The Burning Platform - Level Up

Cyril, Activism and Bumbling Corruption

Is the notion of 16 Days of Activism purely performative, or are South African authorities actually serious about quashing this social ill? How important is it for people to know who pays for a newspaper organisation to be in business? Is Cyril Ramaphosa losing the trust of South Africans across…

26 Nov 2020 52 min

The PIC is on the table

Is there collusion between the ANC and the corporate world, and should this concern South Africans moving forward? The IRR and SA citizens have been misled by South African banks, which is being revealed as conversations between government and the big banks spill into the public domain. Our government is…

19 Nov 2020 55 min

Identity Politics and Opposition Dilution

Helen Zille joins the Burning Platform this week to discuss Cyril Ramaphosa's address to South Africa coming out of the global pandemic. The by-election results for the DA were mixed... what was the reason for the strategy adopted for this election period? Is the presence of a multitude of small…

12 Nov 2020 57 min

US Election: Reality Show of the Year

How is it that in 2020 the US Election can still be shrouded in this much controversy when it comes to vote counting? Is the Democrat voter base reactionary and lazy? Is the USA falling apart, as they seem to be divided right down the middle as a country? Is…

5 Nov 2020 55 min

Debt and Taxes

Why did Tito go off script during his Medium Term Budget Speech? Were his comments about Tygerberg Hospital unethical, and how much power does he have in reality? Is SAA a distraction, or simply a failing SOE? It's important to keep an eye on the Zondo Commission so you are better informed for…

29 Oct 2020 56 min

Laptops and Oval Office nightmares

For the umpteenth time, South Africans are having to hear the term "economic restructuring" as part of the recovery plan for the country's economy from the ANC-led government. Are we to trust Cyril Ramaphosa to lead us to the promised land, or should we be sceptical as citizens? Hunter Biden…

22 Oct 2020 1 hr 01 min

Pollsters vs Performers

As South Africans grapple with the economic carnage of the Covid-19 lockdown, is the ANC going to actually address the Covid-19 relief corruption scandal, or are they just going to be performative political actors? What is Julius Malema's endgame? The EFF and the ANC seem to be in cahoots, should…

15 Oct 2020 52 min

Land restitution and VBS

The Senekal protests have brought to light the issue of farmers and farmworkers being murdered. Is the matter a racial issue, or a political tool to sow division within the South African populus? Is legal land restitution possible if administered correctly by the South African government? Is violence necessary for…

8 Oct 2020 53 min

WHO decides how we should feel?

How does one collate data when the governments of the world are hellbent on lockdowns as the only solution to solving a global pandemic? Has the gathering of data been transparent globally? Is the function of WHO to scare people so that they change their behaviour? How will Sweden be…

1 Oct 2020 57 min

Separate State & Administration

South Africa is now joining the global north in terms of unlocking its economy and society entirely, citizens are concerned about the tracking and that isn't going away. What is the biggest obstacle in unlocking efficient government in South Africa? Does Cyril Ramaphosa have the gumption to make the painfully…

17 Sep 2020 48 min

Lala Kahle George Bizos (Rest in Peace)

How is it that after all these years, the Eastern Bloc is still such a mess? Is the mainstream media in South Africa caught in a struggle envy trap? Are the ideological struggles of 2020 less meaningful than the war-ridden struggles of the 20th century? Has South Africa wasted 30…

10 Sep 2020 59 min

Where's our country gone?

Are South Africans vindicated in continuing to vote for the ANC? Should there be amnesty for those who confess to corrupt dealings in the past? Can the ANC save South Africa? Could Indian and Chinese border conflicts ignite WW3? Does Biden have any traits which make him a better candidate…

3 Sep 2020 55 min

Paywalls, violence & race cards

Roman Cabanac joins the panel this week. When news has paywalls, what's the logical conclusion? Does the ANC have an exit strategy for lockdown? BEE laws are changing again, is this for better or worse? The Film & Publications Act needs scrutiny, what is its real purpose? Is violence necessary…

27 Aug 2020 54 min

Retirement with no Power

How long should we give De Ruyter to turn Eskom around? The economic ramifications of South Africa's lockdown are yet to be unveiled - just how bad could things get? How are marketing spend and economic prosperity linked? Retirement funds are on the table now for the ANC government, how…

20 Aug 2020 51 min

The Cape... just Biden its time

Is the Western Cape's independence a realistic goal? Is the will of the majority important in democracy? Should South Africans be worried about South Africa's march towards policies resembling other countries who believe in centralisation? Will skittish foreign investment return after lockdown-induced investment moratoriums? The economic pain of lockdown is…

13 Aug 2020 59 min

Don't bank on it

The heat is now being turned up on society because they can't feed their children, how long can this go on before a violent outburst occurs? Is the banking sector in South Africa 'captured', and can this situation be salvaged? When a judge needs a lawyer to fight their legal…

6 Aug 2020 56 min

Blood in, Blood out

With large government gatherings being so predominant, how will society social distance if leaders don't? Is extremism sustainable, because as we all know, "the tiger will always eat the trainer." Should we gun train all citizens? Is the ANC turning into a mob-like organisation, using violence to oppress even the…

30 Jul 2020 58 min

Is big business still big?

Employment: we delve into the stats on South Africans’ opinions on racially-based employment; we also ask whether it’s possible to make cadre employment work. Politics: the strife of the Cape Flats is well-documented, and it raises the question: why does it seem that solving societal problems is not a priority…

23 Jul 2020 57 min

Zille's on the streets... the Twitter streets

"The emperor has no clothes... but I'm not saying it,'' has been the great failure of South Africa's citizenry lately. Can South Africans ever view contentious issues through a lens that's not tainted by race and power agendas? What is the role of dissenting voices like Helen Zille for the…

16 Jul 2020 55 min

Hubris & Heart attacks

Should we be testing everyone for Covid-19? Is there going to be a second wave in Johannesburg and if yes, is this a bad thing? What are the overall effects of the health sector's response to Covid-19 globally? Could South Africa reopen the economy through track and trace monitoring of…

9 Jul 2020 54 min