Caller, Bra Moro from Cape Town

The Western Cape High Court has ruled that parts of South Africa’s Value-Added Tax (VAT) Act are unconstitutional because they give the Finance Minister the power to change the VAT rate without Parliament’s approval.

Guest: Matshidiso Lencoasa, budget analyst at SECTION27 and member of the budget justice coalition

Minister of health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi briefed the media on the findings of the research study on sanitary pads, published by the Free State University in February 2026 which detected endocrine-disrupting chemicals in sanitary pads used in South Africa.

 Guest: Dr Aaron Motsoaledi – Minister of Health

The Department of Water and Sanitation has launched the Water Sector Anti-Corruption Forum, aimed at strengthening collaboration between government, law enforcement and civil society to tackle corruption that undermines water infrastructure and service delivery.

Guest: Dr. Ferrial Adam – Executive Director, WaterCAN 

09 March 2026

1.    Guinea – Conakry 

Guinea has dissolved 40 political parties, including its three main opposition groups, via a late-night decree, in the latest crackdown on civil liberties under longtime strongman Mamady Doumbouya.

Doumbouya, who came to power in a 2021 coup, was elected president in late December in a vote in which all major opposition leaders were barred.

2.    Tanzania – East African Community (EAC)

Museveni takes over as EAC chair from Ruto at Arusha Summit

The change in leadership follows the bloc’s rotational system, where member states take turns chairing the regional organisation. Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has been appointed the new chairperson of the East African Community (EAC), succeeding William Ruto, whose one-year term has ended.

3.    Republic of Congo- Brazzaville 

As Congo-Brazzaville prepares to decide the Presidential election in 6 days, Denis Sassou-Nguesso's economic record is at the heart of the campaign, and the campaign camp believes it has laid the foundations for economic development.

In Congo-Brazzaville, the presidential election is scheduled for March 15, 2026. Denis Sassou-Nguesso, after already 41 years at the head of the Republic of Congo, intends to stay there for another five-year term. In its roadmap, the presidential camp claims to have laid the foundations for the economic development it promises to the Congolese in recent years. 

4.    In our historical archives, it was on this day, 9 March 1990, when the ANC Veteran leader, the late Walter Sisulu, denied allegations levelled at his party by the South African parliament and press that the ANC was responsible for the unrest that broke out throughout South African homelands. 

4.1    In our historical archives, it was on this day, 9 March 2015, when the Fees Must Fall student leader Chumani Maxwele threw human manure at a statue of Cecil John Rhodes that was situated on the campus of the University of Cape Town, on Rugby Road.

On Saturday morning, February 28, 2026, dozens of girls gathered at the “Shajareh Tayyebeh” (The Good Tree) school in the city of Minab in southern Iran when Israel and the United States began initial strikes on the country.

Guest: Dr Ntando Sindane, Senior Lecturer, Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Law. He teaches International Law and Legal Philosophy. 

• Firstrand says geopolitical tensions may delay SA rate cuts
• 2. Private education players Stadio and Advtech expect to deliver double digit earnings growth 
• 3. Market update

• 1. Business confidence ticks higher in Q1
• 2. Cashbuild posts upbeat results but remains concerned about a price sensitive consumer 
• 3. Market update

City Power Surpasses R1 Billion in Revenue Enhancement as Financial Sustainability Drive Gains Momentum.

Guest: Thami Mathiso, Chief Commercial Officer City Power

The Western Cape High Court heared a landmark constitutional challenge to a provision of the Criminal Procedure Act that prevents the public naming of an accused person in a rape or sexual offence case before they have formally pleaded.

Guest: Kuhle Mavuso - Senior Associate at Webber Wentzel