The Daily Discourse

Often when we as a team sit and discuss topics to put on our shows, we sometimes chat about things that are off the mainstream media. Things of significant historical importance. Issues like apartheid and the impact it had and still has on our nation. Then there are also people who were actively involved in liberating our country. People who were forced into exile and the things they went through. Angola for instance was one of the countries where the liberation war was staged against apartheid. It's always interesting to speak to those who were there and their experiences in these countries. What was it like? What made them decide to get involved in such activities? How did they overcome the language barrier and so on?

GUEST: Charles Khumalo - who was in Angola and Mozambique in those days and is now executive producer at Channel Africa's Portuguese Desk

Time now for our Business feature. This morning we profile Isaac Mbatha, a young entrepreneur, who is the Chief Executive and founder of Sky Tents SA, which supplies tents to the general public, government departments and other entities. The company has expanded outside of the South African borders and reportedly amassed clients in neighbouring countries…

GUEST: Isaac Mbatha, who is the Chief Executive and founder of Sky Tents SA

Reports coming from Zimbabwe say that doctors are still on strike and have turned down and turned down a 60% increase offered by government. The situation in the hospitals is said to be dire as doctors continue their strike.
GUEST: Dr Wanda Zvakada – Acting secretary General of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association

Carbon emissions and global warming have become the major concerns of the world in the 21st century. For several decades South Africa is said to be one of the world’s biggest polluters, both as an emitter of toxic industrial gases and environmental destruction, especially due to mining. In today’s show we assess this pollution and its impact on poor communities and what needs to be done about it. With us to discuss this we have…

GUEST: Thomas Mnguni, who is the NGO Groundwork’s community campaigner

GUEST: David van Wyk - Researcher and community activist from the Benchmarks Foundation

Power utility, Eskom is concerned over the financial implications of Tuesday's KwaZulu-Natal High Court decision which ordered Eskom not to cut off electricity supply to the town of Newcastle - following the municipality's failure to service its R200 million debt. Eskom wanted the municipality to make monthly payments of at least R60 million but the municipality says it can only manage to pay R30 million per month.

GUEST: Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba, Newcastle municipality mayor

GUEST: Adil Nchabeleng, who is an Energy expert, activist and economic analyst

This morning we are going to look at the plight of black lawyers in South Africa and try to understand why politicians and CEOS, or senior officials of parastatals tend opt for White firms as opposed to Black ones. If you recall a month ago there was uproar over the EFF's decision to use an all-white firm, Ian Levitt over a black law firm. And just recently there was mixed reaction to former president Jacob Zuma's son, Duduzane, using an all-White legal team for his appearance before the judicial commission of inquiry into state capture in Parktown, Johannesburg. Joining me for this conversation is Attorney Tracey Lomax-Nixon, who has tweeted extensively in a thread on this matter...

GUEST: Attorney, Tracey Lomax-Nixon

The latest statistics from the unit trust industry show that there has been a big move from equity investments to safer and more cautious unit trusts. Is this a sensible investment strategy?

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

An open letter by actress Vatiswa Ndara to Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa about exploitation in the industry has been greeted with mixed reaction. She has raised issues of exploitation in the industry which varies from long hours to low wages. But let’s try and get an understanding of what the big issues are in the industry. What is the big question we are not asking? What is at the core of the actors unhappiness and what is it that we as the public should know? What is it that government can do and should do? Where is the grey area between the broadcaster and the actor?

Guest: Florence Masebe - Actress

What is the preferred language of instruction for teaching in South Africa? Can you guess...? If you said one's mother tongue, you're wrong. According to a study by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), most South Africans prefer children to be taught in English, at all levels of education. The study is based on the most recent South African Social Attitudes Survey. For more on this we are now joined on the line by Dr Jaqueline Harvey, a Researcher at the Human Sciences Research Council's unit for Education and Skills Development programme...

GUEST: Dr Jaqueline Harvey, a Researcher at the Human Sciences Research Council's unit for Education and Skills Development programme

The case brought by Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse against former SAA Chair, Dudu Myeni is expected to sit at the high court in Pretoria today. OUTA wants the court to declare Myeni a delinquent director. According to OUTA Myeni failed to appear in court yesterday as she didn't have her own lawyer in court. Judge Ronel Tolmay rolled the case over to today, to give Myeni a last chance to appear. We are using this opportunity now to get an understanding of exactly she’s being accused for and the damage to SAA under her leadership…..

GUEST: Wayne Duvenage – OUTA’s chief executive