South Africa and the hip hop community across the world are still in shock following the murder of Kiernan Forbes, also known as AKA. His body was transported back to Johannesburg today after he was shot with his friend, Tebello Motsoane. After being in the industry for over a decade, AKA had bagged a variety of awards and enjoyed a colourful music career. To discuss AKA impact on South African and African hip hop, we are now joined by Arts and Culture practitioner, Dr Sipho Sithole. Dr Sithole’s PhD thesis focused on Hip Hop in South Africa. 

We look at the U.S-China balloon wars. This after Beijing revealed this afternoon that since last year, US balloons have illegally flown above China more than 10 times without any approval from Chinese authorities. On Friday and Saturday last week, the U.S shot down flying objects over North American airspace and we understand that the country has been on high alert since its military destroyed a suspected Chinese spy balloon earlier this month.  

GUEST: Dr Emanuel Matambo, Research Director at the Centre for Africa-China Studies at the University of Johannesburg 

Following Randall Williams resignation as the Executive Mayor of the City of Tshwane. DA’s Gauteng provincial leader, Solly Msimanga has praised Williams for his work in putting the needs of the residents first in an often turbulent political environment. Stating his reasons for his sudden resignation, Williams said that he did not want the “political instability that has taken place in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni to spill over into Tshwane”. 

GUEST: Solly Msimanga, DA Gauteng leader  

The ANC has welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address. It says Ramaphosa’s announcement that he will appoint a minister of electricity in the presidency shows commitment towards solving South Africa’s energy crisis and a sign of a president who listens. Details on what the department’s mandate will be and how it will work with already existing departments will be shared in the near future.

Roads, bridges and houses are submerged in various parts of eHlanzeni District Municipality due to the persistent rain. Local authorities in Mpumalanga convened a meeting today to devise a response plan as the situation deteriorates.  

GUEST: Ranias Khumalo, Speaker of eHlanzeni District Municipality  

We celebrate the Grammy award winners Zakes Bantwini, Wouter Kellerman and Nomcebo Zikode. The three stars won the Grammy for Best Global Music Performance for their hit song Bayede and they have brought excitement and hope in the country.  

GUESTS (Studio): Wouter Kellerman & Nomcebo Zikode  

Top ministers from Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso are calling for the lifting of their countries suspensions from the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) and the African Union (AU). The ministers have also proposed a regional partnership to facilitate trade and tackle insecurity in the region. All three West African countries have experienced military takeovers since 2020.

GUEST: Nixon Katembo, African affairs commentator who also works for Channel Afrika 

It's all systems go for the State of the Nation Address tonight and South Africans are eagerly waiting for President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address. As usual, we expect the address to be frank on challenges faced by the country and also to reflect on successes made by the administration since the last SONA. So as we countdown to tonight’s address, we ask – what has been achieved since last year’s SONA? For instance in last year’s SONA, the president mentioned something about building a capable state and the professionalization of the public service – where are we in relation to that and what are some of the obstacles that are preventing South Africa from achieving its objectives?  

Also on the issue of safety and security, the president said Cabinet accepted responsibility for the unrest that rocked Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal almost two years ago. But what is even more worrying this time around is that yesterday, the National Treasury warned that continuous power cuts could ignite civil unrest, which then makes me wonder if our government is ready to avert another possible unrest.  

GUEST: Dr Hlengiwe Ndlovu, Senior Lecturer @Wits School of Governance  

 GUEST: Dr Chris de Kock, Crime Analyst and former head of the Crime Information Analysis Centre at the South African Police Service   

Some great news for our very own here at the SABC. Metro FM Talk Host, Ayabonga Cawe has been appointed the Chief Commissioner at the International Trade Administration Commission. Cawe is not only a great radio presenter, but a development economist with extensive experience in in policy advocacy and research. He has worked on a variety of issues in the agriculture industry, rail and labour market policy. Many might not know this, but he also sat on the National Minimum Wage Advisory Panel that advised when the minimum wage was being set up. How did he get here? 

SONA BUILD UP: Amnesty International says President Cyril Ramaphosa continues to fail the nation on the delivery of basic human rights. Marike Keller, Researcher for Amnesty International South Africa joins us now to explain how multiple failures by the State, which includes loadshedding, are exacerbating the suffering of people across the country.  

GUEST: Marike Keller, Researcher for Amnesty International South Africa