The Daily Discourse

The Department of Basic Education has announced that it will be visiting exam marking centres around the country to make sure that they comply with Covid-19 regulations. So far 1659 teachers have died from Covid-19. Guest: Basil Manual-Executive Director for the National Teachers’ organisation of SA (NAPTOSA)

2020 has no doubt been a very heavy year for all of us. It was a year of great loss for many with lives lost. We speak now to Metropolitan who says that if we don’t speak about it, we won’t learn from it. If we don’t own it, we can’t grow from it. Mental health is a major challenge which many people don’t really talk about. GUEST: Baatseba Mothoa - a healthcare practitioner, specialising as a Psyc...

South Africa will only receive the Covid-19 vaccine during the second quarter of 2021. President Cyril Ramaphosa revealed during his address of the nation on Monday about the country's response to the current surge in coronavirus infections. Ramaphosa also announced the decision to move the country back to adjusted level 3 lockdown as the country surpassed 1 million cumulative Covid-19 infections....

The 2020 AU Continental Teacher Prize was awarded to one of our own teachers. Livhalani Sinyosi who is a Principal at Dzata Secondary School in the Vhembe West District is this year’s winner and to find out more about what attracted the judges to her, Guest: Livhalani Sinyosi – Principal at Dzata Secondary School in the Vhembe West District

The Progressive Professional Forum has added its voice to government’s calls for people to stay away from super spreader events that contribute to the spreading of Covid-19. The biggest worry is New Year’s Eve celebrations where people party in large groups counting down the clock. What then are they suggesting and how should we find the balance? Guest: Kashif Wicomb – President of the Progressive...

Doctors, pharmacists and dentists in Kenya have called off a nationwide strike. The health care workers called on the Kenyan government to provide better working conditions. However, nurses and clinical officers will remain on strike as they say their demands are yet to be addressed. GUEST: Professor Thumbi Ndungu – Deputy Director African Health Research Institute

This year’s Kwanzaa celebrations will have to incorporate Covid-19 regulations and those celebrating it are considering doing it virtually. But then does it lose its meaning and how important is it to celebrate it despite possible disruptions? GUEST: Thando Sipuye – Historian and Social Scientist

The Covid-19 pandemic has no doubt left destruction for the SMME sector with many closing down due to the lockdown. On the other hand there are those businesses that thrived during this period. Let’s talk now about how business can better prepare for situations like this as we welcome…. Guest: Khathutshelo (Khathu) Mufamadi - Computer engineer, founder and CEO of Droppa

Social media has brought us many new things, from social new ways of journalism, social celebrities and now influencers. These are people who get paid as trend setters and become very popular through their activities on the net. To educate us on this and talk about why its becoming popular and why people want to be influencers, Guest: Choaro Motshoeneng – Brand influencer and content creator

The Beitbridge border and the N1 in Musina, Limpopo faced disruptions these past few days as travellers head to various destinations for the festive season holidays. Traffic volumes started increasing over the weekend leaving officials unable to control traffic as trucks and small vehicles heading north towards Zimbabwe occupy both lanes. Let’s listen to what some of the motorists had to say… Gues...

Let’s tell you now about the annual collaboration between Centurion Haven of Hope, Basadi Ba Moshito & Railways Café. They will be hosting The Fathers Table Christmas Lunch for the needy and to tell us more on this and how long it has been running for, Guest: Tebogo Mpufane – Director Centurion Haven of Hope

Doctors in Kenya have joined nurses and clinical officers in a nationwide strike for better working conditions. Concerns are that this could make this worse for the country’s health system. Let’s listen to this report from Sara Kimani…. PKG-KENYA-DOCTORS LINK: Lately we’ve seen some of the leaders on the African continent succumb to Covid-19 which poses the question as to what this pandemic is unm...

Yesterday we received calls and voice note messages about water crisis in some municipalities. Some resident claim not having water for a few days now. Let’s listen to what Thando had to say regarding water at the OR Tambo Municipality… CLIP-THANDO MTHATHA LINK: To get an explanation from the OR Tambo Municipality, we are joined on the line by…. GUEST: Zimkhitha Macingwane – Spokesperson for the O...

President Cyril Ramaphosa last week raised concerns around gatherings during the festive season. He said that the current restrictions on the size of gatherings are not enough in preventing crowding in the current situation where new cases are rising rapidly….. CLIP-RAMAPHOSA-GATHERINGS LINK: We speak now to those in the entertainment industry who are directly affected. One of the major upcoming f...

Efforts are under way to help thousands of people left destitute following a fire at the Masiphumelele informal settlement near Fish Hoek in Cape Town. The fire which broke out on Thursday destroyed more than 1000 shacks. The problem of shack fires has been with us for many years. Guest: Prof Richard Walls – Head of the Fire Engineering Research Unit at Stellenbosch University

Usually this time of the year those who managed to invest in stokvels enjoy the dividends. Stokvels have been with us for so many years that banks started noting how much money they contribute and therefore set up packages that would suit them. GUEST: Andrew Lukhele – Chairman of the National Stokvel Association of South Africa

The festive season is hear already with many of us taking a bit of a break away from everything especially a heavy year like the current one. Depression is on the high as many people lost their jobs and businesses. Well health experts say that exercise has the ability to treat mild to moderate bouts of depression with as little as running just 15 minutes a day or walking for an hour, which has bee...

South Africa fought a battle for many years over who owns the name of Rooibos. This time around the name ‘biltong’ is again being internationally contested as fears rise that the Namibians could also claim it as theirs. We use this opportunity now to find out how important owning the name is important for the country and the industry as we welcome…. GUEST: Joseph Kau – Agricultural Economist at th...

We speak now to the Department of Public Enterprises about whether SAA employees who were given until yesterday to accept a final offer by the Department of Public Enterprises have done so. The workers have not been paid for eight months and to get some clarity on the issue, Guest: Kgathatso Tlhakudi – DG Public Enterprises

It is unclear at this stage whether SAA employees who were given until yesterday to accept a final offer by the Department of Public Enterprises have done so. The workers have not been paid for eight months. For the latest on the developments, we are joined on the line by…. Guest: Zazi Sibanyoni-Mugambi - President of the South African Cabin Crew Association (Sacca)

The 2021 local government elections will see a lot of new independent players join the race for municipality domination. The Eastern Cape just got its new entrant, a formation of a residents movement called Abantu Integrity Movement founded by Mkhuseli “Khusta” Jack. We use this opportunity now to talk about what these new parties and formations are bringing to our democracy and whether we need th...

We feature Dr Zama Tladi, owner and founder of Nubian Medical Aesthetics. She is in the business of skin treatment where she treats her patients with the latest non-invasive medical anti-ageing, beauty and aesthetic skin care methods. She specialises in treating African skins and to find out why she decided to go this route and where it all started for her, she now joins us on the line…. Guest: Dr...

The DA yesterday granted government an extension on the deadline to justify the closure of beaches along the Garden Route in the Western Cape. This after the party said that it received a response from the Presidency requesting an extension. However, they have given till 10am this (Thursday) morning. Guest: Unathi Sonwabile Henana – Tourism lecturer at the Tshwane University of Technology

The holiday season having started on a heavy note with Covid-19 numbers going up, we thought to turn our focus on the Kruger National Park looking at the impact this had on them. Also finding out what new measures they have put in place for visitors to the park as it is still operating and to tell us more on this, we are joined on the line by… Guest: Ike Phaahla – Spokesperson for the Kruger Natio...

December the 16th is the day that the Zulu army under King Dingaan took on the Voortrekkers at Ncome River in KwaZulu Natal in December of 1838. There’s been so many versions and interpretations of what really happened on that day. Let’s first listen to the version of Christo Rabie, Head of Education at the Voortrekker monument who was talking to Nina Oosthuizen ……. Guest: Prof Jabulani Maphalala...