The Burning Platform — Various
Various people in the know tell us the truth about what’s going on in South African politics. Fired up by Nando's.
02
JUL
Can you trust the Covid-19 tests?
From Bridgette Motsepe-Radebe‘s alleged scandalous links to Botswana, to the impact of the elections in Somalia... Gareth, Kanthan and guest Jean-Jacques Cornish tackle the week's biggest political stories. And while we're all still grappling with the ramifications of the Covid-19 pandemic, the team debates how unlocking countries should work.
25
JUN
Bheki & the hippos shut mouths
Why can't anyone just print money? What's the difference between consumer and asset inflation? Are public sector employees useful to an economy? And just who is Finance Minister Tito Mboweni referring to when he says: "The hippopotamus must shut its mouth"? The battle to be King of Ideology continues to rage between religion and secularism, and Bheki Cele may be the only man capable of keeping South Africa's taxi industry on a leash.
18
JUN
Keynesian Theory: Mankind's Crisis Crutch
Are Economic Keystrokes good, or are they a landmine for the tax paying citizenry? Can business function without a competent state intervening heavily to create conditions for economic prosperity? What is the role of tax in the economy? Is gender based violence linked to economic activity? We all hate Keynesian theory until crisis strikes... why is that?
11
JUN
Freedom comes at a price
Phumlani Majozi joins us to discuss the notion of good ideas and organising a country properly. Can government, business and labour ever march to a single beat? Hong Kong took decisive action after they were liberated, is that a replicable model for other nations who achieve liberation? Is the idea of race-based politics hindering poverty alleviation? Is BEE fundamentally flawed?
04
JUN
Absolute power corrupts... absolutely!
Did the townships of South Africa get the lockdown right vs the suburban approach? Will South Africa's private healthcare system be crippled because of lockdown? How the country reopens will come at a political cost and the vultures are circling already it seems. The tensions between systemic power and racial subjugation are at an all time high in America after George Floyd's murder - where to now for the home of the brave?
28
MAY
Distributive justice VS Private security forces
Is it a good idea to have private security firms to carry out state justice? What is distributive justice and how does it shape ideology? Does the private sector serve society at large better than a capable state? If a government doesn't trust its citizens, what is the logical conclusion? Armed forces are trained to kill, so what happens when their barrels are aimed at their own citizens?
21
MAY
WHO should pay?
How does the formative ANC structure differ from the one we see today ideologically? Does Covid-19 render the political landscape fertile for totalitarianism in South Africa? Is the economic and philosophical illiteracy of news reporters dangerous for society at large? If we lose a generation of black graduates in the formal economy because of lockdown regulation, what does that mean for the future of South Africa's social landscape? WHO should pay the biggest price globally for this pandemic?
14
MAY
So long goodwill Cyril
Frans Cronje joins us this week and his suggestions about policy vs on the ground policing of Covid-19 will not be served well by the annals of history. Is the dissonance between the ANC and the Western Cape government political, or is it led by fact? How should we read the data around the case fatality rate? Death vs Economy... is it just about "market before life"? Frans Cronje's book "The Rise or Fall of South Africa" is available now on Kindle.
07
MAY
Empathy & iPhones
The team is joined by Unathi Kwaza this week. Is the very notion of a lockdown classist, or is it broadly applicable and helpful to all South African citizens? Can the formal sector learn anything from the informal sector about navigating a pandemic-ravaged economic climate? Should all laws be equal in the eyes of the citizenry, and what happens if laws aren't applicable across the board? Are the ANC the main reason for the crushing poverty many South Africans still endure 26 years after democratic liberation?
30
APR
We just don't know!
What is the purpose of a lockdown during Covid-19? Is acting reasonably something which can be encouraged, and if so, which countries have done this? Are South African politicians capable of governing the laws they make? Will the death count be the correct metric to gauge the success of measures taken during the pandemic... we just don't know!
23
APR
Ramaphoria is over
Special guest Russell Lamberti joins us this week and asks whether the lockdown in South Africa failed from day one? Is it immoral to prevent people from working? Can we trust the ANC to administer the R500 billion relief fund without being corrupt? The economy of South Africa is now on its last legs, can it survive the impact of state-imposed stunted economic activity? Is Cyril Ramaphosa being exposed as not fit for office?
16
APR
Cyril, Consistency & China
The notion that big business is the backbone of an economy might need some re-examining. Surely some sectors of the economy could be opened up? How and why does short-sighted decision making at Eskom cripple small business? Consistency in the messages being communicated by the government is vital for national confidence, how does Cyril's government score on this metric? As we attempt to deal with the economic reverberations of global economic shutdowns, which country is poised to become the new global supply chain and production hub? Is imagination important when you govern, or is it just a policy pen pushers game? Our special guest this week is Khaya Sithole.
