The View Point

Why do human rights matter in healthcare? Why should ordinary health users care about a human rights based approach to healthcare?

Dr. Nthuthuko Bhengu is in conversation with Kwanele Asante, a chairperson of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Cancer Prevention and Control in the Republic of South Africa. She is also secretary general elect of the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC).

Guest: Kwanele Asante - Lawyer, Bioethicist and Health Rights Activist

Dr. Ntuthuko Bhengu is the health expert on the SA National Planning Commission and a Chartered Director (SA) with many years' experience as a non-executive director.

He was a panelist of the Health Market Inquiry which, in 2014, was set up by the Competition Commission of South Africa (SA) to probe the private health sector holistically to determine factors that restrict, prevent or distort competition and underlie increases in private healthcare prices and expenditure.

Guest: Dr Nthuthuko Bhengu - Founder of Alchemy Health Technologies; National Planning Commissioner and former Panelist on the Health Market Inquiry

The step aside rule was decided on at NASREC and the policy is being drafted, so one would wonder why senior ANC members are not speaking in unison on a matter that was decided on at their conference.
We’re in conversation with David Letsoalo – activist, law academic and Sankarist – about an article that he wrote, titled Questioning the ulterior motives to Step-Aside.

Guest: David Letsoalo - Law Academic, Activist and Sankarist

1. #SteenhuisenVsMaimane (DA open to a national coalition if Ramaphosa is president ahead of 2024)
2. #Level1Regulations ("7 arrestable offenses" - NDZ)
3. #SundayWorld (DJ Euphonik/Fresh - GBV case)
4. #SAPoliceStatistics (released over October to December 2020 - rise of murder and GBV cases)
5. #Moodys&FitchWarnSA (in response to the Budget Speech delivered by Tito Mboweni)

Guest: Atlehang Molefe - Independent Political Analyst

The South African Students Congress (SASCO) and the South African Union of Students have raised concerns about the state of NSFAS and funding opportunities for the matric class of 2020. They say that the cut of 14 billion on higher education and the cut of funded qualifications is going to impact students negatively.

Guest: Athenkosi Sityata - Provincial Secretary

Guest: Yandisa Nzoyiya - National Organizer of SAUS – South African Union of Students

Last year, the National Income Dynamics Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey said three million people had lost their jobs since the start of the COVID-19 lockdown, and at this year’s SONA President Ramaphosa said that South Africa continues to be plagued by high levels of unemployment, especially amongst the youth of the country.

With this in mind, we look into the Careerbox training, skills development and recruitment organization. Since 2013 they have focused on empowering and improving the lives of young people and women through job creation, education and skills development.

Guest: Lizelle Strydom - Managing Director of Careerbox

In conversation with Peter Setou, Chief Executive of the Vumelana Advisory Fund (an NGO in the land reform sector). They have welcomed government’s approach to finalise the 1-thousand-400-and-9 restitution claims at a cost of R9.3 billion over the next three years to achieve redress and equitable access to land.

They also note that while government has set aside budgets and specific targets for the next three years, these targets must be closely monitored and measured to ensure that the country achieves the desired outcomes for the land reform programme.

Guest: Peter Setou - Chief Executive of the Vumelana Advisory Fund

Yoco, distributor of point-of-sale devices to more than 80 000 merchants, launched the Yoco Small Business Recovery Monitor in May last year. This monitor is the only live, publicly available, small business transaction data resource.

Small businesses have had to continue paying operating expenses and salaries through the lockdown, in spite of being forced to close or deal with sharply lower sales - multiple job losses and closures have been predicted by various economic commentators.

Guest: Matt Brownell - Head of Brand and Communications at Yoco

Digital transformation has become a buzzword that many of us are floating around. South Africa, like many African countries, is seen to be lagging behind in terms of digital infrastructure yet the digital space has proven to be effective in many respects.

We’re focus our attention on the Digital Transformation Summit which aims to build awareness and accelerate the integration of digital transformation in the day-to-day activities of the public sector and the services offered to stakeholders.

Guest: Thandeka Ellenson - CEO of the Moses Kotane Institute

During February each year, the Finance Minister of South Africa passes a Budget Speech. In an interesting time, and with the backdrop of a once in a century pandemic experienced in the last year, the Minister was forced to address some looming concerns on the Government borrowing and how he intends on reducing this in the coming years.

Guest: Dr Metji Makgoba - Independent Political Analyst

Guest: Dr Nthabiseng Moleko - Development Economist at the University of Stellenbosch Business School