Drivetime

Support for president's pandemic response diminishes

An online multilingual COVID-19 Democracy survey has revealed that support for the president's handling of the pandemic response has diminished by 24 percentage points, falling to 61% popularity pre-Covid-19. So has the president's handling of the pandemic response diminished? On line is Dr Yul Derek Davids, Chief Research Specialist in…

19 Aug 2020 10AM 9 min

BLM divides parliament

A debate on Solidarity with the Black Lives Matter Movement was held during a virtual national assembly sitting on Tuesday. The motion, brought by the EFF's Floy Shivambu had political parties divided over the Black Lives Matter. The movement gained prominence following the brutal murder of an African- American man,…

19 Aug 2020 10AM 17 min

Hamas denounce Israel - UAE normalisation ties

Palestinian groups have denounced the normalisation of ties between Israel and UAE saying it does nothing to serve the interest of the Palestinian people. The deal was announced by US president Donald Trump, forestalling Israel's illegal plans to annex large swathes of the occupied West Bank. On line for comment…

18 Aug 2020 11AM 14 min

World Economic Report

In this week's world economic report, we look at the following: -Lockdown easing, is this the beginning of more economic crisis? -Why South Africa's black middle class matters in the Covid-19 milieu -G7 to consider debt freeze to low income countries. On line is Senior Research Fellow at the University…

18 Aug 2020 10AM 13 min

South Africa enters phase 2 of Covid-19 vaccine trial

Wits University has begun a second Covid-19 vaccine trial and screening of participants for the NVX-CoV2373. The phase 2 trial in South Africa will evaluate if the nanoparticle S-protein, in the Covid-19 vaccine known as NVX-CoV237, protects against Covid-19 disease in adults aged 18-64 years old. On line is Dean…

18 Aug 2020 10AM 11 min

AISA webinar discusses extremism in Mozambique

The Human Science Research Council's Africa Institute of SA (AISA) today held a webnar to address the issue of violent extremism in Mozambique. The aim was to contextualise the emergence of violent extremism in Mozambique and its implications for peace and security in Southern Africa. On line for comment is…

17 Aug 2020 11AM 19 min

Will the economy recover under level 2 lock down?

After five months of lockdown, South Africa is easing into level-2, with 97% of the workforce expected to return to work. According to economic data, the impact of the first few months of lockdown during which many sectors of the economy were forced to close down, resulted in 3 million…

17 Aug 2020 10AM 7 min

Covid-19 cases expected to rise in the next 10 days

As the country moves into level -2 of the nationwide lockdown, health experts have warned a second wave of Covid-19 should be expected. South Africa recorded 162 Covid-19 deaths in the past 24 hours and experts have warned the next 8 to 12 weeks are critical as the upsurge is…

17 Aug 2020 10AM 19 min

Book Review: War Party by Greg Arde

In this week's book review, we have Greg Ardem's “War Party” how the ANC's political killings are breaking South Africa. Cadre deployment means that the ANC and the state are inextricably intertwined. In Kwazulu- Natal, which has long been the powder keg of South Africa, its a monster that means…

14 Aug 2020 11AM 20 min

Remembering Rabaa massacre

Egyptians in South Africa are marking the August 14th 2013 Rabaa massacre when security forces and army under the command of General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi raided two camps of protesters in the capital Cairo. The two sites had been occupied by supporters of Mohamed Morsi, who had been removed from…

14 Aug 2020 10AM 10 min

Israel- UAE normalise diplomatic relations

Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have reached an agreement , brokered by the United States , to work towards a full normalisation of ties, a deal the Palestinians called “treacherous stab in the back”. Under the agreement, Israel said it will delay the annexation of Palestinian lands in…

14 Aug 2020 10AM 9 min

Weekly Middle East Report

In this week's Middle East Report in partnership with the London based Middle East Monitor, we look at the following: -Co-option of religion by Saudi's MBS spells disaster -Syria's Assad says new US sanctions part of drive to “choke” Syrians -Israel uses Beirut blast pretext to change mandate of UN…

13 Aug 2020 11AM 17 min

Are South Africans giving up on democracy?

The Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) today hosted a webinar on the state of democracy in South Africa. Nearly a generation has passed since South Africa's first democratic elections in 1994. So how healthy is the country's democracy and what are South Africans perception of democracy, specifically their attitudes…

13 Aug 2020 10AM 11 min

New book on cricketing legend Hoosain Ayob

Chair of the Awqaf SA board, Haroon Kalla chats to Drivetime sports reporter Feroz Sheik on a new book on legendary South African cricketer Hoosain Ayob

13 Aug 2020 8AM 8 min

Will Hezbollah and the people negotiate a new Lebanon?

The Beirut port explosion is likely to go down in history as a turning point in Lebanon's political configuration. Last year when the economy collapsed under unbearable debt and mismanagement, many Lebanese people realised they had become marginalised in their own country. So will Hezbollah and the people have to…

12 Aug 2020 11AM 20 min

Weekly Africa Report

In this week's Africa report, we look at the following: -Ramaphosa's envoys to Zimbabwe snub opposition after meeting Mnangagwa -Egyptians vote for revived upper house of parliament -Mali protests continue despite regional mediation efforts. And on line for comment is political science lecturer at Chrizzma University in Zambia, Dr Charles…

12 Aug 2020 10AM 11 min

Public Protector in court to save office

Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane today went to court in a bid to challenge parliament's rules on how to remove the head of chapter Nine institutions. Mkhwebane is applying for an interim interdict on removal processes pending a judicial review. National Assembly speaker Thandi Modise is opposing the application. On line…

12 Aug 2020 10AM 16 min

Lebanon cabinet resign

Lebanon's government has stepped down as prime minister Hassan Diab blamed endemic corruption for a devastating explosion last week that tore through the capital. The August 4 disaster, which was caused by highly explosive ammonium nitrate at Beirut's port, has fuelled popular anger and upended politics in a country already…

12 Aug 2020 6AM 18 min

Weekly Economic Report

In this week's world weekly economic report, we look at the following: -Reserve bank and VBS shareholders agree on possible new banking licence -Russia develops first vaccine offering “ immunity” against coronavirus -Lebanon economic crisis worsen amid massive resignations of cabinet. On line is Senior Research fellow, Human Economy program…

11 Aug 2020 10AM 11 min

Need to speed up land reform for women in SA

In his Women's Day address to the nation, president Ramaphosa said government has agreed on an action to speed up the process of giving women productive assets such as land. Ramaphosa said the national strategic plan aims to promote women's inclusion in the economy. On line for analysis is professor…

11 Aug 2020 10AM 12 min