Democracy Unplugged

Nearly 30 years into democracy, why are housing rights still being

fought for in court? Housing is a constitutional right in South Africa,

yet for millions of people it remains out of reach. In this episode,

Phumi Mashigo sits down with Nomzamo Zondo, Executive Director:

Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI) to unpack the reality behind

evictions, informal settlements, and the widening gap between what the

Constitution promises and what people actually experience. From court

battles that prevent families from losing their homes to the slow pace

of government delivery, the conversation explores why housing rights are

still being fought for in court, the tension between law, policy and

real-life implementation, and how informal settlements continue to shape

the country’s cities. At its core, it asks a critical question: if the

Constitution is clear, why are so many South Africans still without

secure housing? The Burning Platform

In this episode, Phumi sits down with a parliamentarian to unpack the real impact of the bill, from controversial definitions of “smoking” to the unintended consequences for informal traders and the economy.

They discuss:

Why smokers could technically be arrested in their own cars or homes

The explosive growth of the illicit cigarette market

How stricter regulations could hurt township economies

Whether the government even has the capacity to enforce the law

Is this smart public health policy or a law that misses the mark entirely? The Burning Platform

What do young South Africans really want from politics today? Recorded live at University of Johannesburg, Phumi Mashigo places students at the centre of the national conversation. Lehumo Dibakoane (UJ SRC President), Donald Mkhwanazi (Student leader), and Angelic Mafadza (Student leader) participate in this candid discussion about youth priorities, political participation, and the realities young South Africans are navigating today. The Burning Platform

A loaf of bread can feed a family for a day - but can it fix a broken political system? A video showing people wearing African National Congress (ANC) regalia distributing loaves of bread to residents with the phrase ‘one loaf, one family - there is life with the ANC’ has sparked a strong public reaction. Phumi Mashigo interviews Tsepo Mhlongo about this video, and to hear his argument that South Africa’s political leadership must move beyond symbolic campaign gestures and start delivering real solutions. They discuss the country’s unemployment crisis, the role of political accountability, and what leadership should look like if South Africa truly wants to build a better future. The Burning Platform

What really drives South Africa’s illegal mining crisis, and how does this impact you? Phumi Mashigo investigates the complex world of so-called “zama zama” miners and the forces that keep the underground economy alive. She is joined by guests Sabelo Mnguni, National Coordinator at Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA); Kgothatso Nhlengetwa, Artisanal Mining Specialist and founding Director at Imbokodo Mining Services; and African Transformation Movement’s Vuyo Zungula. Together they explore why illegal mining has become such a deeply entrenched challenge in South Africa, and why policing alone may never solve it. The Burning Platform

Is South Africa’s economy on the brink of renewal, or just

surviving? Directly after Minister Enoch Godongwana delivered his 2026

Budget Speech, political commentator and author Justice Malala led a

high-stakes discussion from Cape Town with politicians unpacking the

country’s finances - featuring DA’s Dr Mark Burke, RISE Mzansi’s

Makashule Gana, SACP’s Anthony Dietrich and Action SA’s Alan Beesley. The Burning Platform

Is South Africa’s national budget really working for our households? Phumi Mashigo examines what a truly community-centred national budget would look like, from food affordability and social grants to VAT increases, austerity, and fiscal anchors. This conversation is joined by Mervyn Abrahams, Programme coordinator at the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group; Dr Siphesihle Qange, Programme Manager at Seriti Institute; and Liso Mdutyana from Institute for Economic Justice. The Burning Platform

What has been delivered since the last State of the Nation (SONA), and what does that mean for ordinary South Africans? In his address last year, the President signalled a renewed focus on healthcare - from advancing the National Health Insurance (NHI) roll-out, to infrastructure upgrades for hospitals and clinics, to responding to the loss of major foreign health funding from PEPFAR and USAID. This episode helps you assess whether those promises moved beyond rhetoric into real change. Phumi Mashigo is joined by Matshidiso Lencoasa, budget expert with Section 27, the public interest law centre that tracks government policy and spending on essential services. The Burning Platform

What has changed since last year’s State of the Nation (SONA) promises? At last year’s SONA, water infrastructure was particularly framed as a national priority yet in parts of Johannesburg, the heart of South Africa’s economy, and in municipalities across the country, taps still run dry. Treatment plants fail. Maintenance collapses. Phumi Mashigo, along with Dr Ferrial Adam from WaterCAN, a civic organisation focused on water accountability, look at how this all came to be and whether we can have hope that the dire situation will actually improve. The Burning Platform

Can South Africa defend human rights without the power to enforce them? South Africa speaks confidently about justice, peace, and human rights on the world stage. But holding that position requires real capacity, and that’s where things get complicated. Phumi Mashigo explores the consequences of a country that still wants to lead morally, but may no longer have the muscle to do so. How does this affect South Africa’s standing - and the lives of its people? Human rights activist and Chairman of the Rwanda National

Congress (RNC), Frank Ntwali, and defence analyst and associate editor of The Daily Friend, Ricardo Teixeira, join the conversation to unpack what’s

changing, what’s being lost, and what it all means. The Burning Platform