SA steels itself against plant closures

Loading player...

Three thousand five hundred jobs hang in the balance if ArcelorMittal were to close its two long steel plants in Vereeniging and Newcastle. Towns will be decimated and local economies crushed. Will the government's plan of hiking steel import tariffs protect local steelmakers' future? This could be critical to saving the country's manufacturing sector and economy, which is already struggling to realise hopes of 2% annual growth. Specialist journalist Lisa Steyn explains the intricacies. Later, we bring you the latest on Trump’s choice of ambassador to South Africa. We conclude by looking at the myriad global superstars like Kenny G and Doja Cat, who are preparing to tour Mzansi in 2025. Get involved in the conversation, email us your views, news and voice notes to thelead@24.com. Editions will drop Monday through Thursday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts at 19:00.

27 Mar English South Africa News · Society & Culture

Other recent episodes

Tabling Budget 3.0 with Carol Paton

A whole new Budget 3.0 aims to include everyone's proper buy-in and you won't be taxed more on most goods you buy. But the DA and EFF's recent court case scrapping Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's proposed VAT increase of 0.5% percentage points means that it's also back to the drawing…

30 Apr 23 min

Exposing X-Boer, the ex-farmer in Elon Musk’s ear

On 'X', he goes by the name ‘Twatterbaas’, and his messages have attracted the attention of Elon Musk and, thus, the Trump Administration. Regularly, the anonymous account posts racist tropes and promotes selective views that have reinforced misinformation about South Africa. But now we know who is behind the account:…

29 Apr 37 min

The Mashatile ‘hit’ that wasn’t, with Kyle Cowan

Was South Africa's deputy president, Paul Mashatile, the recent target of an attempted assassination? If sources close to a SAPS ballistics report are anything to go by, the answer to that question may be a resounding no. In tonight’s episode, we discuss with News24 journalist Kyle Cowan what our team…

24 Apr 35 min

Debunking Malema and Trump with Andrew Thompson

EFF leader Julius Malema alleges it's a lie that there are farm killings in South Africa. Among other claims, Malema suggests that white people are not murdered in South Africa. The politician's April statements in Parliament in response to the Trump Administration’s US aid pullout were shared on social media…

23 Apr 30 min

The police chief, the Cat and corruption with Jeff Wicks

South African Police Service (SAPS) top brass dragged their feet in cancelling a tender awarded to a businessman known as "The Cat". News24 specialist investigative journalist Jeff Wicks combed through an internal audit report. In it, he found that tender tycoon Vusimusi "Cat" Matlala should've never scored a R360 million…

22 Apr 17 min

All episodes