The Daily Discourse

As of 2015, the five BRICS countries represent over 3.6 billion people, or about 41% of the world population; all five members are in the top 25 of the world by population, and four are in the top 10. Countries that do not take care of their youth do not have a future, thus the future of BRICS depends on a cooperative focus on youth development. Next month South Africa is hosting the BRICS summit and the BRICS Youth Summit is also running parallel to that. This morning we unpack more about that Summit and find out from the ANC Youth League, about their expectations and outcomes they hope to see from that summit

Thapelo Maleke: President of the SA Youth Chamber of Commerce (SAYCC)

Time now for our SME Feature: Last week marked the official launch of the first annual SMME Business Plan competition. The competition is aimed at assisting potential entrepreneurs who need financial injection as well as non-financial business development support to take their businesses to the next level. For more on the competition, I am now joined in studio by…

(3 Guests in studio):

1. Siyabonga Magadla, who is the Convener, of the Business Plan Competition.

**He’ll talk more on the SMME Business Plan competition

2. Sabelo Mbuku, the acting Corporate Services Manager at Transport Education and Training Authority (TETA)

**The following guest will speak more about the role of Transport Seta in promoting SME development

3. Thapelo Maleke: President of the SA Youth Chamber of Commerce (SAYCC)

Demographic changes such as aging populations, increasing economic participation of women in the economy, and the challenges of balancing working and family life in urban areas has contributed to greater demand for domestic workers, most of whom are female. In parallel we have calls for a minimum wage and a living wage - nowhere is this more pertinent than in the domestic work sector, where there is a well-documented need to professionalise the industry and regulate protections for such workers. For more on this we are now joined on the line by Aisha Pandor, CEO and co-founder of Sweep South, who says this sector has gone unchecked for far too long…

GUEST: Aisha Pandor, CEO and co-founder of Sweep South, a platform that connects domestic workers to those looking for domestic cleaning services.

COPE President Mosiuoa Lekota says expropriation of land without compensation will take the country "back to war". Yesterday Lekota was forced to move from his front seat at the parliamentary public hearings into land expropriation, in Limpopo, following a heated disagreement with EFF leader, Julius Malema. Lekota says the EFF's ideas around expropriation of land without compensation are disastrous and that white people did not steal land from black South Africans.

GUEST: COPE President Mosiuoa Lekota

In an attempt to address the Skills Development Gap in South Africa, Salesian Institute Youth Projects of South Africa, is calling on South Africans to change the story of the country’s unemployed youths’ lives with an appeal campaign asking people to make even the smallest donation, which will help fund programmes so that the youth can maximize their future potential.
Guest: Richard Rayne, iLearn CEO
Guest: Hilton Nyirenda, CEO of the Salesian Institute Youth Projects

According to the World Bank, half of South Africa's urban population lives in townships and informal settlements, accounting for a large portion of this country's population. Given these semantics, it's no surprise that 34% of working age citizens reside in townships and informal settlements. As further proof of this market's impact, the Gauteng MEC for economic development, agriculture and rural development, Lebogang Maile estimates that the township economy is worth R100bn - creating a lucrative opportunity for brands. Further to this, Ask Afrika's recently launched Kasi Star Brands survey, reveals that Kasi consumers find it difficult to find hope for the future, and that trust levels in this market are substantially different in comparison to the general South African citizen... For more on this we are now joined on the line by Joy Ruwodo, Executive at Ask Afrika

GUEST: Joy Ruwodo, Executive at Ask Afrika

For over a century, South Africa’s economy has been built around mining and agriculture. Millions of black workers gave of their sweat and blood for very little in return in these industries while the economy grew and the big bosses, mainly foreign and local white monopoly capital, profited handsomely. Since the late 1980’s the mining sector has shrunk and thousands of workers were laid off, many banished to the former homelands of Apartheid South Africa and neighbouring countries. Many have since struggled to survive and relied on retirement and other benefits due to them. However, this was not forthcoming, leaving many miners and other workers and their widows destitute.

In today’s show we look at this problem of workers’ unclaimed benefits and the national campaign to secure it.

1. Dale McKinley – Who is a representative of the Unpaid Benefits Campaign
2. Lunga Guza - From Workers World Media Productions

Some PAC factions met over the past weekend to discuss the issue of unity and also to come up with strategies that are aimed at healing one of the oldest liberation movements in the country.

GUESTS:
1. Luthando Mbinda, President of the PAC
2. Narius Moloto, President of the PAC (In studio)
3. Letlapa Mphahlele, former president of the PAC (In studio)

Time now for the African Perspective, as customary on a Tuesday we profile an African country, today the spotlight is on Botswana, a country that is relatively free of corruption and one of Africa's most stable countries, with the longest continuous multi-party democracy. The country has also had its share of problems; it once had the world's highest rate of HIV-Aids infection. The country is formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland; Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966 and it has held uninterrupted democratic elections since independence. For more on the country we are now joined on the line by Professor Kealeboga Maphunye, from the Department of Political Sciences, at the University of South Africa (UNISA)

GUEST: Professor Kealeboga Maphunye, from the Department of Political Sciences, at the University of South Africa (UNISA)

In a country like ours where reconciliation is needed, do we really need a gathering of this kind? What were the organisers thinking and what informed this concept?

GUEST: Chumani Maxwele, UCT #RhodesMustFall and #FeesMustFall member (The student movement that is organising The Decolonial Winter School at UCT)