In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser

This final episode is intended as an homage to who Eusebius was over time and space. Through conversation with Nick Ferreira, Julie Taylor and Bongani Khumalo, our host Lovelyn Nwadeyi delves into their experiences of Eusebius in the key locations that so profoundly shaped his life: Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) and his time at Rhodes University, Oxford town and University, and Johannesburg whic...

Before his untimely passing, Eusebius was working on a series of essays about the different types of friendships we encounter throughout our lives . In this episode, our host Lovelyn Nwadeyi explores the different types of friendships Eusebius had with people of different age groups, genders and racial identities. In a country like South Africa, these markers matter, making friendship both a sacre...

Eusebius was a loud and proud gay man. He was often very open about the experiences, struggles, celebrations and achievements of queer people. In this conversation, our host Nolwazi Tusini, explores the wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation across the continent of Africa and the urgency required to engage the reality of queer people's lives today. Through reflections about the role of the law in af...

Remembering Eusebius exactly one year after his untimely death on 30 May 2023 is not an easy thing to do. In this sometimes hilarious and sometimes poignant episode, Lovelyn speaks to some of the people who have had to make sense of a world without Eusebius namely: His father Donald McKaiser, his niece Jodie Colville and one of his best friends Lwandile Sisilana.

Between laughter and tears, in this episode, our host Lovelyn Nwadeyi speaks to Vanita Daniels, Tshidiso Ramogale and Wiseman Zondi. Each guest offers a generous and vulnerable reflection on what it has felt like to grieve Eusebius while still celebrating his life over the past year.

Everyone knows about Eusebius' love for books. He would regularly admonish his friends and listeners to keep reading, to stay curious, to ask questions, to challenge their beliefs and he felt very strongly that building a solid relationship with literature would enable that. To that end, this conversation pays tribute to the Literature Corner, a regular feature of Eusebius's former live...

This second part of the Final Literature Corner is a combination of tributes from fellow writers, journalists and broadcasters who share what they love about how Eusebius discussed their work and what they miss about Eusebius’ contributions to the landscape of public intellectual life.

Eusebius's last public contribution to the conversation about the upcoming national elections in South Africa was on 30 May 2023, the day he passed away, in which he asked if there was a viable option to the ruling party in the country. By all predictions, South Africa is likely to end up with a coalition government at a national level. We started our democracy in 1994 as a coalition with the...

Eusebius McKaiser was very deliberate about expressing his Coloured identity online, showcasing what it meant to him, challenging stereotypes and sometimes hilariously confirming stereotypes. In this conversation, host Lovelyn Nwadeyi speaks to three Coloured South Africans each with differing roles in the South African media landscape: Tessa Dooms a political analyst and author of Coloured: How C...

In this episode, we spotlight key organisations in which Eusebius McKaiser was affiliated. Lovelyn speaks to Wayde Davy, Former Deputy Director of the Apartheid Museum and Zaakira Mahomed, Founder of the Mina Foundation, and explores issues these two organisations face (race, gender and period poverty) as we celebrate our 30 year old democracy. While Eusebius did not consider himself an activist,...

In this edition of In The Ring, I analyse Prince Mashele's responses in interviews granted to eNCA, 702 and the SABC, in light of media reports that he had, ok the face of it, been dishonest about the nature of his biography of Herman Mashaba.  Herman Mashaba is leader of politica  part  ActionSA, and prior to that was always known as a very successful businessman in an against-all-odds tale...

Sihle Khumalo has written a fascinating, witty, brilliantly researched new book, Milk The Beloved Country  One of our continent's best writers, Zukiswa Wanner, came over to my house, and after a hearty lunch we hit the 'record' button for this edition of In The Ring.  We dissected Sihle Khumalo's new book, reading from it, telling you why we both loved it (for overlapping but a...

Redi Tlhabi, well-known South African journalist now based in London and working across the globe, joined me for a bloody fascinating and blunt conversation about South African media. It was wide-ranging and interesting.  Dig in. Debate it. Share it widely.

In this edition of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser, I reflect on both Freedom Day and Worker's Day.  I spend some time arguing that my generation and those of you who are younger shouldn't be ahistorical and glib about the achievements of those who came before us. That said, we have to be rigorous in our conceptualisation of 'freedom': what precisely is it? Unless we do some...

All I ask is that you listen to this entry of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser. It is ONLY 6min20sec.  Only engage me afterwards. Just do me that favour. 

In this exceptionally short audio entry, I voice my argument, first published by TimesLIVE ( https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times-daily/opinion-and-analysis/2023-04-11-eusebius-mckaiser-the-opposite-of-pointing-out-western-moral-viciousness-isnt-to-let-putin-off-the-hook/ ), for why South Africa should arrest Russian president Vladimir Putin should he come to our country. Have a listen.

I tweeted a picture of Julius Malema marching to the Uganda embassy where he spoke - with the rainbow flag wrapped around it - condemning the bill criminalising identifying as gay in Uganda. I accompanied the tweeted image with the following words: @Julius_S_Malema thanks for showing leadership today and not being worried about homophobic backlash even among some of your supporters online. Shame o...

I listened to John Steenhuisen's acceptance speech after he was re-elected as the federal leader of the Democratic Alliance, South Africa's official opposition in parliament. This is a very important leadership position given that the DA is the second largest party in the country. I was shocked by the bizarre content at the heart of the speech. It was filled with relentless negativity an...

This week, former president Thabo Mbeki wrote an extraordinary 17-page letter to deputy president Paul Mashatile. In it, he essentially critiqued various shortcomings of the current ANC parliamentary caucus. In this edition of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser, I do several things: a) explain the essential point of the letter; b) explain the structure and logic of the letter in a bit more detail;...

Why do so many people obsess about what queer people do, and how we identify? The latest expression of hatred is in Uganda, where a bill has been passed that now even criminalises merely IDENTIFYING as gay. Yes, you've read correctly.  Now it is up to the president - a long-time homophobe - to decide whether or not he sign it into effective law. Everyone must oppose hatred wherever it rears i...

Eve Fairbanks is an American journalist who has just written and published an amazing book, one that already won a significan  international literally award. It is called The Inheritors, and is situated in South Africa.  She has been based here for more than ten years, and developed a fascinating interest in making sense of how a country with our traumatic past, tried to carve out ways of dealing...

Are you confused that Somizi and Mohale were never married? "How so?", you may have asked yourself. Are you also confused as to why Somizi, rather than Mohale, is the one who wanted to sustain the claim that there WAS a valid marriage in place? After all, wouldn't Somizi, more than Mohale, be excited to know there was no valid marriage in place? If Mohale is the alleged gold digger,...

In this edition of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser, I ask and engage a bloody award question about Mr Ramaphosa's leadership weaknesses - should he even be the ANC's presidential candidate for 2024? I engaged this controversial question in a TimesLIVE analysis piece ( https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times-daily/opinion-and-analysis/2023-03-06-eusebius-mckaiser-can-the-anc-risk-putt...

Dean Michael Weeder (St George's Cathedral, Cape Town) wrote a stunning and moving collection of poems and ruminations.  You have to - HAVE TO - listen to some of the poems and ruminations being read in this episode of In The Ring. And get yourself a copy of his anthology.  We talked, along the way, about jazz, social justice, aesthetics, celebrating the everyday, artistic technique and creat...

Here's what I think of the interview outgoing UCT VC Prof Mamokgethi Phakeng did with JJ Tabane on eNCA. EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T FOLLOW THE STORY, THIS PODCAST CONTAINS LOTS OF CONTENT ON CRISIS COMMUNICATION THAT IS OF GENERAL INTEREST TO EVERYONE.  Have a listen.