The Daily Discourse

Today we speak about urology. According to medical journals, it is a surgical speciality that deals with the treatment of conditions involving the male and female urinary tract and the male reproductive organs. What sort of conditions would make one to go visit a urologist?

GUEST: Dr Thami Madlala - Urologist

Since the start of the lockdown period, we have been receiving calls from small business owners about the pain they are feeling as their businesses were forced to shut temporarily. Well let’s speak now to an organization called SaveABusiness. They are a non-profit organisation that assists small businesses with financial aid and support during the lockdown. How do they operate and what size business do they help?

Guest: – From SaveABusiness, a non-profit organisation that assists small businesses with financial aid and support during the lockdown

Social media has been abuzz with footage of law enforcement agencies either beating people in the streets. In some cases there was a lot of brutality while sometimes it’s just a case of scaring them off to stay in their houses. But now some NGO’s are accusing them of being selective in how they execute they treatment.

Guest: Themba Masango – Secretary-General of #NotinMyName

Even though we don’t have scientific evidence on the impact that the lockdown is having on small businesses, the sector has been the most vocal. Government has promised to assist them and also getting some of them to operate. How are the different provinces assisting them? Let’s find out first from Limpopo as to what assistance they are giving to the sector…

Guest: Thabo Mokone - MEC for economic development in Limpopo

Prof Francis Petersen who is Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State has penned an article looking at how universities as global institutions of higher learning are managing COVID-19. Institutions of higher learning have been the hardest hit with fears that the delays are causing major disruptions on top of the factor that the year started with protest action. As far as Prof Peterson is concerned, how are universities managing the disease?

Guest: Prof Francis Petersen – Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State

But the Western Cape Education MEC Debbie Schaeffer on the other hand has defended her department's decision to continue the school feeding scheme during the lockdown. Schaefer says the decision came after a realisation that children who depend on the meals for their sustenance will now face hunger.

Guest: Debbie Schaeffer - Western Cape Education MEC

Government has raised its concerns over schools being vandalized during the lockdown period. Almost on a daily basis we’ve been receiving reports of schools either being burnt or equipment stolen.

Guest: Kwazi Mshengu – MEC for Education in KZN

Another follow-up from you our callers was on issues of the Unemployment Insurance Fund. It was a question asked by Justice in Polokwane. Well the department has availed themselves to deal with all questions related to the UIF

guest: Makhosonke Buthelezi - Director of Marketing and Communications for Unemployment Insurance Fund Department of Employment and Labour

In support of the President's call for unified action and in solidarity with our employees and other South African’s during this difficult time, the Board and Executive Management of Sibanye-Stillwater have therefore unanimously elected to contribute a third of their remuneration for the next three months to the national Solidarity fund.

Guest: Thabisile Phumo Senior Vice President for stakeholder relations at Sibanye-Stillwater

Yesterday we received a call from Giyo in the Eastern Cape about a programme which was started by the education minister Dr Kadar Asmal called post schooling access. He wanted to know what has since happened.

Guest: Ishmael Mnisi – Spokesperson for Higher Education Minister Dr Blade Nzimander