South Africa continues to mourn the death of Johnny Clegg, who passed away yesterday evening after losing the battle to cancer. He diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2015 and last year, he had a series of farewell tours appearing on stage with a variety of artists, including his son Jessie Clegg. His exposure to Zulu migrant workers during adolescence introduced him to the culture and music. His involvement with black musicians often saw him arrested during apartheid. At the age of 17, together with Sipho Mchunu, he formed a band called Juluka. At the age of 33 in 1986, during the height of apartheid, he partnered with Dudu Zulu to form his second inter-racial band called Savuka.

SONGEZO spoke to a couple of people who had worked with Johnny Clegg
Roddy Quinn he was Johnny’s manager for 32 years; Victor Kgomoesoana – Author of Africa is Open for Business; Hilda Tloubatla – Member of the Mahotela Queens; PJ Powers (sis’Thandeka)

Songezo engaged one of our regular callers - Mziwabantu Billy (a.k.a Ngconde from P. E)

There’s a gentleman who calls the night time radio shows ever-so-often – he is stern, he likes explaining, he loves radio and he wants what’s best for Africa and her children. He calls himself a curious observer and a sucker for knowledge because he wants to keep his neuron elasticity sharp. He has an interest in economics, real estate, banking and politics.

If we told you that you can have a beautiful wedding that costs two-thousand-rands, would you laugh in our faces? Well, you can… Kabelo Khumalo and his wife, Mukhethwa, said I DO and it cost them just under two-grand!
How did they crack this? How did they slither through the black people’s priority guest lists, which most of the time is not compiled by the bride and groom – i.e. abomakhelwane and members of the community, ladies from the church, stokvel members (bo mme ba society or bo mme ba lekgotla) and what important money and savings lesson can we learn from their story?

SONGEZO spoke to Thulani Tshefuta – newly appointed member of Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane’s advisory panel

We’re in conversation with Mr. Thulani Tshefuta – he is the former President of the South African Youth Council, he’s the convenor of the Community Constituency at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) and he has recently been named as one of the advisors to Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane. We engage him on the work that he has previously done in the various institutions and we also get his thoughts on how he believes the Eastern Cape Province (particularly the youth sectors) can be transformed and how governance can be renewed…

Songezo Mabece spoke to Tshepo Mashiane – founder of the Centre for the Advancement of Citizenry Participation in International Relations (CACPIR)

The Centre for the Advancement of Citizenry Participation in International Relations (CACPIR) was established to primarily create, provide and enhance meaningful platforms for ordinary citizens of the world, Africans in particular, to actively participate, cooperate and contribute within the World’s social, cultural and economic development processes

Songezo Mabece was in conversation with Lungelo Zulu – Head of Communication for the National Youth Crime Prevention Steering Committee AND Hendrick Monyeki – Convenor of the No To Nyaope Campaign

How can there be so many drug labs in our country without people seeing what is happening? Just this afternoon, Police raided a drug lab in Randburg – it seems all these drug labs are located in suburban areas. Why is there a prevalence of drugs even when the police have declared war on drugs? Who are the people behind these drug rings and why are they not being brought to book?

Songezo Mabece spoke to Patronella Nqaba, Assicate Director at the Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity at the Nelson Mandela Foundation

This program brings together accomplished individuals from diverse backgrounds to incubate new strategies for addressing, dismantling and transforming the power structures that subjugate black people.
Fellows explore the origins of structural racism and the mechanisms through which it operates. Up to 20 leaders from the U.S. and South Africa participate in this 12-month program with weeklong sessions in various locations in the U.S and in South Africa

Yolanda Hanning, a psychologist with MSF in the North West province spoke to Songezo about the lack of counseling services for victims of rape

Untreated Violence” is a series by MSF (Doctors Without Borders), called: “Critical gaps in mental health care for survivors of sexual violence in South Africa”
The lasts one reveals that nearly half of health facilities in South Africa designated to care for survivors of sexual violence say they do not offer counselling services to child survivors of rape, who potentially represent up to half of all survivors, while 1 in 5 offered no counselling services at all.

Songezo was in conversation with Zikhona Miso about her journey to the2019 Mandela Washington Fellowship in the United States

Zikhona is a seasoned broadcaster and founder of a monthly dialogue platform in Johannesburg - "INCOKO". She hosted a current affairs show at the SABC’s international platform "Channel Africa Radio”, which broadcasts to entire African continent. Zikhona is alumni of the Thabo Mbeki African Leaders' Institute. She studied Journalism at the Tshwane University of Technology and has trained with the Sol Plaatjie media institute and the U.K based Thomson Foundation among others. She was recently selected as part of 46 South African fellows to join the 2019 Cohort of the Mandela Washington Fellowship AND she joins us now from Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts.

Songezo Mabece spoke to Edward Kieswetter, Commissioner at SARS – about Tax Season 2019 and the significance of paying tax.

We find out about the Ins and OUTs of personal income tax (who should pay and how much). The rationale behind paying taxes and the prevalence of tax evasion in South Africa; Money laundering and corruption and how they create a despondency among tax payers. We’ll also talk about what is (or what should be) done with the revenue that is collected