The Real Network Frankly Speaking

Frankly Speaking

Frankly Speaking looks at topical issues through the eyes of young people doing amazing things. Hosts Andrew Levy and Rorisang Tshabalala take on everything from politics to social issues to lifestyle. Join them for a often provocative, sometimes amusing look at the country and world we live in.
Weekly English South Africa Society & Culture · News
163 Episodes
32 – 52

Is Democracy Protecting The Politicians While Holding The People To Ransom?

On the one hand, President Zuma and his government made up of Dlamini, Mahlobo, Zwane, etc. is a democratically elected government that represents the will of the people. On the other hand, these very politicians are leading from crisis to crisis with no sense of accountability. Even the so-called Chapter…
8 Mar 2017 52 min

Do White People Have A Future In SA?

There appears to be a growing sense in some sectors of the South African white population that they do not have a future in South Africa. In this show, Andrew and Rori speak to Economist Dawie Roodt to find out what the economic statistics show in terms of the socio-economic…
1 Mar 2017 56 min

Is Capitalism A Bad Thing?

In this first of the series exploring capitalism, Andrew and Rori tackle the question of whether capitalism is a bad thing. They are joined by the Executive Director of the Free Market Foundation, Leon Louw and independent energy consultant and writer Andrew Kenny.
22 Feb 2017 54 min

Are SA NGOs Moneymaking Schemes or Agents for Meaningful Impact?

There are over 200,000 NGOs in South Africa - all tackling the same set of issues. Yet it would appear that we aren’t really moving the needle on resolving those issues, while NGO execs continue to get paid large sums and build up their personal profiles through all sorts of…
15 Feb 2017 53 min

Does SA have a Mental Illness Problem?

Andrew Levy speaks to media personality Karabo Kgoleng about her bipolar disease. He also speaks to Dr Yusuf Musa about the societal issues South Africans face when it comes to mental illness. Check out Sadag.org for more information about mental illnesses and support.
8 Feb 2017 49 min

Herman Mashaba/Donald Trump: Different Sides of the Same Coin?

From speeches that start out the same, to similar pronouncements about foreigners, to policies that lean heavily on the role of big-business Herman Mashaba and Donald Trump seem to be turning out to be similar in many interesting ways. Rori and Andrew explore the question further - joined by Tony…
1 Feb 2017 56 min

WTF Moments of 2016

In this show Andrew and Rori look back at 2016 and all the WTF moments of the year. In studio they are joined by comedians Alfred Adriaan and John Vlismas.
7 Dec 2016 1 hr 01 min

Zuma - What Now?

Numerous votes of no confidence against President Jacob Zuma have failed. After a vigorous three-week debate, the ANC NEC has pronounced that the case of Zuma's leadership is now closed as far as they are concerned. On this show Andrew and Rori speak to Lawson Naidoo of the Save SA…
30 Nov 2016 56 min

Were the Stellenbosch Mafia the Original State Capturers?

State Capture has dominated the South African socio-political landscape recently, culminating in an explosive report by the Public Protector outlining various cases of politicians being compromised by wealthy businesspeople. Others have argued that the focus on the Guptas and others is misplaced and should rather be directed at the looting…
23 Nov 2016 55 min

What Would you Give Up for a Better South Africa?

What would you give up for a better South Africa? Andrew Levy opens with an extract from a short story called The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas. Andrew speaks to a number of guests including Vinayak Bhardwaj, Kevin Foster, Kayan Leung, Maloba Tshela, and Tizi Merafe to discuss this…
16 Nov 2016 56 min

Are Trump Voters Acting Rationally?

The common refrain from the middle-class has been that Trump voters are unintelligent deplorables acting irrationally, but what might we be missing out on by writing their actions off as irrational? In this show Andrew and Rori speak to Tinashe Chuchu to unpack what is really happening in the hearts…
9 Nov 2016 55 min

Is Apartheid, Race & Poverty Still Linked in South Africa?

Twenty-two years into democratic South Africa, demographics still reflect that poverty is concentrated along race lines in the country. Some have argued that after so long, apartheid can no longer be blamed for this. In this show Andrew and Rori speak to the Statistician-General, Dr Pali Lehohla and social activist…
2 Nov 2016 57 min

How should 80's Babies Make their Mark on SA's Political History?

It tends to seem that the 90's babies have found their place and their voices in shaping and making their mark on the South African political landscape, while the 80's babies have struggled to do the same. Andrew and Rori speak to fellow 80's baby, DA Member of Parliament and…
26 Oct 2016 55 min

Frankly Speaking - What Does It Mean To Be Black? Part 4

In the fourth episode in the series, Andrew and Rori follow up the conversations that have been had on what it means at an individual level to be black, with a discussion on what it means at an organisational level. There are a range of organisations in South Africa that…
28 Sep 2016 58 min

Frankly Speaking - What Does It Mean To Be Black? Part 3

In this third episode of the series titled 'What Does It Mean To Be Black?', Rori explores the question more deeply, assisted by the CEO of Steve Biko Foundation, Obenewa Amponsah, and activist and researcher Bryan Keith Murray. They begin to define the differences between the cultural meaning of being…
21 Sep 2016 55 min

Frankly Speaking - What Does It Mean To Be Black? Part 2

In this second installment of the series titled 'What Does It Mean To Be Black?', Andrew and Rori unpack some of the discussions from the first episode... and end up even more confused and no less challenged by the thoughts that Phumi Mashigo of Womandla! and Nozipho Mbanjwa of The…
14 Sep 2016 59 min

Frankly Speaking - What Does It Mean To Be Black? Part 1

For a long time blackness has represented more than just a skin colour and more of a culture encompassing many unique nations, voices and skin colours. It has been called a state of mind, it has been called an attitude of the mind. But what exactly does it mean to…
7 Sep 2016 57 min

Frankly Speaking - Black Hair, Don't Care!

In the wake of the controversy surrounding the #StopRacismAtPretoriaGirlsHigh campaign, where black learners openly protested what they referred to as racist and discriminatory rules on the hair of black learners at the highly-regarded Pretoria High School for Girls, the nation was once again divided. While there was overwhelming support for…
31 Aug 2016 53 min

Frankly Speaking - Are Coloured People Black People?

In the wake of Wayde van Niekerk's epic, world record-breaking victory in the Olympics 400m race, instead of celebrating as one, naturally, South Africans quickly turned the moment into a racially-polarised tweetstorm. On the one hand was those who celebrated under #colouredexcellence, arguing that it was time for coloured people…
24 Aug 2016 53 min
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