METRO FM Talk with Faith Mangope
AFTER 8 IS AFTER 8: Forgiveness in Relationships
Imagine waking up one morning and discovering that thousands of people on social media believe you’re a murderer. Your name, your face and your reputation circulating online — all because strangers on the internet think they’ve solved a crime. That’s exactly what happened to Sollange Williams. After a disturbing video of an Uber driver being strangled to death by a man believed to have a female accomplice began circulating online, social media users started trying to identify the woman in the footage. Before long, many claimed it was Sollange. The accusations spread rapidly, and with them came threats and harassment. Now, the woman at the centre of those claims has had to turn to the South African Police Service to clear her name and protect her safety. Tonight we speak directly to Sollange Williams about what it’s like to be falsely accused in the court of social media — and whether this growing trend of online “detectives” is putting innocent lives at risk.
POLICE SPOKESPERSON ATHLENDA MATHE
Another dramatic development in the shocking insurance-linked murder case that has gripped the country. A seventh suspect connected to the alleged R10-million insurance fraud syndicate in Polokwane has now handed himself over to police. Authorities say the accused are linked to a string of brutal killings where victims were allegedly burned, strangled and even stabbed — all believed to be part of a scheme to cash in on life insurance policies. Police say the alleged mastermind is a former police sergeant, Rachel Kutumela, who was arrested in October 2024 along with members of her family. Now, her brother Robbert Shokane is expected to appear before the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Friday, joining six other accused already facing 47 charges, including nine counts of murder. As investigations continue and more cases are being probed, questions remain about how such an alleged syndicate operated — and whether there could be even more victims.
PROFESSOR VUSI MARIVATE
South Africa is taking its place at the centre of one of the most important global conversations of our time — the future of artificial intelligence. A leading local expert, Professor Vukosi Marivate from the University of Pretoria, has been appointed to a prestigious new scientific panel established by the United Nations to guide how the world governs AI. The 40-member panel, created by the United Nations General Assembly earlier this year, brings together top global experts to assess the risks, opportunities and societal impact of artificial intelligence. Marivate’s appointment not only places South Africa firmly on the global AI map, but also ensures that African perspectives — including the development of technology for African languages and contexts — are part of shaping how this powerful technology will be regulated and used worldwide.
AFTER 8 IS AFTER 8: Social Media Vigilantism and False Accusations
Imagine waking up one morning and discovering that thousands of people on social media believe you’re a murderer. Your name, your face and your reputation circulating online — all because strangers on the internet think they’ve solved a crime. That’s exactly what happened to Sollange Williams. After a disturbing video of an Uber driver being strangled to death by a man believed to have a female accomplice began circulating online, social media users started trying to identify the woman in the footage. Before long, many claimed it was Sollange. The accusations spread rapidly, and with them came threats and harassment. Now, the woman at the centre of those claims has had to turn to the South African Police Service to clear her name and protect her safety. Tonight we speak directly to Sollange Williams about what it’s like to be falsely accused in the court of social media — and whether this growing trend of online “detectives” is putting innocent lives at risk.
ISAAC KHAMBULE - PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL ECONOMY - UJ
Africa’s economy is inching forward — but only just. New numbers from Statistics South Africa show GDP grew by 0.4% in the fourth quarter of 2025, slightly better than the 0.3% growth recorded in the previous quarter. The gains were driven mainly by finance, trade and agriculture, while manufacturing continued to shrink. So the economy is technically growing — but is this meaningful progress, or just another example of South Africa’s slow-growth trap?
SANDF Deployment to Crime-Affected Communities
The South African National Defence Force has now touched down in Eldorado Park, Johannesburg. Soldiers have begun going door-to-door as part of a major security intervention aimed at tackling gangsterism and violent crime in the area. This follows President Cyril Ramaphosa announcing during the State of the Nation Address that the military would be deployed to crime-ridden communities in Gauteng, the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape under Operation Prosper. Around 550 soldiers have been deployed in Gauteng, with the operation expected to run for a full year and cost more than R80 million in the province alone. The soldiers are working alongside the South African Police Service to try and stabilise communities that have been gripped by violent crime. But the big question tonight is this: what does it say about the state of policing in South Africa when the army has to be called into our neighbourhoods? Is this a necessary intervention to protect residents, or does it signal a deeper failure of law enforcement and social policy in our country?
AFTER 8 IS AFTER 8: PASTER LESIBA KGWELE - CONVENER - MORAL REGENATION SOCIETY DALU CELE - FOUNDER AND CEO OF CLEAN CITY SA
Let’s be honest for a moment. Many of us love to say South Africa is the most beautiful country in the world. We celebrate the mountains, the coastlines, the wildlife and the landscapes. But take a closer look at some of our streets, parks and taxi ranks, and a different picture emerges — one filled with plastic bags, takeaway containers and bottles thrown onto the ground. And the big question is: why? Because littering is one of those behaviours that almost everyone agrees is wrong, yet it continues to happen everywhere. People will sometimes throw rubbish on the ground even when a bin is a few metres away. So what drives that behaviour? Is it laziness? Is it frustration with failing municipal services? Or is it something deeper — a sense that public spaces don’t really belong to us?
Global war, local property opportunity ( Jonathan Kohler from Landsdowne Property Group )
War in the Middle East is usually something South Africans experience through the price of petrol — but could it also shape the price of your next home? A new analysis by Jonathan Kohler, CEO of Landsdowne Property Group, suggests that rising oil prices linked to conflict involving Iran could ripple through the South African economy and influence our housing market in an unexpected way. Higher fuel prices could keep inflation elevated, forcing the South African Reserve Bank to delay interest-rate cuts. That might slow the property recovery slightly — but paradoxically create a brief window for buyers before the next growth phase of the market begins. So what exactly does a geopolitical crisis thousands of kilometres away mean for South African home buyers and investors? And is this really the moment to get into the property market? To unpack this, we’re joined by Jonathan Kohler from Landsdowne Property Group.
PROFESSOR VERNE HARRIS
Tonight we turn to the escalating violence in the Middle East — a conflict that continues to claim civilian lives and deepen divisions across the world. Here in South Africa, the Nelson Mandela Foundation has issued a stark warning, saying the region is “on the brink of catastrophe” with potentially severe global consequences. It’s a statement rooted in the legacy of Nelson Mandela — a leader who believed deeply in dialogue, reconciliation and the protection of human dignity, even in the most entrenched conflicts. But what does that legacy demand of the world today? And what responsibility do global leaders carry in pushing for peace and protecting civilians caught in the crossfire? We will be joined by a representative from the Nelson Mandela Foundation to unpack their call for urgent de-escalation and what meaningful steps toward peace might look like.
AFTER 8 IS AFTER 8: Does faith demand activism, and have our church leaders become too silent?
South Africa is a country wrestling with deep challenges — poverty, inequality, unemployment, corruption, and communities that often feel abandoned by those in power. In moments like these, many people look to the church for moral leadership. Over the weekend, President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke at the funeral of American civil rights icon Jesse Jackson, praising his legacy of faith-driven activism. Jackson stood in the tradition of Martin Luther King Jr. — clergy who didn’t just preach on Sundays but challenged injustice head-on. But it raises an uncomfortable question here at home: have South Africa’s church leaders lost their prophetic voice? In a nation battling corruption, gender violence, and crushing inequality, should pastors and bishops be speaking louder — even if it means confronting political power? Tonight we ask: does faith demand activism, and have our church leaders become too silent?
Labour Laws Amendment Bill – What It Means for South Africans
South Africa’s labour laws could soon see one of the biggest overhauls in years — and the public now has a chance to weigh in. Government has published the Labour Laws Amendment Bill for public comment, proposing sweeping changes to how workplaces operate, from retrenchement pay and parental leave to protections for gig workers like Uber drivers and delivery riders. Supporters say the reforms will modernise labour laws and extend protections to workers in today’s changing economy. Critics warn some changes could make it easier for companies to dismiss employees or raise costs for employers. So tonight we ask: will these changes protect workers — or make it harder for businesses to create jobs?
Hundreds of Prisoners Escaping Police Custody in South Africa
More than 200 suspects who escaped from police custody in South Africa are still on the run tonight. That’s according to figures presented to Parliament, showing that 284 detainees escaped police cells between April and December last year — and only 82 have been caught again. Which raises some uncomfortable questions: how do hundreds of people simply walk out of police custody? Are our holding cells failing, are police overstretched, or is something else going on inside the system? Tonight we ask: when suspects escape before their day in court, who is accountable — and what does it mean for public safety?
AFTER 8 IS AFTER 8: Young People, Alcohol and The Rise of The Sober-Curious Generation
For decades, alcohol has been woven into South Africa’s social fabric — from celebrations and braais to weekend nights out with friends. But a quiet shift appears to be happening among younger people. More and more are choosing to go sober, and they’re documenting the journey using apps that track every alcohol-free day, every rand saved and every health improvement along the way. It’s part of a growing global movement often called the “sober curious” lifestyle. But what’s driving it here at home? Is it about protecting mental health, escaping the pressures of hangover culture, or simply the reality that nights out have become too expensive? In a country often described as a drinking nation, the rise of sober young people could signal a deeper cultural shift in how the next generation socialises, spends money and takes care of their wellbeing.
Supporting Whistleblowers
It’s a case that shocked the country — and one that many felt had gone quiet for far too long. Today, there has finally been movement in the murder of businessman and whistleblower Marumo Eric Phenya, who was gunned down in 2022 after exposing alleged irregularities in a multi-million rand Home Affairs tender. Earlier today, a 30-year-old man, Minenhle Mthembu, appeared before the Randburg Magistrate’s Court facing a charge of conspiracy to commit murder. You may remember that last year, we brought you an exclusive interview with Phenya’s widow, who spoke about the threats they received before his assassination and the painful wait for justice. Now, with this arrest, some might say the wheels of justice are finally turning — but this is only the beginning. The Phenya case has once again shone a harsh light on the dangers faced by whistleblowers in South Africa and across the continent. If it took years for even one arrest in such a high-profile case, the question we must ask tonight is: are we truly protecting those who risk everything to expose corruption?
Political Analyst Boitumelo Senokoane
Well… it seems the flight has landed and the apology has arrived. Controversial forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan made a return to Parliament this morning after last week’s rather dramatic exit — the kind where he stood up mid-questioning, grabbed his bag and headed for the door because, according to him, there was a flight to catch. The problem? The committee hadn’t dismissed him yet. Cue a tense standoff with MPs, including EFF leader Julius Malema telling him to sit down, while others warned a case could be opened. Fast-forward to today and O’Sullivan is back before the ad hoc committee, apologising in a letter sent overnight and ready to finish his testimony. The question now is whether this return will bring closure to the drama — or simply the next act.
AFTER 8 IS AFTER 8: Sibling Support: Duty, Law or Ubuntu?
We’re diving into a story that hits at the heart of family, culture, and the law. Many South Africans have been following the sibling maintenance debate — a legal question about whether one sibling can be compelled to financially support another. But beyond the courts, there’s a deeper question: from an African perspective, guided by Ubuntu, aren’t we all morally obliged to care for one another? We explore where cultural duty ends and legal responsibility begins. Is the law simply formalising a tradition that has always existed in our communities, or is it asking siblings to carry a burden that goes beyond what’s expected? Stay with us as we unpack this compelling issue and hear what it really means for families across South Africa.
BUSINESS PROFILE: NUZTEK - MUZI XABA
Specialises in IT consulting, software development, and training solutions for SMMEs. ThunaPoint, the company’s current SaaS product, is a comprehensive cemetery management system designed to streamline operations for memorial parks. Building on a foundation of successful web development projects for individuals and startups, NUZTEK now focuses its expertise on providing software solutions for SMMEs and local governments.
Insourcing or Overload? Parliament Considers EFF’s Bold Proposal ( MATTHEW PARKS - COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator )
If you clean a government hospital, guard a public building, fix a municipal road or provide IT support to a department — but you’re not actually employed by the state — this story could change your life. The EFF has introduced an Insourcing Bill in Parliament that could force government departments to stop outsourcing essential services and instead hire workers directly. The party argues this will end exploitation, cut out middlemen, and clamp down on tender corruption. But critics warn it could put even more strain on an already stretched public wage bill.
From Robben Island to the Union Buildings: Remembering Mosiuoa ‘Terror’ Lekota
South Africa continues to mourn the passing of veteran freedom fighter and political leader Mosiuoa “Terror” Lekota, who died at the age of 77 following a period of illness. Lekota was a towering figure in the country’s liberation struggle, spending years imprisoned on Robben Island for his anti-apartheid activism before emerging to help shape South Africa’s democratic future. In the years after 1994, he served in several key leadership roles, including as the first Premier of the Free State, Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, and later Minister of Defence. In 2008, he co-founded the Congress of the People after breaking away from the African National Congress, marking a significant moment in post-apartheid political history. As tributes continue to pour in from across the political spectrum, many are remembering Lekota not only as a seasoned politician, but as a man whose life spanned the darkest days of apartheid and the hopeful dawn of democracy.
AFTER 8 IS AFTER 8: Security Guards, Non‐Compliance, and Workers’ Struggles in South Africa
They stand at our gates. They patrol our streets. They protect our homes, our malls, our office parks — often in the dead of night while the rest of us sleep. But behind the uniform and the badge, many private security guards in South Africa are fighting a silent battle of their own. Across the country, allegations of non-compliance by some private security companies are leaving guards exposed — working long hours for modest pay, only to discover that no contributions were ever made to their provident fund or UIF. That means when injury strikes, when contracts end, or when retirement comes knocking, there is nothing to fall back on. Tonight, we ask: who is protecting the protectors?
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