The Burning Platform - Level Up

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. Nando's…

2 Jul 2020 54 min

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…

25 Jun 2020 54 min

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…

18 Jun 2020 53 min

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…

11 Jun 2020 59 min

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…

4 Jun 2020 1 hr 07 min

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?…

28 May 2020 50 min

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…

21 May 2020 54 min

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…

14 May 2020 1 hr 01 min

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…

7 May 2020 59 min

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…

30 Apr 2020 55 min

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…

23 Apr 2020 55 min

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…

16 Apr 2020 1 hour

Oligarchs & Lockdown

The lockdown can sometimes feel like a daunting period, especially if you don't understand why it has to happen... yes to save lives, but are there any other tangible reasons for it? From the revelation of oligarchs who may have South Africa's economy at their beck and call, to ensuring…

9 Apr 2020 56 min

Let them eat cake... in isolation

The best way to predict the future is to look at the past. Is there any chance of rebellion from the poor in South Africa if they are forced to comply with lockdown laws? What would this violent outbreak look like? We only have 3 ways of dealing with Covid-19,…

2 Apr 2020 57 min

A Maverick in Knysna

Ivo Vegter tells us why he left the Daily Maverick. As we move into Day 1 of #Lockdown2020 in South Africa, where should we be looking for threats of violence to pop up? The sharp end of capitalism will have brutal effects on the economy at macro and micro levels,…

26 Mar 2020 1 hr 03 min

The ANC Spy Bible

When you leave the intelligence services, can you just go back to a normal life? Public interest and national interest are always in a delicate relationship, but who manages it? South Africa is filled with racial tension - both now and historically. What happened during apartheid if you loved a…

19 Mar 2020 1 hr 02 min

The Public Protector needs protection

The Covid-19 epidemic is now in South Africa and has spread beyond the “Italy 10”. What does this mean for the health structures that already exist in SA, are we prepared to contain it? OPEC and their indecisive nature means Russia and Saudi Arabia are now the kings of the…

12 Mar 2020 49 min

Cosatu ‘declares war’ on Tito's budget

South Africa is officially in a double dip recession, strap yourself in! Does Cyril have the backbone to prevent 'triple dip’ by making the necessary pragmatic calls immediately? The unions have ‘declared war’ on Tito and government's plans to cut jobs and save R150 billion in the medium term. The…

5 Mar 2020 58 min

Tito in a tight spot

Tito takes a hard line at long last. The much-anticipated Budget Speech felt like Tito Mboweni has at last acted as an economist would by cutting state salaries, which although fiscally responsible, will come with a sting in the tail politically. The thorn in the side though is the R16b…

27 Feb 2020 1 hr 02 min

Bloomberg embarrasses Bernie

Mhlanganisi Madlongolwana joins us for a sizzling episode of The Burning Platform, and he unpacks the highlights and lowlights of Cyril’s 2020 SONA. Is the field of politics in South Africa too emotive to allow for constructive intellectual engagement? As SA finds itself leaving 'Ramaphoria' and that honeymoon period of…

20 Feb 2020 1 hr 04 min