Today marks day one of the AGOA Forum that is currently taking place here in Nasrec and once again we speak to Standard Bank about their involvement and support of the US Africa trade and investment.

GUEST: Bill Blackie, Chief Executive Business and Commercial Banking Standard Bank

Many civil society organizations have voiced their concerns surrounding the impact of budget cuts on service delivery and isolating vulnerable citizens who make use of support programmes (health, education & social protection). 

One of these organizations has been holding a petition that has brought together 77 stakeholders and 16,000 signatures to stop the government from cancelling the teaching assistant programme under the Department of Basic Education. To share their reflections on the Finance Minister's decision to extend the Presidential Employment Stimulus, we are joined by... 

Guest: Lethiwe Sinodumo Nkosi  -  Network Mobiliser at Youth Capital

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (HAWKS) has issued a stern warning to citizens on the rise of dating scams after a retired teacher was scammed out of R800 000 of their pension. To help us understand who is likely to be targeted and share how to report these crimes, we are joined by...

Guest: Lieutenant Colonel Matimba Maluleke - Hawks spokesperson in Limpopo

COSATU has said it is disappointed by the MTBPS delivered by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana given the budget cuts  to social frontline services, the end of the social relief of distress grants and the below-inflation wage increase for public servants in the medium-term. To unpack their position, we are joined by...

Guest: Matthew Parks - Acting National Spokesperson & Parliamentary Coordinator

Guest: Eddie Rakabe - Senior Researcher for Political Economy at the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA)

Bill Blackie from Standard Bank joins us to outline the objectives of the annual African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum which commences tomorrow at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in Nasrec. The African Growth and Opportunity Act is a U.S. trade initiative passed in 2000 under former President Bill Clinton to deepen trade ties with Sub-Saharan Africa and help African countries develop their economies. This year’s Forum theme is “Partnering to Build a Resilient, Sustainable, and Inclusive AGOA to Support Economic Development, Industrialization and Quality Job Creation.”

GUEST: Bill Blackie, Chief Executive for Business and Commercial Banking @Standard Bank

With revenue less than projected, soaring debt-interest costs and an underperforming economy. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has once again reiterated the fact that government spending has exceeded revenue since the 2008 global financial crisis – warning that the rising annual budget deficits have reached an extent where the government will borrow an average of R553 billion per year over the medium term. Godongwana also acknowledged that rising debt services costs are crowding out important social spending and the country’s economy has not grown fast enough to support increasing expenditure.

GUEST: Dr Dion George - DA Shadow Minister of Finance 

GUEST: UDM Deputy President Hon Nqabayomzi Kwankwa

 Inkosi mzamo Buthelezi, ifp mp

The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has ordered Higher Education Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande to reverse his decision to place Unisa under administration. Last week, Nzimande decided to place the university under administration after receiving reports from independent assessor Prof Themba Mosia and the ministerial task team chaired by Vincent Maphai. According to the department of Higher Education, Mosia’s report found financial and other maladministration of a serious nature at the university, which undermined its effective functioning.

“Unisa has welcomed today’s court decision, take a listen to this voice note that was sent by Nolwazi Mwabi: Unisa Director of Communications”.

GUEST: Mametlwe Sebei, Lecturer in the Department of Jurisprudence at Unisa

The department of education in the Eastern Cape has suspended a teacher for using corporal punishment on pupils. The incident, captured on video, has ignited public outrage and gone viral on social media platforms.

GUEST: Malibongwe Mtima, Spokesperson of the department of education in the Eastern Cape

Lawyers for Human Rights has welcomed the Constitutional Court judgment that held Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and the Director-General personally liable for failure to enact corrective legislation for parts of the Immigration Act. The apex court found the Act did not adequately protect the rights of people who were to be deported.

GUEST: Nabeelah Mia, Head of the Penal Reform Programme at Lawyers for Human Rights

In recent weeks, news outlets have been reported on disturbing incidences of children being rushed to local hospitals with symptoms of food poisoning. With the spotlight firmly on spaza shops, we are seeing more government institutions conducting raids based on the complaints communities have made on whether these shops are following business regulations in relation to food safety and how this poses a health risk for children. To help us understand the importance of food safety and what role it plays in the small business sector, we are joined by...

Guest: Matlou Setati - Executive: Food Safety & Sustainability Initiative, Consumer Goods Council of South Africa