The Daily Discourse

Time now for our regular Monday feature, Legally Speaking, this morning we are going to slightly divert from our usual legal or law related topics by speaking to Julia Mashele, a businesswoman and author of Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied. Julia Mashele is renowned for being South Africa's longest-serving female awaiting trial prisoner. We are going to speak to her about the work she does to help rehabilitate and provide spiritual counseling sessions for inmates and ex-inmates, in particular female offenders, to encourage them to make use of available business opportunities as part of improving their reintegration back into society.

GUEST: Julia Mashele, a businesswoman and author of Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied. She is also renowned for being South Africa's longest-serving female awaiting trial prisoner.

The Western Cape has been in the news in the past year for the all the wrong reasons regarding water shortage due to drought. We've seen many organisations trying to come up with different solutions to the problem. But now that they are receiving good rains, the problems changes to how overflowing dams are managed. Dr Kevin Winter from the University of Cape Town has raised some concerns over this issue,

GUEST: Dr Kevin Winter, senior lecturer in the Environmental & Geographical Science Department at the University of Cape Town

Over the years NPO's have been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Be it that of them receiving social grants fraudulently, or battling to raise funds for their projects simply because they don't comply. Well, there is light at the end of the tunnel as the Department of Social Development embarks on a nationwide roadshow campaign targeted at all organisations registered in terms of the Non-Profit Organisations Act (Act No 71 of 1997). The campaign is called the #KnowYourNPOStatus which is targeted at Non-Governmental Organisations, Community-Based Organisations and Faith Based organisations registered as NPOs to comply with the provisions of the Act. What is it that the public should know about this?

GUEST : Lumka Oliphant - Spokesperson for the Department of Social Development

The Freedom Front Plus says government's plans to forge ahead with the National Health Insurance will cost South Africa dearly. It says it warned government against the NHI, saying it will force experienced medical professionals to leave the country. The party has been reacting to the tabling of the NHI bill in Parliament last week.

GUEST : Professor Alex van den Heever, Chair of Social Security Systems Administration and Management studies at Wits School of Governance

Students at Unisa have embarked on several protest action in the past weeks. Some of the students' complaints centered on NSFAS allowances, issues of registration, a change of examination dates, marking of examinations and their respective exam results. Yesterday I spoke to Unisa spokesperson Martin Ramotshela and started off by asking him what are some of the concerns students have raised with the institution…

We are now in conversation with the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), following their tenth Conference in Midrand in Johannesburg. PAP is one of the organs of the African Union (AU) as set out by the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community (Abuja Treaty).The Parliament is intended as a platform for people from all African states to be involved in discussions and decision-making on the problems and challenges facing the continent. This year’s conference was held under the theme "Towards durable solutions to forced migration to accelerate integration and development in Africa: role of national and regional parliaments".

GUEST: Pan African Parliament 4th Vice-President, Hon. Chief Fortune Charumbira

The National Health Insurance bill has been positively received by the stakeholders in the health sector, with a few objections from political parties. Health Minister Doctor Zweli Mkhize announced to the media in Pretoria that the long-awaited NHI bill has been tabled in parliament. The process of rolling out the NHI has been met with objections and criticism from opposition parties and the private sector. Meanwhile, the Board of Healthcare Funders of Southern Africa, the BHF, has welcomed the release of the National Health Insurance bill and say it will participate fully in the NHI and submit to the processes of the contemplated bill

GUEST: Dr Rajesh Patel, who is head of Benefit and Risk at the Board of Healthcare Funders.

This morning we will continue our weekly discussion with the National Lotteries Commission (NLC), which is celebrating 20 years since its existence. Last week we spoke to Thabang Charlotte Mampane, the National Lotteries Commission Commissioner to talk about the milestones the NLC has achieved since its inception. This morning we are in conversation with Mr Philemon Letwaba, chief operating officer (COO) of the National Lotteries Commission, to talk about projects they have funded and how one can access funding from the NLC.

GUEST : Mr Philemon Letwaba, chief operating officer (COO) of the National Lotteries Commission (NLC)

As part of efforts to improve gender representation amongst investors, as well as to empower, educate and support women who are keen to achieve financial freedom through investing on the stock market, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange is hosting an investment conference this coming Saturday. Dubbed #JSE-She-Invests, this annual conference is hosted in partnership with Easy Equities, a local low-cost investment brokerage platform, and True Love magazine.
GUEST: Zanele Morrison, Director of Marketing and Corporate Affairs at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange

As we celebrate Women’s Month, we will speak to a number of women in the country who are doing very well in the different spheres of business. This is a very special month to zoom into the role women are playing in driving the economy and leadership in general. Today we feature a mother and daughter team who are in a very male dominated industry. How often do you come across women in the auto body spray sector? Well we are finding out today from them as to how it all started for them and what was the pull factor and how they deal with their male counterparts who may try to be difficult?

GUEST : Lebo Magwa - Managing Director at Auto Salon
GUEST : Lucy Magwa – Director at Auto Salon