Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit

Lester Kiewit speaks to David Africa, a former struggle activist and intelligence expert, about his gripping new book Lives on the Line. Africa takes us inside the high-stakes world of espionage, revealing how a small team of spies infiltrated and dismantled PAGAD, a group that evolved from an anti-gang movement into a violent terror network. He shares insights into the complexities of intelligence gathering, the political battles within state security forces, and the lasting lessons for global security.

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Many dead and missing in Myanmar earthquake; the cause of South Korea’s fire points towards a grieving man; crashed rocket a blow to European space satellite program. Adam Gilchrist shares details on these stories with Lester Kiewit.

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Former UK Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn discusses South Africa's ICJ case against Israel and the U.S. reaction, which he sees as intimidation. As one of 100 international MPs backing South Africa, he critiques nationalism, the left’s failures, and stresses solidarity. Drawing on his anti-apartheid activism, he acknowledges South Africa’s struggles with corruption and inequality while praising its stand on international justice.

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Lester Kiewit speaks to Dr Mamphela Ramphele, the Chairperson of the Archbishop Tutu IP Trust who says enough is enough and it is time for South Africa to expel the Israeli Ambassador. This after Isreal violated the ceasefire in Gaza, which Dr Ramphele says is the most recent of the violations of Ubuntu - the principle that all human beings are dependent on each other.

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Lester Kiewit speaks to Zukiswa Kota, head of Monitoring and Advocacy Program at the Public Service Accountability Monitor. They discuss the impasse between the Democratic Alliance and ANC, over key issues in the Budget, and what it will mean for other critical bills that form part of the Budget process if an agreement cannot be reached.

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Kidnapping for ransom and extortion has become a major problem in South Africa, with over 17000 cases being reported to the SAPS in 2023/24. The targets range from high-net-worth individuals and executives to children and tourists, with kidnappers targeting victims for financial gain, their ransom demands ranging from R500,000 to R150 million. Lester Kiewit speaks to Ryno de Kock, head of distribution at PSG Insure about the increasing need for Kidnap and Ransom (K&R) Insurance in covering ransom payments, expert negotiators, legal fees, and trauma support.

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Lester Kiewit speaks to Dante Roumega, the co-founder and MD of 1MoreTime, a company which recycles disposable vape devices into powerbanks. They have now expanded their offerings by providing their recycled batteries to other businesses to use in their products such as headphones and portable speakers.

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Lester Kiewit speaks to Melisa Ndlovu, who has just written the children’s book “Khanyisa and the Cloud”. Aimed towards younger children, it is intended to be used as an aid to help parents and caregivers to navigate some important conversations with children in their care, opening the door to important conversations about childhood emotions, offering young readers a safe space to explore feelings of sadness, worry, and hope.

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Lester Kiewit speaks to Dr Christien Engelbrecht, the lead scientist on long range predictions at the SA Weather Service, about what the Western Cape can expect this winter. They are already predicting less rain than in previous years.

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Lester Kiewit speaks to Dr Lee Randall, an independent road safety researcher and co-founder of the Road Ethics Project, about why many road safety studies do not provide an accurate view. This after South Africa emerged as the country with the deadliest roads, according to a study by Zutobi.

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