The Daily Discourse

As you may have heard in the news how Cosatu is warning President Cyril Ramaphosa on the issue of taking action against corruption. There’s also been criticism of him trying to please everyone. This morning we thought to focus our minds on issues of leadership. If a leader takes action that may go against popular belief, then they are labeled a dictator. If they try to please everyone, then they a...

The wife of a former Cabinet minister* is expected to appear in the Hatfield Magistrates' court this morning* in connection with alleged assault and malicious damage to property. The 40-year old woman was arrested by the Hawks on Friday at the couple's home in Waterkloof. The wife had spent the night in the holding cells at Brooklyn police station before being released on bail of five-thousand ran...

Many residents are not happy with a new policy that will allow government to put up 5G towers on private resident property. Minister of Communication, Stella Ndabeni-Abrams gazetted the policy recently. Some residents have started mobilizing against this new policy as they fear issues like radiation and so on. Guest: Nomvuiso Batyi - Director-General In the Department of Communications

As we enter Women's Month, we are greeted by news that Inanda in Kwa Zulu Natal has become the country's rape capital fourth year running. What is it about this community for it to record the highest number of rapes for so many years? Also what should we read into this seeing that our country is battling the scourge of rape and gender-based violence? Guest: Ngaa Murombezi – Advocacy Manager at Wom...

Limpopo's government has handed over 40 shacks worth over 2- million-rand to hostel dwellers at Talana outside Tzaneen. They are the first phase of the department's 15-million-rand Covid-19 temporary accommodation relief. This move has upset many who feel that the money used was too much for shacks which does not deal with the real problem of housing in that province. Guest: Basikopo Makamu - MEC...

***CLIPS SABC DOWN MEMORY LANE**** The SABC will tomorrow (Saturday) mark 84 years since it was established in 1936. One of the interesting things about the SABC is that it an institution that touched many of our lives one way or the other. Be it radio or TV. Let’s talk about some of the milestones of the institution as we welcome… Guest: Nada Wotshela - Group Executive for Radio

Many of those who are fortunate enough to have jobs are encouraged to take leave during the lockdown period. Health experts are pointing out that many employees are stressing and used to a system where they save leave days for December and Easter. But this year, there was no Easter Weekend. How important is taking time off for workers and how does it help? Guest: Alison Hallett, the founder of Wor...

With just a day to go into August, the Office of the Premier in KwaZulu-Natal is today launching their Women's Month Campaign. The 2020 commemoration will focus on unfinished business of empowering women under the theme “Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights for an Equal Future”. To talk more on the KZN plans Women’s Month, we are joined on the line by Guest: Lenox Mabaso – Spokesperson fo...

Lawyers around the country are raising their frustration about the plight of crash victims trying to claim for the Road Accident Fund. The lockdown is said to have made things worse. Let’s speak now to a lawyer to get an understanding of the challenges faced by the victims also how this affecting them directly…. Guest: Kirstie Haslam - Partner at DSC Attorneys

But then how do we take control of our communities to by-pass the politicians? How do we take charge as citizens? Let’s talk now to someone who has led from the front and knows the possibilities around it as we welcome… Guest: Dr. Trevor Ngwane – Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology and also President of the Sociological Association

Let’s talk about the arts now especially under the current lockdown situation. For people who love art festivals and so on, rehearsals are going on in a performance devised specifically for the Zoom app The Art of Facing Fear, which features artists from seven countries in Africa, South America, and Europe. It is a digital international collaboration conceived by Rodolfo García Vázquez and Ivam Ca...

July is National Savings Month in South Africa, and Nedbank dedicates the month to encourage consumers to adopt or maintain a culture of saving. This is in aid of changing the narrative that South Africans have a poor savings culture and also encouraging consumers to adopt new/better financial habits. Even with a seemingly bleak backdrop, stokvel savings remain preferred savings vehicles for a lar...

Yesterday when Andrew Mlangeni, the last remaining Rivonia Trialist was buried, even the president had to say something about the corruption that has plagued his government. Even the speakers raised their concerns about the Covid-19 corruption. Let’s hear what the President had to say…. CLIP-THANDI-CORRUPTION LINK: Having listened to those two sound clips from very senior members of the ruling par...

Last week we saw restaurant owners take to the street in protest against lockdown regulations on alcohol and the impact it has on their businesses. This time around an alcohol coalition made-up of the different industry associations launched a united movement called #SaveMyLivelihood, which they say aims to protect the wellbeing of one million people, across the entire industry’s value chain, from...

The International Partnership for Microbicides, IPM has welcomed a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency on a monthly vaginal ring for use by women of ages between eighteen and older in developing countries to reduce their risk of HIV infection. The vaginal ring is the first long-acting HIV prevention product and is designed to help address women's need for new methods given the pers...

Today being Tuesday, it’s time for our regular UIF feature where Tsiamo Molema addresses all your questions. Please remember to keep your questions very brief and listen on the radio for answers. GUEST: Tshiamo Molema – Manager for Monitoring and Evaluation in the Commissioner’s Office

As the world concentrates on fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, health experts are reminding us of one of the African continents biggest challenges, Malaria. The infectious disease has plagued the continent for many years. One then wonders as to why this battle was never won and why it’s still a problem today? Guest: Sherwin Charles – CEO and Co-founder of the Goodbye Malaria initiative

Today being the last Tuesday of the month it is always devoted to answering questions that have been submitted to Bryan during the month. He picks out all those questions of a similar nature and deal with them on the last Tuesday of the month. Bryan is all yours as we open the lines to you GUEST: Bryan Hirsch, Chairperson of Bryan Hirsch, Colley & Associates (Pty) Limited

The International Monetary Fund has granted South Africa an emergency coronavirus fund of four point three billion US dollar. This was announced last night after a meeting by the IMF’s board members. Just last week, the African Development Bank last week approved a 288 million US dollar loan to South Africa as part of its COVID-19 response facility while the New Development Bank approved a one bil...

When President Cyril Ramaphosa announced last week Thursday that schools will close for four week, SADTU’s general-secretary Mugwena Maluleke said that they were concerned that private schools would not be affected by the break. Private schools managed to continue teaching though other means. But then were they wrong for doing that? How do we address this issue of inequality and who do we blame fo...

The Eastern Cape department of education has defended the lease procurement option of the fifty-five thousand units of tablets for matric learners. The controversial tablets amounted to over four-hundred- million- rand. Although the idea of these tablets has been widely criticized, the department is adamant that they are vital for their target of an eighty percent pass rate. The department says le...

Gender and child rights activists have welcomed the provisional suspension of Ms K. Bodlani who was an acting regional magistrate at Umlazi, KwaZulu Natal. According to the Justice Department, the matter was referred to the Minister by the Magistrates’ Commission. A judicial quality assessment of Ms Bodlani’s work revealed serious irregularities and shortcomings, most notably that a number of her...

As you’ve heard earlier in the week that South African women's rights and sexual and reproductive health specialist Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng has been confirmed as a leading global expert on health by the Human Rights Council in Geneva. Dr Mofokeng now holds the title of Special Rapporteur on the Right of Everyone to the Enjoyment of the Highest Attainable Standard of Physical and Mental Health. She now...

Since the lockdown started health experts raised concerns about the mental health situation fearing that many could face anxiety and other mental ailments. Yesterday the South African Depression and Anxiety Group hosted a briefing where research showed that 28% of employees were experiencing constant high levels of both psychological and physical distress. To help us interpret this and also what i...

The health department in the Free State is concerned about the increase in the number of infections. The province is also facing serious challenges about recoveries. To find out what the situation is there and the kind of challenges they are facing, we are joined on the line by… Guest: Dr Sammy Mokoena – Provincial Head of Covid-19 Surveillance Team in the Free State