South African children are under siege. The body family of four year old Bokgabo Poo is still looking for some of her body parts after she was murdered and her body was dismembered. 30 year old Ntokozo Zikhali was arrested in connection with the murder, he appeared in court today. Zikhali was out on bail for allegedly raping a 9 year old. In another case, a police officer allegedly raped a 15 year old after taking to different taverns and getting her intoxicated. Where exactly is the disconnect and how can we improve the security of children in South Africa? We are now joined by Gugu Xaba, Director of Programmes at Save the Children South Africa.

Deloitte Africa embarked on Future Fit project to improve its audit quality after a process of introspection in 2019. The company has now released an annual transparency report. In the report, it looks at its performance with regards to issues like transformation, diversity and inclusion, especially in its leadership as well as its compensation model. What is the aim of this report, what are its highlights and how is the company holding itself accountable to its findings? 

Guest: Ruwayda Redfearn, CEO at Deloitte Africa. 

Our guest helps us understand Dis-Chem’s moratorium on the appointment and promotion of White employees. In a leaked letter that has caused a huge public outcry, Dis-Chem's CEO Ivan Saltzman said that given their transformation targets, they needed to employ more black people. The organisation has since withdrawn its internal memorandum, saying that “we regret the wording and tone of an internal memorandum that has been erroneously widely shared”. But on the other hand, they say “we stand by the unequivocal imperative to continue our transformation journey”. 

GUEST: Andile Tlhoaele, CEO of INFORCOMM B-BBEE Ratings

It has been two years since the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide was adopted. The country however, continues to deal with a worsening rate of violence against women, children. Just today, we saw the father of slain four year old Bokgabo Poo trying to confront her alleged killer in court. The Department of Social Development has started a series of dialogues with communities on the implementation of the strategy with civil society organisations. They are in the North West today, in Potchefstroom. What are communities saying and what exactly are the challenges in the implementation of the strategy?

Guest: Siza Magangoe, Chief Director of Social Crime and Substance Abuse at the Department of Social Development. 

Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu held an emergency meeting this morning, to engage with Rand Water, representatives of all three metros, district and local municipalities of Gauteng Province affected by Rand Water’s water restrictions. Post this important meeting, Mchunu has committed to increase the bulk water allocation to the Rand Water system as an emergency measure to address water shortages in the Gauteng metros.

GUEST: Sputnik Ratau, Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation 

Zwakele Mncwango has officially joined ActionSA as its provincial chairperson in KwaZulu-Natal. Mncwango, who is a former DA chief whip in the provincial legislature, announced his resignation from the party earlier this month. 

GUEST: Zwakele Mncwango, Provincial Chairperson of ActionSA in KwaZulu-Natal  

The African Union has called for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region. The AU statement followed one issued by a UN representative who said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was gravely concerned about the escalation of the fighting and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. AU-led peace talks were due to take place in South Africa earlier this month but were postponed because of logistical and technical issues. 

GUEST: Professor Mammo Muchie, Pan Africanist scholar & Research Professor on Innovation studies at Tshwane University of Technology 

Earlier on today, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube met the leadership and community of uPhongolo to discuss long-term solutions that are aimed at dealing with road safety issues, with a focus fixed firmly on truck compliance. This engagement forms part of a series of interventions led by the provincial government after the fatal crash on the N2 in uPhongolo, which claimed 20 lives. Premier Dube-Ncube joins us now to give us an update in terms of how the meeting went….. 

GUEST: Nomusa Dube-Ncube, Premier of KwaZulu-Natal  

The Nelson Mandela Museum is hosting its inaugural African Liberation Heritage Indaba. Leaders from former liberation movements, civil society organisations, academia and students are engaging on how to reclaim the values of our predecessors, to build a caring and peaceful society and a United Africa. Other issues discussed, include African heritage repatriation, decolonisation and food security. Why is this Indaba important?

Guest: Ndileka Mandela, Councillor at the Nelson Mandela Museum

Rand Water has been urging residents to help reduce the extremely high water consumption during the hot spring period. Water systems have been severely constrained. Three metros, the City of Tshwane, City of Joburg and Ekhurhuleni have been put on level 2 water restrictions. High consumption of water in the province has been pointed as one of the main contributing factors for the province’s water woes. What is the situation like now?

Guest: Rand Water’s Spokesperson, Makenosi  Maroo