Tonight with Lester Podcast

Guest : Eldred De Klerk | Senior policing and Social conflict specialist at Africa Centre for                                             Security and Intelligence Praxis

Guest : Rafieq Mammon | Artscape has partnered with community, regional and national radio stations across the country to bring the 2020 New Voices Programme to individual South African households as radio dramas over a two-month period from June to August.  The project seeks to give an opportunity to young writers as well as restoring dignity and confidence to those who have been disregarded and under-represented in the past. 

Guest : Tim Lundy

Guest : Lester Kiewit

Guest : Kerry Mauchline | Spokesperson for Education MEC Debbie Schäfer| The Council of Education Ministers has made amendments to some grades returning to school.   Minister of the Department of Basic Education Angie Motshekga held a meeting with stakeholders on Thursday and announced that  "After careful consideration of all the reports CEM took a decision that only Grade 6, Grade 11 and Grade R will return to school on Monday, 06th July 2020," the council said in a statement.  Other grades will be phased during the month of July. 

Guest : Ashley Newell Food Flow is a new initiative pioneered during this crisis in Cape Town – with donations they buy produce from small-scale farmers who would usually supply the restaurant business – to make up essential vegetable boxes to distribute to communities facing food insecurity.   Thus, protecting the supply chain for the future, keeping small farmers afloat – Food Flow shifts the flow of produce coming from farms to those most vulnerable.      FoodFlow then matches the farmer with a community organization in their vicinity who distributes harvest bags or cooks a meal for their beneficiaries. FoodFlow works to sustain food livelihoods, enabling farmers to continue sustaining their business despite the loss of restaurant, hotel and market clients and ensures fresh nutritious food keeps flowing to those who are most impacted by food insecurity

Guest : Akhona Mashaya 

Guest : Lawrence Manaka                Liyema Saliwa Today,  Equal Education held an online Children’s Conference, bringing together learner members of Equal Education (Equalisers) and education officials from various provinces, to discuss how to address the challenges faced by learners during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the realisation of a Charter for the Equal Education organization. 

Guest : Chantal  Bredenkamp | Grade 3 teacher  at Sunnyside Primary School The last few months have been tough on the education sector.  Schools were one of the first institutions to shut down even before the nationwide lockdown was announced and soon all classes turned digital.  As the economic repercussions of lockdown led to job losses and pay cuts, many parents found themselves battling to pay school fees.  The effects have been dire. But one school refuses to go down without a fight. 

Guest : Dr Pieter Kotze | Head at Geomagnetism Group At Hermanus The launch of NASA’s next Mars rover mission has been delayed to no earlier than July 30 because of a launch vehicle processing issue, the latest in a series of slips that have now used up nearly half of the available launch opportunities for the mission.   NASA announced June 30 that the mission, previously scheduled to launch July 22, would be delayed to investigate “off-nominal” data from a liquid oxygen sensor line during a wet dress rehearsal of the mission’s Atlas 5 launch vehicle June 22 at Cape Canaveral, Florida - according to SpaceNews.com.  The mission was originally scheduled to launch July 17, the beginning of its launch period, but has slipped three times. None of the slips have had to do with issues with the Mars 2020 spacecraft itself - NASA announced.  The Mars 2020 project (carrying a rover named Perseverance) will land on Mars on Feb. 18, 2021, regardless of what day it launches during the current launch period. The rover will land in Jezero Crater on Mars for mission designed to last at least one Martian year, or 687 Earth days. Perseverance’s instruments will reportedly look for signs of past life on Mars, but the mission’s biggest purpose is to cache samples of Martian rock for later return to Earth.

Guest : Dick Forslund | Economist & Researcher at Alternative Information & Development                                        Centre | Close to 100 economists have rallied together and written an open letter to the Standing Committee on Finance to reject the newly released supplementary budget (as tabled by the Minister of Finance on Wednesday 24 June 2020).    The open letter and submission from South African economists, economic and business analysts, and others on the Supplementary Budget (tabled 24 June 2020) argues that the Supplementary Budget Reneges on the President’s COVID-19 Rescue Package and poses dire risks to the country.    South Africa is in an unprecedented crisis. The Minister projected a fall in GDP of 7.2% and estimates of jobs at risk vary to as high as 2 million.  Millions will be plunged deeper into poverty if action isn’t taken immediately.   

Guest : Marcelle Du Plessis | Fund Raising and Communications Manager  at Mdzananda                                                 Animal Clinic Khayelitsha The Mdzananda Animal Clinic in Khayelitsha has recorded a sharp increase in dog abandonments since the implementation of lockdown level 3. The clinic say this is an unusual increase.

Guests : Tracey Malawana DG secretary for Equal Education                Lawrence Manaka 

Guest : Melinda Ferguson | 

Guest : Anna James | member at OBS CAN (community action network)

Guest : Mark Nicholson

Guest : Kaylynn Palm| Reporter at EWN| Young people from across Cape Town gathered at Parliament on Tuesday to protest against gender-based violence.   About 300 people are standing at the gates calling on government to take action.   Dressed in black, young women and men are holding placards and pictures of victims of violence.   Some of the posters read "Gender-based violence is a pandemic" and "Women are not your property".   During a moment of silence, they lay on the ground, some with posters in the air.

https://www.beautifulnews.com/show-will-go-pioneering-virtual-transformation-africas-largest-arts-festival https://www.beautifulnews.com/protect-his-parents-12-year-old-invented-life-saving-tool-against-covid-19 https://www.beautifulnews.com/covid-19-sowed-seeds-disorder-farmers-solution-they-cultivated https://www.beautifulnews.com/these-flying-foxes-build-australias-forests-while-you-sleep 

Guest : Bonnie Smith| FCM General Manager for South Africa| The South African business travel sector is gradually getting back to ‘normal’ as more airports are opening. Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula today announced that in addition to the original four airports that are currently operating, the following domestic airports will reopen from 01 July:   • Bram Fischer International Airport • Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport • Pietermaritzburg Airport • Port Elizabeth International Airport • Richards Bay Airport • Skukuza Airport • Upington International Airport  

Guest : Andrew Thompson, freelance writer for Business Insider  What happens to SAA Voyager miles during the lock down? Could one even cash on those voyager miles now and how would it work? To read more of Andrew's fascinating research and informative articles, visit: www.Andrew-Thompson.com

Guest : Professor Talita Greyling |Well Being Economist at UJ| Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, governments have implemented lockdown regulations to curb the spread of the virus. Though lockdowns do minimise the physical damage of the virus, there are substantial damage to populations happiness, well-being and livelihoods. 

Guest : Cassandra Hendricks | Former Pupil at an Elite All Girl School|

Guest : Crispin Sonn| Parent at Springfield Girls Convent & Company Director|

Guest : Danielle Moosajie A Heideveld family centre and NPO, Arise, is using love and kindness to helps strengthen families on the Cape Flats Arise offers Family Strengthening Services aimed to preserve, strengthen and support families in resource-poor communities to build resiliency so that children and their families can overcome adversities and reach their full potential. Based in Heideveld on the Cape Flats, they support surrounding communities that face many challenges ranging from poverty, lack of employment, poor quality education, drug and alcohol addiction, violence and gangsterism. 

Guest : Andrew Ribeiro | cyber security specialist  at ESET Southern Africa |

Guest : Steve Pike| Editor and founder of Wavescape.co.za. A surf reporter, author,                                              Journalist and lecturer in wave dynamics

Guest : Marcelle Du Plessis | Fund Raising and Communications Manager at Mdzananda                                                   Animal Clinic Khayelitsha| The team at the Mdzananda Animal Clinic have created an easy way for the public to help the pets of Khayelitsha stay warm. They have launched their fifth Wagging Winter Shoebox drive. This is how it works You pick which animal you want to help, and then you pack a shoe box with filled with goodies to keep them warm and send it to Mdzananda Animal Clinic. It is that simple.

Guest : Kerry Frizelle On Monday we heard that two more medical professionals have died due to the Coronavirus pandemic. On Monday Groote Schuur announced that Eva Isaacs and Patricia Coetzee have passed on, both were valuable members of the hospital. Medical Professionals are already under stress. Many are feeling anxious about being on the frontlines, helping those who have COVID-19, which we know is highly contagious.

Guest : Desiree Ellis | Head coach at Banyana Banyana| We are still reeling from Finance minister, Tito Mboweni's budget speech. Yesterday he outlined just how bad our economic situation is. This has been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. That means that there are a lot of people who are in need. This is something that the City of Cape Town recognised. To help they are making donations assist organisations feeding residents. One of these organisations is the Desiree Ellis Foundation. Created by Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis, the foundation in partnership with The Alcardo Andrews Foundation provide between 400 and 600 cooked meals daily for those in need. 

Guest : Kevin Kriedemann | Founder at Africa.film BLACKKKLANSMAN on Showmax       GIRI / HAJI on Netflix   BLOW THE MAN DOWN on Prime Video      

Guest : Tim Lundy It's Thursday, and that means our hiking expert Tim Lundy joins us. One of the essential items when going on a hike is water. It cools you down, hydrates you and (as we all now know very well thanks to the novel coronavirus) is used to clean when needed. A reminder to all to keep washing those hands. We can also encounter water when out and about, whether it be through streams, dams or waterfalls. In fact, some may even seek to find these bodies of water on their walks. Tim Lundy Cape Town Hiking Registered tour & mountain guide Ref no. WC7676 Tim's details: FB: Cape Town Hiking with Tim Lundy Twitter : @hikingcapetown You Tube: Cape Town Hiking Instagram : capetownhiking

Guest : Saeed Nyovane| Co-founder of the ‘Gender-Based Violence and Rape Must                                                     End’campaign| If you live in or around town, you may have heard what sounds like gunshots yesterday. These were the sounds of police firing stun grenades at protestors who were marching against Gender-Based violence. The march, that mostly consisted of young people, was meant to be a peaceful demonstration. The police apparently used the stun grenades to disperse the group in front of Parliament. 

Guest : Costa Carastavrakis

Guest : Liezel Van Der Westhuizen | Tv & Radio presenter, MC & Motivational Speaker |

Guest : Danielle Gilbert If you are a regular listener, you would now that normally we have social activist Lisa Sonn on in this slot. Lisa is unavailable today but has referred us to our next guest. Now as we know the entire world is undergoing an examination of racism and more importantly systemic or institutionalized racism thanks to massive Black Lives Matter movement initiated in the United States. One of the issues that this movement has shone a light on in South Africa is the racist systems that occur in Model C and private schools. There have been many calls for elite schools across the country to reform their policies that directly or indirectly discriminate against certain students. This has inspired a lot of people to speak up on their own experiences. This month an Instagram account called you silence we amplify was created and is a platform where students of elite schools (past or present) can share acts of racism they experienced as students of colour. One such person is Danielle Gilbert, a person of colour who attended an elite all-girls school.

Guest : Desiré Goliath | Community Chest Public Relations| This month Cape Town-based NGO, Community Chest, in partnership with Top Events, launched their first-ever virtual Charity Event. And they are doing it to help support the education sector. As we heard in the first hour, safety for schools during the COVID-19 pandemic is paramount, and teacher, as well as learners, need access to as much hygiene and PPE to keep themselves safe.  That is why  Community Chest are running the #Coalition of the Committed event. The event invites participants across the world to fire up their physiques, get moving and gain some serious health benefits while raising some money. The event is open to walkers, runners, cyclists and mountain bikers and there are various options to suit your fitness level with distances ranging from a leisurely 5km to a tough 100km.  

Guest : Kerry Mauchline | Spokesperson for Education MEC| Despite a lot of controversies, schools across the nation have been opened with schools in the Western Cape opening first. This week we have seen a rise in positive COVID-19 cases amongst schools, with a coronavirus cluster outbreak in the Eastern Cape. Today the Department of Basic Education said that it was working with health officials to help pupils, educators, and parents to help with this outbreak. Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said that cases being reported in schools showed that many people already had the virus but were unaware of it until they were screened. This may be the case, but it does not alleviate the worry many people have around sending their children to school during this time. So with schools being open for a while, we thought we would check in on how things are going.

Guests : Jon-Dylon Peterson | Activate Leadership Network|                 Eliene Scott | Activate Leadership Network| This afternoon finance minister Tito Mboweni delivered a special Budget Speech to the nation. In his speech, the minister stated that the country has generated far too much debt and that was the country's weakness. On top of this we have also been hit hard with unemployment. The debt will grow as the government looks to borrow $7 billion to try and keep the economy going.    With such gloom surrounding our economy, I am reminded of what President Cyril Ramaphosa said about the youth needing to step up, get creative and help strengthen the economy. That is all good an well, but the youth are also victim to that high unemployment rate, and have been since before lockdown.

Guest : Kristal Duncan-Williams | Project Lead  at Youth Capital| Stats SA has published its latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the three months to March 2020, revealing that the country’s unemployment rate rose in the first quarter of the year.  According to Stats SA, the official unemployment rate increased by 1.0 percentage point to 30.1% in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the fourth quarter of 2019. The unemployment trends before (and now during COVD-19) will continue to show an increase given our shrinking economy - which no doubt paints a very bleak future for the youth of South Africa.  Project Lead at Youth Capital, a youth-led campaign with an Action Plan that connects the lived experiences of young people with data and research to shift gears on youth unemployment.

Guest : Melinda Ferguson | Motoring Journalist | Review: BMW x4 M COMPETITION Local BMW fans are in for a treat with this version of the X4 M Competition in SA Fast facts:  Price: starting at R1.590 000 Engine: M TwinPower Turbo 3-litre high-rev engine  Power/Torque: 375 kW, 600 Nm of torque and 4.1 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h.  Transmission: 8-speed Sport Steptronic Automatic transmission with Drivelogic  Review: Mahindra S11 Pickup Mahindra is hoping to cash in on the shift towards automatic transmissions in the double cab bakkie market with a new S11 version of its Pik Up, and South Africa is the first country in the world to receive this new six-speed autobox Fast facts:  Price: starting at R312 499 up to R429 999 Engine:  2.2-litre mHawk turbodiesel engine Power/Torque: 103kW and 320Nm Transmission: six-speed automatic unit •

Guest : Yaseen Johnson | Teacher & Planner for Northlink College Bellville South|

Guest : Moeshfieka Botha | Head of Research and Consumer Education  at National Debt                                                Advisors| Raising children is tough, raising children in lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic is unchartered territory.   Since the pandemic has also impacted our finances in a big way, we should now start communicating as freely with our children around money. But how much do children really need to know about the family's financial situation?

Guest : Dr Armand  Bam | Executive Director  at League of Friends of the Blind (LOFOB) | Very sad news to open the show today. Tonight we remember Heidi Volkwijn, a visually impaired respected motivational speaker and manager of services for youth and adults at the League of Friends for the Blind, who died over the weekend due to Covid-19. Heidi was very passionate about we as a community can link up and stand together in support of those struggling to find their feet after losing their eyesight.  This is the kind of message (from LOFOB's Facebook page) , Heidi would wish to share with the young girls and women who access LOFOB’s rehabilitation programme after becoming blind. “Through my blindness I have learnt many lessons. Above all I have learnt that life is 10% how you take it and 90% what you make of it! Blindness is an impairment, it does not determine your ability to achieve all you aspire to be and dream of doing.”That's the kind of legacy she held Dr Armand Bam Executive director at LOFOB remembers Heidi now  We’re so sorry for your loss and for the loss to LOFOB.  Can you share a few personal memories of Heidi?How would you like to honour Heidi and the work she did for the visually impaired community? Heidi has left behind Amy Volkwijn (19) who sadly also lost her dad Barry in one day Our thoughts are with her family at this very sad time.  She could put sighted people to shame, because you can see, but what are you doing with your life?

1) This bakery is changing the way refugees earn their bread and butter 2) We will never give up the fight for racial equality 3) These performers are playing their most memorable role off-stage First up: https://www.beautifulnews.com/bakery-changing-way-refugees-earn-theirbread-and-butter Patil Aghazarian disappears from the kitchen behind a poof of white dust. While the flour settles, she carves out the loaves and places them into the oven. As each edible pillow transforms, so does Aghazarian’s life. When she fled war-torn Syria for Australia with her family, she was optimistic and ready to start afresh. But the language barrier and her lack of job experience presented an obstacle to starting a career and earning an income. The moment she stepped inside a bakery in Sydney, however, her world began to take shape. Next: https://www.beautifulnews.com/we-will-never-give-fight-racial-equality-0 How long will people of colour face oppression? While heinous systems such as colonialism and segregation have been abolished, people still face injustices across the world. But the fight for equality will never be relinquished. Omar Badsha, Albie Sachs and Yugen Blakrok are three leaders championing freedom. They’re not only rewriting the course of history, but creating a movement for the future. Third story: https://www.beautifulnews.com/these-performers-are-playing-their-mostmemorable-role-stage As performing artists, Mandisi and Liso Sindo are masters at playing the part. Yet when the couple is out of the spotlight, their true roles are even more impressive. In the heart of Khayelitsha, the duo train youth in theatre, music, and dance, empowering them to make their mark in the arts. But with the advent of COVID-19, their students were no longer hungry to learn, just hungry. South Africa had enforced a stringent lockdown, preventing many people from earning an income and leaving families without food. Stepping off the stage and up to the plate, Mandisi and Liso are filling their community with the nourishment and support to carry on. WHICH STORY GETS YOUR PICK? Whatsapp us now with your preferred selection. Your top suggestion will be selected as a live interview on Wednesday. https://www.beautifulnews.com/bakery-changing-way-refugees-earn-their-bread-andbutter https://www.beautifulnews.com/we-will-never-give-fight-racial-equality-0 https://www.beautifulnews.com/these-performers-are-playing-their-most-memorablerole-stage

Guest : Ryno Schutte | Non-Executive Chairman at Stand United South Africa | Gender based violence is a pandemic of violence against women and children. It is a form of interpersonal violence and bullying that takes place in the home and communities across South Africa and globally. Stand United South Africa in partnership with #Fightback and LeadSA is trying to do their part in making it easier and safer to report an incident of GBV. The silent alarm program hopes to assist women living with their abusers who are unable to sound out their plea for assistance. Report a incident on their site, by sharing the necessary details for law enforcement or shelters to step in, the report will be automatically be sent to a Gender Based Violence Command Centre and give you the necessary steps to follow.

Guest : Neil Kinsley | CEO at Medici South Africa | It is no secret that ‘things have changed’ thanks to the onset of COVID-19 and subsequent living and working restrictions. For many, this has been a time of great reflection and innovation, for others it has brought fear as they face radical change and are pushed from their comfort zone. Change comes in all different guises and the approaching 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) is one that has seen many businesses and industry sectors switch to embrace the realm of digital. An industry ripe for this change, is healthcare. For a variety of reasons, there is a greater need for healthcare intervention than ever before. Additionally, doctors and healthcare practitioners (HCPs) are themselves falling ill as a result of being over-burdened by the demand on their time and services. Enter technology to save the day – and many a life too. Technology can help address the supply and demand on a number of levels. Right now, it can assist practitioners with their admin, streamlining the running of their practice to free them up to spend quality time treating and consulting with their patients. Already in existence prior to lockdown, telehealth has been given a huge boost by the need for patients to still see their practitioners.

Guest : Wynand van Vuuren | head of legal and claims at King Price Insurance | The days of having a beer after work and driving home will soon be over – and that’s not just because of the lockdown restrictions. Once South Africa’s strict new drunk-driving laws have been passed, drivers won’t be allowed to drink alcohol at all. Currently, it’s still legal to get behind the wheel if your blood-alcohol level is under 0.05g per 100ml. The new bill adopts a zero-tolerance approach to drunk driving by setting the legal blood-alcohol limit for drivers at 0%.

Guest : Andrew Thompson, freelance writer for Business Insider  Almost as soon as South Africa’s national lockdown shuttered all but essential business, airwaves filled with ominous tones, eerily upbeat jingles, and stern presidential speech voice overs of lockdown-themed commercials. In spite of the forced closures, businesses were still eager to tap into the increased media consumption, as millions of South Africans were forced to stay at home. Brands also wanted to remain relevant, and show the public that they cared - presumably also in the hope that they’d continue opening their wallets, even as many were losing jobs and growing increasingly concerned about venturing into stores. To read more of Andrew's fascinating research and informative articles, visit: www.Andrew-Thompson.com

Guest : Lorenzo Davids | CEO at Community Chest WC | From Facebook: On the 25 May, I by mistake, gave my cellphone number out on air during an interview on Food Relief on a national radio station. I could not believe what happened next. Within minutes I had hundreds of WhatsApp and SMS messages. Within the first 30 minutes I had over 1000 messages. The messages now total several thousand. Today, it is still going on. Each day I get hundreds of messages. I am unable to respond to all of the messages. My colleagues have jumped in to try to call people back. Every day it continues. I get called early morning, late at night. To those people we have not called back as yet: I apologize. Its literally thousands. To those who, with full understanding, have become abusive and insulting, I understand that as well. Given what insight this has given me into the national hunger crisis, I accept you need to be angry and perhaps even insulting. I am not upset. I wish I can reach out to everyone of you.

Guest : Kaylynn Palm | Reporter at EWN | t’s been about 12 weeks since about 800 refugees set foot in this tent for the duration of the lockdown. Before then, they were camping out in the Waldorf Arcade, then at the Methodist Church on Greenmarket Square, and moved again to the streets near the Central Police Station. 20 June marked World Refugee Day, which they celebrated despite all the trauma they've endured.

Guest : Chulumanco Nkasela | member at Black People’s National Crisis Committee| Lobby group the Black People’s National Crisis Committee used Youth Day to demand colonial statues be removed, starting with the Louis Botha statue at the main entrance of Parliament, where they staged a picket yesterday. As the country commemorated the June 16, 1976 youth uprisings, which saw pupils taking to the streets to oppose the enforcement of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction by the apartheid regime, the crisis committee, comprising mostly young people, said the removal of colonial monuments was long overdue.