The Daily Discourse

Yesterday (Wed) Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize announced that 511 health workers tested positive for Covid-19. While that was happening, the Health and Other Service Personnel Trade Union of South Africa is demanding that the Marapong Health Centre, in Lephalale be sanitized following two staff members testing positive for COVID-19. Guest: Kevin Halama – Spokesperson for the Health and Other Serv...

The South African economy could possibly go in to a depression if the current conditions continues the economy was in a recession already before covid-19 put a spanner in the works sending it into a tail spin. The national treasury and the Reserve Bank expect the economy to contract by as much as 6.1%, but others expect even worse. Tshepo Mongoai reports… Guest: Sandile Zungu, President of the Bla...

The private sector continues to heed the president’s call to assist in the fight against Covid-19 and today we tell you about De Beers Marine. They have stepped in to use their 3D printer to make headbands for face shields for health workers at the Tygerberg hospital. Tygerberg is said to be treating the highest number of COVID-19 patients in the province while facing a chronic shortage of face sh...

The South African Breweries are cautioning the country against the banning of alcohol under the lockdown regulations. They are warning about the consequences America faced in the early 1900’s when alcohol was illegal. What exactly is their concern and why are they taking us to the history of the USA? Is it really that drastic? Guest: Hellen Ndlovu - Director of Regulatory & Public Policy at SAB

Caxton has begun the process to withdrawing from magazine publishing. They are sighting the decline in circulation and advertising revenue. This is the latest media institution that’s closing down while others are pleading for funds to stay afloat. This is not good for journalists and the industry as a whole. What is going on? Guest: William Bird – Executive Director, Media Monitoring Africa Guest...

The City of Johannesburg has begun a process of identifying destitute residents from Setswetla informal settlement in Alexandra, north of Johannesburg, to move them into temporary houses. The area is intended for development. More than 5-thousand residents will be moved into the temporary houses just a stone's throw away from the informal settlement where they currently reside. Guest: Mlungisi Mab...

MPs have raised their concerns about the high costs hotels are charging for being quarantine sites. The figure that’s been given is said to be more than R28 million so far. Guest: Nolitha Ntobongwana – Chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure

SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter yesterday announced that tax revenues are expected to fall by between 15 and 20 percent this year, which is about 285 billion rand. He says this was due to both the sluggish economy and the coronavirus lockdown. He was addressing parliament's joint committee during a virtual briefing on the Revenue Service's strategic plan and annual performance. He says the sig...

As human beings, we fast for different reasons, from religion to good health. But now the Covid-19 pandemic has brought in a different dynamic to all of us. Experts are now warning that one should boost your immunity before fasting. Who is mostly at risk under the current conditions and what should they do? Guest: Vanessa Ascencao - Health and wellness expert and nutritional consultant

We continue fielding your UIF questions as we could not take all of you due to time constraints. Please remember to keep your questions very brief and listen on the radio for answers. GUEST: Makhosonke Buthelezi - UIF's communication and marketing manager

Since the lockdown period, many companies warned that it may put them out of business as the economy is already strained. We’ve seen big brands in the news about their financial situation. Now the big question is how should they handle the situation? Guest: Janine Hills – CEO of Janine Hills Authentic Leadership

Today Bryan opens our mind on what exactly makes up a financial plan? GUEST: Bryan Hirsch, Chairperson of Bryan Hirsch, Colley & Associates (Pty) Limited

We continue our conversation around the water and electricity problem at the Maluti a Phofung municipality. The conversation started on Friday with a call from a resident called Motebang who complained that they don’t have electricity. We then did a follow-up with Lwando Zonke – Acting Director: Infrastructure and technical services at the municipality. So today we speak to South African Local Gov...

Scores of Pensioners, some of them ill, had to stand for up to five hours waiting for their old age grants at the Westgate Mall in Roodepoort, west of Johannesburg yesterday. There were snaking queues as some of them travelled from different townships trying to avoid long queues at their local Sassa pay points. The problem was also experienced in various other parts of the country, with social dis...

The Fair trade Independent Tobacco Association (FITA) says it has filed a court application challenging government's ban on the sale of cigarettes. This after President Cyril Ramaphosa came out in defense of the decision in his weekly letter in which he asserts that the decision was taken collectively. Ramaphosa's comments follow British American Tobacco's threat to take legal action against Coope...

Since President Ramaphosa’s please to the private sector to get involved in fighting the Covid-19, many entities have heeded the call in their own way. This morning we turn our focus on the #Soap4Hope campaign. They have been distributing food and hygiene products across the country. What made them come forward and also join forces with South Africa’s beloved Springbok captain Siya Kolisi? Guest:...

May being Africa Month, we turn our focus on how the continent is dealing with the issue of Covid-19. The concern from human rights bodies is how some of the abusive leaders on the continent are using the lockdowns to abuse their citizens. Also the impact this may have on countries that may be heading to the polls this year. Case in point is in Zimbabwe how a court had to rule that police should s...

As the country entered level 4 of the lockdown, concern is not only on reviving the economy, but also education. The higher education sector has also been hard hit as institutions are looking at ways they can implement distance learning. Could it be something that all university can implement and stay with beyond the Covid-19 crisis? Guest: Prof Mandla Makhanya - Principal and Vice Chancellor of t...

On Friday we received calls from residents of Maluti a Phofung who were complaining about the outage of power in their area. They were blaming mismanagement of the municipality as the problem. Before we get the municipality’s side of the story, Guest: Lwando Zonke – Acting Director: Infrastructure and technical services

Not taking it too far in history, one can go back to an era where royalty ruled the world and decided on everyone’s future and education level. But then as expected, revolutions took over. The most popular being the French and the Russian revolutions where ordinary people took over. In Russia it was the peasants and the factory worker who were in the midst of things, giving birth to the symbol of...

Guest: Dr Dino Chetty - Specialist Oncologist who consults at 1 Military Hospital

Guest: Nomusa Dube-Ncube KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Economic Development, Tourism & Environmental Affairs

Struggle stalwart and Rivonia trialist, Denis Goldberg has died at the age of 87. Goldberg was one of the eight Rivonia Trialists who were convicted alongside former President Nelson Mandela for treason. Omar Badsha - CEO of South African History Online - SAHO, Jeremy Cronin – Former South African Communist Party General Secretary

As more and more private institutions are heeding government’s call to assist in helping against the fight to contain the Covid-19, we as the station bring them to you to show the good side of our country. This morning we speak to the SA Medical and Education Foundation. They together with their donors have supplied R10-million life-saving medical equipment which has already been delivered to the...

The Unemployment Insurance fund (UIF) has paid out 3-point-3-billion-rand in Covid-19 relief funding since the 27th of April. Government says it has received 103-thousand applications from employers who represent 1-point-7-million employees. Employers are encouraged to apply for funding through the temporary employer/employee relief scheme. Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi says 220-thou...