Jacaranda FM Newswatch - Interviews

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases, has confirmed an increase in measles cases nation wide. According the Institute's latest data, there have been 3 891 cases reported nationally between December last year, and August 2026. The Western Cape reported the highest number of new cases, followed by Limpopo, the Northern Cape and Gauteng - but is the increase enough to cause panic?

Marlinée Fouché spoke to Professor Jantjie Taljaard, a specialist in infectious diseases at the University Stellenbosch and the Tygerberg Hospital in the Western Cape. Latest news on our website

The Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) warns that the Local Government Elections in November could very well be the decisive moment for the embattled City of Johannesburg. Once known as the City of Gold, Joburg owes creditors R25.2 billion, while its water infrastructure renewal backlog stands at R26.6 billion. In its first Johannesburg Matters report, titled Joburg in Jeopardy, the CDE paints a picture of a city on the brink of losing the last of its shine.

CDE Head, Anne Bernstein, tells Jacaranda FM Newswatch’s Faith Modise that another period of political instability could be the final nail in Johannesburg’s coffin. Latest news on our website

Last week, the northern and central parts of South Africa shivered as a cold snap pulled temperatures below 10 degrees in some places, and this week temperatures are expected to soar above 30.

The South African Weather Service says although cold days in August aren't necessarily unusual, the past two weeks were an exception.

Marlinée Fouché reached out to a forecaster the South African Weather Service, Thabo Magoro, in an attempt to make sense of what South Africans are experiencing. Latest news on our website

When around 20,000 women marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria 70 years ago, something remarkable happened. They showed that women don't need men to highlight their struggles in society, but that they can do it themselves. Looking back at that March back in 1956, Professor Amanda Gouws from the Univeristy Stellenbosch, told Marlinée Fouché this realisation stands out for her. Latest news on our website

In women's month, we're shining the light on women making waves in their respective fields of work. When it comes to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, there's still a long way to go to reach equality, but there is meaningful progress. Professor Nox Makunga, at the University Stellenbosch, is passionate about busting the myth about women in these fields.

Marlinée Fouché reached out to Makunga to hear more about the stereotypes women on the continent faces today, and how things are changing. Latest news on our website

Driving along the highways of Gauteng, it's hard to miss the blanket of dust and smoke hanging over the province in every direction, but where does it come from and where is it going? The South African Consortium of Air Quality Monitoring, is making air pollution their business. Their network of monitoring systems across Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga can detect pollution clouds, and predict where they're heading. According to Professor Bruce Mellado, the Executive Director of the South African Consortium of Air Quality Monitoring, South Africa now has one of the biggest air quality monitoring networks on the continent. Marlinée Fouché spoke to Mellado about how these systems work and why we need it. Latest news on our website

Former Independent Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) head Advocate Andrea Johnson is facing renewed scrutiny after the Madlanga Commission heard a cellphone recording in which she encourages State Advocate Drushanta Ramsamy to avoid testifying before the inquiry while also criticising the conduct of the commissioners. Latest news on our website

It is this week a year since a press conference led by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi sent shockwaves through South Africa as he revealed serious allegations of fraud, corruption, money laundering, criminal networks, and alleged political interference within the country’s criminal justice sector.

Jacaranda FM Newswatch journalist Anastasi Mokgobu speaks to Gerda de Sousa about the way forward and till when can we expect the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry to continue with the public hearings.

By: Gerda de Sousa & Anastasi Mokgobu

Produced by: Emile Pienaar Latest news on our website

It is this week a year since a press conference led by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi sent shockwaves through South Africa as he revealed serious allegations of fraud, corruption, money laundering, criminal networks, and alleged political interference within the country’s criminal justice sector.

Jacaranda FM Newswatch journalist Anastasi Mokgobu speaks to Gerda de Sousa about the individuals who have become household names and the drama and developments they brought to the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.

By: Gerda de Sousa & Anastasi Mokgobu

Produced by: Emile Pienaar Latest news on our website

July 6, 2025, began like any other winter’s Sunday in South Africa: a quiet end to a cold weekend, with no indication that the day would soon become a defining moment in the country’s political and criminal justice landscape.

By the end of that Sunday, the national conversation had changed.

A press conference led by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi would send shockwaves through South Africa as he revealed serious allegations of fraud, corruption, money laundering, criminal networks, and alleged political interference within the country’s criminal justice sector.

The revelations marked the beginning of a process that would raise difficult questions about accountability, governance, and public trust in the institutions responsible for protecting South Africans.

One week later, President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation, announcing the establishment of what would become widely known as the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.

The first public hearings began on Wednesday, 17 September 2025, with the opening session featuring highly anticipated testimony from Mkhwanazi, the man whose allegations had set the inquiry in motion.

In this special limited series, Jacaranda FM Newswatch Newscast Editor Gerda de Sousa speaks to Newswatch journalist Anastasi Mokgobu, who has been covering the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry’s public hearings.

By: Gerda de Sousa & Anastasi Mokgobu

Produced by: Emile Pienaar Latest news on our website