Guest: Benji Shulman: Executive Director of the Middle East Africa Research Institute

Guest: Sanisha Packirisamy, Chief Economist at Momentum

Guest: Sibusiso MBOTO: Advocacy coordinator at the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group.

As of last week, it’s costing us more to get around. The price of petrol went up by more than 3-rand a litre last week while diesel went up by over 7-rand. But the fuel price increase wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been, because government reduced the fuel levy so we wouldn’t have to take all the pain at the pumps. Having said that, paraffin went up by a whopping 11-rand-67. I thought that was particularly upsetting, given that so many families who struggle financially depend heavily on paraffin. But if you thought it wouldn’t get worse, think again. Businesstech is among those saying the Central Energy Fund’s latest figures show fuel prices may well skyrocket in the coming months. And it’s all down to the US attacks on Iran that have persisted for 6-weeks now, disrupting oil prices worldwide. In the next half hour or so, we’re going to be looking at exactly what this means for all of us

This morning (Thursday) The Transport Department launched it's road safety campaign on the eve of the Easter weekend. The sad part is that despite all the road safety campaigns, fatalities on our roads are not decreasing. Where are we going wrong and what's the point of these campaigns if the situation on our roads does not change? To talk about what new thing the department is bringing this time around, we are joined by…

The Cities Economic Outlook report for 2026 has revealed that metros in the country are under strain due to the difficulty of balancing a high population growth and economic activity. Metros were always seen as the engines for national growth, as they house most of the manufacturing hubs and industry. The report which is compiled by National Treasury, Human Sciences Research Council and some of the leading universities goes on to reveal that it's no longer the traditional productive industries that are creating jobs, but rather the public services and non-tradable industries. To help us understand this report and why we should be worried, we are joined by…

Guest: Prof Ivan Turok -  Professor of urban economics at the University of the Free State; and a Distinguished Research Fellow at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC)

Guest: Prof Justin Visagie - Associate Professor at Southern Centre for Inequality Studies, University of Witwatersrand

Guest: Ajiv Maharaj - Deputy Head of Economic Development, eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality

Guest: Jodie Posen - Head of Economic Intelligence, City of Cape Town

Unions and other civil society movements have welcomed government’s efforts to reduce the fuel prices that were meant to increase with a significant amount. The petrol price was going to go up by more than 5-rands while diesel was going to increase by more than 9-rands. The prices are still going to go up from the beginning of May. As long as the war between Israel, USA and Iran continues, fuels prices are going to be severely affected. So this morning we thought to talk about what more we would like to see government do to deal with a possible fuel crisis as we've heard reports of some petrol stations turning motorists away because they've run out of fuel? 

Guest: Mametlwe Sebei - President of the General Industries Workers Union of South Africa

Guest: Riefdah Ajam - General Secretary for the Federation of Unions of South Africa, FEDUSA

Guest: Visvin Reddy - Member of Parliament for the MKP and longtime activist against high fuel prices

South Africa is taking a bold step toward closing one of its most persistent gaps — the digital divide. A new R142 billion Digital Connectivity Investment Roadmap, unveiled by the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the National Planning Commission, sets out an ambitious plan to achieve universal high-speed broadband access by 2035. This is more than just an infrastructure plan — it’s a blueprint for building an inclusive digital economy. The roadmap looks at everything from

expanding fibre and mobile networks, to tackling affordability, improving digital skills, and strengthening institutional capacity.

Aligned with frameworks like the National Development Plan and global targets such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the plan outlines what it will take — financially and practically — to ensure that no community is left behind in South Africa’s digital future.

The big question now is: how do we turn this R142 billion vision into reality — and what will it mean for ordinary South Africans, especially those in underserved and rural areas?

Guest: Dr. Tshepo Feela - Commissioner of the National Planning Commission (NPC) in South Africa 

As this is the last Tuesday of the month, today’s programme is dedicated to answering questions submitted over the past few years. Bryan has grouped together questions of a similar nature that he thinks are really important in becoming more financially organised.
Guest (Studio): Bryan Hirsch - Chairperson of Bryan Hirsch, Colley & Associates

The ongoing embargo on Cuba: Cuba is experiencing a severe economic and energy crisis with widespread nationwide blackouts and critical shortages of fuel, food, and medicine. The situation has been intensified by strict U.S. sanctions, an oil blockade, and the loss of fuel shipments from Venezuela. In an effort to assist with the humanitarian crisis that is developing, the Nuestra América Convoy has delivered the first shipment to for the communities affected by the ongoing embargo. To tell us more about the situation on the ground and the perspective of the government, we are joined by… 

Guest: James Schneider -  Communications Director for the Progressive International

Guest: H.E. Fakri Rodríguez Pinelo - Cuban Ambassador to South Africa

City Cool Labs brings vital information to respond to climate change in urban areas :As temperatures rise across South Africa’s cities, the impacts of extreme heat are not felt equally. In wealthier suburbs, tree-lined streets and open spaces help keep temperatures down. However, in densely populated areas such as Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain, there is limited vegetation and high-density housing with heat-retaining materials that can push temperatures dramatically higher—by as much as six degrees in some cases. Inside informal homes, that difference can climb to a staggering fifteen degrees.

These patterns are emerging in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban. —turning extreme heat into a growing public health and economic crisis.

Now, a new global initiative is aiming to change that. The World Resources Institute Ross Center for Sustainable Cities has launched the Cool Cities Lab—the first platform of its kind to map heat exposure down to individual streets and blocks. In this half hour, we unpack what the Cool Cities Lab means for South African cities, and how it could help build more climate-resilient, equitable urban spaces. To share her insights, we are joined by...  

Guest: Amanda Gcanga -  WRI cities program lead in South Africa

SA breeding ground for corruption:This morning we revist that one cancer of corruption that's plaguing the country. Procurement seems to be at the centre of as most investigations are centered around the manipulation of tender processes. Just last week we say high ranking police officers in the procurement decision arrested for procurement related charges. Worst of all is that even the national police commissioner has been summoned for the same problem. How did we get here? Why has procurement become the fertile ground for corruption in the country? Is it about governance or just opportunistic politicians milking government? For a perspective on this, we are joined by…

Guest: Job Mokgoro - Former Premier of the North West Province, governance  practitioner and scholar with extensive experience within government

Guest: Zukiswa Kota - Steering Committee Member of the global  Open Government Partnership and leado coordinator of the Imali Yethu Coalition for Open Budgets (A coalition of civil society organisations committed to deepening fiscal transparency, accountability and public participation in SA)

Our next guest hails from the Kingdom of Lesotho and stands among Southern Africa’s most captivating vocalists. She is  celebrated for her rich Afro-Soul sound and timeless storytelling. Her musical journey began with the Afro-Pop group Kaya, whose debut album Kunzima earned a Metro FM Award for Best Newcomer back in 2005, marking the start of a remarkable career grounded in authenticity and soulful artistry. Her solo breakthrough came with Step Child (2011), a 12-track Neo Afro-Soul gem that showcased her signature blend of spirituality, rhythm, and emotion. The album’s hit singles Chimsoro and Under My Skin dominated South African airwaves. That same album earned the SAMA for Best African Adult Album.

This morning, she is on the precipice of a concert to promote her latest body of work, Dithapelo, at the Market Theatre. She invites her audience into her most vulnerable and spiritually rich work yet. More than a concert, the evening promises a deeply personal encounter: one that traces her journey through faith, growth, and artistic rebirth. So far, the album surpassed 150 000 streams, reflecting strong anticipation from listeners. We are joined by…

Guest: Malehlokoa"Maleh" Hlalele - singer, songwriter and composer (Afro-soul and Afro-fusion).