the distribution of election materials is underway ahead…
Gauteng mass shooting leaves four dead as police probe possible political motive
Four people have been killed and five others injured, including two children, in a mass shooting in Gauteng. The victims were returning from a memorial service for a political party member when they came under fire. A suspect is in custody, with the Political Killings Task Team investigating murder and…
Government moves to reclaim occupied state land near Grabouw
The government is heading back to court to reclaim about 2,000 hectares of state-owned land at Knoflokskraal near Grabouw, where some properties are allegedly being used as holiday homes, Airbnb rentals and restaurants. Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson says the land, occupied during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020,…
Tensions rise in the DRC and Horn of Africa
Former DRC president Joseph Kabila has launched a new political and military coalition that includes the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group, which controls parts of eastern Congo. Meanwhile, Eritrea has asked the UN Security Council to intervene in its escalating dispute with Ethiopia, warning that accusations of a military incursion could…
Mr M alleges Sibiya threatened to wipe out his family
The father of the 16-year-old at the centre of the sexual grooming case against former deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya has told the court that Sibiya threatened to harm his family after he reported him to police. The allegations were detailed during Sibiya’s bail proceedings, with Mr M saying…
RAF funding row reignites debate over fuel levy
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has rejected the Road Accident Fund’s proposal to increase the fuel levy to R3 per litre, saying motorists are already under financial pressure. The focus is now on fixing the fund’s management and addressing its financial challenges, while OUTA argues that years of mismanagement and maladministration…
Chris Hani’s killer linked to possible Polish parliamentary bid
Janusz Waluś, who assassinated South African Communist Party leader Chris Hani in 1993, could enter Polish politics, with a newspaper report suggesting he may stand for Parliament in 2027. Since his deportation from South Africa in 2024, Waluś has become a figure celebrated by Poland’s far right. Phemelo speaks to…
IMPACT: Pave The Way creates jobs while cleaning Joburg
Pave The Way is a community initiative founded by Carly Kay to tackle poor service delivery and create work opportunities for homeless and displaced people in Johannesburg. Since May, the initiative has raised around R200,000 and created 800 work opportunities, paying participants to clean pavements, road gutters and stormwater drains…
ANC challenges candidate exclusion as EFF fights removal of Phala Phala evidence leader
The ANC is challenging the IEC’s decision not to accept its candidate lists in two Eastern Cape municipalities, arguing that excluding its candidates would disenfranchise voters. Meanwhile, the EFF and the African Legal Professionals Association are asking the Western Cape High Court to reinstate Advocate Thandazani Madonsela as evidence leader…
March and March protests dominate the week’s headlines
Phemelo is joined by Kaya News anchor Katleho Sekhotho to unpack the week’s top stories, including the March and March protests and vehicles set alight in Durban, with similar protests reported in parts of Johannesburg, the Eastern Cape and Cape Town. They also look at the latest developments in Shadrack…
ConCourt asylum ruling
The Constitutional Court’s asylum ruling has sparked fresh debate over migration and access to South Africa’s asylum system. Phemelo speaks to legal expert Bophelo Seleke about the judgment, the government’s response and the legal questions surrounding asylum seekers, deportation and South Africa’s borders.