The situation in Senekal has raised many issues about the state of agriculture and farming in the Free State. The MEC responsible for Agriculture and Rural Development met with some of the farming communities. The idea was to talk about forging a better working relationship with organized agriculture. The MEC now joins us on the line to talk about the challenges faced by farmers and how he plans to deal with their problems…

Guest: William Bulwane - Free State MEC for agriculture and rural development

The Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture has no doubt revealed more than we thought. Witnesses have been giving explosive information of how money was embezzled by those in power through state owned enterprises. We have also seen a couple of arrests while the revelations continue. Sadly though, it’s again the whistle blower that’s being victimised. Something that’s raising fears that this may deter others from coming forward. As encouraging as it is that we are seeing all these big names in the media, how else can we deal with laws around whistle blowers? Also the media has been revealing so much linked to corruption. The Hawks on the other hand have been very busy making arrest. How should we read all of these developments? Is the Commission on the right track?

Guest: Lawson Naidoo – Executive Secretary of the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution

The intended beneficiaries of the corruption-tainted Estina dairy farm project in the Free State want to be compensated. The more than 250 million rand project is fully operational, but the would-be beneficiaries have been sidelined. Thabiso Radebe reports..

PKG-ESTINA

LINK: Interestingly, the Free State members of the ANC and victims of both the failed asbestos and the Estina dairy project are marching to Luthuli House and to find out what issues they are raising with party’s leadership,

Guest: Mxolisi Dukwana - Former Free State MEC for Economic Development

Siyabonga Africa is a non-profit organisation that creates opportunities for unemployed, poverty stricken and destitute people helping them to find solutions to their problems and to tell us more,

Guest: Sarah-Jane Brink - Senior Manager at Siyabonga Africa

Today mark World Food Day – a day dedicated to highlighting the impact of Food Security. Sadly, here is a story that will make you feel the extent of poverty in our own country. There’s a growing number of cases of child labour in rural areas of Mbizana in the Eastern Cape. Children as young as ten years old are used as child labourers for illegal sand mining in Hlolweni village. They carry spades and shovels to excavate river sand. Extreme hunger forces these children to drop out of school. Their customers are traders who sell the sand to well-established businesses in Mbizana. Nkululeko Nyembezi filed this report..

PKG-CHILD-HUNGER

LINK: On the bright side, there are organisations and individuals who are trying to make a difference in the lives of those who are less fortunate. We will us this opportunity today to talk to some of them. The kolisi Foundation partnered with Kellogg’s South Africa to drive initiatives such as the Better Days™ Programme to reduce hunger and food insecurity in communities that are in need. The Better Days programme provides a breakfast of nutritious cereal and milk every school day to approximately 36 000 learners at schools in partnership with the Department of Basic Education in South Africa and to tell us more on this, we are joined on the line by…

Guest: Zandile Mposelwa - Leader of the better days Programme

Earlier this month we spoke Deputy DG for Land Reform Terries Ndove about some of the agricultural schemes they were introducing for emerging farmers. Then many of you called about land claims. We then put through a call for someone who will be able to deal with land claims. We welcome…..
Guest: Nomfundo Ntloko-Gobodo – Chief Land Claims Commissioner

Agri South Africa has urged farmers and the community to act within the confines of the law during the court case of two murder accused in the Senekal Magistrate Court today Friday. The call follows threats of more chaos by farming community should the two accused get bail. Sekwetje Mahlamba and Sekola Matlaletsa are expected to apply for bail following their arrest two weeks ago. They are accused of the murder of farm manager Brendin Horner. Horner's body was found tied to a pole with a rope in an open space on the De Rots farm two weeks ago. Ishmael Modiba reports…

PKG-SENEKAL-BAIL

LINK: Our reporter Thabiso Radebe is at the court and he now joins us on the line to paint us a picture of what’s happening on the ground…

Guest: Thabiso Radebe – SABC reporter in the Free State
Guest: Abongile

Closing off now with an uplifting story about the Market Photo Workshop and the Market Theatre Laboratory in collaboration with Raw Multimedia. They are conducting what they call the Re-Imagining Riverlea: A Participatory Arts Project. The aim of the project is to facilitate processes for community members of Riverlea to find, explore and represent their stories. To tell us more on this,

Guest: Bekie Ntini – Project Manager for Re-Imagining Riverle: A participatory Arts Project

As life goes back to normal with employees reporting for duty, labour experts are drawing the focus back to the Employment Equity Act and how government can impose and ensure that employers adhere to it. What are the loopholes in the act and why do some employers not comply?

Guest: Teboho Motsoane - Skills Development and Employment Equity Specialist of Strata-g Labour Solutions

Earlier this week, the issue of the protection of whistleblowers was again raised by many of you around the fact that many are not protected. Some spoke about being fired after blowing the whistle. How then can we expect to deal with the issue of corruption if whistle blowers are not protected? What are we not doing right as a country when it comes to this issue? To help us navigate the subject,

Guest: Ntokozo Mngadi – General Manager at Whistle blowers PTY LTD