Family members of the late veteran actor, Patrick Shai say they are trying to come to terms with his death.  The 66-year-old Shai passed away at his Soweto home on Saturday morning. He starred in some of the SABC's best dramas including Yizo Yizo, Soul City, Bophelo ke Semphego and Generations.  He was also a gender-based activist and one of the founding members of the Free Film Makers of South Africa. Phumzile Mlangeni reports...

Guest: Jerry Mofokeng – Veteran actor

Guest: Sputla Sebogodi – Veteran actor

Guest: Jet Novuka – Veteran actor

The situation in Mali is not getting better. This time around aid NGOs are warning that 7.5 million Malians – in need of humanitarian aid. They are pleading with the EU and their counterparts to exempt aid agencies from sanctions so that they can render humanitarian assistance. To tell us more on this and also the situation on the ground, we are joined via Skype from Mali’s capital Bamako by…   

Guest: Mobeen Ajaib - Interim Director of Oxfam in Mali

Let’s touch base now with the National department of health. They held a press briefing over the weekend talking on different issues around Covid-19. One of the issues that health Minister Joe Phaahla touched on was that of reopening of the country’s activities like stadiums. Also reports of us entering the fifth wave which the minister indicated that it could be around May which is flu season in the Southern hemisphere. There’s also the issue of the World Bank loan meant to accelerate the COVID-19 response. For the latest on this, we are joined on the line by…..   

Guest: Dr Lesley Bamford – Acting Chief Director for Child Health in the National Department of Health

As you’ve heard a few weeks ago that the ANC in Limpopo is throwing its weight behind President Cyril Ramaphosa for a second term. Today we thought to get their views on the spat between President Ramaphosa and Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu. How do they feel about the way things are unfolding and are they sticking to Ramaphosa as they candidate of choince?

Guest: Mathope Tala – Regional Secretary for the ANC in the Sekhukhune district

This coming Sunday will see some of South Africa’s musicians, artists and poets hosting a heritage festival in honour of Hugh Masekela. Masekela passed away on the 23rd of January in 2018 and it left many of us heartbroken knowing what he meant to us all as a country. We will be spending this hour speaking to some of the musicians who will be taking part to get first hand from them as to what Masekela meant to them and how they will be honouring him…

Guest: Muneyi Masibigiri, known by Muneyi musician, singer-songwriter

Guest: Langa Mavuso – Singer and songwriter

Guest: Mabusha Masekela – Nephew of Hugh Masekela and festival organiser

The executive mayor of Mangaung Metro yesterday (Thursday) marked 100 days in office and one of the things he mentioned was his plans to deal with water problems which he alluded to old infrastructure. Just this week he was threatened  with a total shutdown by disgruntled residents demanding service delivery. He now joins us on the line to talk about his plans of turning the metro around…

Guest: Mxolisi Siyonzana’s - Executive Mayor for Mangaung Metro

Joburg Theatre is today (Friday) hosting the Fourth Isandlwana Lecture: The Musical. This is one of the most historical battles in South African history between the British and the Zulu Nation. The event took place on the 22 of January 1879 and South African young black artists are making sure that the history is never erased. To tell us more on the lecture and the significance of this history we are joined on the line by….

Guest: Mbuso Khoza - Musician and heritage historian

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has announced that the 2021 National Senior Certificate overall pass rate, with the progressed learners included, stands at 76-point four per cent. She says this is an improvement of zero-point-two percentage points from the pass rate achieved by the Class of 2020. She says the improvement comes despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department earlier said the matric class of 2021, was the largest ever. For a perspective on the results, we are joined on the line by….

Guest: Professor Elizabeth Henning – South African Research chair: Integrated Studies of Learning Language, Mathematics and Science in Primary School Faculty of Education at the University of Johannesburg

Kgothatso Mphaka – Learner at KwamHlanga Secondary School. She achieved seven distinctions -

Mpendulo Ndzoyiya – Learner at Gobinamba Senior Secondary School – He achieved seven distinctions

Yesterday (Wed) EFF leader Julius Malema vowed to continue pushing for all restaurants in South Africa to employ more South Africans than foreign nationals.  He visited some restaurants at the Mall of Africa in Johannesburg to go and investigate for himself saying this is the first step in making sure that 60 percent of South Africans are employed and 40 percent of foreign nationals must be considered for job opportunities. Let’s take a look now at how practical such a quota system is and under the current economic climate that the country is going through, is it a smart move? To lead us in this discussion, we are joined on the line by…

Guest: Michael Bagriam - Labour law expert from Bagraim Attorneys