John Maytham speaks to Alex van den Heever, a renowned wildlife tracker, author, and speaker. Alongside Renias Mhlongo, he co-founded Kruger Untamed, a unique safari experience designed to fully immerse guests in the healing rhythms of the bush. With decades of experience on foot in the African wild, Alex shares powerful insights on how nature quiets the mind, calms the body, and reconnects us to what really matters.

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Listen to John Maytham's weekly book reviews and share his passion for all things literary. From fiction to non-fiction, John reads and reviews a range of books that would sit well on your reading list. The Creation of Half-Broken People by Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu, Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist by Liz Pelly, Killer Potential by Hannah Deitch

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John Maytham is joined by Professor Dion A. Forster—Public Theologian at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Extraordinary Professor at Stellenbosch University—for an insightful discussion on the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pontiff in the history of the Roman Catholic Church

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Our Burning Planet is the Daily Maverick section devoted to expert environmental opinion and analysis.  We partner up each Friday on the Afternoon Drive to discuss a burning issue. John Maytham speaks to John Davies, Project Co-ordinator for Raptor Conservation and Research at the Endangered Wildlife Trust, following one of the most devastating wildlife poisoning incidents ever recorded in southern Africa.

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John Maytham speaks with Adv. Stefanie Fick, Executive Director of the Accountability and Public Governance Division at OUTA, about the long-awaited repair of South Africa’s only driver’s licence card printing machine—which had been out of service since January 2025. The breakdowns, nearly 160 in total, caused a crippling backlog of over 747,000 unissued licence cards across the country

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John Maytham chats to John Dobson ahead of this weekend’s showdown with Dragons RFC. With play-off hopes on the line, they discuss the team's preparations, Damian Willemse’s 100th appearance, and the farewell to Brok Harris—all set against the backdrop of an electric home crowd at DHL Stadium.

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John Maytham is joined by Mike Muller, former Director-General of the Department of Water Affairs. With decades of experience in water resource planning and governance, Muller sheds light on how such a critical project lost control — and what the consequences will be for ordinary South Africans

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Jesuit priest and Director of the Jesuit Institute South Africa, Father Russell Pollitt, joins John Maytham to unpack the latest developments in the Vatican as the Catholic Church continues its search for a new pope. They discuss the voting process inside the conclave, the expectations of the faithful, and the qualities that could define the next spiritual leader of over a billion Catholics worldwide.

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John Maytham speaks with Daily Maverick sports writer Craig Ray about Kagiso Rabada’s recent suspension for a recreational drug violation. They unpack the details of the case, Rabada’s response, the role of Saids, and what the player's return means for South African cricket heading into a crucial international fixture.

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John Maytham speaks to Sushant Singh from Yale University on the escalating military conflict between India and Pakistan, following India's retaliatory strikes for the 22 April Pahalgam attack. The conversation explores what Operation Sindoor means for regional security, the historical context of Kashmir tensions, and the risk of wider conflict.

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