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

This edition of Democracy Unplugged is a forward-looking conversation on

where South Africa, and the world, is headed politically. Phumi Mashigo

picks the brains of Ismael Steenkamp, ward 29 councillor from the

Patriotic Alliance; Solly Msimanga, leader of the opposition in the

Gauteng Legislature from the Democratic Alliance; and Lerato Madisha,

grassroots activist and community leader within the Gauteng government

from Build One South Africa. This is an insightful look at the impact

and the future of democracy.

Want to be part of the live audience? Democracy Unplugged records once a

month from our Sandton studios. Email [email protected] to

request free tickets. The Burning Platform

Higher education in South Africa - are we future-proofing the country, or stuck in an old system? Just after the grade 12 results have been released, Phumi Mashigo hosts a conversation that cuts through the feel-good headlines and asks harder questions about the system. She’s joined by Hendrik Makaneta, education activist, former teacher and director of the Foundation for Education and Social Justice, as well as Dr Linda Meyer; the managing director of ADvTECH, Africa's leading private education provider. The Burning Platform

How do South Africa’s laws and policies come to be, and what can you do to be part of the change? Phumi Mashigo dives into the stages and processes involved in making or changing a law, with RISE Mzansi’s Makashule Gana and The New South Institute’s Ivor Chipkin. This episode brings an understand of the nation’s policy making process, how the public can participate in the legislative process, and shedding light on some of the legal changes we can anticipate in 2026. The Burning Platform

What should citizens be watching — not emotionally, but analytically — as we head into 2026? Kicking off the new political year, Phumi Mashigo speaks to Dr Levy Ndou (political analyst and politics lecturer at the Tshwane University of Technology) for a catch-up on Jan 8, the 114th birthday of the ANC - a liberation movement that became a governing party, and now governs in coalition after losing its majority for the first time. Class is in session! The Burning Platform