As the price of everything continues to increase at alarming rates, our buying power continues to decrease.  The latest take home pay index by BankServe Africa shows the average nominal take-home pay in South Africa dropped again. It is now R14, 305, that’s 7.5% lower than it was in January 2022. The company says the increase in production costs as a result of load-shedding, and increasing fuel prices as well as elevated interest rates has had impact in how much people are able to take home. At this point, is there anything more we can still do to increase our buying power or ability to save? We’re joined by financial expert, Gerald Mwandiambira.

We tell you more about the Hello Hong Kong Campaign, which is about giving away half a million plane tickets to visitors from international locations, as part of reminding the international community that Hong Kong is one of the world’s most popular global tourism destinations. 

GUEST: Mmatsatsi Ramawela, Chapter President of the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism Southern Africa  

The Constitutional Court has ruled against President Cyril Ramaphosa’s bid to challenge the Section 89 independent panel report into Phala-Phala saying no case has been made for exclusive jurisdiction or direct access. In 2020, the independent panel led by former Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo, found that Ramaphosa may have a case to answer in relation to a robbery that occurred at his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo.

GUEST: Mpumelelo Zikalala, Legal Practitioner

Bola Tinubu, the former governor of Lagos, has been declared the winner of Nigeria’s closest presidential election. This is despite opposition parties having declared the election a sham and calling for a rerun. According to the country’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Tinubu’s party, the All Progressives Congress, got close to 8.8 million votes.

GUEST : Samson Omale, a Multi-Media Broadcast journalist based in Nigeria

The Independent Electoral Commission has released party funding disclosure for the third quarter of financial year 2022/2023. Some interesting developments there, the ANC declared the biggest amount of funding compared to other parties. They received a total of R32 Million, DA – R2.9 million, ActionSA – R4.6 Million, PA – R247 000 and declaring the least donations, the EFF with R202 600. Only the DA and ActionSA reported funding from foreign donors. There are also some interesting donors too in other political parties. We’re now joined by political analyst, Professor Dirk Kotze.

TransUnion’s vehicle price index reveals that the rate of increase in new vehicle prices rose to 7% in the fourth quarter of 2022, this is up from 2% around the same period the previous year. It also shows the rate of increase in used vehicles moved up to 9.1% from 7%. The company says all indicators suggest that the automotive industry will have a hard year as consumer credit health continues to decline. For more on that.

Guest: Kriben Reddy, TransUnion Africa Auto vice-president of auto information solutions.

In conversation with SA Tourism about this year’s Meetings Africa event, which is currently taking place at the Sandton Convention Centre. The event provides a platform for exhibitors to display their offerings to international and local buyers, African associations and corporate planners. So how does this event increase the competitiveness of the tourism sector in South Africa?

Guest: Rendani Khorommbi

Tshwane residents will find out who their new mayor is later today. The city’s special council is sitting today to elect a new mayor following Randall Williams’s resignation from the position earlier this month after two years. This will be a third executive mayor for the city in less than four years. The DA is oputting forward its former member of parliament, Cilliers Brink. What’s the latest update in that process?

Guest: SABC News Reporter, Phanuel Shuma.

Expelled Stellenbosch student Theunis du Toit wants the Western Cape court to overturn last year’s decision by the institution to expel him, following an incident where he urinated on another student’s belongings. The incident sparked protests on campus as students spoke out against many other incidents where black students had been victimized. Du Toit says he was unfairly labelled a racist. The South Africa Students Congress in the Western Cape says it will continue to stand with Babalo Ndwayana, the student who was the victim in the incident. We’re now joined by Sifiso Zungu, Sasco’s provincial convener in the Western Cape.

As we continue with this topic, let’s now look at some of the challenges, approaches and responses that are aimed at tackling unemployment rate. For more on this, we are joined by…..

GUEST: Dr Lumkile Mondi, Senior Lecture Wits Business School