What are some of the consequences of irresponsible and illegal gambling and what should people who want to gamble do to make sure they keep it responsible this festive season?

Guest: Lungile Dukwana: Acting CEO, National Gambling Board 

 

 

 

• Producer prices remain unchanged 

• 2. Renergen to delist from JSE next month 
• 3. Markets

 

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has arrested nearly 19,000 suspects and seized contraband worth more than R37 million in just one week as part of its nationwide Safer Festive Season Operation. The intensified clampdown forms part of Operation Shanela II and aims to curb serious and violent crime during the holiday period.  

Guest: Brigadier Athlenda Mathe: National Police Spokesperson 

 

The Africa Cup of Nations returns at the end of 2025 with a historic twist. AFCON 2025 will be staged in Morocco from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, marking the first time the tournament is played across the Christmas and New Year period. How far will Bafana Bafana go in this tournament?

Guest: Oshebeng Alpheus Koonyaditse: Author of "Politics of South African Football" and Broadcaster  

 

Latest business news with Ntaoleng Lechela - Business Reporter

• The Bank of Japan raises interest rates

• 2. TikTok sets up joint venture for US operations 

3. Markets

 

Provincial Commissioner of the Western Cape, Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile, has acknowledged that the loss of police officers and detectives, driven by poaching, semigration, and budget constraints, is severely straining crime-fighting efforts in the province. 

Guest: Ms Anroux Johanna Du Toit Marais: MEC For Police Oversight And Community Safety Western Cape 

 

Africa Update Report with Advocate Sipho Mantula, Researcher: Thabo Mbeki African School of Public & International Affairs: Unisa

19 December 2025

1.    Sudan – Egypt 

Sudan’s top general meets Egyptian President amid growing pressure to resolve the war

Sudan’s top general, Abdel-Fattah Burhan, met with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi in Cairo yesterday amid growing pressure to resolve the war in Sudan.

Burhan’s meeting with el-Sissi came after the Sudanese general held talks with Saudi officials in Riyadh earlier this week. U.S. envoy Massad Boulos was also in Riyadh at the same time and met with Saudi officials. There was no public announcement that Burhan met with the American official.

 

 

2.    Nigeria – Burkina Faso

Nigeria issues formal apology to Burkina Faso over airspace violation

Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, travelled to Ouagadougou this week to deliver an official apology after a Nigerian military aircraft violated the airspace of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

Tuggar was received by Burkina Faso’s president, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, to whom he conveyed Abuja’s regret over the incident, which had earlier been condemned in a statement by AES member states.

 

3.    Zambia- Lusaka

Zambia president approves law expanding parliament

 Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema yesterday signed into law constitutional changes that will expand the country’s parliament, in a move that critics say could favour his party, eight months before a national election.

The changes increase the number of members of parliament to around 280 from 167 currently by creating more constituencies, reserving 40 new seats for women, youth and people with disabilities, and allowing the president to appoint 11 members instead of eight previously.

 

1. Jamaica- Kingston

Nearly a month later, many around the world were still in mourning and paying their respects.

Thousands turn out to pay tribute to beloved reggae star Jimmy Cliff at Kingston memorial service.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness leads the tributes as thousands turn out in Kingston to pay their respects to Jamaican reggae star Jimmy Cliff.

The instructions this week were clear: no serious, sad or long faces. And the crowd filing into a gymnasium in Jamaica's capital largely obliged as they honoured reggae giant Jimmy Cliff.

 

 

1. In our historical archives, it was on this day 19 December 1989 when two rival political organisations in Zimbabwe, the Ndebele-dominated Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), led by Joshua Nkomo, and the Shona-dominated Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), led initially by the Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole and later by Robert Mugabe, finally merged following a consensus reached in 1987 to form a new political party called the Zimbabwean African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF).

 

5.1 In our historical archives, it was on this day, 19 December 1997, when Thulani ‘Sugarboy’ Malinga defeated British Robin Reid with a unanimous decision to regain the WBC Super Middleweight Championship at the London Arena.

 

 

The White House has unveiled a newly revamped “Presidential Walk of Fame” that replaces traditional, neutral historical descriptions of former US presidents with sharply opinionated plaques reflecting President Donald Trump’s personal views. 

Guest: John Stremlau: Wits University Honorary professor Of International Relations 

 

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has welcomed and celebrated a landmark judgment by the Pietermaritzburg High Court ordering the eThekwini Municipality to take concrete steps to address the ongoing sewage pollution crisis affecting Durban’s beaches, rivers, and water bodies. 

Guest: Zwakele Mncwango: ActionSA KZN Leader 

Gun Free South Africa says Bitou deputy mayor Nokuzola Kolwapi could still face criminal charges after a viral video showed her firing what appeared to be a gun during her son’s umgidi ceremony.  The organisation has praised police for opening an investigation, warning that public safety and the law apply whether the firearm was real or a replica.  

Guest: Professor Nirmala Devi Gopal - Academic Leader in the Discipline of Criminology and Forensic Studies. (UKZN)