Afternoon Drive with John Maytham

Guest: Paul  Barker | Consulting Arborist and Agroecologist at Barker Tree Care

John speaks to Paul Barker about the first urban food garden in Bellville. The garden is fully functional and is ready to be harvested with various nutritional crops of vegetables for a soup kitchen that serves the homeless and vulnerable in the area.

The Greater Tygerberg Partnership, in collaboration with social development NGO, MES, has created a 300 square meter food garden at the Safe Space in the Bellville CBD. 

 

The project was conceived during the hard lockdown in 2020 by one of the clients at the Safe Space with the hopes of growing nutritious food, improve health and food security while enabling Safe Space clients to earn a small income.

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Guest: Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk joins John to encourage South Africans to vaccinate in order to press a better case to watch sport from stadiums.

 #BeASaver is a campaign against vaccine hesitancy. De Klerk says he has been vaccinated and also had a moderate bout of Covid-19.

  Faf de Klerk joins comedian Riaad Moosa, actress Pearl Thusi and Orlando Pirates and national soccer team defender Thulani Hlatshwayo in the Viral Facts Africa campaign as #BeaSAver ambassadors in an attempt to combat vaccine misinformation and to encourage people to get their Covid-19 jabs.

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Guest: Qarnita Loxton

John is joined by Qarnita Loxton's to discuss her new book, Being Dianne. It is the fourth instalment in Qarnita’s much loved Being-series: Being Kari, Being Lily, Being Shelley and now, Being Dianne. Each novel can be enjoyed as a stand-alone.

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Guest: Johann Kirsten

Professor Johann Kirsten joins John to discuss the research note that has been released by The Bureau for Economic Research (BER), the reasons for the report and the necessary impact that it is designed to make.

The Bureau for Economic Research (BER) on Wednesday released a research note on municipal challenges and their impact on local economic development. The paper was authored by senior economist Helenya Fourie and director Professor Johann Kirsten. It comes just weeks ahead of local government elections.

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Guest: Alan Winde | Premier at Western Cape Government

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Guest: Frans Hiemstra - General Manager for Uber sub-Saharan Africa

 

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Guest: Dr Dvora Joseph Davey

John is joined by Dr. Dvora Joseph Davey to discuss recent progress in the study of the COVID virus in relation to the effects that it may have on a pregnant woman and her unborn child. She will also address the vaccination concerns that are often expressed by parents-to-be in their decision whether to be vaccinated or not vaccinated. 

Callers often phone in with concern as to whether vaccination is a wise choice for a pregnant mother. Western Cape medicine continues to study and compare and Dr. Dvora Joseph Davey will express an important understanding that should motivate decision.    

Dr. Dvora Joseph Davey is an Honorary Senior Lecturer in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the University of Cape Town. Dr. Davey received her Master’s Degree in Public Health from Columbia University and her PhD in Epidemiology from the University of California, Los Angeles. 

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Guest: Kavisha Pillay | Head of Campaigns at Corruption Watch

The National Treasury launched a public dashboard of all Covid-19 expenditure reported to it by national, provincial and local government departments last year. This data, though inconsistent in some parts, has made it possible to understand how much each department spent, the items procured and the suppliers who got the tenders.

Corruption Watch have analyzed how much was spent by the South African Police Service and the results reveal a disturbing trend of gross inflation of prices, fruitless and wasteful expenditure and possible corruption.

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Guest: Jan Vermeulin

Jan Vermeulen joins John to discuss the events that have followed Icasa’s emergency spectrum decision. Telkom has made a recent court application seeking to stop Icasa from withdrawing the temporarily assigned spectrum at the end of next month.

ICASA has explained in a brief statement that it ‘intends to oppose the litigation’, but it has not provided any information on what grounds it intends to oppose it. 

  Jan Vermeulen is an investigative technology journalist and MyBroadband's Editor-at-large.

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Guest: Dr Ntombi  Sigwebela | Chief of party for vaccinations  at Right To Care

Leading health NGO, Right to Care, has announced its mandatory vaccine policy. 

All Right to Care staff, consultants, contractors and locums must receive a Covid-19 vaccine within six months of becoming eligible to receive a vaccine.

 

Following detailed risk assessments of all positions and with a policy that includes reasonable leeway for medical and religious objections, the NGO aims to reach more than 95% vaccination levels of its employees.

John speaks to Chief of party for vaccinations at health NGO Right to Care, Dr Ntombi Sigwebela about how things have been since they made the vaccination mandatory.

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