HOT 1027 NOT BREAKING NEWS

HOT1027 listeners raise a staggering R38.3m for those in need

From children emptying their piggy banks to businesses digging deep, HOT1027 listeners have shown just how powerful generosity can be! Our annual Teddython wrapped up with a whopping R38.3m pledged for Hot Cares — almost twice our original target. HOT1027's Tara Penny has more…

7 Nov 2 min

Voting for Joburg Ep25: Daring to hope

After years of dry taps, broken roads and growing frustration over failing services, Johannesburg residents have made their voices heard at the ballot box — and many are daring to believe that better days lie ahead. And while the votes are being counted, there's already a sense of optimism among…

4 Nov 2 min

Voting for Joburg Ep24: Think about the city you want

Today, Johannesburg residents have an opportunity to help decide the future of their city. After years of crumbling roads, dry taps, power outages and mounting frustration over failing services, voters are heading to the polls to choose who will represent them for the next five years. And while political parties…

4 Nov 2 min

Voting for Joburg Ep23: Don't Sit This One Out

Johannesburg is battered, bruised and struggling — but its future is far from decided. Tomorrow, voters will have an opportunity to influence who runs South Africa's economic powerhouse for the next five years. And after weeks of examining the city's crumbling infrastructure, failing services and political dysfunction, HOT1027 news is…

3 Nov 2 min

Voting for Joburg Ep22: Who'll collect the missing billions?

Imagine running a business where customers owe you almost as much as your entire annual budget. That's something close to the predicament facing Johannesburg. And with local government elections taking place tomorrow, the city's next council will inherit a formidable financial challenge. HOT1027's Jeremy Maggs takes a look …

3 Nov 1 min

Voting for Joburg Ep21: Our economic future depends on tomorrow's crucial vote

Johannesburg's electricity and water crises aren't just making life miserable for residents — they're costing people their livelihoods. Small businesses, particularly in townships, are being forced to turn customers away because they simply can't operate without reliable basic services. And with local government elections taking place tomorrow, civic activists are…

3 Nov 2 min

Voting for Joburg Ep20: We have a powerful hand to play

Johannesburg voters are holding a powerful hand of cards ahead of the local government elections — but are they playing them? With just 1 day to go before South Africans head to the polls, democracy activists are reminding residents that their power extends far beyond making a cross on a…

2 Nov 2 min

Voting for Joburg E19: Will Joburg's Coalition Chaos Continue?

Johannesburg voters could be heading for another five years of political instability — unless parties change the way they approach coalition government. That's the warning from governance experts who say the city's revolving leadership and political deal-making have helped undermine service delivery. And with no single party guaranteed an outright…

2 Nov 2 min

Voting for Joburg Ep18: We want the promised basics

Running water, working traffic lights, safe streets and politicians who actually care about the people they're supposed to serve. That's what's topping the wish list for Johannesburg voters ahead of the local government elections on the 4th of November. HOT1027 News has been speaking to residents across the city —…

2 Nov 2 min

Voting for Joburg Ep17: Who's really in control of Joburg's inner city?

Johannesburg's hijacked buildings have become a disturbing symbol of a city that's lost control of some of it’s vital parts. Illegal immigration, criminal exploitation and the failure to enforce building and safety regulations are all part of a growing debate about how to reclaim the CBD. With elections just days…

1 Nov 2 min

Voting for Joburg Ep16: R220 Billion: The cost of fixing our city

If you've driven into a pothole, had your water cut off or spent another evening without electricity, you know Johannesburg has problems. But have you ever wondered what it would actually cost to fix them? The answer makes for sobering reading ahead of next week's municipal elections. HOT1027's Jeremy Maggs…

30 Oct 1 min

Hot Cares Weekly Wrap: Feeding families, helping animals & making music with R732 000 in kindness

Thousands of litres of chicken manure are helping community gardens feed hungry families, an animal welfare organisation caring for more than 2,000 dogs and cats is getting a helping hand, and young people are discovering the joy of making music — all thanks to the generosity of HOT1027 listeners. And…

30 Oct 3 min

Voting for Joburg Ep15: Good Enough for the G20. Why Not for Joburgers?

Johannesburg managed to put on a much cleaner face for the world's leaders during the G20 summit — so why can't it do the same for the people who live here? That's the question civic activists are asking ahead of the local government elections on the 4th of November. HOT1027's…

30 Oct 2 min

Voting for Joburg Ep14: The qualifications behind the crisis

Johannesburg's water and electricity crises aren't just about broken infrastructure — they're also about the people appointed to run the city's most important services. With just days to go until Joburgers vote, The Centre for Development and Enterprise is raising serious concerns about the technical expertise on the boards of…

30 Oct 2 min

Voting for Joburg Ep13: What if voters turned the tables?

What if Joburg voters stopped waiting for politicians’ promises and told them exactly what they expect? Ahead of next week's local elections, some communities are drawing up their own manifestos and demanding commitments from candidates before deciding who deserves their votes. Democracy activists say it could change the relationship between…

29 Oct 2 min

Turning Stroke Trauma into Hope for Others

A South African stroke survivor who spent months desperately searching for help after losing his ability to walk and speak is now launching a free app to make sure others don't have to face that same struggle. George Scola suffered a stroke at just 37 and went on to establish…

29 Oct 2 min

World Stroke Day: "It can happen to anyone"

A South African man who suffered a devastating stroke at just 37 is warning that surviving is often only the beginning of a much bigger battle. George Scola lost his business, his marriage and his independence in the months after his stroke — and says he struggled to find anyone…

29 Oct 2 min

Voting for Joburg Ep12: "A budget built on fiscal fiction"

Johannesburg is budgeting for money it may never receive — and residents are paying the price. That's the warning from the Centre for Development and Enterprise, which says the city's finances are built on unrealistic assumptions about how much money it can collect from households, businesses and government departments. And…

29 Oct 2 min

Voting for Joburg Ep11: Big on Talk, Light on action

Johannesburg's councillors hold meetings, debate problems and make decisions — but residents are still dodging potholes, sitting without water and navigating streets with broken traffic lights. So what exactly is being achieved inside the council chamber? That's the question civic activists are asking ahead of the local government elections on…

28 Oct 2 min

Voting for Joburg Ep10: After the vote, who do you call?

When your water disappears, your streetlights stop working or a pothole threatens to swallow your car… who are you supposed to call? Your ward councillor should be one of the people helping you get answers. But what exactly are councillors responsible for — and how do you hold them accountable…

28 Oct 2 min