The Daily Discourse

Last week in his Budget Speech, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana allocated R848-billion for the health sector with R1-billion going to the National Health Insurance. Earlier in the week, Western Cape Premier described the impact budget cuts are having in the operation of hospital in his province as catastrophic. Doctors at Grooteschuur are said to work under pressure as many vacancies are not fil...

We end the show by speaking about Community Development Practitioners and the work they do. This sector has proven to be very critical in many townships and rural areas as many communities depend on it which has led to some practicing without qualifications. Government through the Department of Social Development and the Health and Welfare Sector Education Training Authority have come up with a wa...

It’s that time of the week when we get to unwind and ease into the weekend with a musical treat. Today we bring you a seasoned jazz maestro, to get a text of his latest offering. The multi-award-winning singer and guitarist Selaelo Selota has recently released his new offering, titled  Pelong .  This album follows Colours of the Rainbow, which was released in 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic loc...

2024 is not only marking 30 years of our democracy but also an election year. Parties have already started campaigning convincing voters to give them a chance to bring change to the country. So this morning we speak to the UDM to give you a chance as our listener to engage with him especially now that they have launched their manifesto.  Guest: Yongama Zigebe, the Secretary-General of the United D...

We are coming to you live this morning from PortShepstone where the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development together with Public Works are handing over and opening a multi-millon-rand state of the art Magistrates Court. Public Works is responsible for the infrastructure and saw it fit to invest in security and technology for the benefit of the ordinary South African. The building also...

The importance of the public's access to justice is a constitutional right. Especially with the new units that are attached to this particular building. Let's hear now from the Justice Department as to how the new courts/units will help to guarantee justice to the ordinary person on the ground.... Guest: Ronal Lamola - Minister of Justice, Correctional Services and Constitutional Development

We continue our series with the IEC looking at the different aspects of this year’s election processes. The aim is to get you to understand what you can expect when going to the polls and what new things you will be experiencing. So we will focus on the Voter Portal and also how the candidate nomination process is going to work. Also what role you as a member of the public will be playing. Guest:...

As we all await to hear what Finance Minister Enoch Godongwane will be saying this afternoon, we thought to talk about what a people’s budget would be? Can the budget meet the concerns of the people on the ground? As a citizen, what would you like to see coming out of the Minister’s pans?  Guest: Tony Ehrenreich – Representing Cosatu at the People’s Budget Coalition   Guest: Andile Zulu – Member o...

Two weeks ago, we dealt with ways to save for retirement by using a retirement annuity and a tax-free savings. Many have taken advantage by making contributions to a retirement annuity in February and for this reason as they are near retirement, they are receiving letters from insurers informing them that their policy has matured.  Guest: Bryan Hirsch, Chairperson of Bryan Hirsch, Colley; Associat...

Last night, when delivering his second State of the Province Address, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi spoke at length about how he's dealing with the issue of crime in the province. What was surprising the most is how little he said when talking about gender-based violence. All he said is how he will equip police with extra cars. Something he did mention last year. Guest: Phinah Kodisang – Chief Ex...

As we build-up to the upcoming elections, we continue to bring you discussions related to the polls. Patrick Kulati who is CEO of Good Governance Africa’s Southern Africa Regional Office recently penned a piece likening election campaigns to watering hole for politicians seeking to attract voters. Last week, we spoke about how we as citizens don’t hold them accountable.  Guest: Patrick Kulati - Ch...

Last week, we received a call from Malindi, a student at City Varsity in Braamfontein. She called in to tell us that the institution gave them notice that it is closing down. Her frustration was that they were given too short notice of the situation which creates a headache for her and the other students. Guest: Dr Shaheeda Essack - Director: for Private Higher Education Institutions in the Depart...

Our featured artist today is Denga 'Kingdmusic' Takalani’. He is categorised as a gospel artist and has recently released a new single, Kundi, a shortened word Mukundi, meaning conqueror in TshiVenda. Guest: Denga 'Kingdmusic' Takalani - Multi-talented SAMA award-winning artist, songwriter, worship leader, and record producer  

February is Black History Month mostly celebrated in the USA by Pan Africanists. The month is gaining momentum also on the African continent as it is used by Americans to remember the cross-Atlantic slave trade that took place more than 400 years ago. In light of this, we thought to talk about the importance of reviving our history in the South African context and also ask how it can be used to bu...

West African regional bloc ECOWAS is pleading with the three junta-led Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali to reconsider their decision to quit the political and economic alliance. Some commentators believe that this will not only affect the region’s economy, but also democracy. The three leaders say that the West African body has fallen under the influence of foreign powers, therefore “betraying its fou...

We continue our series with Miyelani Holeni who is an expert in local government. With this series, we are trying to understanding the various aspects of local government. It is the engine room of the economy, but yet it is such a complex space and appears to be structured in a way that appears to be equally complex. Where did it all start? Is it something that was introduced under the democratic...

On our Citizens corner this morning we continue talking the IEC about our electoral system and the new things it is bringing for this year’s elections. They just finished their last leg of voter registration. So much to talk about as also for the first time we will be using three ballot papers to vote as this time around we also have independent candidates taking part.  Guest: Mmakgabo Ramatlhodi...

Often when we hear about the closure of mines, the first thing that comes to mind is the loss of jobs. One thing we don’t think about is the impact it has on the surrounding communities that are dependent on those mines economically. A recent study conducted by Dr Megan Cole and funded by the Water Research Commission hound that more than 6-million people are directly affected by these closures. T...

Today being World Radio Day, we dedicate this hour to speaking about our medium of broadcasting. To mark the occasion, Wits Centre for Journalism and SABC Radio are using the opportunity to launch the annual State of the Newsroom report. The chapter we are focusing on this morning is that of radio being in the public interest and the credibility of that helping sustain the reputation of radio stat...

We continue with the theme of the day of celebrating the medium we use to convene and exchange ideas. In celebrating our chosen medium for public discourse, we take a moment to focus on indigenous language radio stations and discuss their role in promoting conversations, cultural preservation, and expression. These station’s role extends beyond mere broadcasting as they are often seen as to serve...

As political parties are busy campaigning for the upcoming election and launching their manifestos, we use this opportunity this morning to talk about issues of accountability. Through their manifestos, they outline their plans and promises to citizens as what they will bring should they be voted in power. But as we all know, once in power, they simply forget. Yes, some of them may not be in the d...

As you may have heard since last year that 81% of Grade 4 learners in the country can’t read for meaning. Very worrying statistic that should get all of us concerned. Well, this morning we speak to Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Nquka, who is convening the annual 2030 Reading Panel initiative of which she is the chairperson. She brings together respected South African leaders to ponder on the issue and see ho...

Guest: Songezo Zibi, Rise Mzansi Leader

Guest: Gabi Gantso, Soul, Afro Pop, Jazz Musician 

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