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

Loading player...
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 History”. You can send our host, broadcast journalist Graeme Raubenheimer, a voice note with your questions or thoughts on the show: 072 562 3179. Mail us: thelead@24.com. Full editions drop Monday through Thursday at 19:00 on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.
Chapters
  • 00:01 Graeme's intro
  • 01:28 Crossing to Thinus Ferreira
  • 45:13 Trending topic: Kunene's back on his throne
  • 46:29 On This Day in SA History
6 Oct 2025 English South Africa News · Society & Culture

Other recent episodes

Hear from new NPA boss, and the summit births two jobs

On Day Two of News24’s On The Record jobs summit, we weigh the severe toll crime and corruption have taken on the state of South Africa, and hear from our new National Prosecuting Authority head, advocate Andy Mothibi, with News24’s investigations editor, Pieter du Toit. Later in the show, let…
20 Mar 34 min

On The Record: Hear job insights from Paton, Ramaphosa, Manuel, Kieswetter

We're a country of around 65 million people. Now, if you consider the expanded definition of unemployment in South Africa, which is nearly 43%, this equates to 12.4 million people of age who simply cannot find work right now. Of this figure, 3.7 million people in this country today are…
19 Mar 31 min

Commission continued: Same name, different stories, one rampant police crisis

From Pretoria to Parliament: we hear from two Fannies in the SAPS this Tuesday. One, a sergeant, Fannie Nkosi, who claims that national deputy top cop Shadrack Sibiya did accept gifts from alleged criminal Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala. And two, national top cop, Fannie Masemola, who insists to MPs that he…
17 Mar 32 min

98 then 94, now 97% complete! Will Jozi’s forensic super lab finally open?

It's meant to revolutionise the processing time it takes to crack critical criminal cases in Gauteng. But no, Mr Panyaza Lesufi, claiming that the long-delayed forensic pathology lab in Johannesburg is a “win” during your administration feels hollow, given that it was meant to open seven years ago. Just ask…
16 Mar 20 min