Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit

Elections for African Union chair; former Ghana finance minister declared a fugitive, people of the Niger Delta vs oil giant Shell. Kiri Rupiah, Communities Editor at The Continent, shares details of these stories with Lester Kiewit.

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Lester Kiewit speaks to Chad Thomas of IRS Forensic Investigations, about a shocking case of a group of men who were tied up and violated at a Pretoria nightclub, allegedly by security staff. The horrific torture was captured on video.

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Lester Kiewit speaks to Isaac Matshego, Economist at Nedbank, for a preview of Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s 2025 Budget Speech. They discuss the key economic pressures shaping this year’s budget, expectations for government spending and revenue collection, and how the minister might balance economic growth with social support.

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Lester Kiewit speaks to Professor David Attwell about the ambitious plan to restore Simon’s Town’s historic tennis courts. What started as a vision in 2022 has now grown into a full-fledged project, with the Simon's Town Civic Association, the SA Navy Dockyard’s Facilities Management Department, and Cape Town Tennis joining forces. With over 100 members already signed up for the newly established Simon’s Town Tennis Club, the R2.7 million restoration aims to bring the courts back to life for both naval personnel and the wider community. Lester and Professor Attwell unpack the significance of this project, its impact on local schools, and what it means for the future of tennis in Simon’s Town.

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Lester Kiewit speaks to Mayor Geordin Hill Lewis about expectations for the upcoming Budget speech. The mayor says they can accelerate thousands of planned affordable rental apartments in well-located areas if the budget includes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s SONA promise to improve state subsidy funding. 

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The battle over returning to the office is heating up, with JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon doubling down on full-time in-person work—despite employee pushback—while Karen Lowe from South Africa's Four-Day Work Week campaign offers alternative solutions.

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Lester Kiewit speaks to Shaun Ludwig of Heathfield Tennis Club about the poor state of tennis courts on the Cape Flats compared to those in more affluent areas.

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Lester Kiewit speaks to Taydren van Vuren, LLD candidate in children's rights in the Department of Private Law at the Faculty of Law at Stellenbosch University, about how to best reintegrate thousands of child soldiers back into society. He also speaks to former child soldier José Maria Joao about how he was captured and forced into a life of violence in Angola’s armed conflict, how he escaped, and now lives a peaceful life in South Africa.

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Ukrainian peace negotiations – except they do not include Ukraine; a British couple detained in Iran while motorbiking the world; a carry-on catch as airline makes you pay a small fortune for water on flight. Adam Gilchrist shares details on these stories with Lester Kiewit.

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Lester Kiewit speaks to Chris Yelland, energy analyst and managing director at EE Business Intelligence, about what measures Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa could realistically put in place to ensure the electricity price remains affordable for ordinary South Africans.

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