SMWX

French Ambassador to South Africa, David Martinon, joins us on SMWX for a conversation about France-SA relations, the Africa Summit, upcoming G7 summit in France. 

President Ramaphosa has suspended SAPS National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola amidst charges against him of contravening the PFMA in Matlala’s R360M tender. Ramaphosa appoints SAPS CFO Lt Gen Puleng Dimpane as the Acting National Police Commissioner. We unpack this and what it means for the fight against crime and corruption in South Africa.

Sergeant Fannie Nkosi was denied bail today, whilst Suspended Deputy District Commissioner in Sedibeng Brigadier Nkhwashu appeared before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. Nkhwashu was questioned on his relationship with KT Molefe as well as the movement of dockets in the Armand Swart murder case.

Gareth Mnisi concludes his testimony at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, Police chief Gen Fannie Masemola appeared in court and the story of DJ Sumbody's murder continues. We unpack all of this and the consequences for South Africa.

Suspended City of Tshwane CFO, Gareth Mnisi, has continued his appearance at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. He has been giving evidence around the tender awarding process at the City and his possible involvement in the outcomes of this project to the possible benefit of Sergeant Nkosi's brother.

In this conversation, SMWX sits down with Build One South Africa leader Dr Mmusi Maimane to discuss Unite for Change, BOSA’s merger with the People’s Prosperity Movement, and what opposition politics in South Africa could look like ahead of 2029. Maimane reflects on coalition politics, leadership, the DA’s federal congress, Geordin Hill-Lewis, and whether South Africa needs a new centrist political alternative. The discussion also explores governance, coalition-building, the future of the GNU, and the big questions facing Johannesburg ahead of the next local government elections.

In this in-depth conversation, SMWX sits down with Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements, Tasneem Motara, to unpack the realities of housing, politics, and leadership in South Africa. The discussion explores the state of mega housing projects in Gauteng, the challenges of spatial inequality, and the evolving approach to RDP housing. Tasneem also reflects on her journey into politics, the demands of public service, and the personal growth that comes with leadership. The conversation then shifts to Johannesburg’s political landscape, including Helen Zille's campaign, coalition politics, and the ANC’s position in government. A deep dive into coalition instability, ideological divides, and governance challenges provides insight into the current political climate. Finally, the discussion tackles infrastructure, the role of private capital, hostel redevelopment, and how government balances economic growth with social responsibility.

Gareth Mnisi, suspended City of Tshwane CFO, was testifying today at the Madlanga Commission. We unpack his testimony thus far and weigh in more on Julius Malema's reaction to his sentencing hearing. Lt Gen Mkhwanazi was also appointed as the head of the National Crime Fighting Task Team.

EFF leader Julius Malema has been sentenced to 5 years direct imprisonment by the East London Magistrate's Court this morning. Malema was trialed for the contravention of the Firearms Control Act and had been convicted on 5 counts. The 5 year prison sentence is inclusive of a 2 year sentence for count 2, which would be served concurrently to count 1's 5 year sentence. He has also been sentenced to R60K in fines, or 18 months combined imprisonment for the other 3 counts. Malema has also successfully applied for leave to appeal the sentencing and will be petitioning the higher courts for a leave to appeal his conviction as well. We unpack all of this and make sense of the consequences for Malema, the EFF and the South African political landscape.

EFF Leader Julius Malema appeared before the East London Magistrate's Court today for his pre-sentencing hearing and will be appearing on Thursday for his sentencing. We unpack this and what it means for him and the organization. We also zoom in on the continued testimony of Julius Mkhwanazi at the Madlanga Commission.