Drivetime

UCT to effect revised policy on employment equity

The University of Cape Town (UCT) will resert the button on employment equity from 1 February 2021. The policy, which sets clear principals that underpin decision making that affects people in the work place comes into effect following the Council's approval. On line is UCT Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Transformation, Professor…

26 Jan 2021 9AM 8 min

Weekly economic report

In this week's world economic report, we look at the following: -Ramaphosa signs off three tax acts -SAB has suspended the contracts of 550 temporary workers indefinitely. -Oil producers face a long haul back to business as usual. On line for comment is Senior Researcher, Department of Political Science at…

26 Jan 2021 9AM 15 min

Tunisians continue protests for social and economical reform

Ten years after Tunisians rose up against poverty and autocracy, demonstrators are again demanding the social and economical reforms they were promised. The unrest, broadly presented simply as “vandalism and looting” by the government, erupted two days after the 10th anniversary of the 2011 uprising that overthrew long time leader…

25 Jan 2021 10AM 22 min

International day of education

Yesterday marked the International Day of Education themed “Recover and Revitilize Education for Covid-19 Generation. But due to the coronavirus pandemic, the national school nutritution programmes which were feeding over 9.6 children daily had to shut down. This has affected in the development of children. On line for comment is…

25 Jan 2021 9AM 7 min

ANC NEC concludes Legkotla

President Ramaphosa says details of the deals into which government enters with vaccine manufacturers will be released when the negotiations are concluded. Addressing the ANC NEC Loegkotla , he said four priority areas have been identified , which included defeating the Covid-19 pandemic, economic recovery, local government and building a…

25 Jan 2021 9AM 9 min

Researchers share details on the implementation of Wealth Tax in South Africa

Researchers from the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies (SCIS) at Wits University have co-authored a paper which provides the details that proposes a wealth tax to assist with fiscal sustainability as well as reduce extreme wealth inequality. On line for comment is co-author and Researcher in Economics at Louvain Institute…

25 Jan 2021 8AM 14 min

Book Review: “1986” by William Dicey

What was life really like in apartheid in South Africa? 1986 was a pivotal year in our history. It was a year of the vigilante, the year of the necklace, but also the year the talking began. Starting on 1 January, William Dicey presents a compelling diary of a terrible…

22 Jan 2021 10AM 19 min

Political Party Funding comes into effect in April

President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed the political party funding Act into operation with effect from April 1. The bill will strengthen the confidence of citizens in their democratic political process and enable them to assert their right to information. On line for comment is Senior Researcher, MyVoteCounts, Joel Bregman.

22 Jan 2021 9AM 7 min

Reserve Bank: Repo rate to remain unchanged

The Reserve Bank has decided to keep rates unchanged at 3.5 % following the announcement by Governor Lesetja Kganyago. The bank also revised its growth forecast for 2021 . On line for comment is Economist at Antswisa Transaction Advisory, Miyelani Mkhabela.

22 Jan 2021 9AM 10 min

Middle East Report with Middle East Monitor

In this week's Middle East report in partnership with the London based Middle East Monitor, we look at the following: -The Israelisation of US foreign policy is hard to reverse -Saudi Arabia looks for political solutions in Yemen, Syria and Libya. -Egypt and Qatar agree to resume diplomatic ties. On…

21 Jan 2021 10AM 17 min

Biden rescinds Trump's harshest orders

US president Joe Biden has signed a string of executive orders that will reverse some of his predecessor Donald Trump's most divisive policies, including rescinding the so called Muslim ban. The ban was changed several times amid legal challenges and ultimately upheld by the US Supreme Court in 2018. On…

21 Jan 2021 9AM 15 min

Weekly Africa report

In this week's Africa report, we look at the following: -Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni wins sixth term in office. -Fresh violence in Central Africa Republic (CAR) following rebel uprising -Africa Union (AU) secures 270 million Covid-19 vaccine doses. On line for comment is Convener at the Africa Policy Circle (APC),…

20 Jan 2021 10AM 18 min

Concern over children's safety during lockdown

As the re-opening of schools is delayed for the 2021 academic year due to the increase of Covid-19 cases, concerns is mounting that children's exposure to violence may increase. According to Childline South Africa, there has been an increase of about 36.8 percent in calls for help during the nationwide…

20 Jan 2021 9AM 7 min

Dispensing ivermectin: What then when caution and crisis clash?

In parts of South Africa and internationally a debate is raging about the use of a long-established anti-parasitic drug ivermectin, which shows some anecdotal evidence of efficacy in the treatment of Covid-19. However, because of initial positive indications, a movement has formed demanding its use and claiming it is a…

20 Jan 2021 9AM 10 min

Unpacking Trump's legacy

As the US starts a new chapter with the inauguration of Joe Biden as president tomorrow, historians and political commentators face a daunting task when it comes to assessing Donald Trump's presidency. Many would agree that it was the final year of his presidency that really cemented Trump's legacy, mainly…

19 Jan 2021 10AM 19 min

Will vaccines work against the new COVID-19 variants?

As South Africa awaits the arrival of its first shipment of Covid-19 vaccines, there are growing concerns about a new coronavirus variant, known as 501Y.V2, circulating in the country and what changes in the virus could mean . We now chat to Aisha Abdool Karim, health journalist at Bhekisisa Centre…

19 Jan 2021 9AM 10 min

UWC collaborates with government to tackle cybersecurity

The University of the Western Cape (UWC) has partnered with private sector and the government to tackle cybersecurity. The collaboration aims to inspire the next generation of tech entrepreneurs and cybersecurity specialists to tackle challenges of cybersecurity and online gender based violence. On line for comment is Manager for Future…

19 Jan 2021 6AM 12 min

Turf war at Hartleyvale

Local football club FC Kapstadt has brought a petition against Cape Town Football Club over the use of Hartleyvale Stadium in Observatory. The soccer team has accused the City of Cape Town of unfairness and favouring the PSL team over them. On line for comment is chairman of Observatory Civic…

18 Jan 2021 10AM 15 min

HRW calls on Isreali government to provid Covid-19 vaccine to Palestinians

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged the Israeli government to provide Covid-19 vaccines to the more than 4.5 million Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. While Israel has vaccinated more than 20 percent of its citizens, including Jewish settlers in the West Bank, it has not committed…

18 Jan 2021 10AM 13 min

Schools re-opening put on hold

The Basic Education Department has decided to delay the reopening of both the private and public schools. South Africa has been battling the increase in Covid-19 infections, prompting the authorities to delay opening of learning institutions. we now chat to Professor in the Department of Policy Studies at Stellenbosch University,…

18 Jan 2021 6AM 8 min