The Daily Discourse

As a rapidly growing urban environment, the city of Durban currently finds itself operating within the complexities of cross cutting challenges. Faced with rapid urbanization, the intensification of economic, social, political and cultural changes, environmental unsustainability and resource insecurity – there is a need for increased attention to respond to the pressures and tensions around water, food and energy.

GUEST: Dr Rebecca Sindall - Researcher at Pollution Research Group @UKZN

Time now for our Business feature, this morning we are looking at the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which came into effect on the 30th of May this year. This at a time when the global trade regime is under attack. After being ratified by the required minimum 22 nations, all the member states of the African Union (AU) are now legally bound to allow African goods to be traded without restraint throughout the continent. In practice, trade in Africa did not change overnight on 30 May. There are still key obstacles that must still be overcome. To elaborate further on this we are now joined on the line by

GUEST: Ueli Staeger, who is a PhD researcher, International Relations and Political Science, at the Graduate Institute (IHEID), in Geneva, Switzerland

Opposition parties in Lesotho are planning to file a motion of no confidence against the country's Prime Minister Tom Thabane. A successful motion could lead to Thabane leaving office or the collapse of his coalition government and fresh elections. The calls for a no-confidence vote come amid divisions within Thabane's party, the All Basotho Convention, ABC, which have tilted the country's already shaky coalition government off a cliff.

GUEST: Professor Motlamelle Kapa, Senior Political Science Lecturer, at the National University of Lesotho

The main aim of this symposium is to identify opportunities for innovation and learning and broaden the space for sub- thematic consideration for the securitization of water and energy, water and food security, water and climate change, water and public health – all within an urban nexus framework

Guest: Dr Mpilo Ngubane - Acting Deputy City Manager for Corporate & HR at Ethekwini Municipality.

Is there a disjuncture between the ANC party and the ANC government when it comes to policy Implementation? This question comes in the wake of the ANC's economic transformation head, Enoch Godongwana, who has contradicted party secretary-general Ace Magashule on the ANC's stance on the mandate of the central bank. Magashule told the media at a post Lekgotla briefing in Pretoria that the ruling party wants the mandate to be expanded to focus on development and job creation. Godongwana then sent out a statement that was tweeted by Finance Minister, Tito Mboweni that government determines the mandate of the Reserve Bank.

GUEST: Professor Somadoda Fikeni, who is a Political and Policy analyst:

GUEST: Dr Azar Jammine, Director and Chief Economist at Econometrix

There is rising diplomatic tensions between Kenya and Somalia over political and economic interests, this in wake of the two East African countries maritime dispute. In a diplomatic letter sent to Somalia in May, Kenya threatened to use force if Somali citizens continued to obstruct or destroy the fence it is building along the two countries' border. The Kenya government has also made the decision to deny entry visas to Somali officials and impose other restrictions. Does the diplomatic row between Kenya and Somalia threaten to reopen a long-healed wound of distrust between Nairobi and Mogadishu?

GUEST: Izak Khomo, Who is Channel Africa's Producer for a show known as Spotlight on Africa

We recently launched a new feature “Water is Life”. We did so cognizant of the fact that South Africa is a water scarce country and guided by research on the ever so present threat of global warming. This feature therefore looks at the role of water boards in water collection, preservation and distribution. We also look at service delivery at these water utilities - their ability to connect South Africans to piped water, prevent water wastage, and provide clean water as well as management. These are state owned entities and we all know the challenges that some of the SOE’s go through. We recently spoke to Mhlathuze Water in Northern KwaZulu Natal and to Magalies Water in the North West in Rustenburg. Today we speak to Rand Water based here in Gauteng…

GUEST: Mr Eddie Singo - Acting General Manager Operations at Rand Water

South Africa’s unemployment rate is estimated to be at 28% with over 50% of black youth unemployed and not likely to secure decent jobs in the near future. This is clearly a crisis and over the past two decades, government in its various economic policy documents and more recently in the ruling party’s elections manifesto, promised hundreds of thousands of jobs. However, it has not materialised with unemployment and South Africa’s related poverty constantly increasing. But what is to be done?

GUEST: Neil Coleman – Former Cosatu Policy Co-ordinator and nowCo- Director of Institute for Economic Justice

The country has since the beginning of this year, experienced 184 farm attacks in which twenty people were killed. This, according to Civil Rights organisation, Afriforum. AfriForum's head of Community Safety, Ian Cameron says according to their statistics the highest number of farm attacks, fifty one (51) were in Gauteng followed by North West with twenty eight (28) and Limpopo twenty seven (27). AfriForum’s Ernest Roets says the biggest mistake you can make to determine the motive of these attacks is to say that is only a single cause.

GUEST: Ernst Roets the Deputy CEO of Afriforum
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Several top South African chief executive officers have left or been suspended from their posts in recent weeks, raising questions about why country's top CEOs are leaving and what Impact will this have on investment and the country's economy. Recently SAA CEO Vuyani Jarana tendered his resignation, less than a week after Eskom CEO Phakamani Hadebe called it quits. In May, Eskom, Old Mutual, Massmart, and Comair's chief executives all announced that they would step down from their roles.

GUEST: Andile Nomlala, President of the Black Management Forum (BMF)