The Daily Discourse

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump recently took Christmas Eve calls from children anxious to find out where Santa was on his gift-giving journey.

Guest: Bongani Luvalo - Founder of Cool Dads Foundation

We have seen a significant change in political campaigning since South Africa's last national elections due to the rise in social media. Social media has become an essential tool for most political parties and politicians. Most recently we have seen former president Jacob Zuma joining Twitter and using the platform to voice his opinions on the current state of affairs in the country. This morning we will examine the use of social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube in electoral campaigning

GUEST: William Bird - Who is the Director of Media Monitoring Africa

Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement SA are today in court, in a bid to prevent on-going illegal and brutal evictions directed at an impoverished community by the eThekwini Municipality. They say they want to ensure that the rights of the impoverished and marginalised cannot be grossly violated with impunity.

Guest: Thapelo Mohapi – General Secretary of Abahlali Base Mjondolo

The Democratic Republic of Congo's electoral commission has postponed a long-anticipated presidential vote -previously scheduled for this past Sunday, to the 30th of December. This after a warehouse fire destroyed voting materials. Already delayed repeatedly since 2016, the poll is meant to choose a successor to President Joseph Kabila, who is stepping down after 18 years in office. This morning we look at the journey to get to the elections, but also reflect on Kabila’s legacy.

Guest: Dr Claude Kabemba, Director of the Southern Africa Resource Watch

In a recent column, former Leader of the Democratic Alliance Tony Leon takes criticism at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s ‘Lackadaisical’ remarks. In the article, he says “There is a direct, if deeply depressing, continuum between the presidential pronouncement on ‘lackadaisical whites’ and an apartheid era law dating in its origins to 1952. The target might have been different, but Section 29 of the Bantu (Urban Areas) Consolidation Act permitted a police officer to arrest without warrant in an urban area any African whom he ‘has reason to believe is ‘an idle or undesirable person’.”

Guest: Tony Leon - Former Leader of the DA

The Department of Correctional Services conducted surprise inspections in prisons across the country as part of Operation Vala last week. In Johannesburg's Sun City prison, a lot of contraband was confiscated, including cellphones and weapons. Deputy Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Thabang Makwetla says they hope to intensify these types of searches. Operation Vala was also launched to secure prisons and keep criminals behind bars.

GUEST: Deputy Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Thabang Makwetla

Chris Maxon has more than 20 years’ experience working and serving in the health sector. He would like to share his thoughts on how we should transform the Healthcare system and says let’s reflect, adapt and innovate to transform the public healthcare system.

GUEST: Chris Maxon, who is speaking to us in his personal capacity as a health worker with over 20 years of experience in health sector, having worked for both the department of health in Gauteng and KZN

Former president Jacob Zuma and former Home Affairs minister, Malusi Gigaba have been nominated on the ANC's list of nominees for the National Assembly. Zuma and Gigaba’s name has appeared in a list of ANC members nominated to go to Parliament following next year’s general elections. Meanwhile, Political analyst Ralph Mathekga has described the inclusion Zuma Gigaba on the ANC's list of nominees as a huge embarrassment for party president Cyril Ramaphosa.

GUEST: ANC's KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary, Mdumiseni Ntuli

We are now in conversation with Chris Opperman, Convenor of the Afrikaner Africa Initiative who is of the opinion that Africans (Afrikaners included) are subjected to a new colonial strategy of divide and rule and that we should start a broader discourse on African solidarity and reconstruction. Chris Opperman says Africans need to unite butt we are being divided and set upon each other.

GUEST: Chris Opperman, Convenor of the Afrikaner Africa Initiative

On average, 14 to 18 men die of suicide every day in SA and Men often feel that they have to be ‘strong’ for their families and carry their burdens on their own, but in fact it is much more responsible and courageous to get the help you need.

GUEST: Mbuyiselo Botha – Gender Activist and Commissioner at the Commission for Gender Equality