Guest: Oageng Chose

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has seized containers from Mozambique of illegal medicines worth R 5 million. The shipments was seized after an investigation by SAHPRA found containers with tablets and powder which reportedly contain paracetamol.

Guest: Yuven Gounden - SAHPRA spokesperson

Earlier on today firefighters were battling to contain the fire that erupted the Cape Winelands. Cooler conditions during the night allowed them to make good progress in the areas that are accessible. There are however a few spots high up in the rocky areas of the mountains that crews are unable to access.

Guest: Jo-Anne Otto Spokesperson for the Cape Winelands District Municipality

The Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Commission) has suspended initiation schools in the Eastern Cape following the death of 22 initiates. According to the CRL Commission’s chairperson Professor David Mosoma, the commission has observed with dismay that, in certain instances, the cultural practice of initiation robs families and communities of young people who either die or suffer genital amputation. He further stated that the deaths of around 22 initiates are clearly a violation of the sanctity of human life.

Guest: Professor David Mosoma

As the battle for the control of the Nazareth Baptist Church continues. The KwaZulu-Natal government has decided to assemble a team of MEC’s to mediate between the two factions of the embattled Shembe Nazareth Baptist Church. About three weeks ago, the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein granted the Thembezinhle faction an order to lead the church and occupy all properties of the church and the province wants to ensure that the court judgment is peacefully implemented.

Guest: Lennox Mabaso, KZN Premier’s spokesperson

Former president Jacob Zuma has filed an application with the Supreme Court of Appeal to determine whether the high court’s decision to refuse him leave to appeal against a decision preventing him from enjoying a permanent stay of prosecution on corruption charges in the multibillion-rand arms deal was correct.

Guest: Advocate Paul Hoffman, Executive Director at Accountability Now

Sanusha Naidu joins us to explain why Pakistan’s former ruler Pervez Musharraf was sentenced to death and what it means. This week, a special court found former Pakistani ruler General Pervez Musharraf guilty of high treason under article 6 of Pakistan’s constitution — for suspending the constitution when he imposed a state of emergency in November 2007 — and sentenced him to death.

Guest: Sanusha Naidu, Senior research associate at the Institute of Global Dialogue

Advocate Jurg Prinsloo joins us to talk about his organisation’s disapproval of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Reconciliation Day speech. On December 16 President Ramaphosa said It was important that we recall how the indigenous African people were forced off their land, denied even the most basic of rights and how families were torn apart by the migrant labour system. Front National is accusing him of lying and making misrepresentations in respect of the fate of white South Africans and the ancestors of the Afrikaner nation.

Guest: Adv Jurg Prinsloo, Leader of the Front National

The Free State executive council held a meeting today following a letter by Deputy Finance Minister, David Masondo to Premier, Sisi Ntombela calling for the Mangaung Metro to be placed under administration. Deputy Minister Masondo says the metro’s failure to implement the existing Voluntary Financial Plan has prompted the decision.

Guest: kopung Ralikotsane

On Wednesday, Global rating agency Fitch kept South Africa's long term foreign and local currency debt ratings at BB+ and maintained its negative outlook. According to Fitch, SA’s ratings are constrained by low growth potential, high and rising government debt, large contingent liabilities as well as the risk of rising social tensions due to extremely high inequality

Guest: S’fiso Skenjana, founder and financial economist at Afra Consultants