Mineral Resources and Energy Minister, Gwede Mantashe says the country's stable and predictable mining policies and regulatory framework have resulted in positive spin-offs for the industry. Mantashe was delivering his department's budget vote speech in Parliament yesterday. He says despite the decline in mining in the first quarter of the year due to load shedding, electricity prices and a five month long strike in the gold sector new jobs have been created in the industry.

GUEST: Ms Bavelile Hlongwa, Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy

Uber and Bolt (formerly known as Taxify) have competition, this as Business man, Kenny Kunene has entered the e-hailing taxi industry. Kenny says he started the business to empower our drivers to be their own boss. Kunene's service, called Yookoo Rides intends to compete with some of the big companies in the world of high-tech transport.

GUEST: Kenny Kunene, who is a businessman

Lobby group, Afri-Forum, has called on the NPA to hasten its prosecutorial decisions on cases of EFF leader Julius Malema. Afri-Forum has highlighted three cases in which Malema is alleged to have contravened the law. They include allegations of firing shots at the EFF's fifth anniversary celebrations rally in the Eastern Cape, fraud and tender-related corruption in Limpopo and assault of a police officer in April last year.

GUEST: AfriForum CEO, Kallie Kriel

Ekurhuleni Mayor Mzwandile Masina says there was nothing wrong in the granting of a one-point-nine billion tender to put up portable toilets in informal settlements. The amaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism earlier alleged that it was a jobs for pals scheme with 16 companies being offered the tender. Masina says the tender was about increasing the number of temporary toilets from nine-thousand to 39-thousand units in the Metro's 119 informal settlements. Masina was not yet mayor when the tender was awarded but says he couldn't find anything wrong with the process

GUEST: Mzwandile Masina, the Executive Mayor of Ekurhuleni

Nigeria, one of Africa's largest economies has finally joined the Africa Free Trade Zone. The West African country was one of the last countries that had not committed to signing the deal. Meanwhile, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has asked South Africa to continue supplying electricity to his country. He made the plea to President Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the AU Summit in Niger. Zimbabwe owes Eskom millions of rand in electricity. Plus all the countries making up the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have agreed to join hands in forming a single currency for the region by the year 2020.This morning we are in conversation with Victor Kgomoeswana, who is the author of "Africa is Open for Business", a consultant and a public speaker on African business affairs to give us an overview of the latest economic outlook for the African continent…

GUEST: Victor Kgomoeswana, who is the author of “Africa is Open for Business”, a consultant and a public speaker on African business affairs.

Time now for our regular Wednsday feature, Water is Life. This morning we are in conversation with the Overberg Waterboard in the Western Cape. Overberg Water distributes water to the surrounding and rural areas of Cape Agulhas, Theewaterskloof and Swellendam. It has three (3) water treatment schemes with twenty-two (22) reservoirs which are located strategically across the Overberg region. For more we are now joined on the line by Mr Phakamani Buthelezi, CEO of Overberg Waterboard...

GUEST: Mr Phakamani Buthelezi, CEO of Overberg Waterboard

South Africa's rate of unemployment is at 40% in terms of the expanded definition and job-losses due to company retrenchments are continuing. South Africa is also reputed to have the highest level of inequality in the world. While the government has continued to fail to deliver on promises of job-creation, many unemployed people are creatively surviving and ensuring their own livelihoods while simultaneously contributing to a cleaner environment. One such group is the growing number of waste-pickers. With us to discuss this we have…

GUEST: Musa Chamane, who is a waste campaigner from the NGO Groundwork based in Pietermaritzburg
GUEST: Maditlhare Koena, Western Cape provincial co-ordinator for the South African Waste Pickers Association

The Director of Accountability Now, Advocate Paul Hoffman, has questioned former chief of state protocol Bruce Koloane's promotion as the Ambassador to the Netherlands, this after Koloane pleaded guilty to the contravention of the military defence code for approving the Gupta plane landing at Waterkloof Air force Base. Yesterday the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture also heard how Bruce Koloane continued to assist the Gupta family in their businesses in his capacity as ambassador to the Netherlands

GUEST: Advocate Paul Hoffman, a Director of Accountability Now

Opposition parties in KwaZulu-Natal have called on the ANC to take decisive action on the on-going stalemate between the party and its members over the issue of eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede. The eThekwini mayor leave of absence is expected to end today - however the ANC remains tight lipped on whether she will be back to her office tomorrow or not. The ANC provincial leadership had instructed Gumede to take a leave of absence after she was arrested for fraud and corruption in relation to a 208-million-rand waste removal tender. Gumede's supporters have threatened to return to the streets if she does not go back to her office tomorrow.

GUEST: Mdumiseni Ntuli, ANC KZN provincial secretary

GUEST: Mbali Ntuli, DA KZN spokesperson on co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta)

The 2019/20 Science and Technology Budget will be presented by newly appointed Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande. The Department was merged with the department of Higher Education and Training in the 6th Administration. For more, Minister Dr Blade Nzimande now joins me here at the Iziko Museum, In Cape Town.

GUEST: Dr Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology