Early Breakfast with Africa Melane

Many people feel that they can protect themselves against COVID-19 by wearing personal protection equipment (PPE) such as gloves and masks as a precaution.  The Head of the Western Cape Health Department has issued an appeal to the general public of the province to not wear gloves and masks, due to the risks these items pose in spreading the coronavirus if not used properly.

Topic: Healthcare with Doctor Setoaba: Gloves and Masks

Guest: Dr. Mokete Setoaba, General Practitioner

The USA leads the way with more than 188 000 infections, with New York being the epicentre of the virus in North America. Donald Trump’s plan to have things ‘back to normal’ by Easter will not be happening after the lockdown regulations were extended until the end of April, as medical experts predict that at least 100 000 people will succumb to the disease in America.

Coronavirus in the USA

Guest: Adrian Brune, Journalist, USA

Topic: From the Continent: Getting the Message about COVID-19 to All Africans

Guest: Sokhu Sibiya, Editor - Africa.com

Many large families have to live in one-bedroom homes or informal dwellings, without proper water and sanitation and electricity.  This is the reality that many, if not the majority of our nation face as COVID-19 exposes just how unequal our society really is. Abongile speaks to Professor Sandra Liebenberg, The HF Oppenheimer Chair in Human Rights Law at Stellenbosch University about the lessons we should learn from here and how we can possibly correct the imbalance in our society

Topic: COVID-19 is exposing the inequalities within our society

Guest: Professor Sandra Liebenberg, HF Oppenheimer Chair in Human Rights Law at Stellenbosch University

Guest: Jean - Jacques Cornish, Africa Correspondent

Topics: International Red Cross warns of a breakdown in African healthcare systems.

Ethiopia postpones the August election.

Libyan ceasefire breached by Khalifa Haftar’s rebels

COVID-19: South Africa Stranded in Bali

Jason, South African

Over the past two days, we’ve seen hundreds of elderly standing in long line to collect old age grants at various pay points across the country. On Monday, two pensioners died while waiting in one of those lines in KZN.  Surely there should be a way for our elderly to avoid having to wait in a queue for several hours to collect money? Abongile speaking to Henry de Grass, the acting regional manager for SASSA in the Western Cape about how payouts work, and what lessons they learnt regarding this month’s payout.

Topic: SASSA payouts: How to avoid the queue

Guest: Henry de Grass,  SASSA Acting regional Executive Manager in the Western Cape

"Masks are our only armour when we walk into the room of a Covid-positive patient," says WHO epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove.

Topic: From the Continent: East African Leaders Try Online Meetings

Guest: Sokhu Sibiya, Editor - Africa.com

The Western Cape has 310* confirmed cases of coronavirus. But the most worrying information confirmed over the weekend, is that COVID-19 is now in the township after Khayelitsha was confirmed to have one positive case.  According to Dr Jo Barnes, from the department of global health at the University of Stellenbosch University, given how densely populated our townships are, this virus is destined to spread like wildfire. And given our already crippled healthcare system, she says we’re in deep trouble if the virus is not contained.

Topic: Covid-19: How equipped is our healthcare system to deal with an outbreak in our townships?

Guest: Dr Jo Barnes, From the department of global health at Stellenbosch University