The View Point

The Human Sciences and Research Council held a webinar where medical experts shared their advice to parents on the phased return of children to schools. The webinar shed light on where South Africa stands in light of the pandemic for the return of DBE announcement, whether children are affected by COVID 19 and what interventions can be put in place to ensure safety for children, particularly in EC...

Two weeks ago, the Minister Angie Motshekga announced to South Africans that schools would resume at start of June in line with level 3 regulations. Grade 7s and Matriculants would be the first to return as part of a phased approach to save the 2020 academic year. Since that announcement, the Basic Education minister has remained adamant that schools will re-open despite several concerns have been...

We have seen Universities make drastic changes to their learning experience as a result of the COVID 19. Students Representative Councils have expressed their challenges with adapting to these platforms to their institutions, it seems like the commitment made by DHET of “no student is left behind” will not reach students in rural and peri-urban contexts. Guest: Amukelani Ngwenya - UNISA SRC, Secre...

The Transport Education Training Authority (TETA) has been responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and the future of the Transport Sector in the digital world. TETA recently launched a partnership to provide Entrepreneurship and Compliance support to small and medium enterprises. Guest: Maphefo Anno-Frempong - CEO of Transport Education and Training Authority

The South Africa Policing Union released a statement yesterday on their discontent with the fruitless expenditure and poor management of finances within SAPS. As a result, police officers are not being paid overtime and there has been delayed provision of PPEs to members of the force. SAPU has also shown their discontent with the leadership of the Police Commissioner, Mr Khehla Sithole for sidelin...

As we move towards level three on the risk-adjusted strategy, 8 million people will return to work on Monday, 1st June. Are we ready to go back to our respective workspaces? What lessons have we learned from the remote work experience? What can we carry forward as far as innovations in the media and business? Guest: Lorato Tshenkeng - Founder and CEO of Decode Communications

Chivas Regal launched an exciting initiative to help small and medium enterprises cope during the COVID 19 pandemic through origin stories and business insights. Every week, Chivas Regal supports one entrepreneur with R 35 000 towards their business. The weekly series is hosted on Instagram Live by entrepreneur and media personality, Andile Khumalo. Guest: Marco Vandenput - Brand Manager: Chivas R...

Earlier this month, the President announced that 19 000 prisoners would be released on parole from correctional facilities. This was in response to the rising cases of COVID 19 amongst officials and prisoners, addressing the issue of overcrowding in the correctional system. Whilst there have been concerns raised on parole conditions and safety of the general public, organizations such as Just Dete...

The Moleskine Foundation is challenging young people across the continent to write articles in a campaign to build their WikiAfrica platform. Whilst the articles in this campaign speak to COVID 19 related information, their aim is to broaden their scope in order for access to information to be widely received in our respective mother tongues. Further, the Foundation wishes to use experiential lear...

The Democratic Alliance has recently announced that their policy and elective conferences would go ahead, virtually. This decision has sparked Mbali Ntuli to write to the Federal Committee and appeal for this decision to be reviewed on the basis that internal structures do not have capacity to deliver credible and fair elections. Further, delegates will not be able to vote due to access to data an...

Guest: Dr Lincoln

Guest: Thato wa Magogodi

Guest:Dr Tahir Sitoto

Many families are facing financial difficulties as a result of the COVID-19. For students, the uncertainty of when campuses may reopen and the harsh realties of ongoing lease agreements and campus accommodation. In light of the announcement that was made earlier today by the Department of Higher Education, do you think that universities, TVET colleges and private institutions should take these mea...

A recent study was done on social workers who were holding debriefing sessions at the National Gender-Based Violence Command Centre. The command centre had gone from receiving 200 calls a typical day to a mammoth 3000 calls as a result of the lockdown. Most of the calls to the command centre range from child abuse, neglect, GBV and elderly abuse. These complaints have also seen a sharp increase. S...

In light of the recent discussions on the use of African traditional medicine in the fight against COVID 19, it has become evident that there is still an alarming dose of skepticism rendered against our methodologies, the viability of our remedies and practices. In a time where international leaders still need to sign protocols to ensure access to universal rights exists amidst profiteering, the c...

Since the start of the national lockdown, we have seen quite a number of businesses and individuals donating towards the Solidarity Fund. This outpouring of goodwill to the most vulnerable in our communities has been incentivised further through tax benefits by the South African government. For Duncan Luke, "​Giving money to good causes should be part of a person’s financial planning ​ ". He joins...

The Arts industry has been one of the worst hit by the COVID 19 pandemic. Despite the challenges, the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra has taken the time to appoint a new board member and patron to the Arts, Carolyn Steyn. You may know her from the 67 Blankets initiative for Mandela Day and her many philanthropic endeavors. Guest: Carolyn Steyn - Board Member of the Johannesburg Philharmonic Or...

We spoke to a stalwart of the liberation movement. A man who spent his life working on building international solidarity towards a free South Africa. he shared with us his journey of reintegration after 1994 and the importance of solidarity in light of this pandemic and the passing of Dennis Goldberg. We are joined by Mkhulu Ronnie Kasrils on the line. Guest: Ronald Ronnie Kasrils - Member of the...

Schools are to reopen in phases from the planned date of the 1st of June. The initial plan was to reopen schools on the 6th of May but the feedback from social cluster ministers was that the 18th of May could be more feasible. What do you make of this? Are we ready to send our children back to school? Guest: Nkosana Dolopi - Deputy General Secretary of SADTU

Guest: Murendeni Nefale - CEO of Pax Africana Holdings

Guest: Adv Busisiwe Mkhwebane - Public Protector

The COVID 19 pandemic has changed the way we engage everyday life. For countries such as Mali and South Korea, it meant holding national elections in unprecedented times. With South Africa holding its next election in a year from now, we need to consider the possibility of holding digital elections. Guest: Terry Tselane - Executive Chairperson of Institute of Election Management Services in Africa

The Economic Freedom Fighters have called on the Presidency not open the economy too early as it would lead to the death of thousands of South Africans. Blood that will be left on the hands of his government, if they move from level 4 to level 3. The EFF criticized the Higher Education department for not making electronic devices and data available to all students for online learning. They has als...

With South Africans taking their first steps to recovery from the economic implications brought on by the national lockdown, they are doing so with extreme caution. The Covid-19 pandemic has sparked a new culture of hygiene-awareness in the country - both through the regulations stipulated by the government, as well as citizens returning to life in the new world. We speak about how Covid-19 has ch...