The Daily Discourse

The Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries has released the 2018/19 National Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Report which outlines the work done by the Green Scorpions in the past financial year. One of the things it pointed out is that the financial year continued to display a similar pattern to previous years in relation to the most prevalent types of environmental crimes bei...

Since 1994, South Africa has experienced xenophobic attacks against African and Asian migrants and refugees. In 2008, 2015 and now in 2019 we’ve seen widespread flare-ups, especially against African migrants who are alleged to be taking away jobs from South Africans and the source of crime, such as drug dealing. Most notable hotspots this year have been street vendors plying their trade in Johanne...

The Human Science Research Council will be hosting a symposium on language practices in South African higher education institutions this coming weekend. The big issue is how an overwhelming majority of instruction at tertiary institutions and business is still conducted in English or Afrikaans which continues to marginalize a large group of the black student population. We use this opportunity now...

Religious practices and teachings in public schools has always been a very sensitive and hotly contested debate. The current national policy on religion and teaching prohibits public schools from adopting one religion to the exclusion of others. So, should pupils in public schools take part in religious practices or education even if the school has non-believing pupils? This morning we will look a...

Cameroon is divided by two languages; English speakers in that country want independence against the largely French-speaking government. For decades Francophones and Anglophones lived in relative harmony until the country violence experienced spurred by linguistic divisions. Francophones control a large portion of Cameroon's government and some English speakers say they're denied equal representat...

Have you started your own financial planning? Do you know the principles that make up for successful financial plan? Well this morning we are going to look at the 10 principles of financial planning? GUEST: Bryan Hirsch, Chairperson of Bryan Hirsch, Colley & Associates (Pty) Limited

Yesterday many of you (listeners) were not happy with the things our guest from the Zimbabwean Communist Party was saying regarding going back to communism. Over the years, those who believe in socialism believed that if the world embraced their ideology, then we would not see incidents like xenophobia and so on. But then we have seen how this didn’t work in countries like Russia. And also Capital...

We talk to the Road Accident Fund to remind you our listener and the public in general about how to approach the Road Accident Fund and what the new changes of directly claiming mean. For many years lawyers defrauded the fund millions of rands as they gave very little to victims. Since the changes how has the public been dealing with the fund? GUEST: Advocate Khathu Magadani, Promotions and Activa...

The Diageo Empowerment Trust South Africa (DETSA) has embarked on a search for ambitious sorghum farmers across South Africa to supply the United National Breweries. The tender is open to emerging black farmers who qualify in line with the generic Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Codes. To find out more, we're joined on the line now by Sinethemba Mafanya, spokesperson for the Diageo Empowerm...

As municipalities around the country are cautioning residents not to waste water, also having seen the situation in Makhanda and the Western Cape, we speak to the Water Research Commission about the work they do and what their assessment is of the possible water crisis… guest: Dr Stanley Liphadzi, Group Executive of Research and Development at the Water Research Commission

Yesterday (Sunday) was World Literacy Day, a day set aside by the United Nations to celebrate literacy and to reflect on the world’s remaining literacy challenges. The day comes in an era that is dominated by technology and gadgets in general that are distractive. According to the UN, the foundations of this are the original three ‘Rs’- reading, writing and arithmetic. Well with the emergence of s...

Gauteng police spokesperson - Kay Makhubele - says the situation is calm for now in the Johannesburg CBD following renewed violence last night. A group of people looted shops after disrupting a meeting - in which former IFP President, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, spoke to hostel residents following a week of deadly violence against foreign nationals. Police are yet to confirm the nationality of two peopl...

The Mankind Project #99949 is this morning encouraging men around to stand together wherever they are, be it at home, work or in transit to stand together in silence for 9 minutes as a symbol of solidarity for standing together in peace. Well its 10 minutes later and we find out now as to whether this initiative is being supported by the men of our country? GUEST: Mark Van Der Walt, from Mankind P...

Today we feature Mamphore Mohoje-Rabanka. She’s a vocalist who comes from Katlehong and goes by the name Lioness. She’s described as a talented newcomer who is stating her claim in the local music industry. She has an 11-year journey which is said to be punctuated with false starts and broken promises as some of her setbacks. But through perseverance she finally made it. GUEST: Mamphore Mohoje-Rab...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for life imprisonment for rapists. He has told the nation last night that all serious cases of gender-based violence that have been left unsolved or "cold cases" must be reconsidered by the relevant authorities. Ramaphosa made the comments in a national address on gender based violence and the attacks on foreign nationals. OUTRO: Seeing how traumatized many of...

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) spokesperson, Lunga Ngqengelele says the South African embassy in Lagos, Nigeria, will remain closed, after it was forced to shut its doors. South African businesses operating in Nigeria including Shoprite and MTN have also come under attack. Nigeria has since announced a boycott of the World Economic Forum on Africa currently being...

Former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe has died. He was 95. According to reports he died in a hospital in Singapore this morning, where he has often received medical treatment in recent years. GUEST: Lovemore Matuke, Zanu PF's Secretary for Security GUEST : Daniel Molokele, Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)

Suicides! Breakdowns! Burn outs! What's happening to South Africa's employees and future workforce? To address this there is a Mental health conference, taking place at the Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town, specifically aimed at business. Mental health advocacy organisation Work Mind Matters is launching their inaugural conference this Friday, ahead of Mental Health Awareness Month, whi...

Seeing how many retailers are taking strain due to economic reasons, also the high unemployment rate in the country, our guest this morning is of the belief that the solution is for us as South Africans to buy locally produced products. Also for retailers to buy locally manufactured products. But then what is it that makes them buy imports and how can we encourage them to rather source locally? GU...

Police in Durban have arrested a man who allegedly killed his three children and stepdaughter on Tuesday. This follows the grim discovery the body of his 16-year-old stepdaughter in a bush in New Germany, west of Durban where she was found hanging from a tree. The big question to ask is what possesses one to do something like this? What did the children have to do with the parents fighting? To hel...

With one third of South Africans experiencing a mental disorder in their lifetime, and limited access to psychiatric treatment in the public health sector, there's belief that traditional healers can play an important role in the front-line of treatment for depression, anxiety and substance abuse. A 2009 first nationally-representative research into mental disorders, revealed that alternative, or...

NGOs in the Western Cape have called for an urgent national plan to address gender-based violence. The outcry follows the rape and murder of 19-year old UCT student, Uyinene Mrwetyana. Her body was found in Khayelitsha last Monday. GUEST: Crispin Phiri, Spokesperson for the Department of Justice

Over the past few years major concerns have been expressed by civil society and the media about the environmental crisis. These concerns range from global warming, air pollution, pollution of the sea and impact on marine life and the extinction of thousands of species. With a point of no return estimated to be 12 years, the environmental crisis will obviously impact on the economy, jobs and life i...

Violent attacks against foreign nationals have sparked outrage in South Africa and protests across the continent. Foreigner nationals living in the country have fled for safety, while others say they have nowhere to go. The recent scores of people have been injured; many shops have been looted and torched. Local women married to foreign nationals, and who have children with them, have spoken about...

As the country reels from the chaotic situation that is taking place in our cities, where mass looting is taking place, traditional leaders are also adding their voice calling for calm. The EMBO KINGDOM, through His Royal Majesty Chancellor King BHUNGANE lll, says that it is calling for calm among what they refer to as “our people and Africans in particular”. They go on to say that they condemn th...