The Daily Discourse

Wits University staff and students from the Faculty of Human Sciences are holding a five-day picket to highlight what they deem to be a crisis in the Gauteng health system. They say that the closure of the Charlotte Maxeke academic hospital and the treat of Covid-19 point to a deeper crisis. To tell us more on this, we are joined on the line by… Guest: Prof Ashraf Coovadia – Head of Paediatrics an...

The South African Reward Association says that it has noticed some good behaviour coming of corporates. Some executives are said to have held back their bonuses or increases during the lockdown to help staff members in need. What can we attribute this to and what does it change about the way executives are perceived? Guest: Yolanda Sedlmaier – Chartered Reward Specialist and Executive Committee me...

Member of the South African Municipal Workers Union workers in George yesterday (Wed) downed tools over ongoing disputes regarding the payment of Covid-19 danger pay. demanding that they be paid Covid-19 danger pay by June 30th for working during the hard lockdown last year. Let’s find out now from them about what they mean by danger pay as we welcome…. Guest: Dumisani Magagula – SAMWU’s Deputy Ge...

Yesterday (Wed) while reflecting on parole issues and the misconception it creates for the victims and their families, we received a call from Thabiso in Kroonstand who spoke about the person who raped his niece being released on parole. CLIP-THABISO-CALLER LINK: To get an understanding on how something like this can happen and the kind of criminals that were released under the latest Covid-19 par...

We focus today on a very spooky business of funerals. Under the current Covid-19 pandemic, the industry has had to go through a lot of adjustments either keeping to the number of people attending funerals or dealing with a corpse. How are they adjusting and also how are their packages affected since the business is modelled around what service they give to their clients? Guest: Unathi Saul – Co-fo...

This morning we take it slightly different on health issues. We get to understand how diagnosis work especially now under the current Covid-19 period where pressure is even higher for laboratories as results must come out quickly. Sometimes for either blood or Covid-19 come out positive the one time then later negative. What is causing all of that also what is it that we as the public should under...

As you may have heard throughout yesterday that the family of Leigh Matthews says that they are not interested in meeting their daughter’s killer, Donovan Moodley. The family received a message from the Department of Correctional Services for mediation ahead of a possible parole hearing of Moodley. Many would say that the Matthews family is correct in their reaction. Let’s look now at the why paro...

Members of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises were worried after being brief by Eskom’s management on the status of the Khusile Power Station. More than R140 billion is said to have been used to build the Station, this coming from the R161 billion that was budgeted for. Let’s get parliament’s impression on what Eskom is saying and also the controversy surrounding the power util...

President Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday (Tuesday) announced that the Transnet Port Authority will be run independently. This was greeted as good news at the back of the announcement of a 51% SAA stake being given to a private entity. How should we interpret this and also, is the president taking the right direction towards privatisation? Will it attract the much-needed investment to the country? Guest...

We start off the show by speaking to Carol Paton who penned an opinion piece about how Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan managed to get his way around SAA. One of the things she points out about the airline is how many times it has been bailed out for the 20 years. Guest: Carol Paton – Editor at large for the Business Day

We go to Mbombela Municipality where small business was worried about the recent 7,8 per cent increase in electricity tariffs. Recently some residents didn’t have water which the municipality attributed to theft of electricity cables. Roads are also in a bad condition. What is happening Guest: Sibusiso Mathonsi - Executive Mayor of Mbombela Municipality Guest: Sam Ngubane – Head of Department in t...

We speak to Dr. Richie Achukwu who has done leadership training interventions for both the private and public sectors in South Africa and many countries around the world. He speaks to us this morning about the importance of good leadership. Also as individuals, how can we be good leaders in our own right? Guest: Dr. Richie Achukwu - Author, Top Executive & Leadership Coach, Leadership Trainer, Gro...

Bryan is today dealing with drawing up a financial plan. How easy is it to draw one and stick to it under the current circumstances? Bryan also comments on last week’s caller about legal judgements taken against them… GUEST: Bryan Hirsch, Chairperson of Bryan Hirsch, Colley & Associates (Pty) Limited

KZN Premier Sihle Zikala and MEC for Economic Development Ravi Pillay are today (Tuesday) handing over millions of rands worth of equipment to SMME’s in the province. This is part of their Operation Vula Fund initiative and to tell us more on it, we are joined on the line by…. Guest: Sihle Zikala – KZN Premier

When one goes back in time where we as children played in the street, one can’t help but feel sorry for the kids of today. An NPO called A Chance to Play South Africa and some concerned parents are advocating for children’s right to play and to make us understand why they would dedicate their time for something like this, we are joined on the line by… Guest: Cynthia Morrison – Director at NPO call...

South African companies are said to be under constant cyberattacks at the rate of 577 per hour. This puts the country as the third highest victim in the world. As far as the experts are concerned, why is this happening and what can businesses do to protect themselves? Guest: Maeson Maherry – CEO and co-founder of LAWtrust

TransUnion’s South Africa Global Capability Centre is bringing some good news regarding the reputation of South African skills abroad. They say that the new employees they are hiring to service their Canadian business and customers are “nothing but best in class service”. They go on to say that South Africa has shown ‘an innate ability’ to develop operating models that provide continuity solutions...

The United Nations marks World Refugee Day this weekend focusing on the power of inclusion under the theme "Together we heal, learn and shine." The Day - previously known as Africa Refugee Day - has been commemorated annually since 2001. The 20th of June that year the world marked 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. Some 82 million people worldwide were forc...

We wrap up this hour by engaging professor Wiseman Nkuhlu as he and the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants will be unveiling their ongoing exercise called Unite 4 Mzansi. One of the things it’s highlighting as hindering the South African economy is corruption which has led to state capture. As far as he’s concerned, how will this initiative help in bringing the practical solutions to...

The African Capacity Building Foundation which is an African Union specialised agency will be holding its annual Board of Governors meeting. This body made up of finance ministers from the AU member states will be looking at the impact of Covid-19 on the continent among other things. Also catch up on where the inter-Africa Trade initiative. To talk to us on this, we are joined on the line by…. Gue...

As we celebrate Youth Month, the Judicial Inspectorate Correctional Services says that many young people charged with violent crimes are incarcerated in government facilities. The numbers show an increase which raises a huge concern which points to social problems in society. For a perspective on this and where we should be pointing the finger? And also these juvenile facilities, do they really re...

Tributes continue to pour in for the late former founding president of Zambia, Kenneth Kaunda. He passed away yesterday (Thursday) at a military hospital. Kaunda has been a great friend of South Africa and other countries as it he housed many liberation movements including the ANC in his country. Radio Freedom also operated from there and we speak now to one of the former directors of that station...

Tributes continue to pour in for the late former founding president of Zambia, Kenneth Kaunda. He passed away yesterday (Thursday) at a military hospital. Kaunda has been a great friend of South Africa and other countries as it he housed many liberation movements including the ANC in his country. Radio Freedom also operated from there and we speak now to one of the former directors of that station...

This week being World Allergy Week, the focus is on anaphylaxis risks, treatment, and prevention. Anaphylaxis is said to be a severe life-threatening allergic reaction to food, insect venom and medications. The sad part is that the number of people who are experiencing it around the world is said to be rising. Guest: Prof Johan Peter – Head of the Allergy and Immunology Unit and also Head of the D...

Last week we received a call from Tladi in Vanderbylpark complaining about unfair treatment by a debt councillor. Let’s take a listen to what he had to say….. Guest: Timmy van der Grip – Legal Advisor in the Debt Counselling Department at the National Credit Regulator