Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has dismissed allegations that the government is giving preferential treatment to Elon Musk's Starlink following their visit to the United States. The Communications and Digital Technologies Minister, Solly Malatsi has defended his policy directive to ease company transformation targets and some BBBEE requirements. The Democratic Alliance federal council has adopted a motion to oppose land expropriation without compensation.

The Chairperson of the Institute of International Affairs, Moeletsi Mbeki, says the SA presidential delegation to Washington should have prepared very thoroughly and chosen one person to represent and answer the questions. Mbeki says the delegation damaged SA's reputation by telling the world that "SA has a crime problem." He also says that Trump is trying to build a group of people in South Africa who are close to him but antagonistic to South Africa and the ANC, using the so-called Afrikaner refugees. Mbeki says the delegation should have asked Trump what does he want from South Africa. On the National budget, Mbeki says the government is mismanaging Taxpayers' money. Too much of the government revenue is spent on public sector salaries. Economist Dr Azar Jamine says South Africa is still stuck in a circle of low growth as the government has failed to address some of the issues inherited from the past, including education. He says government, labour and big business have monopolised the economymaking it difficult for small businesses// Independent analyst Khaya Sithole says government needs to tackle regulation.

DIRCO Minister Ronald Lamola tells SABC correspondent Sherwin Bryce-Pease that South Africa is a strategic country for the world, it has a progressive constitution, and it also boasts minerals and many other things that the US can collaborate on. The SA delegation is in Washington to meet with US President Donald Trump with the aim of resetting strained relations with the world's superpower. Minister Lamola says SA looks forward for to President Trump's participation in the upcoming meeting of the G20 in South Africa in November. Senior Lecturer in the school of Economics at Wits University, Dr Lumkile Mondli, tells Face the Nation that what is at stake in this meeting is SA's access to the US economy. Mondi says South A want to remain in AGOA and to access other trade channels in the US. He says that the SA delegation must focus on economic and commercial relations with the US. Senior research fellow at the University of Johannesburg, Dr Oscar Van Heerden, says South Africa must make sure to walk away with bilateral trade agreements. He says that Trump will bring up the issue of the International Court of Justice SABC International Relations editor Sophie Mokoena tells Face the Nation that the US is worried about China's economic domination and about SA's relationship with China and Iran.

PWC senior economist Xhanti Payi says the issue of unemployment in South Africa is related to investment and says that the job market is changing due to global challenges. "Government must invest in manufacturing, and technology in order to generate employment. Independent economist Bongani Mahlangu says graduates in South Africa are under employed despite many of them holding university degrees. He also says that many skilled young people who possess some of the skills needed by the country are also under employed in fields they didn't study for or underpaid in their fields. Director of Employment Management and Human Resources at DPSA Philani Mweli says government departments and have information officers whose task is to collect data on foreign nationals employed by the state to assess possible threats and risks to the states' safety. Chair of the portfolio committee on international relations and cooperation Supra Mahumapelo, says the position that it is the governing body's for President Donald Trump has given the 49 Afrikaners the status of 'refugees' under the false claim of genocide. 'The government will be seeking legal advice on the matter and will also write to the UN, ' Mahumapelo says Right-wingers want to create a crisis in South Africa in order to stop transformation and redress.

Pope Leo the 14th is now the leader of the Catholic Church. He addressed thousands of Catholics a short while ago. The Democratic Alliance is calling for transparency into the SAPS internal investigation that led to the acquittal of Deputy President Paul Mashatile's VIP Protectors. POPCRU meanwhile, has welcomed the acquittal of the eight members of the Presidential Protection Unit

The DA takes new employment equity targets for companies to court. DDG of the Department of Employment and Labour, Thembinkosi Mkalipi and Michael Bagraim, the DA's spokesperson on Employment and Labour, spoke to us about the amendment to the act. While South Africa is grappling with the challenges within the Government of National Unity, debates about the big impact of state capture and corruption rage on. The Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, headed by retired Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, is hailed by many as a timely intervention to thwart and defeat State Capture. We are now joined in studio by the Former Evidence Leader for the State Capture Commission, Advocate Paul Pretorius SC.

Former TRC commissioner advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza says he is hopeful that the Inquiry into TRC prosecutions will help the country to better understand how the gruesome apartheid atrocities took place. The Reverend Frank Chikane says he is worried that taking the commission route may not bring closure to the families if the perpetrators are not criminally charged. He says most of the perpetrators of the apartheid crimes have since died. On the GNU, Chikane says more time should be spent on fixing the country. He says action should be taken to ensure that South Africans are treated fairly. SYNOPSIS: Mchunu says the police are getting closure to unravelling the mystery around the death of the 3 police officers. Experts will inspect the vehicle wreck to search for clues about what happened to the officers. On Phalaphala, Mchunu says the report was classified simply because the SAPS was not the only body dealing with Phalaphala and proper coordination was needed between the bodies.

Road fatalities over the Easter weekend reduced drastically this year by almost 50-percent, as compared to the same period in 2024. This was announced by Transport Minister Barbara Creecy. The Umkhonto We Sizwe Party has submitted to Parliament, a motion of no confidence in the finance minister, Enoch Godongwana. Parliament says it will meet the deadlines for the adoption of the 2025 Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals. We spoke to MKP Chief Whip Mzwanele Manyi and Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Finance, Joe Maswanganyi.

Some political parties have poured cold water on the DA's assertion it was victorious in securing the removal of the half a percentage point VAT increase. Earlier, the ANC, IFP, Action-SA, PAC, Rise Mzansi, BOSA, UDM, Good Party, Al-Jamah, PA and NCC held a joint media briefing on their discussions to resolve the fiscal framework in Sandton Johannesburg. ANC Chief Whip Mdumiseni Ntuli AND DA Federal Council Chairperson Helen Zille join us for discussion. President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed he had a telephonic conversation with US President, Donald Trump this morning ahead of Ukrainian President's Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to South Africa. Ramaphosa has addressed the media in Pretoria alongside President Zelenskyy. We spoke to Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola.

Deputy President Paul Mashatile's Spokesperson, Keith Khoz,a says due to the vehicle being bulletproof, further investigations had to be done as the windscreen of the vehicle was damaged during the incident EFF Northern Cape's Shadrack Tlhaole says as residents of the Northern Cape they are affected by Orania as it is built on stolen belonging to their ancestors. He says they want access to that land to benefit from it without segregation. NC Premier Dr Zamani Saul says Orania is a private farm and not a town, and that if the residents of Orania want to become a town and be recognised as one, they should follow proper channels and submit to the government. Says the status of Orania causes anxiety for the residents, it has not been finalised.

EFF's Sinawo Thambo says the party wants meaningful engagement on the VAT issue. Hopes that other political parties will come to the realisation that the ANC did not negotiate fairly BOSA leader Mmusi Maimane says the ANC will be going against the political consensus and the promises made to the South African public should it go ahead and implement the VAT increase Border management commissioner Dr Mike Masiapato says the BMA is ready for the Easter traffic. He says "we are deploying drones in the sky to be able to see whats happening on the ground" Dr Masiapato says as a result they have already been able to intercept 74 individuals who were trying to enter the country illegally using our borders. Ekurhuleni Mayor Dr Nkosindiphile Xakaza says senior management will face consequences over lost R2bil, including precautionary suspension.

Jeff Radebe says that in appointing Mcebisi Jonas as the special envoy to the US, the President would have taken into consideration his experience in government and business. CAPRISA's Professor Naidoo says the withdrawal of funding by USAID will affect the funding of the NHI. She says CAPRISA partners with Columbia University and Harvard University, and the funding cuts to these two Universities will directly impact CAPRISA, especially research projects around HIV, female-controlled HIV technology, as well as clinical trials on the new HIV vaccine, as well as TB vaccine trials at Wits University. Gauteng Premier Panyaza says the crime-fighting agreement with SAPS and other stakeholders will tackle crimes such as Zamazamas, street lights vandalism, and crime in no-go areas such as illegal settlements, etc. using drone technology. Heists and crime syndicates as well as other organised crimes, will also be tackled.

Aubrey Sibanyoni, discusses the American perspective of President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs by 90 days for 75 countries but retaining the baseline 10%. Dr Lebohang Pheko and Dr Azar Jammine unpack the effects America's tariff hikes might have on Africa as trade partners

DA Federal Chairperson Helen Zille says DA have never been unfaithful to the GNU, says the ANC has gone behind the GNU's back to negotiate with other parties outside, says ANC must stick to the GNU rules. "We will make the ANC to stick to the rules that Fikile and I signed." BOSA leader Mmusi Maimane says there are other options outside of VAT increase. There are political parties are working together to find a solution and also focus on job Creation. Songezo Zibi it is possible to implement VAT as a temporary measure on the 1st of May. Mbazima Shilowa says Fikile Mbalula and the ANC misunderstood the GNU. He says the ANC is not ready to share power

Advocate Barry Madolo, the Director of Public Prosecutions in the Eastern Cape, defends the NPA's prosecution of the Omotoso trial. Health Minister Dr Motsoaledi discusses the production regulations of cannabis and hemp products. Bongani Mahlangu, an independent economic analyst, unpacks newly imposed tariffs on South African exports.

The ANC has supported ActionSA proposal to amend the budget by removing the 0.5 percentage point increase in VAT and giving personal income taxes full relief for inflation. ActionSA Leader, Herman Mashaba, ANC Chief Whip, Mdumiseni Ntuli and DA MP, Dr. Mark Burke, discussed the latest on negotiations to pass the budget. The city of Johannesburg has been plagued by infrastructure challenges and an ongoing decline for well over a decade, giving officials a headache. The recent proposed name change of Sandton Drive to Leila Khaled Drive, a Palestinian Freedom fighter, has divided the city. We spoke to City of Johannesburg Executive Mayor Dada Morero