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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

00:22:26

SA’s high stakes G20 and whiplash from Washington

The Lead ·

2025/11/20

We start this edition of The Lead tonight with the breaking news from President Cyril Ramaphosa that Washington has done a u-turn and is now showing a willingness to participate in the G20 Summit in some form or another. Please note the rest of the show tonight was recorded earlier in the day. For the first time in Africa’s history, the G20 Summit is happening this weekend in Johannesburg, a city beset by a poisonous urban decay. We’ll catch up with political journalist, Amanda Khoza on the G20

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00:30:01

Unravelling Brown Mogotsi’s conspiracies with Karyn...

The Lead ·

2025/11/19

We begin this special edition of The Lead with the very latest charge from Madlanga Commission evidence leader, Matthew Chaskalson, that notorious North West businessman Brown Mogotsi lied under oath. Mogotsi’s claims read like a Cold War-era spy novel, but they appear to lack the evidence the commission so sorely needs to make concrete findings. The self-proclaimed Crime Intelligence contact agent, the alleged go-to guy between Gauteng’s criminal underworld and the now-suspended police minister,

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00:18:49

78-year-old District Six resident beats 2023 eviction...

The Lead ·

2025/11/18

Every now and then, a modern-day David and Goliath story comes along that warms our hearts. Today, this story is about 78-year-old Noor-Banu Allie, a long-time District Six resident who was forcibly removed from the area in the late 1960s. She very nearly suffered the same fate recently when her landlord dug their heels in, but a Western Cape High Court ruling has now allowed her to keep renting her humble District Six home. More with this incredible story is journalist Marvin Charles, our guest on

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00:21:07

How the DA axed its own minister of forestry,...

The Lead ·

2025/11/17

First came Andrew Whitfield’s axing – and now the DA’s had to see the environment minister, Dion George, fired too. This time for failing to toe the Cabinet’s policy lines on COP30 and regulated rhino horn and ivory trading. Allegations, too, of bullying and sexual misconduct suggest that George was deeply unpleasant to work with. Catch our conversation with News24’s new climate correspondent, Ethan van Diemen, next. Later, in our trending topic, the ANC changes tactics for next year’s local

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00:28:22

Lawless lawmen? Inside the AmaPanyaza saga, with...

The Lead ·

2025/11/13

They’re called the AmaPanyaza. Meaning: Panyaza’s boys. These are the more than 6 000 anti-crime wardens appointed as a task force in the name of the premier of Gauteng, Panyaza Lesufi, back in 2023. But Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka, just this October, found in a report that the establishment of the force was illegal and unconstitutional. She ordered the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), working with Panyaza’s administration, to retrain the force as traffic wardens specifically. But

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00:31:56

Adriaan Basson calls out SA’s Trump collaborators

The Lead ·

2025/11/12

Remember their names: Kallie Kriel, Rob Hersov, Elon Musk. These are just some of the collaborators News24 editor-in-chief Adriaan Basson argues played a part in backing US President Donald Trump’s lies about the Afrikaner experience in SA today. Basson, our guest on The Lead, believes Trump’s comments may come and go, but history will remember these collaborators. Later, in our trending topic, a Free State man walks 15km to save his four-legged best friend named “Option”. Finally, we consider the

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00:41:50

The MKP’s puzzling Russia deployment. PLUS: How to...

The Lead ·

2025/11/11

We lead today’s show with a News24 exclusive on news that the MK Party flew some of its members to Russia to train as bodyguards only for them to be deployed, apparently unknowingly, to the frontlines of a war. It now appears that former president Jacob Zuma wants them moved to a safe space. And, later in the show, how did an obscure northern Indian digital agency turn into a global fake news factory spouting all sorts of Sassa nonsense in SA? You’ll hear a lot more about these incredible stories

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00:26:09

Cat clairvoyance? Matlala bagged clinic lease months...

The Lead ·

2025/11/10

Just when you thought the Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala saga couldn’t get any more intriguing, it does. Today, specialist investigative journalist Jeff Wicks can reveal the notorious tender don secured a pretty affordable deal to rent a state clinic on the grounds of the Pretoria West Police Training Academy, a full six months before he landed a controversial R360-million health services tender with the SA Police Service. What foresight did the Cat possess? asks Wicks in our latest edition of The Lead

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00:22:47

Jozi leaders out of office ahead of G20. PLUS: DA,...

The Lead ·

2025/11/06

From the Big Smoke to Slaapstad, there’s plenty to unpack politically this week. In Jozi, a temporary leadership vacuum ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit has coalition partners outraged. Meanwhile, in the Western Cape, the DA’s blue wave has swallowed up some senior ANC members left out in the cold. Stay tuned for The Lead’s discussions with News24 journos Alex Patrick and Siyamtanda Capa. Later, Mahatma Gandhi was arrested in Durban On This Day in SA History, a regular segment at the end of the

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00:23:22

BEE makeover - Is Tau’s Transformation Fund glow-up...

The Lead ·

2025/11/05

Trade and Industry Minister Parks Tau’s dream of realising a massive voluntary fund to uplift small black businesses gets a reality check in this edition of The Lead. Specialist journalist Carol Paton tells us that Tau has revised this concept to include a key incentive for big business to help build the R100-billion chest. Later, in our trending topic, political silly season’s in full swing with a top Cape ANC man defecting to the DA. Finally, the Cullinan diamond was cut up, not for any South

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00:26:18

All aboard? Not quite, as Gautrain stuck in search...

The Lead ·

2025/11/04

Democratic South Africa has had such lofty dreams of bullet trains for our now largely decrepit rail network. The Gautrain, though, stands as somewhat of a contemporary rail success story. And now, the high-speed service between OR Tambo International Airport and the capital, Pretoria, is approaching its final station in finding a new operator to run it. News24 business journalist William Brederode tells The Lead that the appointment process is heavily delayed. Later, in our trending topic, the site

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00:40:20

SARS guns for company linked to Mashatile’s sons....

The Lead ·

2025/11/03

Once a registered South African company trades past R1 million, it is legally required to pay value-added tax (VAT). Tell that to two of the deputy president’s sons whose company they are linked to, Modipadi Nokaneng, now owes the SA Revenue Service (SARS) a cool R3 million. This is revealed by our investigative journalist, Kyle Cowan, who is live with The Lead in this edition for not one, but two stories. In our trending topic, and following the murders of top liquidators, the father-and-son duo of

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00:26:12

Rassie’s suprise year-end rookie. PLUS: Black...

The Lead ·

2025/10/22

The Springbok boys in green and gold go head-to-head with their old foes, the Japanese Cherry Blossoms this 1 November. Coach Rassie Erasmus has already named his squad for next month’s tour, with young Stormers breakout star Zachary Porthen tipped to make his debut. Taking stock post-Rugby Championship for The Lead is our News24 sport editor, Lloyd Burnard. Later, in our trending topic, Nicole McCain gives us the scoop on DJ Black Coffee’s R157 million Clifton villa, complete with cinema room

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00:18:43

Poor Economic Empowerment - DA’s answer to BEE. PLUS:...

The Lead ·

2025/10/21

On one hand, the ANC’s championing of broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) has certainly succeeded in putting money into black people’s hands, a majority race excluded from enjoying the fruits of our country’s economy for centuries. But BBBEE’s critics, on the other hand, claim that the wealth this contentious policy has generated has often landed in the laps of a small elite group with strong political ties. So, in apartheid’s shadow, what could potentially take BBBEE’s place? The ANC’s

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00:25:37

Is this why Ekurhuleni auditor Mpho Mafole was...

The Lead ·

2025/10/20

Hunted. What was slain auditor Mpho Mafole and his team probing from within the City of Ekurhuleni when he was gunned down in Kempton Park this year? Find out by listening to this edition of The Lead with our senior investigative journalist, Sikonathi Mantshantsha. Later, in our trending topic, the PA unseats the ANC in a startling Soweto by-election. And finally, SA’s got a rich rail legacy with On This Day in SA History. You can send our host, broadcast journalist Graeme Raubenheimer, a voice note

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00:29:28

Mchunu defends decision to disband PKTT, with Jan Gerber

The Lead ·

2025/10/16

He’s been itching to tell his side of the story. Suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has been emphatic to Parliamentarians this Thursday that there was no sinister ulterior motive in disbanding the Political Killings Task Team and that the unit was under review for a long time. Catch the very latest from Mchunu’s evidence before MPs, with our senior parliamentary correspondent, Jan Gerber, in this edition of The Lead. Later, the road to Springbok glory was difficult, with our regular segment, “On

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01:01:00

Why is Riaan Manser going WILD with News24? PLUS:...

The Lead ·

2025/10/15

“The outdoors is screaming for you. Time to listen,” Who said that? Our very own Riaan Manser, of course, News24’s outdoors editor, a man of many firsts, including traversing the entirety of Africa on a bicycle. He joins us on The Lead alongside our Good News editor, Paul Herman, regaling us with fantastic tales from across the globe. Later, 3-0 baba! Mzansi’s celebrating Bafana’s booking in next year’s FIFA World Cup. We celebrate with football journo Njabulo Ngidi from Mbombela. Finally, we turn

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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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137 results

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