The Daily Discourse

The Department of Arts and Culture will host the Social Compact Convention as part of Social Cohesion and Nation Building Strategy, next month in Pretoria. Despite positive strides since 1994, the South African society remains divided. The privilege attached to race, class, space and gender has not yet been fully reversed. The social, psychological and geographic elements of apartheid continue to...

So last week we didn’t get to finish our discussion with Channel Africa’s Izak Khomo on African nationalism in South Africa due to the funeral service of late business Soweto Icon, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, so we moved this discussion to today. This morning we will continue our discussion on the African national Congress (ANC), which is the continent’s oldest liberation movement. But how much do we know...

African Transformation Movement, ATM, President Vuyo Zungula says South Africa should have policies that seek to advance the interests of its citizens first. In a tweet Zungula asked why a South African who wants to open any business for example in Turkey or Saudi Arabia, needs to partner with a citizen of those countries yet citizens of those countries don't need to partner with South Africans wh...

Last week we were meant to speak to Bryan about the 10 principles that make up a financial plan. Unfortunately we could not do this discussion last week due to the funeral service of late businessman Dr Richard Maponya, which we were carrying live on our station. But this morning we will continue that discussion with Bryan… GUEST: Bryan Hirsch, Chairperson of Bryan Hirsch, Colley & Associates (Pty...

The situation is still tense in the small town of QwaQwa, in the Free State following violent protests over chronic water shortages. The situation was fueled by the tragic death of eight year old Mosa Mbele after she drowned while fetching water in a river over the weekend… GUEST: Free State co-operative governance and traditional affairs MEC, Thembeni Nxangisa

The Pan African Bar Association of South Africa, Pabasa is set to launch the very first school of Advocates. The school will be named after late former chief justice Pius Langa, who died in Johannesburg on the 24th of July 2013. Mr Langa served in various capacities in the justice department. During the 1980s and early 1990s, he served in the structures of the United Democratic Front, he was also...

Police in Lesotho are appealing for help to trace Prime Minister Thomas Thabane's current wife who they want to question over the 2017 murder of his estranged wife. Maesaiah Thabane has not been charged, but police want to speak to her about Lipolelo Thabane's killing. She was shot dead two days before Mr Thabane was sworn in as prime minister of the mountain kingdom. Last week Thabane announced t...

The long-awaited inquest into the death of anti-apartheid activist Dr Neil Aggett will finally be reopened today *(Monday - 20/01). It has been set down for five weeks before Justice Motsamai Makume in the Johannesburg High Court later this morning. He was found hanging in his police cell on the 5th of February in 1982. The Neil Aggett Inquest is the second involving the apartheid security police...

Time now for our Friday Wind Down feature, gracing our spotlight this morning is Parks Tau, Deputy Minister for cooperative governance and traditional affairs, Cogta. He was also the mayor of the City of Johannesburg from 2011-2016.At the age of fourteen, he joined the Congress of South African Students (COSAS) and became engaged in student activism for the first time. Guest: Parks Tau, Deputy Min...

We continue our discussions into careers and jobs. Shifting a bit to the element of those who got the jobs simply because they were available. People who become teachers, police officers, nurses and so on simply because the jobs were available, but the passion is not there. Why are we seeing this trend? Guest: Bongani Masilela – Chief Executive of Tshimong Education

As those coming out of high school are going to various tertiary institutions, there are those who are entering the job market. Some of the job seekers are those who have completed their tertiary studies. We use this opportunity now to look at careers and job applications especially in the era of the fourth industrial revolution. People no longer use the old methods of applying, now we have WhatsA...

Solidarity Youth has expressed its disappointment with the Gauteng Department of Education that was unable to place all prospective Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners in schools. This after the department had to approach a private school group to help with public school placements. Paul Maritz, a Manager for Youth and Career Development and the coordinator of Solidarity Youth says Education MEC Panyaza...

In our health feature today - The Heath Talk we look at the Cosmetic Procedure with a special focus on Botox. Botox is not a procedure itself but a brand name of toxin - and there are many others. This procedure is used to treat wrinkles and facial creases. Today we learn about how the procedure is done, the side effects and risks of Botox, the positives of using this procedure and who should not...

Last year residents of Alexandra Township took to the street and shut the area down in protest of service delivery and housing problems. The filth, the rats and the congestion are just something else. What has happened since their protests? Has anything changed? Guest: Thandi Mthombeni – One of the organizers of the Shutdown Alex Movement

With the continued uncertainty of Eskom and the impact it has on business, especially the SMME sector, insurance companies are saying it’s not all doom and gloom for the SMME sector. They are coming up with solutions for that may help owners minimize the impact of load shedding. Knowing how complicated insurance companies can be, how then are they making things easy for the SMME sector seeing that...

Professor Malegapuru Makgoba has been appointed Eskom interim chairperson. This follows the resignation of Jabu Mabuza last week. Makgoba, a scientist, joined the Eskom board as a non-executive director in 2018, following the resignation of Jabu Mabuza last week. In a statement, the Public Enterprises Department says his appointment is consistent with government's plan to appoint a board with an a...

Energy just like water has become a serious issue for the African continent. Some countries are investing in dams, solar, nuclear and other forms of alternative energy. Interestingly, the intra-African trade agreement has been signed and those in the energy sector believe it may bring a lot of positives when it comes to the future of energy. What sort of benefits are there and how should South Afr...

Today schools are opening and parents and teachers are having their hands full in making sure that all goes well for the first day. But now the Institute of Race Relations has released a report entitled ‘Thrown under the School Bus – The future of the Class of 2020: Gauteng as bellwether on education’. The report interrogates what the future holds for the youngsters and what the class of 2019 tell...

Dr Richard Maponya was one of the founding fathers of the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce, commonly known as NAFCOC. They are here too paying their respect to Dr Maponya and we use this opportunity now to speak to them about what he meant to them and also touch on how significant NAFCOC is today under the democratic dispensation…. GUEST: Steve Skhosana – General Secretary of NAFCOC

Time now for our regular Monday feature Legally Speaking, where we discuss all issues pertaining to South African law. This morning we will discuss the calls for the country's sex offenders list to be made public. This in the wake of ongoing cases of gender-based violence (GBV), rape and other sexual offences. This morning we are asking you: Should South Africa's sex offenders list be made public?...

Last week Friday some NSFAS-funded students were being turned away from registering at universities because the government financial aid scheme had not yet paid their registration fees. The SABC spoke to some students who were turned away from the University of Johannesburg. They were concerned that NSFAS will pay their registrations fees after the process has been closed. The students’ main worry...

ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile last week denied reports that there are factions in the top six leadership of the party. Since the beginning of the week in Kimberley, different leaders have been conducting campaigns individually, something that is widely seen as factionalism in the ANC. On Thursday, ANC deputy president David Mabuza told the media during a campaign that the Eskom board and Go...

Police in Upington, Northern Cape, had to rescue a group of migrants as anger in the community boiled over. Upington has been in turmoil for two days since the stabbing and killing of police officer Stefano Visagie. A man who's not South African is suspected to be the killer and that has triggered the community to attack shops owned by migrants. GUEST: Stanley Peterson - one of the community leade...

Matric results have just been announced with Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga very that the pass rate is over 80% this time around. But now a very scary fact is being brought to light by Merle Mansfield - Programme Director for the Zero Dropout Campaign at the DG Murray Trust, who points out that while almost every child starts school in South Africa, over 40% won’t ever get to even write...

Today on our Health Talk feature we discuss vision loss. What is it. Medically it is a decreased ability to see to a degree that causes problems to fixable by usual means such as glasses. What are the most common causes of vision loss. Is there a difference between visual impairment and blindness. What are the symptoms and is it preventable GUEST: Professor Trevor Carmichael, A Professor of Ophtha...