Breakfast with Martin Bester

Join us for a delightful dive into Jigo Jordan's Afrikaans adventure! With just five months on the clock, this Zimbabwean Uber driver has everyone smiling as he learns Afrikaans through children's books. Listen in for laughs, cultural insights, and the heartwarming tale of a man on a mission to connect in a new language.

Media mogul and businesswoman Basetsana Khumalo opens up about pursuing her doctorate in her 50s, building a fertilizer plant from coal gasification, and three decades of reinventing herself in business, in a candid chat with Martin Bester ahead of her Legacy Speaks address at the MANCOSA Jacaranda FM Business Breakfast. She talks about the stigma women face moving from beauty pageants to boardrooms - and why she'd rather "fail spectacularly" than never try at all. Khumalo shares the stage with Bryan Habana, Pavlo Phitidis and Kimberly Taylor at this year's event, held at the Vodacom Dome on 17 August.

Join the Breakfast crew as they dive into Cyril Ramaphosa's viral “clock it” moment that got everyone talking. With their trademark humour and down-to-earth vibe, Martin and the gang chat about whether there's an age limit for trendy phrases. Tune in for a lively discussion that mixes laughs with real talk about how the president might be winning over the youth in unexpected ways. #ClockIt

Ahead of his address at the MANCOSA Jacaranda FM Business Breakfast, Springbok legend Bryan Habana joined Martin Bester and the Breakfast team live from VodaWorld to talk leadership lessons from professional sport, the five non-negotiables he believes drive success, and what leading a mostly-female fintech team taught him about unlearning old habits. He also shares his hilarious tale of teeing off in front of 4,500 spectators alongside Scottie Scheffler and Justin Rose, and gives his take on this weekend's Springboks vs All Blacks clash at Ellis Park.

Their comeback single, 'Ohema', an Afro-infused pop track from their EP, was released on 24 July 2026. 'Ohema' is derived from the Akan word for "queen" (or Ohemaa) in Ghana. The project marks both a return and a reinvention, staying true to the emotional storytelling and soaring vocal performances that made fans fall in love with them, while embracing fresh sonic influences such as Afrobeats and 3-step. The result is a mature, confident and beautifully evolved sound that reflects the women they are today. More than just a comeback, 'Full Circle' is a celebration of legacy, sisterhood and growth. On Friday, 14 August, Jacky, Mariechan and Liesl joined Breakfast with Martin Bester to celebrate the new music.

For many celebrity men, and even the average guy on the street, the idea that handbags are only for women is long gone. There is a growing trend, particularly among male celebrities, of carrying handbags of all sizes and colours as the latest luxury fashion statement. Celebrities, athletes and designers are all proving that men can wear handbags too. Jacob Elordi, Pharrell Williams, Harry Styles, Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé, A$AP Rocky and Travis Scott have all been spotted rocking handbags, making them somewhat of pioneers in the handbag's comeback.

American star Dwayne ‘The Rock' Johnson is showing the world that he is his own kind of triple threat. From being a professional wrestler to having an illustrious acting career and now potentially moving into the world of music, The Rock is proving there is very little he can't do. The 54-year-old star is entering the world of music with the release of his new song, ‘Your Dad'. ‘Your Dad' is a father-daughter ballad co-written with 2023 American Idol winner Iam Tongi. It appears on the brand-new 'Moana: Voices Across the Ocean' album, which was released in conjunction with the live-action ‘Moana' reboot.

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi joined Breakfast with Martin Bester for his first-ever live interview on Jacaranda FM, where the team made sure the province's most pressing issues were put directly to him. From crime and potholes to water, electricity, rates and taxes, Breakfast with Martin Bester gave listeners the opportunity to ask Lesufi the questions that matter most to Gauteng residents. The Premier joined Martin Bester, Philicity Reeken and Xola Ntshinga for a wide-ranging interview about his life, career and plans for the province, but the difficult questions were not avoided.

Global superstar Beyoncé is being dragged to court over an alleged unauthorised sample in her 2022 hit ‘Alien Superstar' from her ‘Renaissance' album. A company called Hirose Enterprise and a producer named Shuji Hirose are suing Queen B for alleged copyright infringement. According to TMZ, Hirose claims to own the rights to a song called ‘Moonraker' by Foremost Poets (aka jOHNNYDANGEROUs), the same song Beyoncé sampled in her 2022 hit. The company specifically refers to the intro to the song ‘Alien Superstar', which features a striking spoken-word section.

The self-described "intergalactic space warrior" from the fictional planet Sigma IX takes on hardline anti-immigration politician Nigel Farage on Thursday in the Clacton by-election, triggered when the Reform UK leader resigned in a shock move. With Farage running again for his seat, none of the UK's mainstream political parties are fielding candidates, having dismissed the move as a stunt designed to stall a parliamentary inquiry into his finances. That has left the door open to Count Binface and a host of other independent and parody candidates.

A preventable case of blindness inspired Dr William Mapham to build a platform connecting frontline health workers with specialists when their patients need them most. As a young doctor working at a rural hospital in the Eastern Cape, Dr William Mapham encountered a patient with an eye condition he could not identify. With limited specialist support available, Mapham wrote a referral letter and sent the patient to a distant eye clinic. Seven years later, Mapham returned to the area as a trained eye specialist. The same patient appeared, still carrying the same referral letter. By then, he was blind in that eye. The tragedy was that the condition had been relatively simple to treat. The hospital had even stocked the medicine required. What had been missing was access to the right specialist knowledge at the right moment. That experience led Mapham to create Vula Medical.

Most of us have been in situations where we've experienced bad customer service. In recent times, complaining about bad service or asking to speak to the manager has become synonymous with “Karen” behaviour. Granted, there are many instances where customers are in the wrong and still complain about bad service. But shying away from standing up for what is right out of fear of being ridiculed should also not be the norm. This week, Breakfast with Martin Bester asked a very valid question on Asking For A Friend: When is it okay to ask to speak to the manager?

The moment a New Zealand councilwoman joined an online council meeting from her bathroom has gone viral, leaving internet users in stitches. To make matters worse, City Councillor Jo Galer's washing was also on full display as it dried behind her. While some people would have died of embarrassment, it was Galer's nonchalant response to the situation that really grabbed people's attention. According to the ‘New York Post', Mayor Sophie Barker immediately addressed the situation and let Galer know that her washing was on full display for the entire livestream.

As the inventor of the automobile, Mercedes-Benz is celebrating 140 years of innovation in 2026, and Jacaranda FM and Breakfast with Martin Bester are celebrating with them. We spoke to Mercedes-Benz South Africa's Head of Customer Connection, Mayur Bhana, about the new Mercedes-Benz CLA. It is the most technologically advanced Mercedes-Benz yet, featuring AI integration and the new Mercedes-Benz Operating System, enhanced by Gemini. It combines innovation, luxury, intelligent features and impressive driving performance.

A new bill aimed at addressing absent fatherhood and mental health issues affecting men has been proposed. According to The Citizen, Nikita Harris from Legacy Nation said that when men step up, “households stabilise and communities heal”. This is exactly what she hopes to achieve with her MENPOWERED campaign and the proposed Responsible Parenthood Bill. The new bill argues that having an official day dedicated to men could help address issues unique to men, as well as those affecting children and families. The Responsible Parenthood Bill aims to establish an official Men's Day on 26 June, aligning it with the anniversary of the 1952 Defiance Campaign.

To say South Africans are gatvol of corruption is an understatement, but we often feel our hands are tied when it comes to fighting it. One resident, however, has decided to take the allegedly corrupt system at a Home Affairs office head-on. In a video that has surfaced online, the woman can be seen calling out officials at an alleged Home Affairs branch for accepting bribes to assist those who pay first. The woman alleged that she was approached outside the branch and asked to pay R150 to receive her card, reportedly an ID card, within 10 minutes.

Breakfast with Martin Bester has a new Secret Sound! Listeners stand the chance to win R50,000 if they correctly guess the Secret Sound. Listen to Breakfast with Martin Bester every weekday from 06:00 to 09:00 to see if you can guess the next sound. To enter, all you need to do is WhatsApp "SECRET" to 084 850 0942 and follow the prompts.

Most people have experienced the frustration of driving behind an oversized truck moving slowly along the road. What many do not realise is that these extraordinary loads often carry the equipment that keeps South Africa's economy moving. For nearly 60 years, Transvaal Heavy Transport (THT) has specialised in transporting abnormal and high-value loads across South Africa and neighbouring countries. From mining equipment and transformers to industrial machinery and infrastructure components, the company helps deliver the assets that power construction, mining, energy and water projects.

Child support is often a contentious issue in separated families. More often than not, the issue involves one of the parties paying too little or nothing at all in maintenance. This week, we are looking at how much is too much when paying child support. Anonymous wrote to Breakfast with Martin Bester, saying that he pays R10 000 a month in child support and feels that it is too much.

Across the world, including in our beloved country, there have been national anthem performances that have left audiences in shock, and not for the right reasons. The latest performance to have audiences struggling to hold back their laughter took place at the Women's Pro Baseball League (WPBL) debut on Saturday, 1 August, with some dubbing it the worst ever. Legendary Motown singer Martha Reeves took to the field to perform the United States national anthem before the inaugural game. Unfortunately for Reeves, it was not the performance she had hoped for. The performance did not go very well from the start, and things did not improve as it continued. Her backup singers also did little to help make the performance any better.

One lucky listener walked away with R50 000 on Friday, 31 July, after correctly guessing the Secret Sound on Breakfast with Martin Bester.

Human Nebula, a local metal band, performed at the international Wacken Metal Battle Finals in Germany on Wednesday, 29 July. Human Nebula went up against national winners from 31 countries at the international Wacken Metal Battle Finals, which is often referred to as the Metal World Cup.

The school rugby community has been left embarrassed after a massive brawl broke out at a match over the weekend. During Saturday's Noordvaal Cup match between Die Hoërskool Menlopark and Hoërskool Dr E.G. Jansen, a brawl involving players, parents and spectators erupted. The altercation occurred during the first-team clash between the two schools. Breakfast with Martin Bester sports presenter Xola Ntshinga reported that the match was abandoned a few minutes into the second half, with the score at 36–5 in favour of the hosts, Menlopark. Numerous videos of the fight were shared on social media and quickly went viral. Breakfast with Martin Bester spoke to Rigardt Dey, an Afrikaans teacher at Die Hoërskool Menlopark, about the incident. Dey condemned what took place, clearly stating that such behaviour was completely unacceptable.

South African musician Lee Cole stopped by Breakfast with Martin Bester to talk about his new single, ‘Fool', and perform his version of ‘Can't Help Falling in Love' on Friday Live. A Jacaranda FM listener recently wrote to us to share her thoughts on Lee's looks. “Lee Cole. The sexy Portuguese, with his tight white jeans,” she wrote. The ‘Palace of Dreams' singer had a simple reaction to the compliment: “I'm adding that to my bio,” he said.

Katy Perry has gone viral after a stunt at one of her recent shows nearly went wrong. While crowd-surfing on a giant inflatable water bottle at the Isle of MTV Malta festival on 22 July, the ‘I Kissed a Girl' singer seemingly became stuck above the crowd after drifting too far away from the stage.

Video footage of a reckless delivery driver nearly striking two fighting elephant bulls in the Kruger National Park has left visitors and authorities angered. According to Lowvelder, the incident occurred on the H1-2 near Skukuza on 28 July. In the video, taken by Pretoria resident Azille Engelbrecht, two elephants can be seen facing off against each other while several park visitors watch the interaction from their vehicles. While most of the vehicles remained stationary, allowing the natural interaction to play out without interference, one delivery driver decided to push past the other guests.

A Cape Town woman's simple plan to organise a games night took an unexpected turn after her search for male participants went viral. Speaking to Breakfast with Martin Bester, Leslie Paterson recalled how a simple social media video promoting her games night sparked something much bigger.

Most people do not think twice about the fruit they buy. An apple, a bunch of grapes or a punnet of blueberries appears on a supermarket shelf looking fresh and perfect. Few of us stop to think about the journey behind it or how much of a farmer's harvest never reaches its full value. That is the challenge Uzair Essack set out to solve.

Listeners stand a chance to win R50 000 if they correctly guess the Secret Sound. Listen to Breakfast with Martin Bester every weekday from 06:00 to 09:00 to see if you can guess the next sound. Martin Bester left listeners with the ultimate clue, which almost guarantees that someone will win R50 000.

How soon is too soon to start looking for someone new after a separation? That is Anonymous's question on Breakfast with Martin Bester's Asking For A Friend this week. Anonymous asked listeners and the Breakfast team for their opinions. “While we are still going through the divorce process, with a court date scheduled, my soon-to-be ex has already started dating,” he said. “I think it is incredibly brave, but someone close to us feels it is disrespectful towards me. “I do not agree with this sentiment, but I would like to know what listeners think.” This is what people had to say.

New AI tools are allowing readers to interact with books through chatbots, while raising concerns about copyright, permissions and how authors and publishers should be paid. Gerda de Sousa brought this story to Breakfast with Martin Bester during her news bulletin, sparking a debate about the use of AI.

Grammy-winning South African singer Tyla faced intense online backlash primarily from international, mostly American, audiences after identifying as a " coloured" woman.

Is South Africa due for a name change? The founders of a new South African think tank and advocacy group think so. Vuka Azania is calling on South Africans to consider changing the country's name. According to The Citizen, Vuka Azania wants to change the country's name to Azania, the same name previously suggested by several liberation movements during apartheid.

A now-viral video showing a JMPD officer grabbing a man by the neck and pulling him out of a vehicle has sparked outrage among community members and officials. Video footage taken from inside the vehicle shows two men being pulled over by JMPD officers. Once one of the officers approaches the driver's window, the interaction quickly takes a dark turn. The driver and the officer can be seen arguing before the officer grabs the man by the throat. After a while, he releases the man and the argument continues. Moments later, officers open the vehicle's door and attempt to forcibly remove the driver. When the man refuses to be grabbed, one officer again grabs him by the neck, pulls him out of the vehicle and throws him to the ground.

A stranger was found sleeping in the back of a bakkie after a UFC match, and many people pointed out that he appeared to be South African.

Junior Boks team doctor Clement Plaatjies saved a woman's life while travelling with the team on a flight.

Converge Solutions creates software that helps hospitals, banks and insurance businesses operate more efficiently, securely and reliably. When software works well, most people never notice it. But in hospitals, banks and insurance businesses, the systems running behind the scenes can influence everything from patient care to financial security. That's where Converge Solutions has built its reputation. Founded eight years ago by Johann Joubert together with co-founders Jaco Cromhout and Kobus van der Merwe, the business develops software for industries where reliability, security and accuracy are essential.

Gauteng music lovers are in for a treat this festive season as Grammy-winning R&B icon Brandy brings the heat at the 2026 All White Soul Sessions Concert Tour Experience, brought to you by Remoakantse Holdings and Your No 1 Feel Good station, Jacaranda FM.

Asking For A Friend sounded a little different this week. Instead of raising a personal or relationship issue, Jade, whose surname has been omitted, asked a very simple question: Why are people over 30 always giving main character energy? Jade argued that people over 30 often come across as a little too confident and self-assured, with an overbearing energy. She specifically pointed to millennials who post about things like running marathons on social media. The question sparked a heated debate between people over 30 and those who share Jade's opinion

After six weeks of cash calls, Golden Ticket qualifiers and exciting elimination rounds, Jacaranda FM welcomed a brand-new millionaire. Kamogelo Qolosha, an unemployed single mother from the Eastern Cape, walked away with the R1 million grand prize during the Goldrush Make Me A Millionaire finale on Breakfast with Martin Bester.

South Africa's Grammy-winning pop star Tyla has been honoured with her very own Bratz doll, celebrating her fashion and superstar status. The ‘Water' singer and the global doll brand announced their collaboration on Instagram, unveiling what the doll will look like.

Devi Sankaree Govender is a South African media icon. Her reputation as an award-winning investigative television journalist has been cemented by decades of bold, brave and fearless reporting that holds governments, companies and individuals to account. Govender joined Breakfast with Martin Bester to talk about the success of 'The Devi Show', thank audiences for their support and give listeners an inside look into the life of one of South Africa's most renowned investigative journalists.

Walk through any supermarket and you'll see shelves filled with colourful bottles, jars and cans competing for your attention. Behind many of those eye-catching products is a process most shoppers never think about: turning a great product idea into packaging that's ready for the retail shelf. For more than 20 years, QualiPak JHB has helped make that happen. Founded by Graham Hepburn, the Johannesburg-based business specialises in applying printed shrink sleeves to bottles, jars, cans and other containers, helping businesses package their products professionally without having to commit to large production volumes from day one.