TK Pooe & Sanet Solomon | The TK Show

In this episode, TK interviews political analyst Sanet Solomon. They discuss the current state of South African politics under the GNU government, the need for academics to foster a culture of public engagement, and how to balance listening to non-expert perspectives while preserving academic rigour. They also explore the role of social media in political commentary and discuss why, despite the challenges of poor governance in many provinces, Sanet remains hopeful about South Africa's future.

TK Pooe (PhD) is a senior lecturer at the Witwatersrand School of Governance; his main fields of research are Public Policy themes such as Local Economic Development, Law and Development, Scenario Planning and Thinking, and Failure Analysis. Over the last ten years, he has lectured and consulted for various institutions like the North-West University’s Government Studies Programme, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Gordon Institute of Business Science (University of Pretoria) and the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute. Before joining academia, he worked in various government institutions as a Public Policy research consultant.

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Sanet (née Madonsela) Solomon is a tenured Lecturer in the Department of Political Sciences at the University of South Africa (UNISA) teaching second year South Africa Politics (PSC2601) and Political Science and Research (HPPSC81) at Honours level. She is a seasoned political analyst, internationally published author, and PhD Candidate in the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies at the University of the Free State. She currently serves as a Council Member of the South Africa South Africa Association of Political Studies (SAAPS), and is a member of the International Political Sciences Association (IPSA) and British International Studies Association (BISA). 

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TK Pooe & Thabang Motsohi | The TK Show

In this episode, TK speaks with Thabang Motsohi about his book, Fit for Purpose. They discuss the core challenges impacting the growth and success of South African institutions, the organisational structure of the ANC, and why, due to conflicting ideological principles and perceptions within its Tripartite Alliance structure, it is not ideally structured for the purpose of governing in the post-apartheid era. 

TK Pooe (PhD) is a senior lecturer at the Witwatersrand School of Governance; his main fields of research are Public Policy themes such as Local Economic Development, Law and Development, Scenario Planning and Thinking, and Failure Analysis. Over the last ten years, he has lectured and consulted for various institutions like the North-West University’s Government Studies Programme, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Gordon Institute of Business Science (University of Pretoria) and the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute. Before joining academia, he worked in various government institutions as a Public Policy research consultant.

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Thabang Motsohi is a highly experienced and leading organizational strategy consultant and is in the top tier in the country in this sector. He has assisted various organizations in the development of their competitive strategies and performance drivers for their business models. Thabang Motsohi has published scholarly articles since 2009 on development policy and strategy and how state policy must be structured to address fundamental socio-economic challenges in the South African context.

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Bronwyn Williams & Brooks Spector | The Small Print

In this episode, Bronwyn speaks with political commentator and former US diplomat Brooks Spector about the recent turbulence in US politics and its potential global impact. Together, they take us on a tour across the world, exploring how a Trump or Harris presidency could affect Ukraine, Russia, China, Taiwan, India, Iran, Israel, Gaza, and, of course, South Africa.

Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams.

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Brooks Spector settled in Johannesburg after a career as a US diplomat in Africa and East Asia. He has taught at the U. of the Witwatersrand, been a consultant for an international NGO, run a famous Johannesburg theatre and remains on its board, and been a commentator for South African and international print/broadcast/online media, in addition to writing for The Daily Maverick from day one.

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Bronwyn Williams & Andrew McLuhan | The Small Print

In this episode, Bronwyn speaks with Andrew McLuhan, the grandson of the noted media theorist Marshall McLuhan. They discuss the enduring relevance of Marshall's ideas, particularly 'the medium is the message,' in today's digital age. The conversation also explores how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the impact of technology on society, the effects it had on the younger generation specifically, how technological changes shape our values, and the steps we can take to safeguard what is important to us.

Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams.

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Andrew McLuhan is a grandson of Marshall McLuhan, noted Canadian professor from the University of Toronto who was a pioneer in the field of Media/Communications studies. Andrew is the director of The McLuhan Institute, created in 2017 to continue the work begun by his grandfather Marshall McLuhan and father Eric McLuhan in exploring and understanding culture and technology. He lectures globally at universities, speaks and gives workshops and consults at companies. Understanding Media Intensive is his most in-depth course, leading three full cohorts through Gray Area since 2020.

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TK Pooe & Marianne Severin | The TK Show

This episode was recorded on 15 July 2024.

In this episode, TK speaks to Dr. Marianne Séverin about the differences and parallels between South Africa and France. They discuss the impact of political corruption on South Africa, the history of the National Front and Jean-Marie Le Pen in France, what motivates French voters, the legacy of French colonialism in Africa, the virtues of South African media, if the rise of the far right threatens the European Union, and the socio-political challenges facing French society.

Marianne Séverin (PhD) is a French researcher of African descent who specializes in South Africa's political context. She has covered South African politics for over 30 years, having written her PhD dissertation on the ANC’s political networks. In addition to this, her research encompasses human rights in Africa, including women’s rights, disability rights, and the Right to Development, as well as the fight against corruption and Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs). Since 2023, she has been teaching courses on peace processes in Africa and will soon introduce courses on International Development and International Solidarity.

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TK Pooe (PhD) is a senior lecturer at the Witwatersrand School of Governance; his main fields of research are Public Policy themes such as Local Economic Development, Law and Development, Scenario Planning and Thinking, and Failure Analysis. Over the last ten years, he has lectured and consulted for various institutions like the North-West University’s Government Studies Programme, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Gordon Institute of Business Science (University of Pretoria) and the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute. Before joining academia, he worked in various government institutions as a Public Policy research consultant.

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Bronwyn Williams & Mandy Wiener | The Small Print

In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to journalist and author Mandy Wiener about South Africa’s ever-evolving political situation. How unified is our government of national unity? How binding are the agreements between the ANC and its GNU partners? What stops Ramaphosa from changing his cabinet at will? They also discuss how the realignment of South African politics impacts the country’s investability, whether our politics should be held hostage by market forces, the false dichotomy between a country’s economy and its people, the historical context behind many South Africans’ resistance towards having the DA in government, why political parties choose such mediocre men to represent them, the parallels between SA politics and the US, and why our current political turmoil may be a sign of a maturing democracy.

Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams.

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Mandy Wiener is one of South Africa’s best known and most credible journalists and authors. She is the current host of the Midday Report on 702 and Cape Talk and is a regular columnist for News24. She has published numerous best-selling books and is a prominent social media commentator. For the past two decades Mandy has worked as a multi award-winning reporter specialising in investigative journalism and legal matters. Covering stories such as the trial of former national police commissioner Jackie Selebi and the murder of Brett Kebble, she earned a reputation for her work in exposing South Africa’s criminal underworld. These included exposes on Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir, Teazers boss Lolly Jackson and other mysterious murders

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Bronwyn Williams & Mark Oppenheimer | The Small Print

In this episode, Bronwyn speaks with advocate Mark Oppenheimer about South Africa’s hate speech legislation and several notable cases: Jon Qwelane, Penny Sparrow, Vicki Momberg, Afriforum versus Julius Malema, and the controversy surrounding the old South African flag. They explore the definition of hate speech under South African law, the apparent leniency of South African courts towards political leaders, the motivations behind some Constitutional Court judgments, blasphemy laws, the distinction between hate speech and hurtful speech, and how the law can — and has been — exploited to suppress free speech and punish political enemies.

Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams.

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Mark Oppenheimer is a practicing advocate and member of the Johannesburg Bar. He has appeared in the Supreme Court of Appeal and the Constitutional Court in a series of cases that seek to determine the boundary between freedom of expression and genuine hate speech. Mark has authored submissions to Parliament on the Hate Speech Bill and to the UN Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on escalating racial tensions. He has also presented an oral submission to parliament on expropriation without compensation. Mark is also the host of the popular philosophy series Brain in a Vat and the co-author of the Conversations about Philosophy Book Series.

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Bronwyn Williams & Johan Fourie | The Small Print

In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to economic historian Johan Fourie. They discuss the progress humanity has made over the last few centuries, what the field of economics can do better, the mismatch between data and peprception, why GDP remains a useful measure of growth, the role of language in driving various industries, the perils of the degrowth fad, and what economic lessons humanity refuses to learn.

Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams.

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Johan Fourie is a professor of economics at Stellenbosch University where he teaches economic history to graduate and undergraduate students. He is a prolific blogger and the author of Our Long Walk to Economic Freedom, an accessible introduction to global economic history from an African perspective.

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TK Pooe & Justice Malala | The TK Show

In this episode, TK speaks to Justice Malala to unpack South Africa’s 2024 elections. They discuss the rise and fall of the ANC, the new normal of coalition politics, the juxtaposition of hope and fear in the current political climate, the lack of political violence during the elections, why the Government of National Unity may only be so in name, the capitalist undercurrents in the ANC, how Jacob Zuma will try to continue to cause havoc in SA politics, what the incoming administration needs to focus on, and more.

TK Pooe (PhD) is a senior lecturer at the Witwatersrand School of Governance; his main fields of research are Public Policy themes such as Local Economic Development, Law and Development, Scenario Planning and Thinking, and Failure Analysis. Over the last ten years, he has lectured and consulted for various institutions like the North-West University’s Government Studies Programme, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Gordon Institute of Business Science (University of Pretoria) and the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute. Before joining academia, he worked in various government institutions as a Public Policy research consultant.

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Justice Malala is one of South Africa’s foremost political commentators and the author of the #1 bestseller “We Have Now Begun Our Descent: How to Stop South Africa Losing its Way.” A longtime weekly columnist for The Times (South Africa), he has also written for The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and Financial Times, among other outlets. The former publisher of The Sowetan and Sunday World, he now lives in New York.

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Bronwyn Williams & Kyla Scanlon | The Small Print

In this episode, Bronwyn speaks to one of the internet’s favourite financial educators, Kyla Scanlon, about her book, In this Economy? They discuss the hidden forces driving key economic outcomes, the most common economic myths, outdated assumptions that constrain our political imagination, and what a bold new path to building a prosperous society that works for everyone could look like.

Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams.

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Kyla Scanlon is an economic commentator and Bloomberg contributor who specializes in human-centric analysis that demystifies the complex. She started her career as a car salesperson before becoming an associate at Capital Group, conducting macroeconomic analysis and modeling investment strategies.

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