NIGHT FALL

Guest: Thabo Shole-Mashao, Social commentator and journalist

It’s known as one of the hotly contested tenders in the country, the R180bn national lottery tender where the new winner is supposed to announced soon.

Joburg has a new mayor and same old problems. Another building burning this past weekend, infrastructure collapsing and the Bree Street (the street that blew up) still not fixed. Apparently, Joburg needs about R200bn to fix its infrastructure. 

Guest: Brian McKechnie, Joburg architect and heritage consultant

Bree Street repairs delayed to 2026 after 'non-compliant' contractor fired

Lillian Ngoyi Street, which exploded on 19 July 2023, will only be completed on 30 June 2026 – if all goes according to plan.

The road, formerly named Bree Street, is one of the main arterial routes in Johannesburg's inner city.

It has endured traffic chaos since the 450-metre road was closed after being destroyed in a methane gas explosion.

According to the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), two phases still need to be completed.

When reconstruction began on 11 January 2024, the former mayor, Kabelo Gwamanda, said the repairs would be completed by 15 December 2024.

Capitec Bank says the surge in sports betting in SA is something that the country has to have a conversation about…saying sports betting had taken root in SA with more people looking to lay their hands on extra money.

Guest: Ms Sibongile Simelane-Quntana, Executive director of the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation.

Capitec flags surge in sports betting

As a nation we should definitely think about the issue, says the bank’s Francois Viviers

The surge in sports betting in SA is something that the country has to have a conversation about, says Capitec, the country’s biggest bank by customers.

Guest: VICTOR MAVHIDULA, Limpopo Provincial Manager · South African Human Rights Commission

Police have arrested a Limpopo pig farmer, his farm supervisor and a worker after they allegedly shot dead two women scavenging for expired food and then threw their bodies in a pigsty.

Official accounts and eye witnesses said the pigs had already started feeding on the upper parts of one of the corpses by the time police arrived on the scene a few days later last week.

Families of the women – mother of four, Maria Makgato (47) and Kudyai Lucia Ndlovu (34), were still reeling in shock at the weekend over the incident.

Guest: NOMZAMO ZONDO, Executive Director · Socio-economic Rights Institute of South Africa

Johannesburg Emergency Services personnel suspect illegal electricity connections may have led to the blaze that gutted an abandoned building in Jeppestown in Johannesburg.

Four people have died, with three others being treated for their wounds, after  fire gutted a building in Jeppestown, Johannesburg on Sunday morning.

1. What's happening in the City of Joburg? (I know it's an open needed question but it's one of those 'kwenzakalani' asked out of frustration)
2. It's been 11 months since the fire at the Usindiso Building - has government been laxed with improving services, law enforcement and putting pressure on the Usindiso Inquiry commission?

Guest: Zanele Njapa, Founder and CEO of The Unlearners

• It is reported that one in three employees who have experienced a toxic workplace culture said they have used sick leave to avoid it…
• According to a poll of 800 HR leaders and full-time employees who have faced toxicity in the workplace, said they would take a pay cut to work for a company that had a less toxic atmosphere…
• Tonight we look at what it means to unlearn a toxic workplace culture…
• Do you even know when your work environment is toxic?
• What role do you also play in that environment?
• First, you call yourself an Unlearning Lady - what does that mean?
• Personally, what have you learned in your unlearning journey?
• Why it is so important to unlearn some of the habits we have?
• Tonight we’re talking about a toxic workplace culture - what kind of culture is this?
• If you are moving jobs or companies, can you take your toxicity with you?
• What would you say are some of the signs of a toxic workplace culture?
• What you are the perpetrator of the toxicity around the office, how do you first acknowledge that and how do you unlearn it?
• As a victim of a toxic environment, how do you unlearn that when you join a new company?
• How do we, in general, cultivate new habits in our lives?

Guest: Zukiswa Zimela, Communications Manager - Healthy Living Alliance

• The Healthy Living Alliance says it it calling for an affordable and nutritious food for all….
• It is urging the government to adopt vital regulations to support the improvement of health and wellbeing of all, particularly women and children.
• It is calling for government to prioritise food justice.

What does this all mean?

Joining me is

• When we talk food justice, what are we talking about?
• Why is this topic so important to be raised especially now, around the Women’s month?
• Your recent statement, you painted the story of Siyakholwa Mkoka from Khayelitsha…can you take us through that story and its message?
• What are some of our biggest struggles in SA regarding the food we are consuming?
• The obesity challenge?
• I read that obesity cost our health system about R33bn a year?
• You also say - For decades, the food and beverage industry has fed the public the myth that what we eat is our choice alone.
• What role does advertising play in our food choices?
• The regulation of food labelling - what difference will it make?
• A healthier South Africa - what would it look like?

Guest: Pinky Mashiane, Founder and president of the United Domestic Workers of South Africa

The latest report by SweepSouth reveals that South African domestic workers are still facing a myriad of challenges including economic hardships and mental challenges. The report says the living cost of domestic workers has increased by 15% over the past year, completely dwarfing the 5% earnings increase, according to SweepSouth

• Happy Women’s month but it seems a difficult for domestic workers in South Africa. What do you do make of this report?
• How would you do describe the state of domestic workers in SA at the moment?
• This report says about 46% of domestic workers still earn less that the legally prescribe minimum wage?
• Why are we still struggling to enforce the minimum wage rule when it comes to domestic workers?
• A number of domestic workers are foreign nationals, does that open them to abuse?
• What are other types of abuses are they facing on top of the underpayment they receive?
• The report also talk about their struggles with mental health
• Are their struggles the same whether working in a suburb or a township household?
• What about the domestic workers are part of the gig economy? The ones that get to be employed for one day via different apps like SweepSouth, do they face the same struggles?
• What do we need to protect domestic workers in SA and for them to get what they deserve?
• What is the role of government or the Department of Labour to make this possible?