Discourse ZA

TK Pooe & Bheki Mahlobo | The TK Show

In this episode of The TK Show, TK speaks to Senior Analyst at the Centre for Risk Analysis (CRA), Bheki Mahlobo. They talk about how ANC policies have contributed to South Africa’s high unemployment rate, what could be done to remedy the situation, and how other emerging countries have managed to avoid this problem. They discuss the possibility of relaxing labour regulations, improving the education system through a voucher system, and how more secure property rights can boost our agricultural sector. It is a wide-ranging conversation that also looks ahead to the 2024 elections, growing political instability in the SADC region, the economic prospects of Europe and the United States, and how China’s zero-Covid policy has impacted global economic growth.

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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Bheki Mahlobo is a Senior Analyst at the Centre for Risk Analysis (CRA). Bheki is a regular speaker and media commentator, providing analysis of the political and economic trends in South Africa and global markets. Bheki is the co-author of the CRA’s client Risk Alert (together with Dr John Endres), a weekly bulletin that identifies the key risks in South Africa and the world. He also contributes research to the Socio-Economic Survey of South Africa, the CRA’s flagship reference guide.

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Bronwyn Williams & Greg Mills [The Small Print]

Africa has received $1.2 trillion in development assistance since 1990, yet the continent has very little to show for this money. There must be a better way to address the poverty pandemic. In this episode of The Small Print, Bronwyn speaks to the head of the Brenthurst Foundation, Greg Mills, about his latest book, Expensive Poverty which outlines why decades of spending have had such a small impact on improving the lives of the poor — and what we can do to change that.

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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Dr Greg Mills heads the Brenthurst Foundation, a Johannesburg-based think tank dedicated to strengthening African economic performance. He holds degrees from the Universities of Cape Town (BA Hons) and Lancaster (MA cum laude, and PhD), and was, first, the Director of Studies and then the National Director of the SA Institute of International Affairs from 1994-2005. A member of the advisory board of the Royal United Services Institute, he is the author of the best-selling books Why Africa Is Poor, Africa’s Third Liberation, and Expensive Poverty. His writings won him the Recht Malan Prize for Non-Fiction Work in South Africa.

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Bronwyn Williams & Malcolm Ray

In this episode of The Small Print, Brownyn speaks to author Malcolm Ray about his latest book “The Tyranny of Growth”. They discuss how a single number - GDP - came to have such bewildering power over our lives, despite its failure to capture many of the things we consider necessary for human flourishing. Together they unpack how the growth doctrine was used to co-opt African post-colonial institutions and elites to its cause during the Cold War and what could be done to develop a more inclusive measure going forward.

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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Malcolm Ray is the author of Free Fall and The Tyranny of Growth. His work is devoted to breaking down walls of silence – the comfortable catchphrases and policy tropes used by political and economic elites, multilateral institutions and social movements to win hearts and minds – in order to tell the story without fear or favour. He began his career as an anti-apartheid activist during the 1980s and early nineties, where he developed a habit of independent, but critical and irreverent thinking, spawning both his love of journalism and a desire for influencing change from the ground up. A multiple award-winning journalist, Malcolm’s writing is unapologetic and deals directly with themes of power relations, race, gender and class. His protagonists are often but not exclusively the poor and discarded communities.

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TK Pooe & Lihle Ngcobozi [The TK Show]

In this episode of “The Tk Show”, TK speaks to author and academic, Lihle Ngcobozi, about the state of governance in South Africa. They discuss the difficulty of accessing state institutions in rural communities, the administrative nightmare that prospective students face when dealing with NSFAS, the lack of good governance in the Eastern Cape, and the myth of South African exceptionalism. They also talk about Lihle’s role in the #FeesMustFall movement, the tradeoffs between activism and making a living, the shortage of young leaders in South Africa, and the growing culture of conspicuous consumption among South Africa’s youth.

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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Lihle Ngcobozi is a lecturer on Public Governance, Public Policy, and Gendered Approaches to Development. She is the author of “Mothers of the Nation: Manyano Women in South Africa”, a book that explores the intersection between the black church, liberation theologies, as well as an African feminist analysis of the public sphere in South Africa. She has worked as a senior research consultant in varied Ministries where she has been responsible for policy drafting, policy framework development, as well as providing early evidence-based research for policy positions.

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In this episode of The Small Print, Bronwyn speaks to author Ryan Wallman about his book “Delusions of Brandeur”. Together, they unpack the insanity that pervades the marketing industry, from companies cynically “cause-washing” their brand to institutions jumping on the latest moral crusade to remain in the good graces of the mob. They also discuss the phenomenon of "social cooling", Ryan's experience of living in Australia during the time of Covid, and how we can use humour to speak hard truths.

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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Ryan Wallman is Creative Director and Head of Copy at Wellmark, a Melbourne-based creative agency that specialises in healthcare. In his former life, he was a doctor and worked for several years in psychiatry. Ryan is an internationally acclaimed copywriter and marketing commentator. He has written for numerous industry publications, including Marketing Week, the Australian Financial Review and The Economic Times. He is also the author of the book ‘Delusions of Brandeur’.

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Bronwyn Williams & Peter Bruce

In this episode of The Small Print, Bronwyn speaks to veteran journalist Peter Bruce about South Africa’s plans to achieve “Net Zero” carbon emissions by 2050. They discuss the difficulty of such a project given South Africa’s rising debt, the role of gas as a stepping stone toward renewable energy, and the need for more privatisation to achieve that goal. Bronwyn and Peter also explore the ANC’s reluctance to trust the private sector, why South Africa struggles to produce more entrepreneurs, and how ideology stands in the way of South Africa’s energy transition.

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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Peter Bruce was editor-at-large at Arena Holdings and editor-in-chief of Business Day, Financial Mail and ABC, the broadcaster of the Business Day TV, Home Channel and Ignition channels. He was editor of Business Day from 2001 until August 2012. His previous roles include editor: Financial Mail; editor: Business Report; UK news editor: Financial Times; and Madrid correspondent, Bonn correspondent, industrial correspondent: Financial Times. He describes himself as a media junkie, a die-hard Proteas and Springbok fan and a hopeless Sharks supporter.

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Bronwyn Williams & Ben Hunt [The Small Print]

In this episode of The Small Print, Bronwyn speaks to the creator of Epsilon Theory, Ben Hunt, about the power of stories to shape financial systems and the world at large. It’s a wide-ranging conversation that also touches on the “decentralisation gospel”, the nudging state, “fiat news”, crypto “true believers”, inalienable rights, and more.

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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Ben Hunt is the creator of Epsilon Theory and the inspiration behind Second Foundation Partners, which he co-founded with Rusty Guinn in June 2018. Epsilon Theory, Second Foundation’s principal publishing brand, is a newsletter and website that examines markets through the lenses of game theory and history. Earlier in his career, Ben taught political science for 10 years: at New York University from 1991 until 1997 and (with tenure) at Southern Methodist University from 1997 until 2000. He also wrote two academic books: Getting to War (Univ. of Michigan Press, 1997) and Policy and Party Competition (Routledge, 1992), which he co-authored with Michael Laver. Ben is the founder of two technology companies and the co-founder of SmartEquip, Inc., a software company for the construction equipment industry that provides intelligent schematics and parts diagrams to facilitate e-commerce in spare parts.

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Bronwyn Williams & John Endres [The Small Print]

In this episode of The Small Print, Bronwyn speaks to CEO of the IRR, John Endres. They discuss the recent State of the Nation Address and its reception to it, the wisdom — and folly — of ambitious government programmes, and the image problem of classical liberal ideas. Bronwyn also asks John about the IRR’s historical role in South Africa, why so many South Africans consider it a right-wing institution today, and what “moonshot” idea he thinks could galvanise the nation.

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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John Endres is the CEO of the Institute of Race Relations (IRR). He holds a doctorate in commerce and economics from one of Germany’s leading business schools, the Otto Beisheim School of Management, as well as a Master’s in Translation Studies from the University of the Witwatersrand. John has extensive work experience in the retail and services industries as well as the non-profit sector, having previously worked for the liberal Friedrich Naumann Foundation and as founding CEO of Good Governance Africa, an advocacy organisation.

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Bronwyn Williams & Anja Smith [The Small Print]

In this episode of The Small Print, Brownyn speaks to development economist, Anja Smith, about the ANC’s plans to implement universal health coverage via the National Health Insurance (NHI). Is it affordable? Is it desirable? Do better alternatives exist? This conversation is largely based on the Inclusive Society Institute’s research report “Trade-offs on the road to UHC: A quantitative assessment of alternative pathways for South Africa.” It can be accessed here: https://www.inclusivesociety.org.za/post/trade-offs-on-the-road-to-uhc-a-quantitative-assessment-of-alternative-pathways-for-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.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bronwynwilliams

Flux Trends: https://www.fluxtrends.com/future-flux/futurist-in-residence/

Website: https://whatthefuturenow.com/

Anja Smith is an economist with a focus on financial sector development, health economics and health systems analysis. She is currently an economist at Percept and a researcher at Research on Socio-Economic Policy at the Economics Department of Stellenbosch University. In 2016, Anja completed her PhD in economics, which focused on various topics related to the financing, delivery and user acceptability of healthcare in South Africa.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/anja_m_smith

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Bronwyn Williams & Matt Ridley [The Small Print]

A new virus descended on the human species in 2019 wreaking unprecedented havoc. Finding out where it came from and how it first jumped into people is an urgent priority, but early expectations that this would prove an easy question to answer have been dashed. Nearly two years into the pandemic, the crucial mystery of the origin of SARS-CoV-2 is not only unresolved but has deepened.

In this episode of The Small Print, Bronwyn speaks to author  Matt Ridley about his latest book “Viral: The Search for the Origin of COVID-19.” They discuss the possibility of Covid having originated in a lab in Wuhan, the politicisation of science as an institution, and what scientists can — and should — do to regain the trust of the general public. Bronwyn and Matt also explore some of Matt’s other writings on progress and why, despite some of the difficulties we face today, he remains a rational optimist.

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Viral-Search-COVID-19-Matt-Ridley/dp/006313912X

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.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bronwynwilliams

Flux Trends: https://www.fluxtrends.com/future-flux/futurist-in-residence/

Website: https://whatthefuturenow.com/

Matt Ridley is a British author and businessman. He is best known for his writings on science, the environment, and economics. He has written several science books, including The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature (1994), Genome (1999), The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves (2010) and The Evolution of Everything: How Ideas Emerge (2015). His latest book, which he co-authored with Alina Chan, is Viral: The Search for the Origin of COVID-19 (2021). He publishes a blog and has been a regular contributor to The Times newspaper.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mattwridley

Website: https://www.mattridley.co.uk/

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