The Daily Discourse

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

Today being Tuesday, we continue bringing you the UIF representative to field your questions and deal with your problems. Please remember to keep your questions very brief and listen on the radio for answers.

GUEST: Tshiamo Molema – Manager for Monitoring and Evaluation in the Commissioner’s Office

Topco Media will be hosting the 2020 Top Empowerment Virtual Conference on the 22 and 23 July. The main theme of the conference is “gearing South Africa towards an all-inclusive economy through transformation post COVID-19”. How do we achieve transformation goals amidst a global pandemic? That’s the question panelists will be answering and to tell us more on this,
Guest: Ralf Fletscher – CEO of Topco Media

Over the last nine weeks Bryan has been dealing with ‘What are the cornerstones of a financial plan?’ Today he continues with a focus on the fourth pillar of the financial plan which is tax planning.

GUEST: Bryan Hirsch, Chairperson of Bryan Hirsch, Colley & Associates (Pty) Limited

Over the weekend we were told that South Africa now ranks 10th in the world in terms of Covid-19 infections. This time around Oxfam says we are emerging as a hunger epicentre. Their report goes on to say that since the lockdown was instituted, unemployment and loss of income had deepened the country's food security crisis. What should we do as a country at the back of such a report and how bad is the situation on the ground?

Guest: Mthandazo Ndlovu - Oxfam SA’s governance and democracy manager

Last week, Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga said that she is surprised that parents are not rushing to register for home schooling. The minister says she expected that parents would take up this option, following the outrage against the decision to open schools. Thousands of learners have gone back to school and more are expected to do so at the end of the month. But, parents say home schooling is not viable and provincial departments have also not been helpful. Angela Bolowana reports...

CLIP-ANGIE-HOME SCHOOLING

Guest: Chirani Meyer-Home-schooling veteran (she has three children in university who were home schooled and one which she is still home schooling)

Last week we saw some organisations in the trucking industry protesting against the employment of foreign nationals. In trying to appease the angry organizations, Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi wants to look at legislation that will somehow regulate the employment of foreign nationals not only in the trucking business, but other sectors as well. But now legally, what should he be worried about in finding the balance?
Guest: Sean Jamieson – senior associate in cliffe dekker hofmeyr’s employment practice

Funeral parlours in the Eastern Cape are said to be struggling to cope with the influx of corpses as Covid-19 is hitting the province hard. Some parlour owners are reportedly appealing to premier Oscar Mabuyane to help alleviate the backlog. But they are faced with even more problems like traditional rituals families perform for their dead. Let’s use this opportunity now get an understanding of how bad the situation is and how they are dealing with the situation as we welcome…
Guest: Vumile Tsuluka- Public Relations Officer for the SA Funeral Parlours Association in the Eastern Cape