The Minister announced that Universities must individually determine their own fee hikes, but must not increase more than 8% for the year of 2017, but University students have rejected this announcing demanding free education. Is the Minister’s announcement the right approach? What funding model is needed? Ahmed Essop, Research Associate in Higher Education Policy and Planning at the Ali Mazrui Centre for Higher Education Studies, University of Johannesburg chats to John.

The 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (CoP17) happens at a time of unprecedented legal and illegal trade of endangered wildlife. Edna Molewa, Minister of Environmental Affairs

Spoke to John Robbie about the conference and South Africa’s position on the trade of endangered species.

Senior NPA officials Nomgcobo Jiba and Lawrence Mrwebi have been struck off the advocates role by the High Court which found that they were not fit and proper. John Robbie spoke to former NPA Head Mxolisi Nxasana and Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha.

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has come under the spotlight for backing an “experimental” permit to catch 8000 tons of horse mackerel to market to the rural poor. The permit is subject to a court challenge brought by two fishing industry associations. John Duncan, Senior Manager of the Marine Programme at the WWF-SA is on the radio to chat about why the department must reconsider the permit and what’s at stake.

A few months ago we spoke to Gauteng MEC for Health Qedani Mahlangu about concerns regarding the transfer of mentally ill and disabled patients from Life Healthcare Esidimeni to other facilities. Now reports come in that 36 of those transferred patients have died. John speaks to the MEC again to find out what happened.

Treasury confirmed yesterday that President Jacob Zuma has finally paid back R7.8-million - a portion of the tax money spent on installing non-security features at his Nkandla homestead in rural KwaZulu-Natal. We speak to Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas about his department’s challenges with SOEs, fending off state capture and accusations of having too much power.

An unknown number of illegal miners have been trapped underground in Johannesburg’s oldest gold mine since Wednesday last week and rescue operations, which started last Thursday, have been halted. How does the new MMC for Public Safety Michael Sun plan on dealing with abandoned mines and illegal miners?

Today is Foetal Alcohol Syndrome day and although South Africa has the highest foetal alcohol syndrome rate in the world, government’s efforts to address the problem have been inadequate. And the alcohol industry has evaded responsibility for tackling the root causes of the disease. Zain Dangor, Special Advisor to the Minister of Social Development, speaks to John about just what government is doing to solve the problem.

The Reserve Bank has been in the spotlight following attacks on it by ANC Deputy Secretary General Jessie Duarte and its authority to licence banks was questioned by Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane. Is the independence of the Central Bank under threat? What is the role and mandate of the Bank in regulating the banking sector? Kuben Naidoo, Deputy Governor and Registrar at the South African Reserve Bank explains.

The Reserve Bank has been in the spotlight following attacks on it by ANC Deputy Secretary General Jessie Duarte and its authority to licence banks was questioned by Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane. Is the independence of the Central Bank under threat? What is the role and mandate of the Bank in regulating the banking sector? Kuben Naidoo, Deputy Governor and Registrar at the South African Reserve Bank explains.