News24 The Lead

Is Ramaphosa wasting his time with Trump? With Pieter du Toit

Loading player...
Youth unemployment, crumbling municipal infrastructure, persistent power cuts and escalating crime levels remain South Africa’s reality. Yet President Cyril Ramaphosa finds himself increasingly pulled into global conflict scenarios. In the aftermath of Ramaphosa labelling the first group of “Afrikaner refugees” leaving for the US on Sunday as “cowards” and “colonialists”, News24 assistant editor for investigations Pieter du Toit reckons the president’s tour to Washington DC next week could prove to be a “fool’s errand”. “Ramaphosa’s going on a rescue mission, but I don’t know whether it’s even possible to change Trump’s perspective (about SA)”. Later in the show, host Graeme Raubenheimer updates us on the Dunoon public protests over the City of Cape Town’s demolishment of structures. And finally, a hot new proudly SA geyser promises to slash your electricity bill.Mail your comments and voice notes to thelead@24.com. Editions drop Monday through Thursday at 19:00 on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.
Chapters
  • 00:01 Graeme's intro
  • 01:42 Interview with Pieter du Toit
  • 19:26 Trending topic: Dunoon protests
  • 20:39 AD: Free audiobook of the month
  • 21:38 And finally: Hot new SA geyser
  • 22:50 AD: The Weekender
  • 23:18 Graeme's outro
15 May 2025 English South Africa News · Society & Culture

Other recent episodes

Should SA get involved in the US-Venezuela crisis?

While the SACP marched on the US Embassy in Pretoria on Thursday to denounce the Trump administration’s abduction of another sitting head of state, the political parties that make up the current government of national unity (GNU) failed to see eye-to-eye on how best to react to the US-Venezuela crisis…
8 Jan 29 min

From SIU head to NPA boss, Andy Mothibi’s surprise leap raises eyebrows

A surprise appointment to be sure… Corruption buster Advocate Andy Mothibi has his work cut out for him as the new head of the National Prosecuting Authority from February 1. But does his bypassing of the interview process sour the start of his new position, and what about concerns over…
7 Jan 21 min

Why are SA shoppers still using savings stamps? With Maya Fisher-French

In our second edition of the new year so far… They’re by no means a new invention. But they appear to be as popular as ever, according to one major retailer. Many South Africans continue to spend millions on savings stamps every month, according to consumer journalist Maya Fisher-French. Later,…
6 Jan 22 min

Analysing Bafana’s Afcon exit

Welcome to 2026 Lead listeners… From municipal elections to the FIFA World Cup, it is going to be a banger of a year… and we’ll be with you telling our countries’ most critical stories, every step of the way. For our first edition of season two of The Lead; Bafana…
5 Jan 29 min

The government of national unity (barely) survives 2025, with Jan Gerber

Touch wood, South Africa’s government of national unity has survived 2025. But the tested national coalition between two of the country’s most devout enemies, the ANC and the DA, has the war wounds to show for it. And senior parliamentary correspondent Jan Gerber has borne witness to most of these…
23 Dec 2025 23 min
All episodes