Afternoon Drive with John Maytham

John Maytham speaks to Siya Dakota-Fine, producer and curator of Voices of the Ages, about the three-night musical celebration exploring the power of the voice across generations, genres and cultures, and the role of music in connecting people through storytelling, identity and shared experiences.  Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist...

John Maytham speaks to Daily Maverick journalist Annemieke Thomaidis about Olympic swimming champion Tatjana Smith's decision to switch her sporting allegiance from South Africa to the Netherlands, raising questions about Swimming South Africa's governance, athlete welfare, financial support and the sustainability of elite swimming in the country.  Presenter John Maytham is an actor and autho...

John Maytham speaks to Professor Thinus Booysen of Stellenbosch University about more than a decade of research into household hot-water consumption in South Africa, what the findings reveal about geyser electricity usage, whether geyser timers actually deliver the savings many households expect, and how consumers can reduce their energy costs.  Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-t...

John Maytham speaks to Jan Truter, founding and managing director of Labourwise, about the extension of a collective bargaining agreement imposing new minimum wages and employment conditions on restaurants, fast-food outlets and caterers across much of South Africa, and the legal challenge brought by Fedhasa over its implementation.  Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk r...

John Maytham speaks to News24 journalist Carol Paton about the coalition negotiations following South Africa's local government elections, the battle for control of the country's metros and the risk that political compromises could leave voters with more of the same rather than the change they demanded.  Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned jour...

John Maytham is joined by Andrew Thompson, travel writer and author of News24's investigation into the fake Helen Zille alcohol ban, to discuss the viral hoax and the wider misinformation and disinformation that circulated during the local government elections. Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round-up of local and i...

John Maytham is joined by Ian Cameron, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Police, whose parliamentary question revealed that nearly 1.8 million calls to the 10111 emergency line were abandoned in the 2025/26 financial year. Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round-up of local and international news...

John Maytham speaks to Guy Midgley, Acting Director of Stellenbosch University's School for Climate Studies, about COP31 and the global fight against climate change. They discuss fossil fuel dependency, the transition to renewable energy, climate finance, Africa's energy challenges and whether world leaders can turn climate commitments into meaningful action.  Presenter John Maytham is an act...

John Maytham speaks to writer and scholar Jonny Steinberg about Helen Zille's electoral success in Johannesburg, her political temperament and the challenges of coalition-building. They discuss the negotiations over the city's future and what they could signal about the state of coalition politics in South Africa.  Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and se...

John Maytham speaks to independent city planner Peter Ahmed about Cape Town's changing urban landscape, following the release of the City's latest Spatial Trends and Implementation Tracking Report. They discuss urban expansion, housing pressures, informal settlements, residential densification, commercial development and the challenge of balancing growth with environmental protection.  Presen...

John Maytham speaks to Professor Steven Boykey Sidley about the controversy surrounding Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, following reports of his alleged links to a woman investigated as a suspected Chinese intelligence asset. They discuss the potential national security implications, Nvidia's falling share price, Huang's importance to the company and the possible impact on the global AI and semiconductor...

John Maytham is joined by Joan van Dyk, an independent health journalist, to discuss the growing movement among South African women to break the silence around menopause. From cultural misconceptions and stigma to gaps in healthcare and access to treatment, why are so many women still struggling to get answers about a natural stage of life? And how can healthcare providers better equip women with...

John Maytham speaks to Danmore Chuma, researcher with the International Labour Resource and Information Group, about a study examining the working conditions of motorcycle food delivery riders in Cape Town and Johannesburg, and the precarious employment, financial pressures, safety risks and lack of labour protections they face.  Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio...

John Maytham is joined by Craig Ray, Sports Editor at Daily Maverick, to unpack the Springboks’ emphatic 66-7 victory over Italy in Turin. What made this such a dominant performance, how significant is the Boks’ points difference in the Nations Championship race, and are the world champions hitting their stride at just the right time ahead of next weekend’s showdown with France?...

Thembelani Mazibuko, a coalitions researcher at the African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Dispute, speaks to John Maytham about the election results and how the formation of coalitions should proceed.  Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round-up of local and international news coupled with the latest in bu...

John Maytham speaks to La Colombe executive chef, James Gaag, about the restaurant's spectacular 20-place leap to number 35 in the World's 50 Best Restaurants 2026 list.  Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round-up of local and international news coupled with the latest in business, sport, traffic and weather. The...

John Maytham is joined by Ferial Haffajee, Senior Journalist at Daily Maverick, to unpack the political implications of Johannesburg’s election results. With the DA opening a historic gap over the ANC but falling short of an outright majority, and 15 smaller parties holding seats in the council, the negotiations could prove complicated. What are the possible coalition arrangements, could the...

John Maytham is joined by Neil Manthorpe, Cricket Analyst, to discuss Usman Khawaja’s autobiography, Sabr, and the explosive allegations it makes about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal in South Africa. Did the entire Australian team know what was happening? Why were Smith, Warner and Bancroft the only players punished? And does Khawaja’s account finally change our understanding of one o...

Independent TV critic and journalist, Thinus Ferreira, speaks to John Maytham about DSTV's recent announcement that some older decoder models will stop functioning from the end of August next year.  Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round-up of local and international news coupled with the latest in business, spo...

John Maytham is joined by Wayne Sussman, Election Analyst, to unpack the final numbers from South Africa’s 2026 Local Government Elections. The ANC remains the largest party nationally, but with 139 hung councils out of 213, coalition negotiations will shape local government across much of the country. What do the national vote shares and council seats tell us about the changing political la...

John Maytham is joined by South African comedian, actor and entrepreneur Siv Ngesi for #TakeTheEdgeOff. They chat about his career in entertainment, his entrepreneurial ventures, life beyond the spotlight and what keeps him motivated.  Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round-up of local and international news cou...

John Maytham is joined in studio by Belinda Abraham, spokesperson for the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, to discuss Grace's remarkable recovery, the impact of gang violence on animals in Cape Town communities, and the SPCA's ongoing efforts to rescue and protect animals caught in the crossfire. Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serve...

Join John Maytham as he reviews his favorite books he read this week. The Killer’s Mark by MW Craven  Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout  Great and Unfortunate Things by Jason Arday.  Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round-up of local and international news coupled with the latest in busines...

John Maytham speaks to political analyst Moeletsi Mbeki about the emerging results of South Africa's 2026 Local Government Elections. They discuss the ANC's declining support, the DA's growing electoral strength, the rise of the MK Party and the changing political landscape across the country's major metropolitan municipalities.  Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio...

John Maytham is joined in studio by Louis Viljoen, the award-winning playwright and director behind Her of Perfidy, to discuss the inspiration for this dark and unusual production, his seventh collaboration with actor Emily Child, and the challenge of bringing a one-person play to the stage. Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show s...