Democracy Unplugged

How does one collate data when the governments of the world are hellbent on lockdowns as the only solution to solving a global pandemic? Has the gathering of data been transparent globally? Is the function of WHO to scare people so that they change their behaviour? How will Sweden be judged by history for not locking down? Social media can help or hinder progress... how should we navigate those waters?

South Africa is now joining the global north in terms of unlocking its economy and society entirely, citizens are concerned about the tracking and that isn't going away. What is the biggest obstacle in unlocking efficient government in South Africa? Does Cyril Ramaphosa have the gumption to make the painfully hard decision to make South Africa a functional state?

How is it that after all these years, the Eastern Bloc is still such a mess? Is the mainstream media in South Africa caught in a struggle envy trap? Are the ideological struggles of 2020 less meaningful than the war-ridden struggles of the 20th century? Has South Africa wasted 30 years? How and why in 2020 does Port Elizabeth have no clean drinking water? With George Bizos' passing, perhaps this is a moment to consider how far we've come since The Rivonia Trials as a nation. Have we done justice to those who died and served time for the civil liberty of a nation?

Are South Africans vindicated in continuing to vote for the ANC? Should there be amnesty for those who confess to corrupt dealings in the past? Can the ANC save South Africa? Could Indian and Chinese border conflicts ignite WW3? Does Biden have any traits which make him a better candidate than Trump? Does America need a partisan, parochial figure like Trump to keep China in check for the sake of the global power balance?

Roman Cabanac joins the panel this week. When news has paywalls, what's the logical conclusion? Does the ANC have an exit strategy for lockdown? BEE laws are changing again, is this for better or worse? The Film & Publications Act needs scrutiny, what is its real purpose? Is violence necessary for societal progress?

How long should we give De Ruyter to turn Eskom around? The economic ramifications of South Africa's lockdown are yet to be unveiled - just how bad could things get? How are marketing spend and economic prosperity linked? Retirement funds are on the table now for the ANC government, how real should our fears be? Biden or Trump... it's come to this has it?

Is the Western Cape's independence a realistic goal? Is the will of the majority important in democracy? Should South Africans be worried about South Africa's march towards policies resembling other countries who believe in centralisation? Will skittish foreign investment return after lockdown-induced investment moratoriums? The economic pain of lockdown is still coming, but just how bad will it be for ordinary citizens? Joe Biden has his accuser on his running ticket now... what say the voters?

The heat is now being turned up on society because they can't feed their children, how long can this go on before a violent outburst occurs? Is the banking sector in South Africa 'captured', and can this situation be salvaged? When a judge needs a lawyer to fight their legal position, something is wrong isn't it? It's Women's Month, but is the proliferation of gender politics helping or hurting the prosperity of society across the board? #VoetsekANC has been trending... what's that all about?

With large government gatherings being so predominant, how will society social distance if leaders don't? Is extremism sustainable, because as we all know, "the tiger will always eat the trainer." Should we gun train all citizens? Is the ANC turning into a mob-like organisation, using violence to oppress even the most vulnerable? Greg Arde, the author of 'War Party: How the ANC's political killings are breaking South Africa', joins us to speak about the bloodbath in KwaZulu-Natal, and the factors that have led us here.

Employment: we delve into the stats on South Africans’ opinions on racially-based employment; we also ask whether it’s possible to make cadre employment work. Politics: the strife of the Cape Flats is well-documented, and it raises the question: why does it seem that solving societal problems is not a priority for career politicians?

Economics: is big business in South Africa still big? And finally, South Africa's lockdown hasn’t just been the last five months, it's been the last decade.