As you may have heard, in the previous hour we spoke to Thandi Mkhanzana who is representing Women In Tourism about the issue of ‘cash back’ allegations levelled against government officials. We are taking this issue forward now as we are joined by MEC Mvoko who is going to tell us more about the Treasury’s action plan in terms of how they are dealing with this issue as we know that this has been going on for quite some time now (since 2019 to be precise). 

GUEST: Mlungisi Mvoko, MEC for Finance in the Eastern Cape

Civil society organisations committed to food justice, children’s health and education rights put out a statement yesterday detailing their concern by the recent handover of McDonald’s-branded ‘Mi Desk’ desks to two Cape Town schools, facilitated by the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube. This follows similar corporate-branded desk donations from Old Mutual and Hollywood Bets. For more on this, I am joined on the line by…

GUEST: Mahfouz Raffee, Head of Research at Equal Education

Finance MEC in the Eastern Cape, Mlungisi Mvoko has warned government officials in the province not to engage in illegal activities that are at variance with government’s code of conduct. This after he was made aware that some government employees were unethically exchanging travelling and accommodation vouchers for cash, something that affects the accommodation industry negatively. Joining us to explain how this practice is crippling the accommodation sector is……

GUEST: Thandi Mkhanzana, Chairperson of Women In Tourism in Amathole region

Today marks the deadline for the registration of spaza shops and food handling outlets. Cogta Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa has made it clear that today’s deadline will not be extended. But how has this process affected the country’s foreign-owned spaza shops so far?

GUEST: Amir Sheikh, Chairman of the African Diaspora Forum

The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will today meet with his US counterpart Donald Trump to sign an agreement for the US to exploit Ukraine’s rare earth mineral resources. This as he attempts to leverage Ukraine’s mineral wealth for future US security guarantees. For more analysis on this, we are joined by…..

GUEST (Ukraine): Peter Zalmayev, Director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative

Pepfar-funded HIV organisations in South Africa, who receive their funds through the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, woke up to letters that were sent overnight telling them their grants have been ended, permanently. For more on this, I am joined on the line by…

GUEST: Mia Malan, founder and editor-in-chief of Bhekisisa

We look at the work of the EAF-Nansen Programme that is celebrating 50 years this year. This as we assess its contributions to fisheries management and biodiversity conservation and its partnership with South Africa, and beyond. For more on this, we are joined by…..

GUEST: Merete Tandstad, EAF-Nansen Programme Coordinator of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)

Yesterday I spoke to Asad Gaffar, the chairperson of the eThekwini Ratepayers’ Protest Movement about water issues residents in the eThekwini Municipal have been faced with. It is so bad, residents in that area are now threatening to withhold their municipal payments. Ednick Msweli, Head of water and sanitation in eThekwini joins me on the line to share what the municipality is doing about these water issues

GUEST: Ednick Msweli, Head of water and sanitation

Limpopo Premier, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, delivered her first State of the Province Address under the 7th administration. Her colleague in the North West, Premier Lazarus Kagiso Mokgosi, also delivered his maiden State of the Province Address during the Official Opening of the North West Provincial Legislature. We’ll cross to two SABC reporters from the two provinces to get a report on some of the key points from today’s addresses…

GUEST: Thabang Morutloa, SABC News Reporter in the North West

GUEST: Mahlatse Paladi, SABC News Reporter in Limpopo

We ask this question after an AfriForum and Solidarity Movement delegation met with representatives of the Trump administration in Washington yesterday to discuss what the group terms the ANC’s reckless policies and poor governance of the country. To give us a sense of how the group’s visit has been covered in the U.S is….

GUEST (U.S): Sherwin Bryce-Pease, SABC News US Correspondent