Helen Zille is back on the campaign trail — this time aiming to become mayor of Johannesburg. The former Western Cape premier and long-time Democratic Alliance (DA) leader says South Africa’s economic hub can be turned around after years of instability, corruption and failing infrastructure. In this episode of Sunday Times Politics Weekly, Zille speaks to Sunday Times deputy edior Mike Siluma about her plans for Johannesburg, why she believes coalition governments have failed the city, and wheth...
Mar 14, 2026•54 min•Ep. 11
Johannesburg is South Africa’s economic engine but it is also battling infrastructure decay, water shortages, collapsing inner-city buildings and fragile coalition politics. ActionSA leader and newly announced mayoral candidate for Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba, joins Sunday Times Politics Weekly to outline his plan to fix the city. Mashaba reflects on his previous tenure as mayor (2016–2019), what he believes went wrong after his departure, and what he would do differently if elected again. Host...
Feb 26, 2026•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 10
The Democratic Alliance faces a pivotal moment following John Steenhuisen’s decision not to seek re-election. In this episode of Sunday Times Politics Weekly, host Mike Siluma speaks with political analyst Khanyi Magubane and veteran journalist Peter Bruce about the internal tensions that shaped Steenhuisen’s departure, the party’s challenges in balancing government roles and opposition and what the DA’s future might look like as South Africa heads into election season. Hosted by Simplecast, an ...
Feb 11, 2026•47 min•Ep. 9
Cyril Ramaphosa remains one of the most skilful politicians in the ANC, analysts say, despite party turmoil. His ability to manage the Government of National Unity (GNU) and counter critics has kept him firmly in power, at least for now. Leadership decisions are heavily influenced by party power brokers and the intellectual capital that once guided its strategy has largely dissipated. Susan Booysen says: “He survived quite a few assaults and he’s countering the GNU critics quite consistently. Pl...
Dec 14, 2025•59 min•Ep. 8
As South Africa hosts the G20 Leaders’ Summit this weekend, business leader and G20 Sherpa Prof Bonang Mohale says the world’s focus should extend far beyond the drama surrounding US President Donald Trump’s expected absence. Mohale, who served as South Africa’s G20 negotiator (“Sherpa”), argues that the summit represents a pivotal opportunity for South Africa to reassert itself economically and diplomatically. Mohale says Trump’s hostility towards South Africa must be understood within a bigger...
Nov 21, 2025•53 min•Ep. 7
Afrika Mayibuye Movement leader Floyd Shivambu sits down with Sunday Times deputy editor Mike Siluma to reflect on his political journey from the ANCYL to the EFF, why he broke with Julius Malema, and the fallout from his stint in the MK Party. He responds to lingering questions about the VBS scandal, his meeting with Bushiri, and his expulsion from MK, while unpacking what “total freedom and emancipation” means under Mayibuye. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.co...
Oct 05, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 6
ANC first deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane sits down with Mike Siluma to discuss how the Catholic Church shaped her political awakening, why she believes the DA is destabilising the GNU and why Jacob Zuma’s breakaway to form MK was “an act of betrayal.” She also opens up about her personal journey and whether she’s ready to run for ANC president. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for adver...
Sep 13, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 5
The launch of the national dialogue has reignited debate about whether the process can genuinely help fix the country’s problems or it is just another stage to advance elite interests.Political analyst and Public Affairs Research Institute executive director Dr Sithembile Mbete says dialogue has been a recurring theme in South Africa’s democratic journey.“It comes from this idea that we are so fractured as a nation across political, racial and class lines and that we somehow need to talk to each...
Aug 20, 2025•47 min•Ep. 4
Long standing NEC member Dr Malusi Gigaga has hit out at the party arguing that it is yet to start fulfilling its ambition to renew itself Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Aug 16, 2025•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 3
Correctional services minister Pieter Groenewald wants inmates to grow food, make clothing, bake bread and work in factories to save taxpayers hundreds of millions of rand and promote rehabilitation. “All [prison] uniforms are produced by inmates. All the furniture in my offices — Cape Town and Pretoria — has been manufactured by inmates, so it's much cheaper,” Groenewald said. Though the furniture predates his appointment in 2024, Groenewald believes it reflects the sort of cost-cutting, skills...
Aug 07, 2025•55 min•Ep. 2
Soon-to-be acting police minister Firoz Cachalia has questioned KwaZulu-Natal police chief Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s decision to bypass reporting lines, but says rules can sometimes be an obstacle. In an exclusive Sunday Times Politics Weekly podcast interview, Cachalia said he was “surprised and shocked” by Mkhwanazi’s bombshell remarks, which implicated police minister Senzo Mchunu and deputy national commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya — both of whom have now been placed on leave. Produced ...
Jul 16, 2025•47 min•Ep. 1
Protesting in South Africa comes at a price, sometimes a deadly one. From Sharpeville to today’s crackdowns, the state’s response to dissent has often been force, not dialogue. As the country marks Human Rights Day, the question remains: Why does standing up for basic rights still come with heavy consequences? In this episode of the Sunday Times Politics Weekly, we unpack with experts issues behind police brutality and state repression. Their insights paint a troubling picture of a system where ...
Mar 20, 2025•27 min0
The Sunday Times’ Lizeka Tandwa spoke to Gauteng PTT coordinator Hope Papo about how they intend to turn around the party’s fortunes. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Mar 08, 2025•1 hr 11 min0
ANC heavyweight Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has expressed her disapproval of the government of national unity (GNU), saying that if it had been up to her, the ANC would not have formed a government with the DA. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Nov 30, 2024•1 hr 23 min0
ormer president Jacob Zuma has laid out details of an audacious plan to “take back my ANC', by uniting “black” parties under his MK party banner and recapturing the leadership of the party, which he said had “deviated from our ancestors”. He spoke to Sunday Times politics editor Sibongakonke Shoba about various topics, including the formation of the MK Party and his decision not to relinquish his ANC membership. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about ...
Nov 23, 2024•49 min0
Former Botswana leader Ian Khama has called on the country’s new president, Duma Boko, to launch an investigation into the ousted Mokgweetsi Masisi’s use of government finances during his period in power. Khama says he feels responsible for the 'dictatorship' that ensued after Masisi took power. The former president was in conversation with Sunday Times politics reporter, Kgothatso Madisa. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use ...
Nov 09, 2024•21 min0
Prof Susan Booysen says the government of national unity (GNU) is a coalition with the DA but the ANC invited other parties to avoid political trouble. The Wits emeritus professor and independent research consultant explored the survival prospects of the GNU and the changed terrain in which all political parties are having to find their way. She joined Sunday Times deputy editor Mike Siluma on the Sunday Times Politics Weekly podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com...
Nov 09, 2024•35 min0
Former public protector Thuli Madonsela believes white racists should be helped to heal so they don’t wound others. She joined Sunday Times deputy editor Mike Siluma in conversation after she set the cat among the pigeons with a post on her X account suggesting race supremacists need to be helped to heal from their post-transformation trauma. Madonsela said supremacists need to accept they are not superior to others. “It's not always just about race though, it's [also] about gender. Anybody who ...
Oct 25, 2024•46 min0
Just a week after President Cyril Ramaphosa reassured the country he intended to serve a full term in office, ANC Limpopo provincial secretary Reuben Madadzhe has come out in support of his continued presidency. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Sep 21, 2024•54 min0
The ANC Youth League secretary-general has warned South Africa is on the brink of a revolution that will see young people rise up against white South Africans if the economy continues to be in the red.Mntuwoxolo Ngudle spoke to TimesLIVE Premium on the state of the economy, accusing the private sector of “treason” for failing to transform the economy. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
Sep 19, 2024•1 hr 21 min0
At the age of just 32 and with a possibly illustrious political career ahead of him, acting ANC national spokesperson Zuko Godlimpi admits that the prospect of inheriting a dying party keeps him up at night. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Sep 07, 2024•1 hr 10 min0
A few months ago Eskom was the black sheep of public opinion, but last month we reported that the utility recorded its highest energy generation levels in six years. It’s not out of the woods yet — chairperson Mteto Nyati says they will execute remaining aspects of Eskom’s recovery plan. Nyati shares the formula they used to rescue Eskom from the brink of collapse. Two years ago the president roped him in to help save the power utility. Nyati speaks about the plans they implemented to get to whe...
Sep 04, 2024•59 min0
Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi outlines promising economic plans that will “break the backbone of unemployment” like expanding the Gautrain for residents and plans the government of provincial unity has to make Gauteng a world-class province. Lesufi warns that the ANC is a “sinking ship” and speaks on the government of national unity. He exclusively speaks to Sunday Times political journalist Kgothatso Madisa a day after he delivered his state of the province address. Lesufi says “we can’t have ...
Aug 17, 2024•40 min0
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has launched a disciplinary process against three senior party leaders implicated in the Zondo state capture report: Malusi Gigaba, David Mahlobo and Cedric Frolick. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Aug 10, 2024•48 min0
After the formation of the government of national unity, the DA has emerged as an important player in the alliance. The party's federal chairperson Helen Zille opens up on the Sunday Times Politics Weekly podcast about the considerations of the architecture of the GNU and her relationship with some of the ANC's top executives. She also speaks about issues such as racism, service delivery, the economy and crime. Zille, 73, a former journalist at the Rand Daily Mail who exposed the apartheid polic...
Aug 03, 2024•1 hr 3 min0
In this episode TimesLIVE digital politics editor Lizeka Tandwa talks to COSATU president Zingiswa Losi about the formation and the SACP stance on the government of national unity, the ANC’s path of renewal, and the party’s drop in the election results. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jul 24, 2024•1 hr 2 min0
ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe tells Sunday Times politics editor Sibongakonke Shoba that DA federal chair Helen Zille will collapse the government of unity. “We are not going to have a parallel government run by Helen Zille. There’s one president here and that president is President Cyril Ramaphosa. Production by: Bulelani Nonyukela. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
Jul 20, 2024•31 min0
Political analyst Dr Sithembile Mbete and Lizeka Tandwa from the Sunday Times politics team define and scrutinise the ANC’s options for governing models, such as government of national unity [which the party announced as its choice on Thursday evening], a grand coalition and a minority government. They also look at the party's conflicting ideologies and policies, the options for coalition partners and what it would mean for South Africa. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz....
Jun 06, 2024•1 hr 14 min0
South Africa allowed Zimbabwe to be run into the ground, says Mmusi Maimane on the Sunday Times Politics Weekly, blaming the government for the influx of Zimbabweans into SA. “If it wasn’t for the ANC’s policy on the government of national unity when [late former president of Zimbabwe Robert] Mugabe had lost elections we wouldn’t have this influx of Zimbabweans,” says Maimane as he is quizzed by Sunday Times deputy editor Mike Siluma. Zimbabwean citizens fled to SA because of economic turmoil an...
May 16, 2024•1 hr0
The DA should have burnt the ANC flag instead of the national flag, says ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba says in a wide-ranging interview on the Sunday Times Politics Weekly podcast. The party stirred controversy earlier this week when it launched its election campaign advertisement showing the national flag in flames. The DA has defended the advert, with federal chair Helen Zille saying the alternative to being rescued is dying. The party’s election slogan is “Unite to rescue South Africa”. Aske...
May 10, 2024•1 hr 2 min0
