The Covid Report

One of the most polarizing topics within urban South African discourse, particularly during the pandemic, has been the various alcohol bans put in place during the lockdown. They have routinely received a mixed response from the public, & to this end, we are joined by Bar Consultant & Mixologist, Ntando Ngema, who helps us separate fact from fiction, in relation to this topic, while also pondering the way forward to encouraging responsible alcohol consumption in South Africa.

The COVID 19 pandemic has a significant impact on the steadily worsening unemployment crisis in SA, & resulted in many people losing their jobs. Certain individuals, however, were able to also take advantage of the opportunity presented to them in the wake of this, & to this end, we are joined by Chef, Siyabonga Ngwenya, who unpacks how leaving his corporate job presented him with the opportunity to open an eatery business in his community

FTI Consulting released a study that tracked the progressively worsening unemployment crisis in South Africa and how the COVID 19 pandemic made this even worse. Dr. Paula Armstrong joins us on the show to unpack her findings and the research that went into the production of the study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had adverse effects on people's ability to earn a living, & this hasn't been more keenly felt anywhere else than in the informal trading sector. SAITA's Rosheda Muller joins us on The Covid Report to unpack the measures their organization is taking to help the impacted informal traders in need.

As regularly noted over the entirety of the show's history, the COVID 19 pandemic has prompted many people to reevaluate their priorities & reexamine their career aspirations. Head of Food at Nando's, Ms. Pascale Sobiecki, joins us on The Covid Report to provide insight in this regard, while also mapping out the options available for those considering entering the restaurant & food space.

The turbulent nature of this pandemic, as well as the immeasurable damage to people's jobs, livelihoods & career aspirations that it left in its wake, has necessitated a change for many of us, ranging from necessary to uncomfortable, while also leaving a cloud of uncertainty over those still making their entry into the workspace. Our guest, Mahlatse Hlako - a Media Design student - talks us through what informed the career choices she's made for herself and how this period has impacted her.

The Covid-19 pandemic has been a turbulent period for many, jobs were lost and many people's lives changed drastically. How anxious were matriculants with having to adjust to online studying and putting in extra work to ensure that they pass their Matric year?

Gamelihle Bovana speaks to Khumo Toyana, a learner who completed Grade 12 last year. And also talks to Hildah Boikanyo, a single mother of two teenage boys who lost her job and had to relocate back home, causing her son to repeat Grade 12 this year.

Are vaccines your greatest guarantee of safety? Taking the vaccine jab and whether it is safe or not has been a question debated by many. Host of the Covid Report Gamelihle Bovana speaks to Burt Rodrigues, CEO of Biological Chemical Technologies (Biodx), to unpack the safety of vaccines as well as taking other precautions to complement the vaccine.

SARS priority has been to raise awareness about the October 2020 deadline for people who needed to file an income tax return at a SARS branch, why is it important for SARS to issue notices for tax returns? Gamelihle Bovana speaks to Itumeleng Mokhine TA (SA) Tax Specialist at Liberty Group South Africa.

South Africa went into Lockdown Level 1 in September where we saw a lot of activities being permitted, although this didn’t mean that the coronavirus had been completely cleared we saw a lot of citizens being relaxed and the use of non pharmaceutical intervention not being observed. There has been recent talks of a rise in infections and we could possibly face a second wave of infections in the coming months. Professor Bob Scholes and Professor Francois Engelbrecht from Wits Global Change Institute join us on the show to elaborate on this topic.

Last week, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni delivered the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) proposes a five-year fiscal consolidation to narrow the budget deficit and stabilise government debt. The biggest highlights were that the South African economy is expected to contract by 7.8% in 2020, while our debt is set to rise to R5.5 trillion in 2023/24 fiscal year. The ailing national airline received another bailout. The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic continue to affect various industries here in South Africa and across the world. Did minister Tito Mboweni’s budget speech give us confidence on how we can get out of the current economic crises. To answer that question and more, we speak to Political analyst Mighti Jamie.