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

Loading player...

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 political editor, and Graeme Raubenheimer, host of The Lead, discuss whether Jonas will even get to Washington, seeing as his predecessor, Ebrahim Rasool, was branded persona non grata and booted for similar comments. We also look at an Olympic swimming pool draining taxpayers' money and a trio who cycled all the way from Limpopo to Cape Town. Mail your comments and voice notes to thelead@24.com. Editions drop Monday through Thursday at 19:00 on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.

15 Apr English South Africa News · Society & Culture

Other recent episodes

How the DA axed its own minister of forestry, fisheries and the environment

First came Andrew Whitfield’s axing – and now the DA’s had to see the environment minister, Dion George, fired too. This time for failing to toe the Cabinet’s policy lines on COP30 and regulated rhino horn and ivory trading. Allegations, too, of bullying and sexual misconduct suggest that George was…

17 Nov 21 min

Lawless lawmen? Inside the AmaPanyaza saga, with Khaya Koko

They’re called the AmaPanyaza. Meaning: Panyaza’s boys. These are the more than 6 000 anti-crime wardens appointed as a task force in the name of the premier of Gauteng, Panyaza Lesufi, back in 2023. But Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka, just this October, found in a report that the establishment of…

13 Nov 28 min

Adriaan Basson calls out SA’s Trump collaborators

Remember their names: Kallie Kriel, Rob Hersov, Elon Musk. These are just some of the collaborators News24 editor-in-chief Adriaan Basson argues played a part in backing US President Donald Trump’s lies about the Afrikaner experience in SA today. Basson, our guest on The Lead, believes Trump’s comments may come and go,…

12 Nov 31 min

The MKP’s puzzling Russia deployment. PLUS: How to spot AI slop

We lead today’s show with a News24 exclusive on news that the MK Party flew some of its members to Russia to train as bodyguards only for them to be deployed, apparently unknowingly, to the frontlines of a war. It now appears that former president Jacob Zuma wants them moved to…

11 Nov 41 min

Cat clairvoyance? Matlala bagged clinic lease months before SAPS tender

Just when you thought the Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala saga couldn’t get any more intriguing, it does. Today, specialist investigative journalist Jeff Wicks can reveal the notorious tender don secured a pretty affordable deal to rent a state clinic on the grounds of the Pretoria West Police Training Academy, a full…

10 Nov 26 min

All episodes