The Daily Discourse

Germany's foreign minister is looking at possible solutions to put an end to what they call "foreign interference" in war-torn Libya. The country's foreign minister Heiko Maas says this issue is a "fundamental problem" in Libya that will be discussed at a conference on the North African country, which will take place in Berlin later this year. Let's take a look back to how Libya found itself here....

Last week we were going to deal with; why should South African's not retire early? However, as it is the last Tuesday of the month, we deal with questions that Bryan has received off air of a similar nature. GUEST : Bryan Hirsch, Chairperson of Bryan Hirsch, Colley & Associates (Pty) Limited

The Wits University is hosting an African Investigative Journalism Conference, from the 28th until the 30th of October. Award winning Cameroonian journalist, Mimi Mefo will be among 70 lauded thought-leaders from around the world who will speak at the 15th African Investigative Journalism Conference. guest: Jeff Lowenstein, an investigative journalist from the USA, an author of four books and a vi...

Time now for our regular Monday feature Legally Speaking, In September 2018 the constitutional Court ruled that the private cultivation, possession and consumption of cannabis is legal. Since the ruling some South Africans have been using certain loopholes in the law to get around the cannabis judgement through so called 'grow clubs', which exploit the decriminalization of the personal use and cul...

As South Africa is battling to deal with its energy crisis with government coming up with different options which include nuclear energy. But interestingly, now there is the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Inga 3 project which the country is being called upon not to go ahead with as it may be too expensive. The African women Unite against Destructive Resource Extraction and International Rivers- tw...

Last week we say a breach of the City of Johannesburg’s network and some of the banks. The risk of being hacked has always been there over the years and no matter how hard companies try to protect themselves against cybercrime, somehow criminals manage to penetrate their systems. Well, those in the in the insurance sector say that there seems to be very little uptake in cyber insurance and other r...

The KwaZulu-Natal Police are investigating a case of attempted murder following the shooting of Thabiso Zulu, the whistle blower in the murder case of the late ANC Youth League Secretary-General, Sindiso Magaqa. Zulu also testified before the Moerane Commission of Inquiry set up to investigate political killings in the province. This morning we will look at the protection of whistle-blowers around...

Editor of the Sunday World Makhudu Sefara says Minerals Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe's motive might be to harm the reputation of the newspaper. The Sunday World reported that Mantashe admitted paying two of the newspaper's journalists a 70-thousand-rand bribe to squash a story about his alleged relationship with a student. The Tiso Blackstar Group which owned the Sunday World at th...

Time now for our Friday Wind Down feature, where we profile prominent politicians, academics, authors, actors and actresses, and other type of exceptional South Africans. This morning the spotlight is in KZN, where we shine the light on ANC KZN provincial secretary, Mdumiseni Ntuli. We will talk about his life, career in politics and challenges facing the ANC in KZN… GUEST : ANC KZN provincial sec...

Botswana's ruling Botswana Democratic Party, BDP has again won the country's general elections, after reaching the 29 parliamentary seat thresholds. Botswana parliament is made up of 57 seats, and a party with 29 seats is declared the winner. Chief Justice of Botswana Terence Ranowane is at the offices of the state broadcaster to officially announce Mokgweetsi Masisi the winner. The overall outcom...

The land issue is no doubt one of the most controversial issues we have to confront whether we like it or not. Since the ANC’s resolution on it at Nasrec, we have been having different speakers giving their views on it. This time around we here from the art world. The Gallery of the University of Johannesburg is hosting Conversing the Land, an exhibition of landscapes from the permanent art collec...

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has urged motorist to pay for e-tolls. He has been leading engagements on ways to save the cash-strapped project, given that motorists have basically crippled the e-toll system by simply not paying, despite mounting bills. But Mbalula now says paying for the roads would create a better economic eco-system within the transport industry. To get some clarity on this,...

The National Assembly's portfolio committee on health is embarking on a national roadshow to inform and educate the public about National Health Insurance Bill (NHI). The Committee will facilitate dialogues where community members and other stakeholders across South Africa will be afforded the opportunity to influence the direction of the NHI... GUEST: Sibongiseni Dhlomo, chairperson of the Nation...

It's been another busy week in the world of news, particularly here in South Africa with the news of DA leader Maimane and former federal chairperson Trollip resignation on Wednesday, following Helen Zille's election as federal chairperson of the party at the weekend. And in International news, the inaugural session of the Russia-Africa Summit at the resort island of Sochi. GUEST: Brooks Spector,...

Time now for our regular Thursday Health Talk feature, this morning we are in conversation with Belinda Ramakatsa, a Disability media influencer and the Founder of B-scoliosis, who has Scoliosis, a common spinal deformity that occurs most often during the growth spurt just before puberty. Belinda says so many people are misinformed about Scoliosis and that it's not just about the spine... GUEST: B...

Over the years working more than one job was mostly done by people who were really hard pressed by different circumstances. People like nurses, single mothers and so on. But now this is becoming a norm and even has a title called the 'Side Hustle Economy'. What is it exactly and what are the trends? How is it advancing under the current economic climate? Why is it becoming normal and what sort of...

SMME owners know the frustration of delayed payments and the effect it has on business. Especially to those who do business with government. Last week the Eastern Cape government developed an APP system to help speedup payment and also track the process through ones phone. It's been a few days since the launch, how is the system going so far and how are the SMME's warming up to it? guest: DALUHLAN...

Yesterday DA leader Mmusi Maimane finally made the announcement we’ve all been expecting him to make. In 1994 our politics became that of a rainbow nation with politicians integrating and driving towards one vision of uniting the country. The DA then grew over the years as a liberal party that accommodates the black electorate. Now we’ve seen two black senior members resign. We speak now to one of...

Mmusi Maimane and Athol Trollip have resigned as party leader and Federal Executive chairperson respectively. In a media briefing at the DA's headquarters in Bruma, Johannesburg, Maimane said that despite his best efforts he had realized that there was a grouping within the party that did not share his vision to build an inclusive South Africa. He says he will continue as the party's parliamentary...

There is a new law set to fast-track transformation. This morning we are going to look at the Amended Employment Equity (EE) Bill which seeks to fast-track transformation in South African workplaces. 27,000 employment equity audits reveal that 65.6% of top management positions are occupied by white South Africans. While Black Africans occupied 76% of the positions in government and whites occupied...

Batswana go to the polls, to decide who will lead their next government. Although some pundits believe there could be no clear winner, which could result in a hung parliament, others, say Mokgweetsi Masisi's Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), will prevail. During the last elections, in 2014, the BDP did not win the popular vote, as it secured, a record low, 47 percent of the vote. The BDP president,...

Domestic workers have historically been at the heart of reproductive labour required by society and the economy. The vast majority of domestic workers are women and their labour remains grossly undervalued. They have been part of struggles for several decades in South Africa to secure worker rights and while being conditionally included in the LRA and Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), the...

Staying on our topic of climate change and water challenges, we are now in conversation with Lennox Mtshagi, the president of the black farmers association South Africa to talk about the techniques drought-stricken farmers use when confronted by challenges of water shortages or lack of rainfall… GUEST: Dr Lennox Mtshagi, the president of the black farmers association South Africa

South Africans have been urged to use water sparingly after the levels of the Vaal Dam fell to below 50 percent yesterday - the lowest in three years. The City of Johannesburg says the heatwave of the past few days coupled with the lack of rain in Gauteng have contributed to the declining levels. At the same time last year, the dam was 86 percent full. The Department of Water and Sanitation says t...

The South African Weather Service says cooler temperatures and rain are expected to bring an end to the heatwave currently sweeping parts of the country. Some areas saw record high temperatures amid the persistent heatwave, with parts of Mpumalanga and Limpopo having reached 42 degrees-Celsius. On the Talking Point this morning we are going to explore the influence of climate change on our weather...