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PODCAST

The Lead

Seasoned broadcast journalist Graeme Raubenheimer brings you The Lead, News24’s definitive podcast for in-depth reporting. Join us every Monday to Thursday at 19:00 SAST for candid conversations with our top journalists, and discover what they saw, heard, and uncovered in their relentless pursuit of the big story. Episodes drop on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube like clockwork. WhatsApp: 072 562 3179 or mail: thelead@24.com. This is The Lead, and this is the South African story.

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All Episodes

00:31:22

Zuma funder, diamond ‘conman’ Louis Liebenberg’s...

The Lead ·

2025/10/14

He is accused of being one of South Africa’s best-known conmen. A larger-than-life diamond trader-turned-alleged-Ponzi scheme mastermind, the notorious Louis Liebenberg is currently languishing in a Pretoria remand prison cell. And from this week, the heavy, earth-moving construction gear Liebenberg’s mine operated out of Koingnaas in the Northern Cape will go under the hammer. The journalist breaking this story in The Lead is our very own Jan Cronje. Later, in our trending topic, is there a

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00:43:59

The real costs of the police’s PKTT. PLUS: Bafana’s...

The Lead ·

2025/10/13

Much of the Madlanga Commission’s focus has been on detailing the events leading up to the disbandment of KwaZulu-Natal’s Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) nearly a year ago and the alleged reasons behind the decision. But if we pause and consider the text-based evidence tabled before the commission regarding the PKTT’s effectiveness, has it been all that impressive and worthwhile? Jean Redpath is a senior researcher at the Dullah Omar Institute at the University of the Western Cape and argues in

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00:49:45

Mkhwanazi in Parly. Maumela, Sibiya raids. PLUS:...

The Lead ·

2025/10/09

Die poppe is besig om te dans! Translated: the dolls are busy dancing! Which essentially means the chickens have come home to roost. While the SIU raids tender don Morgan Maumela’s Sandton mansion, and heavily armed officers swarm the Centurion home of suspended top cop Shadrack Sibiya, KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi wrapped up his evidence before Parliament’s ad-hoc committee at midnight on Wednesday. Our senior Parliamentary journalist, Jan Gerber, has been burning the

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00:20:37

More Jozi coalition chaos on the cards? PLUS:...

The Lead ·

2025/10/08

The smaller, minority political parties are easily the kingmakers in the City of Johannesburg. Now, though, it has emerged that some of them have suddenly exited their shared WhatsApp group. So where does this leave the current configuration of the government of local unity in Jozi? Could it spell more coalition uncertainty for a metro screaming out for proper service delivery? We catch up with our resident metro journalist in the council, Alex Patrick. Later in the show, KwaZulu-Natal police

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00:24:43

ANC considers changing tack against DA’s Zille in Jozi

The Lead ·

2025/10/07

With the DA quick out of the gates to deploy one of its most senior members to run for Johannesburg’s mayoral chain, where does this leave the ANC? Does the party, wilting under its track record of corruption and poor service delivery rely on incumbent Dada Morero to take up the fight against Helen Zille in next year’s municipal polls? Or does it deploy a candidate no-one saw coming? With some answers for The Lead is our News24 journalist dabbling in local government politics, Siyamtanda Capa. Later

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00:48:11

After nearly 50 years of SA TV, can SABC, DStv live on?

The Lead ·

2025/10/06

South Africa has been watching television for almost half a century. Yet with the SABC’s finances in the red, DStv haemorrhaging subscribers over its prices, while streamers stream in, we ask: what’s next for Mzansi’s traditional TV industry? We change channels to TV trade journo Thinus Ferreira in this edition of The Lead. Later, the Patriotic Alliance heralds the return of the so-called Sushi King to his Jozi throne. Finally, we reflect on early 1994’s teething problems with “On This Day in SA

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00:50:43

Meet the monster John Harris (with Jacques Pauw)

The Lead ·

2025/10/02

Please note that our top story in The Lead today may upset you. Listeners’ discretion is advised. In short, you’re going to meet the monster John Harris, as narrated by the veteran investigative journalist who unearthed the harrowing story, Jacques Pauw. Harris, 73, a British-born music teacher for schoolchildren who had frequented many towns up and down the Western Cape, was earlier this year sent to Paarl’s Alandale prison for the grooming, sexual assault and double rape of a 9-year-old girl. In

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00:25:20

Morgan Maumela’s North West hospital hustle, with...

The Lead ·

2025/10/01

He’s been riding high in Lamborghinis, now eyed by investigators for asset seizure. Hangwani Morgan Maumela, the supreme tender don at the centre of the Tembisa Hospital tender scam, has since been pushing to get his foot in the door in the North West province too. But as investigative journalist Jeff Wicks reports, Maumela’s company couldn’t even bother to obtain a legitimate BBBEE certificate to win this lucrative hospital catering deal. Wicks tells The Lead that Maumela lost the bid but has since

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00:42:12

Mogotsi, Matlala and the ‘Big Five’ criminal cartel

The Lead ·

2025/09/30

It is already week three of the Madlanga Commission in Pretoria, and we have witnessed some damning allegations of the criminal capture of the country’s justice system. The rot in the police is so bad that the senior men and women in blue have a name for the criminal syndicate that has infiltrated its heart: “The Big Five”. And with a new inquiry evidence leader, advocate Matthew Chaskalson SC entering the fray, how can we better make sense of the claims we are hearing right now? To navigate us

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00:33:08

Is SA the next Mexico or Brazil when it comes to...

The Lead ·

2025/09/29

There are some signs that South Africa is heading down the Latin American route, following the recent assassinations of some key societal figures. From Babita Deokaran to Bouwer van Niekerk, global crime experts warn that the targeting of whistleblowers, prosecutors, activists, and even journalists weakens the very foundation of democracy. To take stock of the lessons one can learn from Mexico, for example, The Lead’s Graeme Raubenheimer interviews Julian Rademeyer, the East and Southern Africa

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00:26:53

Police chief Masemola claims Mchunu, Sibiya shielded...

The Lead ·

2025/09/23

On day five of the Madlanga Commission sitting in Pretoria: South Africa’s police chief, Fannie Masemola, has alleged that his now-suspended deputy, Shadrack Sibiya, the now-suspended police minister, Senzo Mchunu, the mysterious associate Brown Mogotsi and the incarcerated tender don, Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala all, in turn, schemed to get rid of the Political Killings Task Team and halt investigations into the criminal underworld. But in this edition of The Lead, specialist legal journalist, Karyn

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00:27:34

Masemola reveals deputy Sibiya probed for alleged...

The Lead ·

2025/09/22

It’s been day four of the Madlanga Commission with our second witness on the stand: national police commissioner Fannie Masemola, who’s since insisted that the decision to disband the contentious Political Killings Task Team was “unlawful”. That’s not all: Masemola told the commission in Pretoria on Monday that he received a tip-off alleging that his deputy, Shadrack Sibiya, may be linked to Gauteng’s criminal syndicates, in particular now-incarcerated tender don Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala, who had been

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00:28:56

Mkhwanazi tells Madlanga about Mogotsi’s ‘unfettered’...

The Lead ·

2025/09/19

Friday marks day three of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into allegations of criminal capture of the country’s criminal justice system. Evidence of WhatsApp conversations between KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and an apparent associate and friend of now suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu has offered South Africans a glimpse inside the core of the claims being made thus far. Mkhwanazi believes it’s “strange” that the mysterious Brown Mogotsi has had

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00:29:43

Mkhwanazi guns for NCC MP Fadiel Adams over...

The Lead ·

2025/09/18

It’s day two of the Madlanga Commission and KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, has begun implicating more public figures for their alleged role in politically interfering in the country’s criminal justice system. Mkhwanazi alleges that National Coloured Congress (NCC) MP Fadiel Adams has been “reckless” in his alleged handling of classified Crime Intelligence information. Specialist legal journalist Karyn Maughan, as well as Madlanga Commission Spokesperson,

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00:24:26

Foundation laid on Day 1 of the Madlanga Commission

The Lead ·

2025/09/17

For the first time ever, News24’s The Lead has gone live from the source of the story. The News24 team has set up camp at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in central Pretoria for all the main talking points from Day 1 of the Madlanga Commission. Host, Graeme Raubenheimer has been in conversation with specialist legal journalist, Karyn Maughan, discussing the foundational evidence brought by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who insists that if nothing urgent is done soon,

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00:44:54

DA envy: Unpacking Ramaphosa’s startling admission...

The Lead ·

2025/09/16

In a stunning admission rarely seen from any politician in South Africa today, ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa conceded that DA municipalities, such as Cape Town, are outperforming those governed by the ANC. Ramaphosa told thousands of the ANC ward councillors attending roll call at FNB Stadium in Soweto this week that it’s high time they prioritise service delivery or watch their party perish. The Lead’s host, broadcast journalist Graeme Raubenheimer, is joined in our Randburg studios by News24’s

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00:37:24

Unravelling the complex crypto fund that embroiled...

The Lead ·

2025/09/15

Four people continue to elude the Gauteng police’s grasp for the brazen murder of top Johannesburg insolvency attorney Bouwer van Niekerk. He was shot and killed in his law firm’s offices earlier in September. Since then, the questionable, multimillion-rand NTC Global Trade Fund that Van Niekerk helped place in business rescue has been provisionally liquidated. The fund’s partners are now, according to them, living in fear too as investors ask the courts to get their millions back.News24

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00:32:25

The Cat and the Hat - what did Cele do at Zimbali...

The Lead ·

2025/09/11

For our final edition of The Lead this week: it’s getting more difficult for former police minister Bheki Cele to downplay his past meetings with controversial tender don Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala. Investigative journalist Jeff Wicks is our first guest filling in the blanks here. Later in the show, we cross to long-time Washington correspondent John Matisonn, who distills the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s killing in the US. Finally, we end off with “On This Day in History”. A special thank you from the

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00:24:15

Why is trans inmate taking state to court? PLUS:...

The Lead ·

2025/09/10

Welcome to this bumper Wednesday edition of The Lead on News24. Our first topic deals with the case of a transgender inmate in Johannesburg Central Prison who is fighting for their right to access the use of women’s clothes and gender-affirming healthcare. Later in the show, a group of Chinese nationals are sentenced for running a human-trafficking sweatshop in the Johannesburg CBD. Both updates come courtesy of our expert courts journalist, Bernadette Wicks. Then, local retail analysts warn US icon

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00:39:41

The brutal killing of ‘incorruptible’ lawyer Bouwer...

The Lead ·

2025/09/09

The hit on a top Johannesburg insolvency lawyer has reverberated throughout the country’s legal fraternity. Now, while the police attempt to arrest the gunmen who so brazenly snuffed out Bouwer van Niekerk’s life last Friday, details are slowly emerging about the multimillion-rand cryptocurrency trading fund that he was engaged with. Kyle Cowan, our senior investigative journalist, is piecing this puzzle together for us in this 101st edition of The Lead on News24.Finally, we end off with “On This

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