Statistics South Africa’s newly released data shows that the country’s economy contracted by 0.1 percentage point in the first quarter of the year due to a number of factors. Contributions to the negative performance in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) came from a decrease in the construction, mining and manufacturing industries. 

GUEST: Risenga Maluleke, Statistician-General of South Africa and head of Statistics South Africa

The Global Watch: Vote counting is underway in India where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is expected to win this year’s general election. We understand that the BJP Party is currently leading in preliminary results, but the opposition Congress party is performing better than expected. Just how vital is this election for Narendra Modi’s party?

GUEST: Sanusha Naidu, Senior Research Associate at the Institute for Global Dialogue

We assess the IEC’s overall performance in relation to this year’s general elections. This as some political parties feel that this year’s election will go down in history as the most irregular in the country. However though, despite having received more than 585 objections, the Electoral Commission declared the 2024 elections free and fair on Sunday night.

GUEST: Mr Masego Sheburi, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer

President Cyril Ramaphosa has extended his condolences to the families who have lost loved ones due to severe flooding in the Eastern Cape.

The MK Party believes if they boycott parliament, then this will result in the institution not meeting quorum and therefore forcing another election to happen.

Guest: Dan Mafora, CASAC Research Officer

The next 90 days after elections

We spoke about the MK Party threatening to boycott parliament in order to, in their view, force a re-election in the country. We’ll have another bite at this later with Dan Mafora from CASAC. For now, former statistician general, Pali Lehohla joins me to talk about what we should expect in the next 90 days as well as what business’ role will be.

Guest: Pali Lehohla, former statistician general

Last night, during his speech at the IEC Results Operations Centre, President Cyril Ramaphosa made a special mention of the work South African media did during the election period.

Guest: William Bird, Director of Media Monitoring Africa

Despite many disputes over election process discrepancies and calls to delay the announcement, the IEC has declared the national and provincial elections free and fair despite glitches, saying irregularities were immaterial. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next 14 days.

Guest: Ebrahim Fakir, analyst at Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa

The Constitutional Court has issued directions in the EFF's bid to challenge Parliament's December 2022 decision to NOT adopt the Section 89 independent panel report into Phala Phala and to NOT refer it to the impeachment committee. The apex court has set down the matter for hearing in due course and has further set a timetable for the parties to file the required documents. The EFF launched the application in February seeking relief that would declare the 2022 decision as irrational and unlawful.

GUEST: Canny Maphanga, SABC News reports...

According to some of the new provisions in the Domestic Violence Amendment Act – your child can now obtain a Protection Order against you for exposing them to domestic violence. Joining us to explain this further is…..

GUEST: Adv Salome Scheepers, Senior State Advocate at the Sexual Offence and Community Affairs Unit of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA)