Drivetime

Why South Africa would do well without it's Deputy Ministers

The South African government recently outlined several measures to cut its running cost. This includes a R7 billion reduction in the public sector wage bill over the next three years as well as a reduction in travel costs, entertainment budgets, catering expenses and restrictions on conferences.The cuts come in the…

20 Jun 2016 10AM 8 min

World Refugee day - The politics of refugee protection

The number of people displaced worldwide has hit a new record, with 65.3 million people forced from their home as of the end of 2015, the UN said on Monday. The figures, released on World Refugee Day, show pressures fuelling an unprecedented global displacement crisis. As conflict and persecution force…

20 Jun 2016 10AM 10 min

The Need For an Inter-generational Dialogue 40 years after the 1976 uprising

The dream of the common vision for a shared future as described by participants in Sharlene Swartz’s study Another Country. “A South Africa where race no longer dominates; where there is equal access to opportunities; where we have social and geographical integration, knowing people different from us and having them…

16 Jun 2016 10AM 12 min

An African exodus would irreparably damage the ICC

South Africa is part of an African Union committee going to address the United Nations Security Council on the AU position on the International Criminal Court. That position includes postponing/ cancelling the ICC cases against incumbent African leaders and putting forward the roadmap for African states to withdraw from the…

8 Jun 2016 10AM 10 min

Is the terror alert in SA an attempt to increase security around Muslims?

The recent warnings of a terrorist attack in South Africa from the governments of the United States and United Kingdom are nothing more than an attempt to pressurise the South African government to increase securitization and surveillance around Muslim communities according to Cage Africa. So what implications do these terror…

8 Jun 2016 10AM 6 min

Namaindia Mfeketo says the Syrian attacks have been exaggerated

“The government of Syria is in charge and functioning despite the ongoing violent conflict, deputy minister of international relations and cooperative government” these were the words of Minister Nomaindia Mfeketo addressing a media briefing after returning from a three-day trip to Damascus. At least 470 000 Syrians have died and…

7 Jun 2016 10AM 6 min

Analysis of the Education drop out rate

“Weak learning” during the early years of schooling has been used as the reason for the shocking dropout statistics of pupils before they reach matric. According to the latest statistics, in a report compiled by the department of basic education, there were only 571 819 matrics in 2014 compared to more…

7 Jun 2016 10AM 7 min

The case of Mabel Jansen – we all have our prejudices

Ealier in the year Mabel Jansen was suspended for discriminatory facebook posts that were shared by Gillian Schutte. Many have argued that the judge said what she did in her own personal capacity. Franny Rabkin reflects on the actions of Mabel Jansen to reveal the inner prejudices we all may…

7 Jun 2016 10AM 9 min

The state of New York bans Boycotting Israel

New York governor Andrew Cuomo has mandated any agency under his control to divest from companies which are aligned to a Palestinian-backed boycott of Israel. The executive order will involve compiling a list over the next six months of any groups in the BDS movement, and it will be made…

7 Jun 2016 10AM 5 min

Mohamed Ali – An unapologetic Muslim

At a time when Muslims in America are facing scorn and bigotry, the late boxing legend Muhammad Ali should be remembered as the true, peaceful face of Islam, residents of his home town say. Hundreds of people filed past his childhood home in Louisville on Sunday, now a museum dedicated…

6 Jun 2016 11AM 11 min

South Africa on terror alert

State Security Minister David Mahlobo says government has noted the terror alert by the US Embassy and has assured the country that there's no need to panic. On Saturday, the United States Diplomatic Mission published a statement on its website, warning Americans in South Africa about possible attacks. The United…

6 Jun 2016 10AM 9 min

The SACP's increasing frustrations with the ANC

In recent months, the SACP has been steadily growing disenchanted with its alliance partner, the ANC. Initially reports about the growing cracks in the tripartite alliance were dismissed as untrue and, later, as unfounded rumours. But senior communist party leaders are now publicly attacking the ANC and cutting to the…

6 Jun 2016 10AM 7 min

The ANC holds provincial manifesto launch

In yet another attempt to garner support for the municipal elections, the ANC held their provincial Manifeto launch at FNB stadium this past weekend to what was an abysmal turn-out and not even the dancers or the DJ's could save what seemed like an attempt to win the hearts of…

5 Jun 2016 6PM 6 min

Ferial Haffajee leaves City Press

Yesterday current affairs junkies flared up twitter after news broke that Ferial Haffajee has resigned as editor-in-chief of City Press, a Johannesburg newspaper which is part of the Media24 group. Haffajee, headed the weekly newspaper from 2009, and is leaving her post at the end of July. We now hear…

3 Jun 2016 10AM 7 min

Free book Friday – Jimfish by Chris Hope

Part fable, part fierce commentary on the politics of power, Jimfish is the culmination of a lifetime’s writing and thinking, on both the Apartheid regime and the history of the twentieth century, by a writer of enormous originality and range. Christopher hope joins us in-studio today... Guest: Christopher Hope, Position:…

2 Jun 2016 6PM 15 min

The importance of history with Prof. Noor Nieftagodien

The launch of the History project took off Yesterday at the Tshisimana centre in Mowbray. The project aims to bring allow youth and students to ponder on the Meaning of 1976 Uprising for Activists in the present. Bringing together young activists from the emergent student movement in universities and activists…

2 Jun 2016 6PM 15 min

Uncertainty in the region and the US election year effects on Africa

Thus far 2016 has definitely been seen as a contraversial election year as they all usually are but what significance does a 2016 election year have not only for South Africa but also in Zimbabwe and even more so in America. John Mattison looks at the election in context and…

2 Jun 2016 11AM 16 min

Internet accessibility should be a right

When most people think or speak about internet freedom, they are often concerned with the right, for example, to say what you want online without censorship and without being subject to the chilling effects of surveillance. Today we discuss why access to internet and affording the cost of internet is…

2 Jun 2016 10AM 9 min

Update on Bahrain – Sheikh Al Salim sentenced to nine years in Prison while Zain

On 28 December 2015, a group of activists, human rights defenders and opposition leaders gathered to observe the first anniversary of Sheikh Ali Salman's arrest and detention in Bahrain. Just seven months earlier, a court sentenced Sheikh Salman, the secretary general of Bahrain’s largest opposition bloc, al-Wefaq, to four years…

1 Jun 2016 11AM 16 min

Parlaiment meets to iron out the details of appointing new public protector

Parliament's ad hoc committee to nominate a new Public Protector will meet today to among others, discuss how the advertisement for this position should be constructed. The committee was established to do interviews for the position that will be vacant at the end of October. The ad hoc committee would…

31 May 2016 6PM 8 min