Yesterday, the department of health announced that it will

no longer carry out daily Covid-19 reports due to the reduced

severity and transmissibility of the disease, coupled with declining

Covid-19 cases. So what has changed and what have we been

doing right to get to this point? Joining us for this conversation

is…

Guest: Dr Lesley Bamford, Head of Child Health Unit at the

Department of Health

The gang rape of eight women in Krugersdorp by a group of men while shooting a music video has sent shockwaves across the country. Some arrests have been made and police are still planning to arrest more suspects, however, many feel there is no actual plan to deal with rape in the country as incidents keep getting more gruesome. President Ramaphosa mentioned his shock at the incident during the ANC policy conference this past weekend. The ANC Women’s League has proposed chemical castration for convicted rapists, something many have found to be extreme and unrealistic. How should South Africa deal with rape? We are now joined by Javu Baloyi, spokesperson for the Commission for Gender Equality.

The Tembisa Hospital has had to reschedule some of its surgeries as over 100 staff members could not pitch for work due to a protest in the area. The area has been completely shut down following a violent clash between police and residents who are protesting over high electricity tariffs and lack of service delivery. A second person has died in the crossfire. We are now joined by Tembisa Hospital CEO, Dr Ashley Mthunzi.

Guest: Themba Nkosi, a resident from Tembisa

Last year, the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA) and the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) revealed that women whose partners were regularly alcohol intoxicated were almost six times more likely to experience gender-based violence. As part of responding to this problem, the Liquor Traders Association of South Africa will soon host Tavern Dialogues that are aimed at educating men to drive positive change in their communities. To tell us more about these dialogues is….

Guest: Lucky Ntimane, National Convener of the Liquor Traders' Association of South Africa

What is Christian nationalism and how is it different from Christianity? We tackle this issue after over 12,000 Christians in the US signed a petition condemning Republican politician Marjorie Taylor Greene's embrace of Christian nationalism. Those who are opposed to this idea are saying it is unchristian and unpatriotic. But what is it exactly and what are its objectives? For more on this, we are joined by….

Guest: Pastor Barry Isaacs

Yesterday, AfriForum submitted its written comments rejecting the proposed amendments to regulations which increase Covid-19 grants – arguing that the expansion of Covid-19 allowances is not a solution to poverty, because citizens who qualify for the allowances still find themselves far below the upper poverty line of R1 335 per month.  

Guest: Reiner Duvenage, AfriForum’s Campaign Officer for Strategy and Content 

An ostrich that caused traffic on the N14 on Thursday has died. A team from the Owl Rescue Centre spent about six hours trying to recapture the large bird, but it died from stress.  It was spotted by motorists on the N14 highway between Krugersdorp and Pretoria on Thursday. The team managed to restrain it, however, it was too late. 

Guest: Brendan Murray, manager at the Owl Rescue Centre. 

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially opened the party’s 6th policy conference. In his speech he highlighted many things the party needs to address through policy, including unemployment, gender based violence, and corruption. Ramaphosa says the party needs to be intentional about the distribution of land to those who work and need it. He also spoke about the importance of making the ANC youthful. 

Guest: Professor Kwandiwe Kondlo, Academic Director at the Wits School of Governance

As monkeypox cases surge globally. The World Health Organization has advised men at risk of catching monkeypox to consider reducing how many sexual partners they have. According to WHO, the virus spreads primarily through skin-on-skin physical contact, but it can also be transmitted by touching objects like sheets or towels that may have been used by somebody with monkeypox, as well as through close face-to-face interactions like kissing. To discuss this further with us is….. 

Guest: Dr Angelique Coetzee, Solidarity Advisory Board Member  

Demonstrators in the volatile eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have called for the immediate withdrawal of the United Nations peacekeeping mission. Recent protests in Butembo-Beni, Goma, Bukavu and Uvira turned into deadly attacks against the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). So far we are told that the death toll has risen to 22. But what is at the heart of these protests – are demonstrators justified in calling for the withdrawal of the UN's MONUSCO mission? For more on this, we are joined by…… 

Guest: Charles Nyuykonge, political analyst