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.
Music Feature: Celebrating Marvin Gaye
This week’s music feature sees musicologist Dr Sheldon Rocha Leal honour legendary soul icon Marvin Gaye with a tribute to his timeless classics, including What’s Going On, Mercy Mercy Me and Inner City Blues.
What to Watch: Star Wars, Pressure and Rise ’76 reviewed
In this week’s What to Watch feature, film critic Leroy Marc unpacks the latest entertainment picks, including Star Wars and Pressure, both now showing in cinemas, as well as Rise ’76 at the Market Theatre from 17–19 June.
EFF backs ANC to pass Joburg’s R97.1bn budget
Johannesburg Council has passed the city’s R97.1 billion “pro-poor” budget after the EFF voted alongside the ANC in a 139–92 decision. The heated debate saw the DA and ActionSA slam the budget, while the IFP urged councillors to treat the city’s finances as a “moral obligation.” In a moment that…
Legal Matters: Divorce, maintenance and sequestration disputes
On this week’s Legal Matters, Nthabiseng Dubazana tackles sequestration abuse, maintenance and university fees, divorce-related balloon payment disputes, and answers listeners’ pressing legal questions.
Phala Phala showdown and ‘Ferrari’ Sibanyoni back in court
Phemelo unpacks two high-profile legal battles with legal expert Mpumelelo Zikalala. Mpumalanga taxi boss Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni returns to court over allegations of extorting more than R2 million from a mining businessman, while President Cyril Ramaphosa moves to challenge the Phala Phala Section 89 report in court, warning he may…
Pressure mounts for tougher alcohol tax measures
The South African Alcohol Policy Alliance South Africa is urging civil society groups, health experts and community organisations to weigh in on National Treasury’s alcohol tax review. Proposed changes include higher taxes linked to alcohol strength and possible minimum pricing measures aimed at reducing alcohol harm. Phemelo speaks to SAAPA…
IEC kicks off 2026 local elections campaign
South Africa’s 2026 Local Government Elections are officially underway after the IEC launched its nationwide voter awareness campaign ahead of the 4 November polls. IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo says the campaign aims to mobilise voters, especially young people under the banner “Get Up, Show Up, Vote.” Phemelo speaks to Co-operative…
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says government efforts to reform hospital procurement systems were already underway before the Public Protector’s findings into the delayed repairs at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. Following a joint oversight visit with Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, Phemelo speaks to Motsoaledi about the hospital’s future, accountability and…
Ramakgopa and Morero move closer on Joburg’s Eskom crisis
Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa and Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero appear to have found common ground on the city’s mounting Eskom debt. The two announced plans for Eskom and the City of Johannesburg to work together on fixing billing failures, technical losses and wider electricity challenges. Phemelo speaks to Mayor Morero…
Phemelo in conversation with Geordin Hill-Lewis
As South Africa gears up for the 2026 municipal elections, Phemelo speaks to DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis about the DA’s vision for local government, the state of governance in the country and his bid to return for a second term as Mayor of Cape Town.
SA activists return home after detention by Israeli forces
Six South African activists who were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla have returned home after being detained by Israeli authorities, receiving an emotional welcome at OR Tambo International Airport. While government says it will consider its next steps once it has received formal debriefing reports, the activists have begun…
World MS Day: Calls for earlier diagnosis and better support
As South Africa marks World Multiple Sclerosis Day on 30 May, healthcare advocates are calling for greater awareness, faster diagnosis and improved support for people living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The chronic neurological condition affects thousands of South Africans, often disrupting careers, mobility, cognitive function and daily life. Yet many…
Government moves to address illegal immigration tensions amid rising protests
Government says it’s stepping up efforts to ease growing tensions around illegal immigration and anti-foreigner protests, with ministers in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster meeting at the Union Buildings. The high-level talks come amid mounting public pressure, community demonstrations and concerns over possible xenophobic violence. Authorities say the…
DA welcomes Public Protector findings on Charlotte Maxeke delays
The Democratic Alliance has welcomed the Public Protector’s findings into the lengthy delays in repairing fire-damaged sections of Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. The report found Gauteng’s Health and Infrastructure Development departments guilty of maladministration, highlighting underspending, missed deadlines and ballooning repair costs. Concerns remain over disrupted healthcare services, limited…
Rise Mzansi’s Lukhona Mnguni enters Joburg mayoral race
Former political analyst Lukhona Mnguni has officially thrown his hat into the ring to become Johannesburg’s next mayor under the Rise Mzansi banner. Positioning himself as an alternative to what he calls failing leadership and a “gangster state”, Mnguni says the city needs urgent intervention to tackle corruption, governance failures,…
Music Feature: Janet Jackson
This week’s music feature turned the spotlight on music icon Janet Jackson. Musicologist Dr Sheldon Rocha Leal joins Phemelo to reflect on Jackson’s impact on music and pop culture, revisiting timeless hits including Let's Wait Awhile, Rhythm Nation and That's the Way Love Goes. The conversation explores her artistry, influence…
KAYA 959 BOOK CLUB: The House at 6001
On Point of View with Phemelo Motene, author Lebo Diseko joins a live audience to launch and unpack her powerful new memoir, The House at 6001: A Memoir of Uprising and Exile. The book takes readers inside a four-room Soweto home that became a meeting place for activists, family and…
Legal Matters: Sibanyoni extortion case and Stalingrad tactics under the spotlight
In this week’s Legal Matters, legal expert Nthabiseng Dubazana unpacks the controversial Sibanyoni extortion case after it was struck off the roll, takes a closer look at litigation delays linked to so-called “Stalingrad” legal tactics, and answers listeners’ pressing legal questions.
Opposition parties slam Dada Morero’s State of the City Address
Dada Morero has unveiled Johannesburg’s 2026 State of the City Address, outlining plans to turn around the city’s finances and service delivery failures. But some opposition parties have dismissed the speech as “empty promises”, arguing that residents are still battling collapsing infrastructure, power outages and deepening financial strain. Phemelo speaks…
DA submits petition against Gauteng school budget cuts
More than 16,000 Gauteng residents have signed a DA-led petition calling for the immediate reversal of controversial budget cuts affecting Quintile 5 public schools. The party says the 64% cuts are pushing schools deeper into crisis, with many struggling to pay for electricity, maintain infrastructure and support learner programmes. The…