The Lead

Debunking Malema and Trump with Andrew Thompson

EFF leader Julius Malema alleges it's a lie that there are farm killings in South Africa. Among other claims, Malema suggests that white people are not murdered in South Africa. The politician's April statements in Parliament in response to the Trump Administration’s US aid pullout were shared on social media…

23 Apr 30 min

The police chief, the Cat and corruption with Jeff Wicks

South African Police Service (SAPS) top brass dragged their feet in cancelling a tender awarded to a businessman known as "The Cat". News24 specialist investigative journalist Jeff Wicks combed through an internal audit report. In it, he found that tender tycoon Vusimusi "Cat" Matlala should've never scored a R360 million…

22 Apr 17 min

Why did Nada-Jane have to die? With Bernadette Wicks

In 2023, 4-year-old Nada-Jane Challita was discovered dead in the bathtub of her Johannesburg home, with only one suspect to point the finger at: her father's now ex-partner, Amber Lee Hughes, who was also the little girl's former pre-school teacher. Hughes' trial – in which she is facing a count…

17 Apr 22 min

An Ace in the hole, with Karyn Maughan

Today on The Lead, we cross to Bloemfontein where specialist legal journalist Karyn Maughan was in the Free State High Court, where former premier Ace Magashule pleaded not guilty to allegations of fraud, corruption and money laundering charges in the asbestos tender scam trial. The former ANC Secretary-General and 17…

16 Apr 18 min

Meet SA’s new envoy to America who called Trump a racist

In this edition, we scrutinise whether sending former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas as South Africa's special envoy to America is the right choice. This comes as a video from 2020, wherein he calls US President Trump a "racist", "homophobe", and "narcissistic right-winger", spreads across social media. Andisiwe Makinana, News24…

15 Apr 20 min

The journalist uncovering SA's water crisis, one river at a time

For tonight's episode of The Lead, we wade into the sewage-ridden waters of Mogale City with Sikonathi Mantshantsha, News24 specialist investigative journalist who on Friday took home the prestigious Taco Kuiper Award for investigative journalism for the series, Wasteland. He uncovered the true source of the region's unbearable smell: the…

14 Apr 31 min

The case against Dali Mpofu SC, with Karyn Maughan

The Legal Practice Council, a national body meant to hold the legal profession to account, is launching a full-scale disciplinary inquiry into the conduct of Dali Mpofu. Among the slew of misconduct charges the advocate faces relate to comments he made while handling legal matters, including the parliamentary inquiry into…

10 Apr 27 min

Navigating the GNU, VAT, ZAR and Trump's tariffs with Carol Paton

The South African economy faces potentially volatile times with the Trump Administration's tariffs on one side of the scale and a 1 May VAT hike on the other. "Everyone is feeling the pinch; even the US markets are feeling the pinch," says News24 writer-at-large Carol Paton. The rand has been…

9 Apr 22 min

The Mashatile factor in the battle for the GNU with Adriaan Basson

The ANC believes it's time to hit the reset button on the government of national unity (GNU) following the DA's "double-dealing" regarding the contentious budget vote in parliament. For now, though, the DA is not leaving the GNU, nor has it been kicked out. "No one wants to pull the…

8 Apr 26 min

Exposing the close-knit ANC t-shirt tender with Jeff Wicks

An ANC-linked businesswoman who bagged a R2.5 million t-shirt tender with the Gauteng health department has denied having any relationship with its MEC, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko. Yet, News24's specialist investigative journalist Jeff Wicks has uncovered evidence to the contrary: that businesswoman Nhlake Priscilla Mothobuka knows the MEC well enough to be…

7 Apr 22 min

The DA and GNU - will they stay, or will they go?

Quo Vadis, GNU? With the ANC searching for support outside of the GNU and the DA approaching the courts to interdict the national Budget's proposed 0.5% VAT hike, it seems as if the days of the GNU are numbered. We ask News24 political editor Andisiwe Makinana for her take on…

3 Apr 26 min

Will the Budget break the GNU? Carol Paton explains

Today, the government of national unity is facing its most formidable challenge. The future of the tumultuous union rests on the outcomes of the joint sitting of Parliament, where a vote will be taken on the delayed budget tabled by finance minister Enoch Godongwana last month. We know the DA…

2 Apr 16 min

Celebrating SA's heroes on Good News Day

On 1 April, here at News24, we ditch the pranks to focus on the feel-good factor for what we have dubbed Good News Day. Instead of making you wonder what is fact and what is fiction, we have decided to flood our website with 21 good news offerings. Not even…

1 Apr 19 min

Minister Simelane, Vitrovian and the Kusile cash grab

Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane is in hot water, again. On Monday, News24's investigations team revealed that the minister bagged a cool R700 000 from an Eskom contractor for an invoice she signed off on in 2011. Vitrovian, an ANC-linked company, scored more than R300 million from Eskom over seven…

31 Mar 31 min

SA steels itself against plant closures

Three thousand five hundred jobs hang in the balance if ArcelorMittal were to close its two long steel plants in Vereeniging and Newcastle. Towns will be decimated and local economies crushed. Will the government's plan of hiking steel import tariffs protect local steelmakers' future? This could be critical to saving…

27 Mar 17 min

Diplomatic dilemma: Trump nominates new SA ambassador

It's an extraordinary time for Pretoria and Washington. Both cities' embassies await new diplomats after SA / US relations took a turn for the worse. If the Trump Administration gets its way, senior conservative media man Brent Bozell III, whose son was recently pardoned for storming Capitol Hill, will become…

26 Mar 24 min

Will Rassie cull some older Springboks before RWC 2027?

The quality of depth in our Springbok men's squad is undoubtedly the envy of every rugby nation. Thanks, in large part, to Rassie Erasmus. But for our more seasoned players, possibly lifting the World Cup for a third time is not a foregone conclusion come the 2027 tournament in Australia…

25 Mar 24 min

Air Force None with Sikonathi Mantshantsha

South Africa's skies are primarily unprotected, which should be of concern. On Monday, News24 revealed that only six of the 330 SA Air Force aircraft were in working order. That's two fighter jets, a helicopter, and three fighter jet trainers; the rest are gathering rust. In his exclusive report, News24's…

24 Mar 36 min

The good news edition

We all deserve to stop, breathe, meditate and smile about the good things happening in our lives and South Africa today. Sometimes, we just need that nudge to remind us about the beauty hiding in plain sight. To mark International Day of Happiness and Human Rights Day, this edition of…

20 Mar 22 min

Are South African women safe in Ubers?

Are South African women safe in Ubers? This question comes after the e-hailing service stated that they have finalised their finding around the harrowing Uber ride of media personality, Anele Mdoda in February where an Uber driver in Cape Town allegedly threatened with rape. In a briefing where they highlighted how…

19 Mar 20 min