The View Point

This week marks the start of a significant effort to raise awareness, understanding, and appreciation for the critical role that teachers play in education and development around the world. The country honours another type of front-line hero as we mark Teacher Appreciation Week.

Now the Covid-19 pandemic has brought a number of challenges to the education sector not only for students but also to educators. Teachers found themselves adapting to new teaching methodologies and finding ways to keep children entertained and engaged as their homes became their new classrooms.

We’re in conversation with Education Specialist, Jackie Cook, and she is extremely passionate about education and the role that teachers play in shaping our youth and is available to chat to you and your listeners. 

  Title:                                 [• Ms]   

  Name:                               [• Jackie Cook]  

  Position at organisation:   [•  Education Specialist and Chief of Academic Operations at Teneo Online  ]

We’re in conversation with Dr. Katlego Mothudi, the managing director of the Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF), tracking the progress made by the the Let’s Vaccinate campaign which was launched by medical schemes in September. This was launched by the Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF) which is a representative body of medical schemes (representing medical schemes across eight African countries, including South Africa). 

We will also speak about the initiatives that the schemes have put in place to support government in meeting the vaccination target of 70 – 90% of the population.

Title:                    [• Dr. (Mr.)]   

Name:                  [• Katlego Mothudi]

Position at organisation:  [• Managing Director of the Board of healthcare Funders]  

We’re in conversation with the Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa and we talk about how they have reached the coveted status of being a Level 1 Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) contributor in a five-year journey of transformation and economic empowerment.

This status come with them having achieved an increase of 20% in Black shareholding of which all employees own 15.5%; spending more than R7billion on preferential procurement with black-owned companies; and contributing more than R25million towards community development.

  Title:                             [• Mr]   

  Name:                                    [• Velaphi Ratshefola]

  Position at organisation:   [• Managing Director at the Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa]

The Department of Social Development has launched Social Development Month under the theme, “Delivering DSD Services During COVID-19 in the Year of Charlotte Maxeke.”

The Social Development Month campaign seeks to showcase the work of the Department and to put emphasise on the measures taken by the Department and its entities, South African Social Support Agency (SASSA) and National Development Agency (NDA), to improve the living conditions of South Africans by promoting access to social development services to the poor, vulnerable communities, children, families and older persons.

  Title:                             [• Ms]   

  Name:                                    [• Civil Legodu ]  

  Position at organisation:   [•  Director General    ]

Following the lead of the successful 2019 USAf Higher Education, the 2021 conference will provide a platform for thought leadership, debates, deliberation and shared understanding among senior academics, researchers, executive leadership of public universities, government, business and civil society. Prospective attendees must note that this is a no-cost event.

Taking place within a context of significant disruption, uncertainty and complexity brought about by the CoVID-19 pandemic, the conference will, in broad terms, provide a platform to reflect on the state and purpose of South Africa’s higher education system – looking at the past, the present and the future.

Title:                [• Dr. (Ms)]   

Name:             [• Linda Meyer]  

Position at organisation: [Director of Operations and sector support at Universities of South Africa]

On the 9th of October we will commemorate Hospice and Palliative Care Day. Palliative care is comprehensive care that should be availed from the time that a person is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, however it is estimated that only 18% of South Africans are able to access this.

As World Hospice and Palliative Care Day calls for the acceleration of access to care for all, the Hospice Palliative Care Association (HPCA) is on a mission to promote quality in life, dignity in death and support in bereavement for all living with a life-threatening illness – including Covid-19.

  Title:                             [• Ms]   

  Name:                                    [• Leigh Meinert]

  Position at organisation:   [•  Advocacy Manager for the HPCA]

Barend Uys is Head of Research and Development at AfriForum. He is no stranger to this show; having been interviewed by one of our former Takeover guest, Dirk Hermann is currently the CEO of the trade union Solidariteit.

Barend believes that our future, as well as our history, is in our own hands and we must simply take up the responsibility if we want to build a prosperous future.

Barend is an engineer but it seems the social justice bug has bitten him hard.  He has a particular interest in community leadership, social cohesion and history.

Title:                [• Mr.]   

Name:             [• Barend Uys]  

Title:                               [• HrH (Princess)]   

  Name:                                    [• Gabo Moroka ]  

  Position at organisation:   [•  Princess of the Barolong Boo Seleka   ]

While the majority of Swazi people live in Eswatini (also known as Swaziland), many have moved to urban areas within South Africa, especially around Johannesburg and to the towns of the Mpumalanga province.

The Swazi people, part of the Nguni tribe, originated from east-central Africa in the late 15th century. While modernisation has happened over the years, tradition is still highly revered by the Swazis and their leader, King Mswati III of Swaziland, is one of Africa's few remaining absolute monarchs.

Title:                    [• Mr.]   

Name:                  [• Muzi Matfunjwa]

Position at organisation:  [• Researcher at the South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR)]  

University of Cape Town’s  Vice‑Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng will have the honour of becoming the University of Bristol’s (Bristol) first Bristol Illustrious Visiting Professor (BIVP) on the 20th of October 2021. The professorship will comprise a mix of virtual and in‑person activities, and Prof. Phakeng will pay Bristol an extended visit to engage with their researchers, senior management team, and wider community.

Bristol is among the United Kingdom’s top 10 universities and among their top five for research and the invitation from Bristol’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Hugh Brady recognises Prof. Phakeng’s “exceptional and inspirational” work in mathematics education and university leadership in post‑apartheid South Africa.

  Title:                             [• Prof (Ms.)]   

  Name:                                    [• Mamokgethi Phakeng]  

  Position at organisation:   [• UCT Vice‑Chancellor AND the University of Bristol’s (Bristol) first Bristol Illustrious Visiting Professor (BIVP)]

GEMS Medical Scheme has recently concluded a Fraud, Waste and Abuse (FWA) symposium, addressing how the industry is addressing the current challenges and plans to strengthen corruption-busting initiatives aimed at rooting out the scourge of corruption and misconduct.

The private healthcare industry is increasingly compromised by irregular claims submitted by medical scheme members and healthcare service providers. And in the symposiums, a panel of experts addressed the current challenges, the views of healthcare providers, employees and members, and how policy reform and technology can be used to reduce Fraud, Waste and Abuse (FWA).

Title:                    [• Dr. (Mr.)]   

Name:                  [•  ]

Position at organisation:  [• Principal Officer at the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS)]