In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser

I asked philosopher Lucy Allais to join me to help us think philosophically about some of the debates around vaccines for covid-19. If, for example, I do not want to get vaccinated, is it okay to straightforwardly choose to not getvaccinated? Lucy doesn't think so, and in this episode of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser she systematically talks us through the ethical issues by asking, 'what do we owe others?' 

We also talked about whether or not some of the rights-talk from those who do not want to get vaccinated - "I have a right to bodily integrity!" - is ethically defensible and convincing. Lucy explains how the rights analysis is more morally complicated than those who cite rights casually would have us believe. 

Finally, the discussion ends with an examination of whether or not the state would be overreaching its moral authority if it formulates a policy of mandatory vaccination. 

I sat down with former Bain partner Athol Williams to talk about his excellent and disturbing new book, Deep Collusion: Bain and the capture of South Africa.

It is clear that Bain's South African leadership was dishonest before the Nugent Commission about its role in the hollowing out of South African Revenue Service.  We explore in this podcast how Bain groomed the likes of Sipho Maseko (Telkom) and then Tom Moyane (Sars) , with direct access to former president Jacob Zuma, enabling it to access lucrative public sector work with no relevant public sector expertise. 

The detail is mind-blowing and compulsory to listen to. 

In the latest Episode of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser,  I am in conversation with ART OF THE SUIT Business and Executive Coach Dawn Klatzko, about what to do and not to do while in search of a job, and climbing the ladder in your firm or within your industry. This episode is filled with practical career development tips, whether you are an unemployed graduate or a mid-career professional feeling stuck. It is compulsory listening.  

We refer to taxes imposed on consuming alcohol as 'sin taxes' because of the association of alcohol with many social sins. This is not entirely unjustified if one looks at what fuels violence, and other anti-social behaviours in our society, but is that the whole story?

We particularly view sheebens and taverns as moral hazards in ways in which clubs and pubs in urban areas are not. Is this fair? Are shebeens and taverns moral hazards? Or is that, at best, a partially correct view? What, at any rate, is the difference between a shebeen and a tavern? Do they contribute meaningfully to our economic and social lives? Who runs them and what drives these owners?

In this episode of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser we bust a few myths, share some interesting facts, and frame a set of conversations about shebeens and taverns that you did not know you would find interesting ... take a chance on this episode, featuring my compelling guest Lucky Ntimane (National Liquor Traders' Council), and remember to hit the subscription button for this podcast so that you do not miss the next episode!  

Author and commentator Sisonke Msimang joined Eusebius on In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser to discuss the legacy of apartheid's last leader, F W de Klerk.

Did he fully and adequately account for apartheid and his role in it ? Did he deserve a Nobel prize for peace? Is it "too soon" to criticise him or does he not deserve a quiet period of mourning before critical legacy debates are framed?  What about the different ways in which he is interpreted by others? Some black people will and do respond with grace: why and is that praiseworthy or misplaced? What about Black rage in response to De Klerk: does it have a self-justifying place?

Testimony from whistle-blower Athol Willaims at the State Capture Commission of Inquiry has directly implicated scores of people and corporates. This, as you can imagine, has led to Williams being ostracised, his bona fides and credentials being attacked, and much more. Last night he released a statement to the effect that he is no longer in South Africa. Due to growing safety concerns, he had left the country after saying goodbye to his worried family. 

I asked him why he had left, what the impact of whistle-blowing has been on his life, what kinds of protection ought to be provided to whistle-blowers generally and, lastly, we explored the true extent of criminality within South Africa - both within the state and the private sector - beyond the myth of the "lone rogue". 

The three biggest parties in South Africa all pretend that the local government election results were not TOO bad for them, and that they each just need to do a LITTLE BIT of soul searching.

That is balderdash. In this episode of In The Ring, I explain WHY the leaders of the ANC, DA and EFF are wrong in how they are interpreting the 2021 Local Government Election results.

Professor Adam Habib (Director, School of Oriental and African Studies) joined me to discuss what mistakes parties should avoid as they negotiate coalitions now that the local government elections are done, and left many councils hung. 

Besides avoiding errors, Habib and I also discussed, very pragmatically, what negotiators may wish to propose.

The Democratic Alliance ran an advert to scare voters into voting for the DA. The advert explicitly tells voters that it is a mistake to vote for small parties. 

I analyse three reasons why this advert shows a lack of understanding of multiparty democracy and democratic theory on the part of the DA leader, John Steenhuisen.

I invited Professor Pierre de Vos to tackle a range of issues starting with an explanation of the law of discrimination when it comes to the renting of one's private property. Can I rent my property only to white people if I so wish?

Is it unjust for the law to even try to regulate how I do commerce? What is the thinking here, jurisprudentially?

If the law cannot guarantee a change in a racist's heart, what are we hoping to achieve by regulating how private property is used by citizens?