In South Africa, sports injuries have doubled at school level in contact sports like rugby, cricket, soccer and basketball. Rugby has one of the highest incidence of concussion in team sports where 10 to 15% of high school rugby players will suffer a concussion every season. It carries the inevitable risk of head injuries, ranging from minor concussions to severe Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs). The early detection of head injuries is essential for effective treatment and prevention of further complications. If a child continues to play sport without proper assessment, the consequences may be fatal. To talk to us more about the role of imaging in diagnosing the extent of head injuries and what parents need to know, we are joined by…

Guest:  Dr Hofmeyr Viljoen - Radiologist and Director of SCP Radiology

For quite some time on this show especially the Open Line we've been getting calls on the chaotic situation for those applying for UIF. Just yesterday (Tuesday) we got more calls of people expressing frustration. Long queues, long waiting periods, the process of applications and the list goes on. One person on the voice note spoke about how they've given up. Let's take a listen…

Guest: Jan Mahlangu - Retirement Funds Policy Coordinator at Cosatu

Guest: Boyce Maneli - Chairperson of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour

Guest: Alan Beesley - ActionSA MP

This morning Bryan is asking where it is a wise person or a foolish person who tries to time their investments in the market. He now joins us in studio to continue the conversation…

Guest: Bryan Hirsch, Chairperson of Bryan Hirsch, Colley & Associates (Pty) Limited

Our next guest wrote a new research note using spatial economic activity data to uncover the underperformance of cities in the last decade when it comes to employment opportunities. In this research, the paper explores and compares the findings of six metropolitans: Cape Town, Tshwane, Johannesburg, Buffalo City, Nelson Mandela Bay, Ekurhuleni, Mangaung and eThekwini. The study noted that while the City of Cape Town is the best performing when it comes to economic opportunities at 20%, Nelson Mandela Bay (Gqeberha) has declined by 5% despite being the home of multiple automotive factories and the worst performing city for employment. Johannesburg placed second from last. Their research findings reveal that metros have underperformed over the past decade due to Infrastructure failures, governance challenges, and economic stagnation. These challenges pose a risk to the country’s prosperity.

In this hour, we unpack how this administrative data can help us find out not only the quantity but the character of jobs in each location. This will help us understand what we need to do to build cities that contribute in driving economic recovery, develop effective policies and socially inclusive transformation. Only two metropolitans have recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. To tell us more about this work, we are joined by…

Guest: Dr Justin Visagie - Senior Research Specialist in the Equitable Education and Economies (EEE) research division of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC)

As we mark Freedom Month in this country reminding us of years of an oppressive system, the Malala Fund in partnership with the End Apartheid Gender Campaign, the Civic Engagement Project and Lawyers for Human Rights will this coming Wednesday host a roundtable discussion looking at gender-based discrimination. The gathering made-up of some of South Africa’s prominent women and activists from Afghanistan will explore how law, activism and solidarity can confront structural oppression. The abuse, restriction, brutality and oppression of women in Afghanistan is something that has been in the media for many, many years and to get a sense of how it’s still continuing also whether there is hope at all, we are joined by...  

Guest : Zahra Joya - An Afghan journalist living in London and the editor-in-chief and founder of Rukhshana Media, a news agency reporting on life for women and girls in Afghanistan

Guest: Sahar Halaimzai - Leads the Malala Fund's Afghanistan Initiative, driving advocacy efforts for legal accountability and managing the Afghanistan grant portfolio

Guest: Prof Bonita Meyersfeld - Associate Professor at the Wits School of Law, a human rights lawyer, academic and activist with extensive experience in international law, gender-based violence and corporate accountability. She is also a practising advocate at the Johannesburg Bar

As the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces prepare for their Easter break, we thought to revisit and reflect on the fiscal framework process that has unfolded before our eyes in recent weeks. We wanted to reflect on the responsibilities the standing committee on finance in parliament in facilitating the process of establishing a report and passing the budget. The framework establishes economic policy and revenue projections and sets the overall limits for government spending. The fiscal framework report is established through a multi-stage process involving economic projections, revenue estimates, expenditure planning, and parliamentary scrutiny.

This year, the budget included six proposed bills: (1) the Division of Revenue Bill, (2) the Appropriation Bill, (3) the Eskom Debt Relief Amendment Bill, (4) the Public Sector Pension and Related Payments Bill, (5) the Revenue Laws Amendment Bill, and (6) a bill for the Public Sector Pension and Related Payments. The 2025 Budget Speech also included the Budget Review and the Estimates of National Expenditure. Given the current contestations and debates about the 2025 budget, Parliament has an important role in guiding how the fiscal framework is considered. While indicating the VAT increase as a revenue source, the fiscal framework is a policy document and does not legally mandate the tax. The Rates Bill is the legal mechanism for enacting VAT increases and other tax rate changes. To help us unpack this process further, we are joined by….

 Guest: Dr Joseph Maswanganyi - Chairperson of the Standing Committee for Finance in Parliament

Often on the Open Line we receive voice notes from very disgruntled South Africans complaining about not enjoying the fruits of this democracy. The month of April is meant to remind us about where we come from as it is the month that saw South Africans of different races and class vote for the first time together for a democratically elected president and ruling party. 31 years into our democracy and freedom, how do we use our bitter history to appreciate the freedoms we are enjoying today? What is blinding us from appreciating the efforts of those who sacrificed their lives in the quest for freedom? To lead us in this discussion, we've invite to former activists to give their own reflection on why some South Africans would feel the way they do…

Guest: Seth Mazibuko - Former student activist who spent 11 months in solitary confinement before being sent to Robben Island for his part in the Soweto student uprising in 1976

 Guest: Jackie Seroke - PAC member and long-term struggle activist who was detained in solitary confinement and wrote a book entitled Zwelethu, Our Land also reflecting his life story

Our next guest hails from Soweto and his musical journey started back in 2001 when his arts and culture teacher assigned him to create musical instruments. Kekelingo started off by building plastic drums, from recycled buckets and tins. In the process, he built a plastic horn made of plastic bottles and a roll-on container. It produced saxophone and trumpet sounds. In 2008, Kekelingo would go on to meet the late Hugh Masekela. Masekela was fascinated by the sounds produced by Kekelingo's horn (The Keke Horn) and encouraged him to keep playing the instrument. In 2010, Kekelingo participated at SA's Got Talent and reached the semi finals. The event marked the beginning of his journey as a full time musician. Kekelingo draws influences from Salif Keita, Khadja Nin, Angelique Kidjo and Oliver Mtukudzi. In 2012, he became a member of the group: The MUFFINZ and released their acclaimed debut album, Have You Heard? He took a break from music and entered the world of theatre production as a music curator at the Centre for the Less Good Idea by William Kentridge in Maboneng. In 2020, he went Solo and has worked alongside Amanda Black; Keenan Meyer; Ami Faku; Zakes Bantwini; Zoe Modiga; and many more. To tell more about his creative process and upcoming shows, we are joined by …

Guest: Gregory Kekeletso Mabusela - Vocalist and Drummer

This week, we saw the aftermath of the Budget Speech vote being passed in Parliament as the fissures within the Government of National Unity (GNU) widened. Doubt has been cast over the coalition government as many expected the departure of the Democratic Alliance (DA). Meanwhile, the African National Congress (ANC) has stated it remains committed to the GNU despite the budget impasse and has called for a reset with its governing partners. The ANC has spent time responding to pressure mounting from the private sector on the status of the GNU. Amidst the shifting political tides, one must ask: who is pulling the strings? Our next guest has written an article on the choice that needs to be made between capital and the people that voted for coalition governance. To help us more about this and share their latest opinion piece, we are joined by…  

Guest: Prof JJ Tabane - Editor of African Leadership Magazine and Professor of Media Studies at the University of Botswana

Villagers of an area called Ntwane in the Province of Limpopo made it into the news agenda for building their own bridge after not getting help from their local Elias Motsoaledi municipality. Not only did the elderly people donate funds towards the construction, but also took part in building it. As we all know that this is not an easy thing to do, they approached the Human Rights Commission in Limpopo in a desperate move to force the municipality to help them. Residents claim that the municipality brought material that was left over from other projects. They also say that the bridge is not 100% complete and that there was no engineer brought in to make sure that the structure is built properly. They are also not happy that the Human Rights Commission closed the matter even though the project was not fully completed. So we’ve invited all the stakeholders to find out what really happened and what the status of the bridge is. Let’s welcome...

Guest: Makanyane Mathiba – Media Liaison Officer for the Ntwane Community Development Forum ( Told me this morning that the municipality is rolling out the IDP consultation program and deliberately excluded ward 10 and 12 as a way to retaliate against them for exposing them to the media)

Guest: Victor Mavhidula- Provincial Manager for the South African Human Rights Commission in Limpopo

Guest: Matimba Malungana - Senior Manager for Infrastructure Services at the Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality

Guest: Gideon Mathebe - Concerned citizen and whistleblower