The moments worth hearing, as they happen.

Long-term permanent resident: I pay rates but can't vote in municipal polls

A caller who has lived in South Africa since 1980 says permanent residents who pay rates and tariffs should be allowed to vote in municipal elections.

“Even in Joe Slovo, I was there about eight months ago. They had front-end loaders picking up an earth of rubbish, cleaning it out. Everything. Let me say this to you, John.”

Mkhonto party mayor: champagne for a few or clean water for all

A party representative on SAfm says it will serve all residents, including DA voters, and promises to connect a Matlosana caller to his ward councillor.

“And on Monday, the councillors of Mkonto Ciso Party will hit the ground running to correct all the challenges that the public has given us.”

Teacher accused of raping girl, 9, says she was coached and wasn't at school

A suspended 59-year-old Soweto teacher told the Pretoria Magistrates Court he will plead not guilty to raping a nine-year-old in a school toilet.

“On to this now, the Soyuz school teacher accused of sexually assaulting a nine-year-old child intends to plead not guilty. The 59-year-old made”

Black Joburg voters secretly back DA for service delivery, host says

A Corder Report host says black Johannesburg voters privately admit they dislike the DA but will vote for it to get basic service delivery.

“Confession, which is: I hate the DA and I hate what they stand for, but I want basic service delivery competence in my city. And I believe the DA is the best place to do that.”

Afri Rent chairman funds 18 students a year, plus R3,500 monthly stipends

Afri Rent chairman Senzo Sabeze describes his foundation's bursaries, stipends so students fit in, a new house for a family, and a graduate doctor.

“You know, we take about 18 students every year to universities. We pay for their tuition fees, for their accommodation, for their means. All our students get a stipend of”

BER economist: failing municipalities cost business twice, and election may restore confidence

BER chief economist Lisette Eisel de Schiepe says municipal dysfunction raises business costs and deters investment, but stable coalitions could restore confidence.

“And Lisette, talk to me about the fact that municipalities are seen as a political story, but my goodness me, the economic cost of dysfunction, the cost to businesses, the cost to local economies around them has been…”

Mokonyane and 702 host clash over ANC's Joburg failures: cable theft or mistakes

ANC chair Nomvula Mokonyane blames vandalism, cable theft and coalition instability for Joburg's failures; the host says they are ANC mistakes.

“You know there was cable theft, there was vandalism. Thirdly, you knew that when electricity”

ANC's Mantashe: electricity access rose from 34% to 95% since 1994

ANC national chair Gwede Mantashe defends the party's record, saying access to electricity and water has expanded greatly over 32 years.

“I always remind people that in 1994, only 34% of South Africa had access to electricity. Today, it's 95% that has access to electricity. People ignore that because they have the electricity.”

Kaya host's Will Smith impression won a standing ovation and a teacher's blessing

A Kaya 959 host recalls a grade seven oral in his dad's tracksuit, where his teacher told him he was a star, shaping his career.

“So it was in grade seven with my teacher, Mrs. Keating, love you till this day. So what had happened was she had given us an oral to do. I don't remember what the task was. I don't remember. Okay, I don't remember.”

Professor: politicised, cadre-deployed municipalities risk making SA a failed state

A KZN professor tells Cape Talk local government rot set in after the first decade of democracy and urges meritocracy.

“They provided basic services and they were quite responsible as municipal functionaries. Now, at that stage, we can say in the first decade of democracy, the municipal functionaries, in other words, the officials, the…”

DA's Sarapin: Khayelitsha has more working streetlights than Sandton

On SAfm, the DA's Federal Council chair defends the party's service delivery record and blames national policies for stalled growth and unemployment.

“There are more working street lights across Khayelitsha than there are across Santen right now. And that's quite telling. The water, there are no water outages like we live with up here in Gauteng for days and ends.”

DA claims outright majority in Northern Cape town after ditching luxury cars

The DA looks set to win an outright majority in a Northern Cape municipality after council turmoil, and says voters rewarded its clean leadership.

“The outright majority marks a dramatic comeback for the party in the municipality following months of council turmoil and bitter court challenges with the ANC and EFF over control of the town in 2023.”

Since Day Zero, bath water scooped by bucket flushes the loo

A Cape Talk host says her household still scoops bath water into a bucket to flush the toilet, urging South Africans to keep water-saving habits.

“There is a bucket and that is used uh to to scoop out the bath water and use it to flush the loo. And we still have that in practice in our house and it's the easiest system ever.”

Afro hair was once called 'exotic' in SA schools, panel notes

A Cape Talk panel on the 2016 girls' hair protests says Afro hair was labelled exotic at school while straight hair counted as native.

“In fact, the words that we used to refer to Afro-hair was that it was exotic hair and it was not allowed.”

Clean audits don't fix water or roads, Power FM panel says

Panelists say compliance has become an end in itself, politicised administration and fear among competent staff undermine municipal performance.

“Uh, a municipality may achieve clean audit, as you have correctly put it out, while communities continue.”

Student support staff on orphaned students: we are all proxy parents

A university spiritual support practitioner on 702 describes students from children's homes with no family, food packs that run out, and a system that fails them.

“Makes me think of a couple of my students because some of them don't even have a family background. Some of them come out of children's homes.”

Hammanskraal voters: 20 years without water, no hope of change

Residents of Hammanskraal say they vote amid a water crisis dating to 2004 that turned deadly in a 2023 cholera outbreak.

“Hamas Ground's water crisis dates back to 2004, meaning residents have been grappling with water challenges for more than two decades.”

Crowd moment

Panelist: mayors who don't know audits will hire friends and sink cities

A Power FM panelist says some mayoral hopefuls can't explain a clean audit and will hire friends, while permit delays for farmers stretch past two years.

“And I think Kulagani, the reason why I took long to vote is mainly when you listen to these people who are supposed to be our mayors, some of them don't even understand what is the clean audit, what is the unqualified…”

Joburg's capital budget fell over 50% per person in a decade

A Kaya Biz guest says Johannesburg's infrastructure backlog has grown from R170bn to R220bn while per capita capital spending was cut by half.

“Of the total local government expenditure budget. So, how can local government be an engine for economic growth when this is a persistent issue and we are seeing statistics like that? Hi, thank you so much.”

Elderly woman dies in Shallcross queue after three ambulances never arrive

An SABC reporter says a woman in her late 70s collapsed in a Shallcross voting queue; no ambulance came, so she was taken by Uber.

“A story that the SABC has been covering: an elderly woman dying after collapsing at a voting station. Have you got details for us there, Talisha?”

Host challenges unbathed no-water voter: why should she vote?

After a caller said she skipped voting because she had no water, an SAfm host opens the line for reasons she should vote.

“There's still time for that lady to go and vote. But let's open it. Right, Keith? All right? Let's open it. Give me reasons, or give us reasons, or give that lady in particular reasons why she should vote.”

ACDP candidate: Nelson Mandela Bay has 35 days of cash and R28bn wasted

ACDP mayoral candidate Lawrence Rutbum says the metro's finances are dire, with falling collections and a coalition led by the ANC.

“In Nelson Mandela Bay, the mayoral candidate for the African Christian Democratic Party is Mr. Lawrence Rutbum. Welcome, Councillor. Welcome, Chris, and thanks for having me this morning. You're welcome.”

Voters dodge raw sewage at Langa station as parties use AI songs

An EWN reporter says a burst pipe flooded the Langa polling station entrance, and that parties in Mitchells Plain are promoting AI-made songs.

“Indeed, Wesley, outside the polling station in Langa, there's a pipe burst this morning and there's raw sewage filling the whole seat.”

Malema: EFF will fix Polokwane's man-made water problem first

After voting in Seshego, EFF leader Julius Malema accused Polokwane officials of sabotaging water supply and listed party priorities.

“And meanwhile, EFF leader Julius Malema says when his party takes over the Polokwane municipality, the first thing they will do is fix the man-made problem of water availability.”

Federalism scholar: failing municipalities must be allowed to face ruin

Martin von Staden of AfriForum's new Institute for Federalism says voters must bear the consequences of electing failing councils, with no Pretoria bailout.

“Chooses ruin if they keep electing the ANC because this time, darn it, they'll do it right. They must live with the consequences of that without that municipality being able to go cap in hand to Pretoria to say, well…”

Caller with no water for five days says he'll take wife, girlfriend and work crush

A North Riding caller on 947 admits he hasn't bathed in five days, then names three guests for a King of the Whip ticket giveaway.

“Now, listen, don't take offense, Angelo. I've got to ask because you're from North Riding. So we've got to ask the important questions: Have you got water?”

Laughter on air

Joburg Can: last-minute wage deal will slash services as city has no fuel cards

Joburg Can's Julia Fish says the R10bn wage deal for 35,000 municipal workers, pushed through outside finance rules, is unsustainable.

“Announced last night. What's your reaction to it? Dover Can support the fact that municipal workers deserve fair and decent wages for fair and decent work.”

Voters cross makeshift log bridge in uMshwathi to cast ballots

Eyewitness News reports residents of Kamaluk balancing on tree logs over a river to vote, hoping the next municipality will build a footbridge.

“He's dressed in a long-sleeved black shirt, cream white trousers, and despite wearing formal shoes, he managed to cross the 10-meter makeshift bridge, balancing himself expertly on the tree logs.”

Campaigners: only 2 of 10 million eligible homes get free electricity

An Electricity for All campaigner on SAfm says electricity prices are up 1,100% since 2007 and the free 50kWh grant misses most indigent households.

“We've come up with this campaign at this juncture because since 2007, electricity prices have gone up by 1,100%. That's six times the rate of gender inflation.”

Voters in Esther River stuck in queue as voting seals fail to arrive

A Cape Talk reporter says no one has voted at Sperling Primary because seals haven't arrived; officials told people to wait or come back.

“Well, Esther, we are currently in Esther River at the Sperling Primary School. No one has been able to vote yet, as voting sales has not arrived.”

One-year-old drowns in unsecured Philippi manhole as city probes contractor

GroundUp's editor says a toddler fell into an open manhole outside his Philippi home; the ward councillor had flagged the site since August.

“Talk to me about the child that fell into an exposed manhole in Philippi. So, this is an absolutely tragic story. And this happened over the weekend on Saturday in Samora, Michel.”

Callers: children with disabilities are failed by public schools

On Power FM, a caller and a panellist say teachers lack training for disabled learners and special school waiting lists run two to five years.

“You know, find a solution to be able to teach learners so that they can understand. Okay, let's go to a call. John Koma Melodi, good morning. Morning, how are you doing? Good in yourself. Good.”

Caller: vote on policy, not on parties that dress well and sing

A Johannesburg caller tells 702's Aubrey Masango that parties divide South Africans by race, religion and gender while most want public water and power.

“The devil, and the devil is God. Yeah. I also needed a class of voice. Let me speak to Temba in Johannesburg, South. Bratemba, good evening to you. Brad Obre. Hey, Tara, Bratemba. How are you doing, man?”

Private solar now outstrips any SA coal station, says energy expert

On Cape Talk, Michael Jordaan's tweet that private solar hit 5.2GW prompts an energy institute head to explain why distributed power matters.

“So he tweets this: Private installed solar of 5.2 gigawatts is now larger than any coal-fired power station in South Africa.”

Melville activist: water crisis demands inquiry and firings

A Melville Water Protest Steering Committee member tells SAfm Nightfall about Joburg's water crisis and demands an inquiry and accountability.

“This water crisis, put it lightly, it's a thing. No, you're right. Look, it is a crisis, despite what our mayor has said.”

Power FM caller likens election eve to Passover, vows to vote DA

On Power FM, a Hammanskraal caller says a six-week water drought has made him resolve to vote the ANC out of local government.

“Says, good afternoon, Siscolin Riperil. Fikilam Balula says potholes are a result of climate change. Qui fedi la gaditzej potholes and climate change. Oh, gosh, yeah. I love it, I love it, I love it.”

Laughter on air

Tshwane official: holy water and black dam water fuel illness

A Tshwane official says residents use ritual 'holy water' and contaminated dam water, and tanker suppliers resumed selling after police left.

“They call the holy water where we are struggling to pull the residents out of to a point where I even said to the team, please go and test the water because we're not going to win this because people are so used to…”

Eskom bailouts hit R496bn since 2008; guest says corruption has a price

On Kaya Biz, a guest responds to the R496 billion spent bailing out Eskom since 2008, citing legacy governance failures and corruption.

“You know, to the best intentions, but the Standing Committee on Appropriations has said that since 2008, 496 billion rand has been spent bailing out Eskom. And I know we've spoken about this ongoing issue.”

Logistics professor: Transnet can't unbundle itself, shareholder must

Stellenbosch's Jan Havenga says splitting rail infrastructure from Transnet must be driven by Treasury, presidency and Transport, not Transnet.

“It started with the Minister of Finance's midterm budget speech, where on page two of the speech he made the same statement about what's going to happen with both the ports and the rail infrastructure of Transnet, where…”

Power FM caller switches from ANC to DA: liberation didn't fix potholes

A Power FM caller says she is changing her vote from the ANC to the DA, citing water, potholes and Cape Town's service delivery.

“I voted for liberation, but liberation didn't fix potholes. It doesn't keep the water.”

DA's Tshwane candidate blames ActionSA mayor Moya for water crisis, ANC-held portfolios

A DA mayoral candidate argues Tshwane's mayor must answer for the Bronkhorstspruit water illness outbreak and for ANC appointees on her mayoral committee.

“Now, you could say it's not the mayor's job to check that chlorine stocks aren't depleted at water treatment plants. And I suppose in the”

Joburg woman's 'we are in the dwang' rant becomes the voice of a generation

The Corder Report hosts replay a Johannesburg resident's viral vox-pop blaming the president, ANC, mayor and water utilities, and joke she'd beat Zille.

“She just, she was, in a word, the voice of a generation. Multiple generations. Multiple generations. Because, with all due respect, this wrinkly old white goggle somewhere in Johannesburg.”

Mangaung admits its R-million taxi hub is a 'white elephant'

Mangaung's intermodal transport facility stands vandalised and unused a decade after it was built, as taxi operators refuse to move in.

“And with the local government elections just a day away, Mangaung's intermodal transport facility has become a symbol of municipal failure as it's fallen flat on its promise.”

Families in Middelburg mud huts by R555 say they are used to it

EWN visited Middelburg residents living in mud houses metres from the R555 since 2009, on land not zoned for housing.

“EWN went to visit a community in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, where people have been living in dilapidated mud houses since 2009. The land where the homes are built is not demarcated for residential use.”

Teach SA: 900 ambassadors reached 2 million learners in 18 years

A Power FM host says Teach South Africa's 900 ambassadors have reached 2 million learners, citing a school's rise from 64% to 100% pass rate.

“Over 18 years, 900 ambassadors that are, you know, reaching out to at least 2 million learners. As you just mentioned, Dr.”

Laughter on air

Rise Mzansi: outsourced Joburg workers paid R5,800 while city staff get R18,000

Rise Mzansi's Joburg mayoral candidate says outsourced workers on the same job earn far less than full-time city employees.

“May well still be, if the scrutiny is close and careful, some outsource contracts that actually do deliver the city value and free up money to spend on important things. Good afternoon to you.”

ATM mayoral candidate: Joburg needs a firm mayor to take on criminal networks

ATM's Joburg mayoral candidate says water tanker mafias and hijacked buildings need a fearless mayor, citing R2bn spent on tankers since 2018.

“So you're the ATM's mayoral candidate for the city of Johannesburg. What has been your opening pitch to the citizens of the city to say, vote for me.”

Listener: why wait for a burst to buy sewer pipes?

A listener tells 702 Drive that pipes should be stockpiled like printer paper, after an author's garden flooded with sewage for three months.

“Whoever's responsible for buying these pipes, don't they buy them like on a monthly basis and keep them stored so that they are ready to be used wherever necessary?”