News24 The Lead

Families desperate as 17 SA men remain stuck in Russian conflict

Loading player...
A resignation from Parliament. Charges and counter charges filed. Denials and disappointment. And still, nothing right now can return 17 men to South Africa who were unknowingly deployed to the frontlines of the Russia/Ukraine war. We get the latest from the man who broke the MK Party and Russian military saga, Iavan Pijoos, in our latest edition of The Lead. Later, in our trending topic, the Boks have been thrown in a fairly easy pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. Finally, Dr Christiaan Barnard made human heart transplant history on this day in 1967 at the end of the show. You can send our host, broadcast journalist Graeme Raubenheimer, a voice note with your questions or thoughts on the show: 072 562 3179. To advertise in the show: thelead@24.com. Full editions drop Monday through Thursday at 19:00 on Spotify, Apple and YouTube. The Lead is currently sponsored by 10X Investments.
Chapters
  • 00:01 Graeme's intro
  • 01:23 Crossing to Iavan Pijoos on MKP Russia saga
  • 16:33 AD: 10X Investments
  • 17:25 Crossing to Khanyiso Tshwaku on RWC 2027 pools
  • 23:58 AD: N24's The Weekender
  • 24:26 On This Day in SA History: Dr Christiaan Barnard
3 Dec 2025 English South Africa News · Society & Culture

Other recent episodes

Alleged bribes, price gouging the locomotives for Prasa deal?

Multi-millions of our hard-earned taxes have gone towards a mass Metrorail train refurbishment project but allegations of bribery between the contractors and the Passenger Rail Agency (Prasa) dog this deal, all while the trains gather rust, and are yet to leave any station. We mind the gap with investigative journalist…
23 Feb 30 min

Inside the spectacle that was SONA 2026

The opening of Parliament, albeit from Cape Town City Hall, is anything but a quiet affair. Let The Lead host, Graeme Raubenheimer, take you inside the spectacle that was the State of the Nation Address 2026. From politicians’ demands on the red carpet and a student protest to the president’s podium,…
13 Feb 11 min

Special Panel – Will you fix the water crisis, Mr President?

This is The Lead, and this is the South African story. Joining host Graeme Raubenheimer for a special roundtable discussion, asking whether or not President Cyril Ramaphosa has kept his 2025 State of the Nation Address promises, are News24 editor-in-chief Adriaan Basson, political analyst and media commentator Mpumelelo Mkhabela, and…
12 Feb 27 min

The reality of KZN’s FMD outbreak. Plus: Tony Leon on next DA leader

KwaZulu-Natal has emerged as the epicentre of the current devastating outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) among cattle, with farmers, desperate for the new locally made vaccine, resorting to the worst to protect their livelihoods. We get a sense of the situation on farms with our roaming KZN reporter, Sakhiseni Nxumalo, who…
11 Feb 33 min

Johannesburg Water strike called off but supply crisis deepens

We begin this late Tuesday edition of The Lead with breaking news: Johannesburg Water says an unprotected strike by some of its staff has been called off, following discussions with municipal union SAMWU. Note, please, that the rest of this show was compiled before this development. Meanwhile, the blame for the…
10 Feb 22 min
All episodes