This week we are looking at ways to stay afloat during the festive season and beyond. One of the mechanisms that are popular in South Africa is stokvels, with over 11 million people taking part in 800 thousand stokvel groups. Is this way of group savings your best option? To discuss this we are joined by John Manyike who is the Group Head for Financial Education at Old Mutual and Busisiwe Skenjana from the Stokvel Academy. The Digital Audience made up of Stokvel members, also weighs in.

There have been recent reports of Eskom infrastructure theft in SA. A collaborative operation involving Eskom Gauteng Distribution Security, the South African Police Service, City Power, and Eskom-contracted security personnel uncovered a large-scale illegal electricity operation during a raid at three houses located on a farm, in Leeupoort in Gauteng. Eskom says intelligence investigations uncovered that stolen electrical equipment was being used to supply electricity illegally to nearby informal settlements in exchange for payment. The elderly suspect appeared in court on a charge of tampering with essential infrastructure worth 90-thousand-rand, theft of electricity worth 6 million rand and theft of meter boxes worth over 400 thousand rand. What sort of dent are arrests like this making in reducing incidents of sabotage and criminality affecting Eskom?

'Equal Rights, Equal Care''. That's the theme for this year's World AIDS Day commemoration. No doubt, South Africa has made huge strides in tackling AIDS as a country. But do we have the same urgency and innovation we had when we were fighting the COVID pandemic or have we taken our foot off the pedal? Do you feel HIV/AIDS has become a forgotten pandemic? To answer these questions we are joined by a familiar face, especially during the height of the Coronavirus pandemic -Professor Salim Abdool Karim, Director of the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa. Also on the panel is Prof. Geoffrey Setswe who is the Managing Director of Implementation Research at the Aurum Institute. The digital audience also weighs in.

Today is the deadline for millions of South African households to update their electricity meters. While many have heeded the call to do so, thousands of others could still be seen standing in long queues outside Eskom offices nationwide. What now becomes of those who miss the 20:15 deadline? To discuss this we are joined by Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena, energy analyst Ruse Moleshe and Soweto community leader Seth Mazibuko. The digital audience also weighs in.

With just five weeks to the EFF's National People's Assembly in mid-December the party's leader, Julius Malema, has scoffed at suggestions that the departure of some senior party members signals the beginning of the end for the party. This follows the resignation of the party's former national chairperson Advocate Dali Mpofu this week. He has joined a list of party members who recently left the red berets to join the uMkhoto we Sizwe Party, with others predicted to follow. Where does this leave the EFF's preparations for its elective conference?

On this episode of It’s Topical, we throw the spotlight on immigration. As South Africa's Government of National Unity marks 100 days, has there been any progress or regression in the immigration issue? To unpack this question we are joined by Sihle Lonzi from the EFF, Funzi Ngobeni from ActionSA and the Immigration law Expert, Ashraf Essop. People from various backgrounds, both locals and foreign nationals, voice their concerns about immigration.

This past week we saw the swearing in of new Members of Parliament from the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). Some of the new MPs are well-known personalities and others returning Parliamentarians. The new members of the MKP include former Prasa CEO Lucky Montana, former Transnet CEOs Siyabonga Gama, Brian Molefe and Mzwanele Manyi who recently resigned from the EFF. Musician Eric Kobane, also known as Papa Penny is also now a MKP MP. To unpack this issue, we are joined by Dr Thanti Mthanti who is an MKP Policy Expert and Prof. William Gumede who is a Governance Expert at Wits University. The digital audience also weighs in.

The much talked about Two-Pot Retirement System takes effect on 01 September 2024, with trade unions at loggerheads as to whether this will benefit or disadvantage workers who are facing a financial crunch. Arguing for the system in studio is the largest union, COSATU, represented by its national spokesperson Zanele Sabela, and the General Secretary of SAFTU, Zwelinzima Vavi. Also on the panel is the CEO of Glacier by Sanlam, Khanyi Nzukuma.

This past week a tectonic shift was announced by the EFF that its longstanding Deputy President Floyd Shivambu was leaving the party and joining Jacob Zuma's MK Party. As part of the EFF founding members and a prominent intellectual, what does this spell for the party, the MKP and the political landscape of the country? On the panel are SABC News Acting Political Editor Ntebo Mokobo, SABC News Senior Political Reporter Samkele Maseko, Senior Political Journalist from Sunday World Mawande Amashabalala, Political Analysts Sandile Swana and Dr Fikile Vilakazi.

Following the former Miss SA finalist, Chidimma Adetshina's citizenship controversy, in studio we have the Brand Expert Thebe Ikaleng, Immigration Law Expert Ashraf Essop and our digital audience to explore more about who counts as a South African?

In studio we are joined by Likho Bottoman from Department of Basic Education, Matakanye Matakanya from the National Association of Schools Governing Bodies and Prof. Ben Senokoane from Unisa.

On tonight's show, It's Topical discusses various topics, from Zuma's expulsion, 'Sun City' prison raid to suspected military camp in Mpumalanga.

As the 7th administration settles in and with Angie Motshekga as the new Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, we ask what should be the top and immediate priorities for the Ministry. This follows a trend of persistent budget cuts over the years and multiple deaths of SANDF members in the line of duty both at home and on foreign missions. On the panel are the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee for Defence and Military Veterans, Dakota Legoete, and the National Secretary of the SA National Defence Union, Adv. Pikkie Greeff. The digital audience also weigh in on the discussion.

This past week a tell-all affidavit by the former Chairperson of the now defunct VBS bank was leaked to the media. It revealed allegations of involvement of high-profile politicians and municipalities in the looting of the bank to the tune of R2 billion. However, the NPA had urged the media not to divulge the contents of the affidavit as this has the potential to jeopardize the case and also put people's lives at risk. Do you agree? To unpack this question were are joined by Sbu Ngalwa, the Chairperson of the SA National Editors' Forum, as well as Dr Llewelyn Curlewis (Procedural Law Senior Lecturer at the University of Pretoria) and legal expert, Mpumelelo Zikalala. Our digital audience also puts questions to the panel.

On tonight's show, It's Topical previews the 1st Cabinet Lekgotla with Former Minister Lindiwe Zulu. As usual Digital audience also weighed in.

As we preview the cabinet announcement tonight, we are joined by Build One SA Leader Mmusi Maimane, ordinary citizens also share their views on the priorities of the new executive.