Eusebius on TimesLIVE

Our beloved contributor Eusebius McKaiser passed away suddenly on Tuesday. News of his death broke just hours after TimesLIVE published one of his popular politics podcasts. Never would we have guessed it would be his last. Listen to it below.

A TimesLIVE reader responded to a social media comment from political analyst Eusebius McKaiser by expressing skepticism about there being a viable alternative to the ANC.

McKaiser had opined: "We need to normalise mentioning the name 'ANC' when telling stories about the economic and deeply personal impact of blackouts, such as a child dying because of lack of oxygen when an inverter runs out of backup power.

"The effects of blackouts aren't random, natural events. They are the foreseeable consequences of corruption, state capture, technocratic ineptitude, and unethical and ineffectual leadership by the ANC-misled government.

"Make it a habit to tie the story of Eskom to the ANC."

The reader responded: "I hear you. But what is the alternative? Elections are around the corner and I don't feel like there is a viable alternative."

While not endorsing the sentiment of the voter, McKaiser spends time in this edition of Eusebius on TimesLIVE engaging the content of her skepticism and addressing opposition parties, in particular, for their role in manufacturing and sustaining the kind of voter despair captured in this comment.

He ends the analysis by offering constructive opinion on what opposition parties may yet do differently to attract voters who bemoan the state of our politics.

Produced by Bulelani Nonyukela.

In this episode of ‘Eusebius on TimesLIVE’, the host examines views about race that Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie articulated in a recent interview.

McKaiser explains in detail why he agrees with McKenzie that a political party based on narrow racialised politics, targeting only coloured people, is not politically savvy. But McKaiser then spends the rest of his audio analysis explaining why he disagrees with McKenzie that we should “cancel race”.

Produced by Bulelani Nonyukela.

Eusebius McKaiser hosted well-known human rights and social justice activist, Mark Heywood, on his TimesLIVE podcast. They were in conversation about how new political players, especially those who will be contesting the 2024 general elections, could maximise their chances of making a real and positive democratic difference.

Heywood and McKaiser started off by sketching their respective takes on the overall state of South Africa's democracy. Both of them focused on data that reveal various deep social crises, which rob most South Africans of living meaningful lives. Given their overlapping consensus, McKaiser quickly moved on to teasing out three critical themes from Heywood about the possibility that civil society could disrupt the current party political system by contesting political power, which the likes of Rise Mzansi are intending to do, as well as individuals like well-known activist, Zackie Achmat.

The bulk of the podcast episode focuses on Heywood carefully explaining three broad themes: a) the importance of actively and immediately helping communities in practical ways to demonstrate what you could do, at scale, if voted into power; b) the importance of articulating about five very clear, radical, feasible and well-thought through ideas that you campaign on; and c) the importance of co-operating as new political vehicles (rather than each working alone) in order to contest and disrupt hegemonic political power most effectively.

McKaiser and Heywood ended their conversation by also briefly reflecting on a) how new political entrants might deal with donors who are reluctant to fund them; b) avoiding political ideology and terminology that are overused and wooly; and c) learning the art of clear, explanatory and persuasive political communication.

Produced by Bulelani Nonyukela.

In this edition of Eusebius on TimesLIVE, the podcast host briefly frames the legal and political issues related to the ongoing controversy around the possible visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to South Africa later this year. While acknowledging that law and politics are intertwined in this matter, McKaiser tries to separate the nexus legal issues from the geopolitical ones.

There is a brief summary of what legal expert Dr James Grant said about the interpretation of the Rome Statute, a treaty that is domesticated in South African law. A key case that has featured this law is that of Omar al-Bashir, former Sudanese president, who had not been arrested when he was on South African soil and an ICC warrant of arrest had been issued. Grant explains why the precedent in that case implies a legal duty to arrest Putin, should he come to South Africa. The political considerations, argues Grant, are inferior to the rule of law.

But the heart of this episode of Eusebius on TimesLIVE is about South Africa's foreign policy posture. McKaiser offers trenchant criticism of South Africa's foreign policy stance which he describes as "not just vague but incoherent". In the rest of the audio, he explains how and why South Africa is muddled and what the negative consequences are on the international stage as a result of the alleged vagueness, incoherence and unpredictability of the country's views on key institutions such as the ICC.

McKaiser concludes "it is a not a good look" for the international relations and co-operation department to dither on what it thinks of the ICC.

To understand the logic of this criticism, listen to the full podcast audio. As always, every listener of Eusebius on TimesLIVE decides where their own view lands, having listened to the guests on the show.

Produced by Bulelani Nonyukela.

Matshidiso Lencoasa is a budget researcher at Section 27, a well-known South African public interest law centre. With multiple degrees in accounting sciences, international development and education, she brings a uniquely important set of skills to the work of Section 27. She focuses on how best budget interventions, at all levels of government, may be used to get us closer to a South Africa that is substantively equal, and in which socio-economic rights are fully realised.

In this edition of Eusebius on TimesLIVE, she engaged the podcast host on various aspects of Freedom Day. They started off by acknowledging the importance of civil and political rights before reflecting on the normative value of socio-economic rights also enshrined in our constitution. Lencoasa furthermore remarked on the importance of economic rights to ensure that every citzen's human potenial is fully realised.

McKaiser and Lencoasa also spent time on the importance of being vigilant about the gap between the vision in the Bill of Rights, and section 27 in particular, and material conditions of vast deprivation that millions of people still live under. Lencoasa was optimistic, however, that although there is still some "awkwardness" in public discourse when questions about land and economic justice are raised, that economic rights debates must be framed and insisted on. She agreed with McKaiser that reconciliation is not achievable without economic justice.

The conversation ended with Lencoasa explaining to McKaiser how severe technical and capacity weaknesses within all spheres of government result in resources not being spent on the vulnerable. This means that, besides monies that are lost due to corruption and state capture, the South African state is also sufficiently fit for social justice purpose. Interestingly, she ends off the conversation by justifying her relative optimism about the country's future despite the structural and empirical issued explored with McKaiser.

As always, listeners of Eusebius on TimesLIVE can decide whether or not they agree with the host and his guest.

Produced by Bulelani Nonyukela.

Respected former Wits university legal academic Dr James Grant joined Eusebius McKaiser on his TimesLIVE podcast to focus on whether it is compulsory for the government to arrest Russian president Vladimir Putin should he come to South Africa.

Grant argued that while there are legal complexities, besides the obvious geopolitical debates on the issue, in the end, South Africa would struggle to persuade a court that it has no obligation to comply with the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). South Africa domesticated the Rome Statute in 2000 after signing it in 1998 and it is now part and parcel of enforceable South African law.

Grant examined the apparent tension between customary international law that allows heads of state diplomatic immunity and the status of a Supreme Court of Appeal judgment in the case of Omar al-Bashir. South Africa was found legally wanting for not arresting the former Sudanese president.

Grant argues that though there is internal ambiguity within the Rome Statute and a hierarchy of sources of law has not been resolved definitively and jurisprudentially, South Africa will nevertheless have to be guided by the SCA's judgment in the al-Bashir case as it is, effectively, law.

Grant ended his conversation with McKaiser by explaining that political criticism of the ICC is insufficient to assist the government in avoiding diplomatic fallout with Russia. It must respect South African law or support someone accused of heinous crimes by the ICC, of which it is a member.

Produced by Bulelani Nonyukela.

Ground Work Collective is a new initiative started by former DA politician Mbali Ntuli. She joined TimesLIVE contributor and analyst Eusebius McKaiser, on his TimesLIVE podcast, to explain the motivation behind this non-profit company, and how it will achieve its goals.

Ntuli shared with McKaiser data that demonstrates a slow decline in both the share of registered voters who participate in South African elections, and decreasing interest among eligible new voters to actually register to vote. Ground Work Collective's core motivation is to help to improve on these figures, with a particular focus on the youth vote.

McKaiser and Ntuli then focused on three themes. First, they discussed the importance of as high a voter participation as possible in order to ensure, not only that the elected government is lawfully in place, but that it also has the necessary political legitimacy to govern an entire country that includes millions of citizens and residents that did not vote it into office.

Ntuli expanded on her organisation's mission by telling McKaiser that it is not only, however, about voter turnout. Ground Work Collective is also premised on deepening democratic participation, especially so as to develop a generation of young citizens who become habitually involved in active citizenship. She argues that if this is achieved now, then in future it is more rather than less likely that participation in elections would remain relatively high as a constant feature of active citizenship.

Ntuli is also of the view that current political parties dominating the political landscape should be "scared" so that they stop being "complacent" about whose issues they care about. If many new voters "flood the voter's roll", then the status quo can be challenged because none of the main parties would get away with only engaging their main voting base and their most loyal voters.

Ntuli agreed, however, when McKaiser suggested a more positive framing of this insight is that a greater number of new voters may inadvertently act as an additional form of political accountability over the actions of so-called mainstream parties.

The podcast episode ended with reflections between the host and his guest on the multiple drivers of declining voter registration (such as difficulties to obtain identity documents, disappointment with the state, etc.), as well as their respective personal arguments for why, despite many flaws in South Africa's democracy, voters should choose to vote rather than to opt out of voting.

As always it is up to listeners of the podcast to decide where you agree or disagree with the views that had emerged.

Produced by Bulelani Nonyukela.

In this edition of Eusebius on TimesLIVE, five insights gained from the story of convicted rapist and murderer, Thabo Bester, and his alleged accomplice Dr Nandipha Magudumana, who faces several criminal charges of her own, are highlighted and explored.

The podcast host, Eusebius McKaiser, starts off by explaining 'unearned privilege' before applying the concept to this story. He offers an argument in support of the view that one can be the beneficiary of a disproportionate amount of public generosity if you are deemed to be conventionally beautiful, attractive and charming. These traits, argues the analyst, should not lead to Magudumana or Bester being regarded as lacking in moral agency or having reduced responsibility for their actions.

McKaiser then pivots to consider various systemic problems within policing, and the criminal justice value chain more generally, warning that the arrest of two fugitives should not result in the state praising itself when patterns of systemic corruption and various inefficiencies remain unaddressed. These range from borders that are porous, identify theft, a lack of ethics within the state, and other ongoing institutional weaknesses within policing and correctional services.

A third theme explored in this podcast episode puts the spotlight simultaneously on media coverage, story selection and also what readers, viewers and listeners demand. McKaiser argues that the victims and survivors of Bester's crimes have been largely rendered invisible, and that while this can be explained, it is not acceptable from a media ethics viewpoint.

The penultimate theme is the amplification of accountability. McKaiser argues that one positive element that has emerged is a demonstration of the power of MPs doing their job without fear or favour. By way of example, a robust exchange between Glynnis Breytenbach MP and a representative of the global security firm G4S (aimed at understanding the role of the firm in the escape of Bester from their prison) shows the power of effective parliamentary oversight.

McKaiser ends his analysis and ruminations by arguing that the apparent incompetence of G4S is a reminder that outsourcing state functions to the private sector does not guarantee inherently better, let alone more ethical, services. In the end, he argues, taxpayers and citizens must hold both the public and private sector accountable for their actions.

This afternoon, the two candidates for federal leader of the Democratic Alliance, John Steenhuisen, the incumbent, and his challenger Mpho Phalatse delivered their final leadership contest speeches at the party's congress currently underway.

TimesLIVE contributor and analyst, Eusebius McKaiser, watched the two speeches closely and, drawing on his experiences as a past World Masters Debate Champion and adjudicator of competitive debating and public speaking shows, analysed their performances.

Steenhuisen, with his wealth of political experience compared to Phalatse's, chose to focus on a very positive framing of what the DA had already achieved, and what it can and will achieve next year, i.e driving the ANC below 50% share of the national vote.

He alluded to the importance of experience, in an apparent dig at his opponent, by referencing his membership of the party that goes back to 1997, quite apart from many positions he had occupied over the years, including ten years as a DA councilor.

He showed awareness of and implicitly conceded that the DA needs to communicate more effectively with voters. To that end, based on research showing what matters to voters currently, he listed many thematic areas that he would focus on as leader if he was reelected, including energy insecurity, crime, unemployment, cadre deployment, improving the quality of our bureaucracy, and devolving more power to provincial and local governments.

What was most striking for McKaiser, however, was the overall tone and energy of the speech. It was positive, forward-looking, solutions-focused, and aiming at party cohesion rather than divisive critique in the public sphere.

Phalatse's speech was, argues McKaiser, perhaps more substantive in its self-examination of what the party had done wrong. She spent some time, by way of example, detailing the very serious trust deficit that the DA faces. She regaled the congress with anecdotes of people she had met everywhere who wondered whether or not the DA could be trusted. In contrast to the polling data cited by Steenhuisen, she suggested that if elections were held tomorrow, the DA may well only get 16% share of the vote, even if the ANC's numbers also plummeted The implication is that nothing short of a very fresh and new offering to voters is needed to get them to vote for the ANC. It would be a mistake, she says, to only focus on the base of the party.

McKaiser argues that, to that extent, Phalatse's speech sounded more like political analysis than someone understanding the game of politics. It was insufficiently positive and perhaps too introspective, given that voting delegates need to feel fired up about and positive towards a candidate they are asked to back. While some segments of the party might agree with Phalatse's speech in its essence, it may be hard to avoid the conclusion that Steenhuisen is the better politician between them.

For the full analysis of their speeches, and to hear the speeches for yourself, click on the audio link to this latest edition of Eusebius on TimesLIVE.

Former ActionSA Gauteng leader Bongani Baloyi has started a new political party, Xiluva, meaning flower in Xitsonga. In this case, it refers to the protea, which is seen on the party's logo and was chosen, according to Baloyi, because of the flower's resilience.

He granted Eusebius on TimesLIVE an interview on what led to the party's formation and its values, and answered questions about the strategic and practical difficulties of being a new political player in a growing field of small and new competitors.

Baloyi told TimesLIVE contributor and analyst Eusebius McKaiser that Xiluva's foundational values are ubuntu, family, community and multiracialism. He argued that people will continue to identify across racial lines and that his party embraces multiculturalism rather than nonracialism as it is a better founding value. In particular, he wants black people's experiences acknowledged.

When pressed by McKaiser on whether he has sufficient donor backing for a project of this nature, Baloyi said he had no backers, adding that donor power influenced the decisions of ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba.

He also shared his experience with a potential donor who wanted to dictate on his party's values and the position it should adopt on crucial questions such as relationships with other political organisations. For this reason, he is hoping for “subscriptions and working-class donations” to ensure “purity”.

McKaiser probed whether Xiluva has the necessary human and other resources to organise within communities, establish structures countrywide and ensure its top-line message translates to electoral success.

Responding, Baloyi revealed the party only has 10 members but he is confident young people will join the organisation and give it a collective image.

The podcast ends with a discussion on how Baloyi plans to “animate” young people who may be disengaged politically to vote next year, specifically for his party, with the host challenging him on the difficulties of “tapping the youth”.

How compelling is Baloyi in articulating his new project? As always, it is up to listeners to decide.

Produced by Bulelani Nonyukela.