The report “Grounding Growth: Finding the right balance between mining and the environment" - argues that South Africa must revise its complex environmental regulations if it is to achieve effective environmental protection, together with a thriving mining sector capable of boosting economic growth and social progress.

The report notes that “environmental regulations are crucial in constraining negative impacts from mining, but they also raise the costs of opening and operating mines.

Guest: Anthea Jeffrey – Author of the report and Head of policy at the Institute of Race relations.

On our Small Business feature this morning, we profile, "LETS KEEP FOCUS", a small business, based in the small mining town of Carletonville, in the Westrand. The company deals with deals with Mentorship, Construction, Public relations and Events management. The company seeks to create employment to eradicate poverty from within its community. For more on this we are now joined on the line by…

Guest: Thabiso Mogomotsi, The Director and head of Public Relations at "LETS KEEP FOCUS

According to Damian Michael, the future of business efficiency lies in connecting people, and that more centralised IT services is paving the way. Sadly, not all businesses have access to resources or technology that enable them to compete with the big guys, and it’s this barrier to entry that Michael believes is failing them. He says end-users today have more demand and higher expectations, so companies need to adopt a 360° customer relationship strategy to acquire and retain customers in this evolving competitive ICT environment.

Guest: Managing Director of Innovo Networks, Damian Michael

Recently former real estate agent Vicki Momberg. She was recently sentenced to a three year jail term (one year suspended) for the vicious racial abuse of black traffic officers and police emergency call centre operators attempting to help her after a smash and grab incident. The law is meant to entrench what society thinks is right. If it prescribes that racism, sexism or homophobia are wrong, there is probably a better chance that people will come to accept it in genuine democracies (especially over the generations). But the law can also be used to effect structural change. How so?

Guest: Roger Southall, Professor of Sociology at University of the Witwatersrand

While South Africa has made significant strides in combating human trafficking, Deputy Justice and constitutional development minister, John Jeffery says that it's difficult to determine how prevalent human trafficking in the country is. He says adequate data collection and collaboration between stakeholders is needed to get a better grip on the problem. On The Talking Point this morning we will look at some of the other challenges of Human trafficking, particularly for South Africa...For more on this we are now joined on the line by Major Margaret Stafford, Who is the co-ordinator for the anti-trafficking campaign for the Salvation Army

Guest: Major Margaret Stafford : Who is the co-coordinator for the anti-trafficking campaign for the Salvation Army

The Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative unlocks R250m to support technology skills and job creation in South Africa.

Focus: The Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative (CiTi) recently announced a significant scale up of its renowned CapaCiTi technology skills and job readiness programmes. CapaCiTi is now training young, unemployed South Africans in Johannesburg, Durban and Port Elizabeth as well as at the organisation's hub in Cape Town.

Guest: Soraya Mohideen, Head of CapaCiTi programme.

When job hunting, your CV is of importance. Writing a good CV can be one of the toughest challenges though, with most employers spending just a few seconds scanning each CV before sticking it in the 'Yes' or 'No' pile. How then do you make your CV stand out?

Guest: Arend Willemse - CEO of CV Profs

Gupta-linked Mediosa says all allegations levelled against them in the media, surrounding their operations are patently untrue. This follows allegations that Mediosa received unlawful payments from the Departments of Health in the Free State and North West, in illegal tender processes. For more on this we spoke to Mediosa's Director, Inish Merchant...
Guest: Mediosa's Director, Inish Merchant

Mayday 2018 and the new National Minimum Wage – Any cause for Workers to Celebrate?

Welcome to our first “Workers on Wednesday” show for 2018. Next week, workers and their trade unions in South Africa and all over the world will be celebrating Mayday or Workers’ Day on the 1st of May (except for the USA).

After the shake-up of South Africa’s trade union movement over the past three years, causing greater division with a new federation, there appears to be good news for workers in South Africa on Mayday. It seems likely that government will adopt legislation for a National Minimum Wage (NMW) this year that will apply across the board and impact on most sectors of the economy.

So in today’s show we remind ourselves about what Mayday is all about and assess whether we are still upholding its traditions in relation to this reconfigured trade union movement in South Africa and the achievement of a National Minimum Wage.

With us to discuss this we have…..

Guest: Matthew Parks - COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator

Guest: Patrick Craven – SAFTU Spokesperson

Earlier in the month, Auditor General, Kimi Makwetu announced his office's decision to terminate with immediate effect contracts with KPMG and Nkonki Inc with the government. Nkonki Inc's chief executive, Mitesh Patel, resigned after it was revealed that his 107-million-rand 'management buyout' of the black auditing firm 18 months ago was funded by Gupta family associate, Salim Essa. The demise of Nkonki is a blow to black audit firms who compete for contracts with the more established big four firms, PwC, KPMG, EY and Deloitte.This morning we discuss Radical Economic Tranformation at the backdrop of all this we ask, while government seeks to change the ownership and control of the economy through legislation, empowerment, how can we help drive radical economic transformation?

Guest: Dr Mcebisi Ndletyana - head of the Political-Economy faculty at the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA)