It’s called France’s boldest attempt at affirmative action. The work contract is part of a subsidised program President Emmanuel Macron’s government is testing to combat job discrimination. The program is part of French President Macron’s broader attempt to bring down unemployment by shaking up the labour market. The gap between the haves and have-nots and the perception that the president doesn’t care has cost him during the “Yellow Vests” protests roiling Paris and other cities. While affirmative action is commonplace in the US, in France it’s known as “positive discrimination” and viewed with suspicion.

Guest: The Ambassador of France to South Africa, His Excellency Christophe Farnaud

This morning we are in conversation with one of the ANC's top brass, NEC member, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. She joins me now in our Durban studio to talk about governance - but not so much about the ANC. We will look at aspects such as Evaluation and Monitoring, Poor Governance, issues of service delivery, how to fix ailing municipalities, the challenges in the North West and overall our role on the African continent in creating the Africa we envision and want...

GUEST: ANC NEC member, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma

Democratic Republic of Congo's Catholic Church said that election results tallied by its observers do not match official results announced by the election commission. Opposition candidate Felix Tshisekedi was declared winner in a surprise win as President Joseph Kabila steps down. The Church said its vote count showed a different winner but did not specify which candidate…

GUEST: Carine Mulamba, Interfederal Secretary of one of the major Congolese's opposition political party called the United of the Nation of Congo

We are now in conversation with ANC KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli, to discuss ANC Unity ahead of next year's elections.

GUEST: ANC KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli

Long-standing ANC member and former government spokesperson, Mzwanele Manyi has joined a new political home, African Transformation Movement (ATM). Leaving his former political home the ANC. He made the announcement at a press briefing in Midrand, Johannesburg yesterday. Manyi says the ANC has lost its moral compass and that it is time South Africans allow the party to retire...

GUEST: Professor Steven Friedman, a political analyst and research professor at the University of Johannesburg (UJ)

We are now in conversation with KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC, Sibongiseni Dhlomo, who joins me now in our SABC Durban studio, to speak to us about whether the ANC is ready to govern and if the party has learnt from some of its mistakes.

Guest: KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC, Sibongiseni Dhlomo

Last week Minister of Basic Education, Angie officially announced the National Senior Certificate (NSC) matric exam results. In her recent column however, Anne Oberholzer, CEO of the Independent Examinations Board Interrogates what 'educatedness' really means. She says "To prepare for the examinations, many schools adopt a rigorous process of "drill and practice", forcing Grade 12 learners to write an endless number of past examination papers. While a learner might get very high marks on this basis, is it an indicator of the "educatedness" of the learner?" This morning, she joins me to interrogate what is quality education, what is 'educatedness'?

GUEST: Anne Oberholzer, CEO of the Independent Examinations Board (IEB)

Transport Minister, Blade Nzimande, says Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) must account for the collision between two trains which happened at the Mountain View train station in Pretoria on Tuesday. Three people were killed and an estimated 300 others injured, 80 of them seriously. A preliminary investigation has found that the cause of the collision is cable theft. It caused the signal system to start operating manually. Nzimande says PRASA has spent hundreds of millions of rand on security but it looks like this has no impact. Echoing the Minister’s sentiments, Joseph Nethathe, Acting Chief Operations Officer at The Railway Safety Regulator of South Africa says Prasa is to blame for the recent train crash.

GUEST: Prasa board chairperson, Khanyisile Kweyama

World Bank President, Jim Yong Kim recently made a surprise announcement that he is stepping down after six years in the post. This morning, amongst other things we try to understand some of pressures he may have faced, and also look at the role The World Bank plays in Africa. Last year World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim said, in an interview, that the largest economies in Africa need to start growing higher than the birth rates, if development goals are to be achieved. His resignation will take effect from 1 February.

Guest: Dr Martyn Davies is the Managing Director of Emerging Markets & Africa at Deloitte

According to Metrorail spokesperson Lillian Mofokeng the estimated financial cost of yesterday’s train collision in Pretoria amounts to R21-million. Mofokeng was speaking at the scene of the train accident. Four people have been confirmed dead as a result of the crash. This, while South Africa has been said to have the best rail infrastructure in Africa. This morning we look at the state of SA’s rail infrastructure.

Guest: Joseph Nethathe – Acting Chief Operations Officer at The Railway Safety Regulator of South Africa