The Daily Discourse

Over the past few days we’ve been receiving calls from those in the security sector about the things they face while on duty especially under the lockdown. We’ve seen in malls and shops how they are made to spray customer hands with sanitizers. But is it part of their job? Also some of them are not given protective gear against the virus. Manabela Sam Chauke Guest: Manabela Sam Chauke – CEO of the...

Yesterday Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga was expected to brief the media with regard to when schools will reopen, as well as what steps are to be taken to prevent the spread of the coronavirus among learners, but the briefing was postponed indefinitely. This morning we speak to the unions in the sector to find out what their worries are. Let’s hear first from Naptosa through their Execut...

GUEST : Bryan Hirsch, Chairperson of Bryan Hirsch, Colley & Associates (Pty) Limited

On the 17th of March 1992, white South Africans vote "Yes" in a referendum to allow the National Party government to continue negotiations with the ANC in a process of dismantling apartheid. Let’s go back to that and listen to the news bulletin reflecting the voting…. Guest: Anton Harber – Veteran journalist and Caxton Professor of Journalism Guest: Mathata Tsedu – Former City Press Editor Guest:...

Today the 27th of April is exactly 26 years since the country’s first ever democratic elections. This was the first time in the history of our country that black people were given the opportunity to vote and have a say in the political leadership of the country. Every story has a beginning and an ending and one gets to choose where to start telling the story. We chose to start in 1990, bringing yo...

Since we are now in the fourth industrial revolution, we look at Telehealth and its background. According to medical journals, it involves the use of telecommunications and virtual technology to deliver health care outside of traditional health-care facilities. Where is it being used the most? GUEST: Dr Musa Mayayise – Cardiologist

The Public Servants Association in KwaZulu-Natal has raised its disappointment with the president saying he did not accommodate frontline workers in a form of incentive and so on. Let’s take this moment no to understand what it is exactly they are disappointed about and what would they have liked the president to do for them as we welcome…. Guest: Mlungisi Ndlovu - KZN manager for the Public Serva...

Guest: Sports Medical Doctor Dr Ntlopi Mogoru

The concern now is how these municipalities are going to handle the money seeing the poor track record many of them are holding when it comes to service delivery and the management of funds. We speak now to the union concerned to get their views and find out if they are worried?… Guest: Koena Ramatlou - Samwu secretary general

TransUnion has been conducting a weekly survey on how South African consumers have been impacted by COVID-19. One of the scary facts it has revealed is that almost 8 out of 10 (79%) have had their household income negatively impacted. What should we read into this and message is it sending? Guest: Lee Naik - Regional president of TransUnion Africa

We are joined now on the line by political analyst Xolani Dube. He has put forward a couple of arguments against the president’s stimulus package. One of the questions he’s asking is around the existing inequalities where the stimulus package will obviously benefit those who have already and leave the poor with nothing. Let’s engage him now to hear his thoughts.. Guest: Xolani Dube, a senior resea...

There has been mostly positive reaction to President Ramaphosa’s stimulus package. The President announced a 500 billion rand relief package, coming from different sources. Let’s get a perspective now from Business Leadership SA as we welcome…. GUEST: Busisiwe Mavuso – CEO of Business Leadership SA

Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Fellows Daniel Ndima and Dineo Lioma have developed a ground-breaking testing kit called qPCR for Covid_19 that provides results in just 65 minutes, through their company CapeBio. Guest: Daniel Ndima - CEO at CapeBio Technologies and an Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Fellow and a scientist

The Social Security Agency (SASSA) has sought to explain their reasons for changing the dates of social grant payments - saying they're aiming to avoid crowding at pay sites - and to protect the vulnerable from potentially being exposed to the coronavirus. As of May, persons with disabilities and the elderly will be paid their grants on the 4th of the month - and all other grants will be paid from...

The SA Reserve Bank has cut the repo rate by another 100 basis points, or one percentage point. This brings SA's repo rate to 4.25% in less than a month. Is this good news or bad news for consumers’ savings and investments? GUEST: Bryan Hirsch, Chairperson of Bryan Hirsch, Colley & Associates (Pty) Limited

The SA Reserve Bank has cut the repo rate by another 100 basis points, or one percentage point. This brings SA's repo rate to 4.25% in less than a month. Is this good news or bad news for consumers’ savings and investments? Guest: Sisandile Cikido – Nedbank’s Head of Retail Investments

Yesterday KwaZulu-Natal premier Sihle Zikalala together with the province’s MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liason, Bheki Ntuli mended Roadblocks in various places in the eThekwini metro which led to the arrest of 113 people for violations of COVID-19 lockdown regulations. Zikalala says the arrests come as the province seeks to intensify measure aimed at curbing the movement of the public....

Since the lockdown began, we’ve been receiving a lot of calls of people not really knowing their rights should they be confronted by authorities. Even though this is a temporary situation, surely authorities have no right of abusing their power. GUEST: Tshepho Mojapelo – Director at Mojapelo Attorneys Incorporated

Mariheca Otto is a South African who went to Bali on a yoga retreat. She got stuck there due the global lock down against the Covid-19. The interesting thing about her is that she managed to capitalize on the situation by still running her business from there. She is also highlighting issues around gender inequality during this time of Covid-19. Where does this fit in and why does she find it impo...

On Saturday the 18th, Zimbabwe marked 40 years of independence. The difference this time is that there was no gatherings due to the Covid-19 lockdown. April is also an important month for South Africa as that’s where Freedom Day falls in. But we also won’t be able to celebrate it also due to the lockdown. Guest: Advocate Sipho Mantula, a Researcher with the Institute for Dispute Resolution in Afri...

Guest: Mugwena Maluleke - is the General Secretary of the South African Democratic Teachers Union, (SADTU)

The National Union of Mineworkers Youth Structure says it is extremely unhappy and concerned by the decision taken by the National Command Council to allow mines in South Africa to operate at 50%. The Council announced last week that the amendments are aimed at allowing a phased economic activity which gives permission for mines to operate at 50% capacity and will gradually increase capacity. To u...

Since the lockout came into effect, smokers have been raising their concerns as shops are not allowed to sell it. Interestingly some listeners wanted to know about legalities around the sale and consumption of dagga. So to answer all questions about where the issue is currently legally and so on and how much quantity one can have on their person, Guest: Jeremy Acton – Leader of the Dagga Party – H...

Health experts have been raising concerns around people living with HIV with fears that they may be exposed to the Covid-19. So far we’ve not understood exactly what sort of impact it may have on them. Interestingly, UNAIDS and Reckitt Benckiser Group plc (RB) are joining forces to help people living with HIV across sub-Saharan Africa from contracting Coronavirus. How will they be doing this? GUES...

Professor Jonathan Jansen got the conversation going when he advised that the 2020 academic year be called off - due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Jansen has suggested that schools promote grade one to grade 11 learners to the next grades - but have a catch up plan in place. He says schools need to work with universities and colleges to bridge the gap for matric learners…. Guest: Hend...