Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit

Lester Kiewit reflects on the little joys that brighten his days, like Ilham Soeker’s homemade chutney from Kensington. This rich, flavourful blatjang turns ordinary snacks into something special, whether paired with samosas or aged cheddar. A reminder to pause, savour, and celebrate life’s simple pleasures.

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Lester Kiewit speaks to Arthur Goldstuck, a pioneer in South Africa’s mobile technology landscape, about the evolution of communication and whether some tools are reaching the end of their lifespan. Fresh from attending Huawei’s launch of Android-free devices in Dubai, Arthur shares insights into this bold innovation but focuses on deeper questions: Is SMS becoming obsolete, and are traditional phone calls following suit? As communication shifts to instant messaging and we face notification overload, Arthur draws on decades of expertise to connect the dots between where we’ve been and where we’re headed in the ever-changing world of tech.

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Syrian rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa says neighbours have nothing to fear; Russia threatens revenge for killing of general in Moscow; Russian officials not fans of Santas with red hats and fake, fluffy beards. Adam Gilchrist shares details on these stories with Lester Kiewit.

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How might the introduction of dual time zones in South Africa, or perhaps daylight-savings time in summer, impact on our energy consumption? Could either of them ease the demand on the electricity network and also boost our physical and mental wellbeing? Lester Kiewit speaks to Dr Jason Samuels, an adjunct lecturer at Stellenbosch University’s Industrial engineering department, and also the co-founder and MD of Stellenbosch spin-off energy company GreenX.

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Lester Kiewit speaks to Mike Agenbag, an environmental health lecturer at CPUT, about whether South Africa’s health inspection function has been improved since a spike in food poisoning cases linked to spaza shops. And they discuss whether the extension of the deadline for spazas to register with their local municipalities will have any positive effect.

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Lester Kiewit speaks to Caro Smit, the founder and director of South Africans Against Drunk Driving about what it will take to get road users, to drive safe, slower and sober this festive season.

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Lester Kiewit speaks to Dieter Glockle, CEO of Easyway Vehicle Autogas, to discuss how petrol-driven vehicles can be converted to run on LP gas, and about the benefits of operating fleets on LPG compared to petrol, as it is considerably cheaper as a fuel source due to the lack of government levies associated with petrol.

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Lester Kiewit speaks to Benjamin Gillies specialised tour operator and relocation services provider, about the rising costs in Cape Town and whether the city is becoming unaffordable for both locals and tourists. They explore the factors driving price increases, the growing trend of semigration to the Western Cape, and Benjamin’s insights on balancing local affordability with tourist-focused pricing and whether Cape Town risks pricing itself out of the market for international visitors.

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In this episode of Lester’s Favourite Things, Lester shares some of the little joys that brighten his day, like a slice of carrot cake or the scent of freshly baked bread. He’s joined by Ilse Oberholster, the owner of Mnandi Textiles, where Lester’s bespoke shirts are crafted. We learn about Mnandi’s journey since 1991, specialising in African printed cotton, and how customers can order custom clothing and fabric.

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Cape Town City Ballet is once again performing the traditional Christmas ballet, The Nutcracker, set to Tchaikovsky’s timeless score.  While most of the shows are sold out, there are still a few seats available and can be purchased through Webtickets. Lester Kiewit speaks to principal dancer Kirstel Paterson.

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