The Lead

DA envy: Unpacking Ramaphosa’s startling admission with Bongekile Macupe

In a stunning admission rarely seen from any politician in South Africa today, ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa conceded that DA municipalities, such as Cape Town, are outperforming those governed by the ANC. Ramaphosa told thousands of the ANC ward councillors attending roll call at FNB Stadium in Soweto this week…

16 Sep 44 min

Unravelling the complex crypto fund that embroiled slain lawyer Bouwer van Niekerk

Four people continue to elude the Gauteng police’s grasp for the brazen murder of top Johannesburg insolvency attorney Bouwer van Niekerk. He was shot and killed in his law firm’s offices earlier in September. Since then, the questionable, multimillion-rand NTC Global Trade Fund that Van Niekerk helped place in business…

15 Sep 37 min

The Cat and the Hat - what did Cele do at Zimbali villa? PLUS: Charlie Kirk’s hit

For our final edition of The Lead this week: it’s getting more difficult for former police minister Bheki Cele to downplay his past meetings with controversial tender don Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala. Investigative journalist Jeff Wicks is our first guest filling in the blanks here. Later in the show, we cross…

11 Sep 32 min

Why is trans inmate taking state to court? PLUS: ‘Sweatshop’ sentencing

Welcome to this bumper Wednesday edition of The Lead on News24. Our first topic deals with the case of a transgender inmate in Johannesburg Central Prison who is fighting for their right to access the use of women’s clothes and gender-affirming healthcare. Later in the show, a group of Chinese…

10 Sep 24 min

The brutal killing of ‘incorruptible’ lawyer Bouwer van Niekerk, with Kyle Cowan

The hit on a top Johannesburg insolvency lawyer has reverberated throughout the country’s legal fraternity. Now, while the police attempt to arrest the gunmen who so brazenly snuffed out Bouwer van Niekerk’s life last Friday, details are slowly emerging about the multimillion-rand cryptocurrency trading fund that he was engaged with. Kyle…

9 Sep 39 min

Who is Andre Pienaar, the ‘low-level’ spook badmouthing SA in DC?

Welcome to the 100th episode of The Lead on News24, hosted by broadcast journalist Graeme Raubenheimer. First, we’ll reflect on the moment with our proud editor-in-chief, Adriaan Basson. Then, in our top story: from Johann Rupert to the DA, we are aware of the most notable South African figures who’ve…

8 Sep 28 min

Council chaos in the wild, wild North West, with Siyamtanda Capa

The North West province appears to be the wild, wild west these days. The audit reports for most municipalities in this often-forgotten province make for painful reading as critical service delivery has ground to a halt in many towns. Including the city of Mahikeng, where, despite this grim reality, managers…

4 Sep 26 min

No laughing matter: How Mchunu set the Hawks on a TikTok satirist

It’s a story so out of left field and certainly not one we had on our bingo card for 2025!The Hawks, our supposedly elite crime-fighting unit, which is currently severely underpowered, have come out in strong defence of their investigation of fairly well-known local social media content creator Anton Taylor…

3 Sep 31 min

Looters’ paradise or critical body? Debate over role of state pensions agency

It’s been a national talking point these past few weeks thanks to our intrepid investigative journalist, Sikonathi Mantshantsha, who’s refusing to take his foot off the pedal when it comes to the numerous allegations of dodgy payments to the tune of billions at the Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA).First came…

2 Sep 28 min

Witness the rise of our Springbok Women, with Lloyd Burnard

South Africa’s Springbok Women celebrated this weekend like never before with a truly historic win: their first triumph over Italy and their very first time reaching the Women’s Rugby World Cup quarterfinals, currently under way in England. It all came down to the wire with a nail-biting 29-24 victory over…

1 Sep 32 min

Will the delayed Madlanga inquiry restore SA’s trust in the SAPS?

It was all meant to get under way in Pretoria in the new week, but the Madlanga inquiry has been delayed, seemingly due to factors out of its control. We’ve since heard from Minister Mmamaloko Kubayi that she’s suspended her department’s director-general, advocate Doc Mashabane, and his deputy, Jabu Hlatshwayo,…

28 Aug 57 min

Denel sends US firm 2 old jets allegedly without ejector seats

State-owned arms manufacturer Denel, known for developing world-renowned defence weaponry, including the Casspir armoured vehicle and the Rooivalk attack helicopter, has been battling to stay financially afloat in recent years, despite government bailouts. And now a jet deal it struck with a US firm has seemingly soured, too. Bringing The Lead…

27 Aug 27 min

News24 probe spurs finance minister to intervene in state pensions admin agency

It’s a fairly obscure government agency, but with a big budget. And now a News24 investigation led by journalist Sikonathi Mantshantsha has spurred the finance minister to appoint a new acting CEO at the state pensions administration agency. This follows evidence uncovered of irregular contracts, including a ghost building lease…

26 Aug 37 min

Clocking in from jail? Overtime abuse with Mangaung on the brink

It has been under national administration. And yet the financial books for the metro council in charge of Bloemfontein, Mangaung, remain firmly in the red. In short, the City’s liabilities exceed its assets. News24 investigative journalist Sipho Masondo reports to The Lead that the troubled council has allowed a culture…

25 Aug 26 min

Which ANC bigwigs could face US sanctions? Check with Zondo

Some US lawmakers remain relentless in drafting new legislation that seeks to punish South Africa on a range of policy fronts, going further than the measures already brought by the second Trump administration. The latest Bilateral Relations Review Bill, sponsored by a Texas Republican congressman, Ronny Jackson, will need plenty…

21 Aug 32 min

Babita Deokaran Day? 4 years later, calls to honour whistleblower

This Saturday, 23 August 2025, marks exactly four years to the day since Babita Deokaran, a single mother, was murdered. Gunned down in a hail of bullets fired from the firearms of hired hitmen, what we didn’t know at the time was that the Gauteng health department’s chief accountant had…

20 Aug 57 min

Adriaan Basson names SA’s dirtiest politician

It’s a critical position in the now crumbling City of Johannesburg: a mayoral committee member for group corporate and shared services. It may sound a bit vague. But in this seat, you’re responsible for finance management, the city’s IT infrastructure, and supply chain processes. And it’s now occupied by one,…

19 Aug 36 min

How a Polish website drives fake news in SA

A new report, put out by a research centre at Stellenbosch University, has now exposed a Poland-based news group called Visegrád24 for amplifying the views of alt-right commentators and their false narratives and mistruths about what’s happening in South Africa today. The report, authored by the university’s Centre for Information…

18 Aug 39 min

What to do with a rogue general? With Pieter du Toit

It seems like anyone can become South Africa’s foreign policy spokesperson these days. Just ask the chief of our defence force. South African National Defence Force chief General Rudzani Maphwanya jetted off to Tehran this week to meet with his Iranian counterpart and, quite astonishingly, spoke like the country’s foreign minister…

14 Aug 24 min

Billions for blue lights, SA’s VIP protection splurge with Jan Gerber

R1.47bn. This is how much the government has spent on protecting its VIPs from the 2020/21 financial year to date. And it’s not even the full picture of the cost. It’s especially mind-boggling, given that around R2.3bn has been set aside just this year alone to keep VIPs safe. To…

13 Aug 29 min