Drivetime

Lonmin’s failure to address housing conditions at Marikana

While the deaths at Marikana were the main focus of the Farlam Commission, it also considered the contexting which the events of August 2012 occurred, and specifically the horrendous housing situation and living conditions for mine workers at Marikana. Thousands of Lonmin employees were living in squalid conditions in informal…

16 Aug 2016 10AM 13 min

The Marikana Massacre – 4 years on and still no justice

Today marks exactly four years since 34 miners were gunned down by police in Marikana and the families involved say not much has changed for them or the community as a whole. In August 2012 a total of 44 people were killed during a violent unprotected strike over wages at…

16 Aug 2016 10AM 13 min

The Zambian Elections - President Edgar Lungu elected in disputed vote

Zambia's incumbent President Edgar Lungu has been declared the winner of a closely fought presidential election, but the result was immediately challenged by his main opponent Hakainde Hichilema. Lungu, leader of the Patriotic Front (PF), won 50.35 percent of Thursday's vote, against 47.67 percent for Hichilema, of the United Party…

16 Aug 2016 10AM 9 min

Three years since the Rabaá massacre, Egyptian government should compensate Vict

On August 14, 2013, Egyptian security forces killed at least 817 people, and probably more than 1,000, who were in Cairo’s Rab’a al-Adawiya Square protesting the military’s removal of former President Mohamed Morsy – one of the worst mass killings in modern history. The dispersal at Rab’a and several other…

15 Aug 2016 11AM 17 min

How could Wealth taxes help cut poverty and unemployment

A “wealth tax” in South Africa could significantly address two of South Africa’s triple challenges of joblessness, poverty and inequality – provided it is managed by competent individuals and institutions, according to Guy Harris. He says that only quality education can address inequality in our society in a sustainable way,…

15 Aug 2016 10AM 15 min

Corruption Watch on the importance of the Public Protector

Described by our Supreme Court of Appeal as a “watchdog”, the Public Protector is also often compared to an ombudsman, an institution that originated in Sweden, created to ensure that public officials acted in terms of the law and discharged their duties properly. There are now a large number of…

15 Aug 2016 10AM 9 min

Fees Must fall Reloaded - Possible fee Increase for 2017

Last week, organisations including universities and the treasury made their submissions to the Commission of Inquiry into Higher Education and Training into the possibility of Free Education. Since then, The Higher Education Department says there’s been no pronouncement on university fees for 2017 and it’s still engaging with stakeholders before…

15 Aug 2016 10AM 14 min

The story of Alison Botha reaches Cinemas

You may have heard the story of Alison Botha before. Alison survived being raped, having her throat slit 17 times, stabbed in excess 37 times and disemboweled, left for dead but through a miracle she survived. She was the first South African woman to speak out publically about being raped…

12 Aug 2016 11AM 16 min

Free Book Friday – The story of Charlotte Maxeke

Charlotte Maxeke, the first South African black female graduate who has long been written out of the history books is the focus of Zubeida Jaffers'new book Beauty of the Heart. Even though oppressive colonial laws meant that she was not allowed to study in her own country, Maxeke beat all…

12 Aug 2016 10AM 16 min

Syrian's trapped on the Northern Border

US-backed opposition fighters have almost recaptured all of Manbij, a Syrian city northeast of Aleppo, from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).With the support of air strikes, the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, has taken control of 90 percent of…

12 Aug 2016 10AM 11 min

Kidnapped by AQIM - We hear from Victoria Gustafsson

Gift of the Givers yesterday held a press briefing with Victoria Gustafsson, the sister of Johan Gustafsson about the headway in the long-running saga of two hostages, a South African and a Swedish national, who were captured by Al Qaeda in Mali in 2011. The Gift of the Givers (GOTG)…

11 Aug 2016 11AM 16 min

The misconception about politically connected women

Keeping with the idea of Women's month, as South Africans we have a tendency focus our attention during this month around the rise of women in powerful positions (Theresa May, Angela Merkel, Dilma Rouseff, the rise of Hillary Clinton, the hope we’ve invested in Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma - the list…

11 Aug 2016 10AM 17 min

Permanent People's Tribunal on Transnational Corporations

The Southern Africa Campaign to Dismantle Corporate Power has set up a Permanent People’s Tribunal on Transnational Corporations. The Tribunal will bring affected peoples from Southern Africa together to make their problems visible, analyse them and collaborate and share experiences in order to strengthen our joint struggle. The effort to…

10 Aug 2016 11AM 5 min

Are independent candidates a blessing or a curse for South Africa's democracy

Given the adverse statements made by several politicians when the election period started, what factors influenced voters who placed their trust in any of the 855 independent candidates who contested in these elections. So how do we measure the viability of Independent Candidates? Guest: Nkosikhulule Nyembezi Position: Board Chairperson: Election…

10 Aug 2016 10AM 9 min

A closer look at the candidates up for the position of Public Protector

As the committee sets to interview the candidates for the Public Protector Post tomorrow at 7am, red flags have been raised about a number of the shortlisted public protector candidates. A 69-page report, which was compiled by Corruption watch in association with the Democratic Governance and Right Unit, hones in…

10 Aug 2016 10AM 10 min

The 2016 Rio Olympics, the latest from Brazil

Brazil declared in its official bid for the Olympic Games, which opened on Friday, that Rio's air quality was "within the limits recommended by the World Health Organization." but Rio de Janeiro's air is dirtier and deadlier than portrayed by authorities and the Olympics' promised legacy of cleaner winds has…

8 Aug 2016 11AM 16 min

The One in three campaign disrupts Zuma's election speech

Rape trials don’t go away for those who are the family and loved ones of the survivor, and for many in the criminal justice system, they also suffer vicarious trauma. Trials are hard. They take their toll. According to Allison Tilley, the solution in rape cases is re-establishing the so-called…

8 Aug 2016 10AM 11 min

The youth vote – update from the VIP 2x campaign and how young people responded

The #2X is a youth campaign aimed to galvanise youth participation in the greater democratic narrative. With youth confidence in traditional democratic institutions in decline, young people are finding greater political expression of their will in digital and real world movements. We spoke to them before the election campaign, we…

4 Aug 2016 5AM 6 min

Muslim Women in America get back at Trump

Donald J. Trump had harsh words for the parents of a slain Muslim soldier who had strongly denounced Mr. Trump during the Democratic National Convention, saying that the soldier’s father had delivered the entire speech because his mother was not “allowed” to speak. Trump’s comments drew quick and widespread condemnation…

2 Aug 2016 11AM 15 min

Where to for Shackville TRC

Twenty years ago the Truth and Reconciliation aimed at righting the wrongs of the past and now some UCT students are calling for a similar commission to right the wrongs of the present. Earlier this year, students erected a shack on the university’s upper campus, in protest against the lack…

2 Aug 2016 10AM 11 min