The United Nations has urged both India and Pakistan to show maximum restraint and avoid any further deterioration following a deadly attack on tourists in Kashmir. Reacting to this week’s deadly attack, New Delhi announced a series of sanctions against Pakistan. On the other hand, Islamabad has denied any involvement, calling attempts to link Pakistan to the attack frivolous and vowed to respond to any action that threatens Pakistan’s sovereignty. So why are these two countries not seeing eye to eye and who is behind Kashmir’s attack? For more analysis on this, we are joined by….

GUEST: Salman Khan, Independent geopolitical analyst for South East Asia

Post the budget impasse. Dr Ralph Mathekga argues that the undeniable message is that the status quo can no longer be sustained as we need to protect our economy from losing its competitiveness and productive capacity.

GUEST: Dr Ralph Mathekga, The Speakers Firm’s thought leader in politics and economics, and a senior expert at the Lichtenstein based Geopolitical Intelligence Services (GIS)

The DA, through a statement released late yesterday, confirmed reports that lawyers acting for the Minister of Finance approached their lawyers proposing an out-of-court settlement, in the matter the DA brought to interdict the VAT increase scheduled for May 1st 2025. For more on this, I am joined on the line by…

GUEST: Karabo Khaukhau, DA National Spokesperson

The ACDP is another political party that welcomed Treasury’s announcement to rescind the proposed 0.5% VAT increase. ACDP is one of the parties that voted against the Fiscal Framework Revenue Proposals on the second of April 2025. For more on this, I am joined on the line by…

GUEST: Wayne Thring, ACDP MP

Action SA on the other hand have been saying, even though they voted for the Fiscal Framework Revenue Proposals, there will be no VAT hike. Today the party called Treasury’s announcement, a victory for South Africa. For more on this, I am joined on the line by…

GUEST: Michael Beaumont, Action SA National Chairman

Build One South Africa stated this morning that, despite a well-funded misinformation campaigns designed to discredit them, the party refused to be distracted or derailed in stopping the 0.5% point VAT hike. For more on this, I am joined on the line by…

GUEST: Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster, BOSA Deputy Leader

The ANC held a joint media briefing this morning with the Inkatha Freedom Party, Action-SA, Pan Africanist Congress, Rise Mzansi, BOSA, United Democratic Movement, Good Party, Al-Jamah as well as the Patriotic Alliance on the Fiscal Framework Revenue impasse. The media briefing communicated the outcomes of the parties’ discussions to resolve the fiscal framework. For more on this, I am joined on the line by…

GUEST: Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, ANC National Spokesperson

The Freedom Front Plus released a statement earlier today stating that the party opposed any form of tax increase and welcomed the decision to scrap the proposed VAT increase. For more on this, I am joined on the line by…

GUEST: Dr. Corne Mulder, Freedom Front Plus Leader

The party has criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, arguing that he is not a legitimate president. Earlier on today, members of the MK Party staged a picket outside the Union Buildings in Pretoria, voicing out their disapproval of Zelenskyy’s visit. Joining us to elaborate further on why they didn’t want Zelenskyy to come to South Africa is…..

GUEST: Nhlamulo Ndhlela, National Spokesperson of the MK Party

Following the National Treasury’s decision to scrap the 0.5 percentage point VAT increase. The Economic Freedom Fighters have called for Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana and the Director General of the National Treasury to resign with immediate effect as they believe that the entire budget fiasco clearly demonstrated that both of them are out of depth and pose a threat to the economy stability of the country and to the livelihoods of South Africans.

GUEST: Sinawo Tambo, EFF National Spokesperson