As we build up to the Topco Media 2020 Top Empowerment Virtual Conference on the 22 and 23 July, we speak to the various contributors. One of them is Nedbank which will be hosting a 90-minute session on Day 2 of the Top Empowerment Conference. They will be discussing the Future of Transformation and to tell us more on it,

Guest: Kershini Govender - Executive Head of Transformation and Strategy at Nedbank Limited

There’s no doubt that the Covid-19 pandemic has hit workers very hard. The evidence is starting to show as the middle class are losing jobs and with that possessions. The latest National Income Dynamics Study has revealed even more devastating news, this time about the impact on the household. One of the scariest revelations is that one in three income earners in February did not earn an income in April.

Guest: Dr Nic Spaull – Principal Investigator of the National Income Dynamics Study

Yesterday (Wed) marked the UN’s World Youth Skills Day and the focus was more on developing young people’s skills in the digital space. Interestingly, the day falls within the SAP Africa Code week, the largest digital literacy initiative on the continent. It was introduced by SAP, UNESCO and their partners in 2015. How successful has it been over the years and what exactly are they teaching to the youngsters?

Guest: Sunil Geness – Director of Government Relations and CSR Global Government Affairs at SAP

With July being Savings Month in South Africa, Nedbank would like to reiterate its position as an innovator in the financial services space. One way is through the solutions it has brought to market over the past 12 months. One of these solutions is the MyPocket savings offering – A hassle-free money management feature that enables consumers to start saving from as little as R1. It can be linked to any Nedbank transactional account. With up to 10 savings pockets, each dedicated to a specific savings goal, making it is easier to save. It is easy for consumers to get their money in and out of their account and they earn more interest than with a normal savings account. Let’s hear now from Nedbank…

Guest: Vanesha Palani - Nedbank Divisional Executive: Transactional Products

On our SMME feature today we zoom into a business that operates in the street known as Estratweni Mobile Foods. It’s a story of Thando "Space" Mavumengwana and Siphumeze "Blax" Ramncwana who borrowed R200 from the other’s sister to buy ingredients for muffins which they sold. Then came the Covid-19 setback, but they overcame it and today they supply private institutions and other entities.
Guest: Thando Mavumengwana – Co-owner of Estratweni Mobile Foods

The Medical research Council says six to eight percent of all deaths in South Africa can be attributed to alcohol consumption. This is equal to 62-thousand deaths per year. The MRC was briefing the Health Portfolio Committee on the effects of alcohol on the health system. The MRC says trauma patients presenting to a health care facilities contribute to overcrowding and increase the risk of Covid-19 transmission.

Guest: Professor Charles Parry - Director of the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Research Unit at the South African Medical Research Council

As the country approaches Nelson Mandela to spread good deeds, many individuals and institutions are coming up with proactive initiatives due to the lockdown conditions. The Witkoppen Clinic is calling on citizens to donate R67 each towards their FRESH start programme, which they say aims to eliminate mother to child HIV transmission through medical support and education.
Guest: Dagmar Kahn - Business Development Manager at Witkoppen Clinic

Calls are mounting for schools to close down ahead of the COVID-19 peak. Another teacher union, the National Teachers Union, NATU, and student body the Congress of South African Students, COSAS have reiterated the call they had made previously that schools shouldn't amid the pandemic except for the matric class of 2020. This comes after the South African Democratic Teachers Union, SADTU called for the closure of all schools until after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thabile Mbhele reports…

GUEST: Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba - Chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Basic Education

many of us have faced load shedding these past few weeks with Eskom giving different reasons as to where the problem lies. As a country we’ve been through this many years and been given so many reasons, from Medupi power station, coal shortage, diesel for generators, sabotage, illegal connection burdening the grid and so on. Municipalities are also not paying their bills, independent power producers are also in the mix. Just so many issues affecting the utility and the energy sector. Let’s attempt to talk solutions with our guests as we welcome…

GUEST: Ntombifuthi Ntuli – CEO of the South African Wind Energy Association
GUEST: Dr Bheki Mfeka – A Developmental Economist and Director at SE Advisory and former Project Manager: Research for Presidential SOEs Reviews Committee
GUEST: Sikonathi Mantshantsha – Spokesperson for Eskom

The Eastern Cape Province has been under the spotlight for all the wrong reasons especially under the current Covid-19 pandemic. Just recently there was a huge issue regarding R10 million that was used to procure 100 scooters to help patients affected by the virus to get to hospital. The province is now has the third highest rate of infections.

Guest: Dr. Thobile Mbengashe - Eastern Cape health superintendent general