The Lead

• Debunking Malema and Trump with Andrew Thompson

  EFF leader Julius Malema alleges it's a lie that there are farm killings in South Africa. Among other claims, Malema suggests that white people are not murdered in South Africa. The politician's April statements in Parliament in response to the Trump Administration’s US aid pullout were shared on social media without verification. That's until News24's Disinformation Desk got wind of them. The desk's investigative journalist, Andrew Thompson, has fact-checked Malema's assertions, as well as President Donald Trump's claims that SA is experiencing a white genocide amid wanton land grabs, finding no truth to any of these. "The most important thing we can do here, regardless of an agenda, regardless of our political ideologies, is to look through the murkiness of the political agendas to find the facts," says Thompson. Later in the show, host Graeme Raubenheimer tells us about Johannesburg's rubbish dump dilemma. And finally, the News24 Food team has cooked up the perfect mid-week dinner recipe. Mail your comments and voice notes to [email protected]. Editions drop Monday through Thursday at 19:00 on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.

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• The police chief, the Cat and corruption with Jeff Wicks

  South African Police Service (SAPS) top brass dragged their feet in cancelling a tender awarded to a businessman known as "The Cat". News24 specialist investigative journalist Jeff Wicks combed through an internal audit report. In it, he found that tender tycoon Vusimusi "Cat" Matlala should've never scored a R360 million health services contract with the SAPS, a deal now subject to criminal proceedings. "Vusimusi Matlala's company (Medicare 24 Tshwane District) should never have proceeded past phase one of the procurement, let alone win the tender," says Wicks. However, national police commissioner Fannie Masemola failed to cancel the deal immediately, erring for two months before warning Matlala with a letter. Later in the show, host Graeme Raubenheimer shares the latest updates following the Pope's death. And we end the show on a high note with a SA business’ big win. Mail your comments and voice notes to [email protected]. Editions drop Monday through Thursday at 19:00 on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.

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• Why did Nada-Jane have to die? With Bernadette Wicks

  In 2023, 4-year-old Nada-Jane Challita was discovered dead in the bathtub of her Johannesburg home, with only one suspect to point the finger at: her father's now ex-partner, Amber Lee Hughes, who was also the little girl's former pre-school teacher. Hughes' trial – in which she is facing a count of murder and two of rape – got under way in the South Gauteng High Court this week, with the father, Elie Challita, taking the stand to testify against her. News24 legal journalist Bernadette Wicks has been following this tragic story. Then, which Springbok lock is set to return to the field after months on the sidelines? Find out on The Lead with episodes on Monday through Thursday at 19:00 on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.

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• An Ace in the hole, with Karyn Maughan

  Today on The Lead, we cross to Bloemfontein where specialist legal journalist Karyn Maughan was in the Free State High Court, where former premier Ace Magashule pleaded not guilty to allegations of fraud, corruption and money laundering charges in the asbestos tender scam trial. The former ANC Secretary-General and 17 others, including businessman Edwin Sodi are in the dock in connection with the R255-million scheme to audit and remove asbestos from Free State homes. State prosecutors have dubbed the case as a “thieves’ picnic”. Maughan discusses what happened in court today, including how Magashule asked whether the state was confident about their charges against him. Later we look at how National Institute for Communicable Diseases has declared South Africa’s flu season open as well as who the lucky winner of the R110 million PowerBall jackpot is. Mail your comments and voice notes to [email protected]. Editions drop Monday through Thursday at 19:00 on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.

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• Meet SA’s new envoy to America who called Trump a racist

  In this edition, we scrutinise whether sending former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas as South Africa's special envoy to America is the right choice. This comes as a video from 2020, wherein he calls US President Trump a "racist", "homophobe", and "narcissistic right-winger", spreads across social media. Andisiwe Makinana, News24 political editor, and Graeme Raubenheimer, host of The Lead, discuss whether Jonas will even get to Washington, seeing as his predecessor, Ebrahim Rasool, was branded persona non grata and booted for similar comments. We also look at an Olympic swimming pool draining taxpayers' money and a trio who cycled all the way from Limpopo to Cape Town. Mail your comments and voice notes to [email protected]. Editions drop Monday through Thursday at 19:00 on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.

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