ZAR Podcast Stephen Reardon

I jumped out of retirement to cover the local elections with RW Johnson and discuss the results of the opposition party, the reaction of the ANC and the future of the ANC.

My guest today is RW Johnson.

R. W. Johnson is a South African author, journalist and historian. Born in England, he was educated at Natal University and Oxford University, as a Rhodes Scholar. He was a fellow in politics, philosophy and economics at Magdalen College, Oxford, for twenty-six years. He was formerly director of the Helen Suzman Foundation in Johannesburg.

He has published 12 books including Shootdown: The Verdict on KAL 007, South Africa’s Brave New World and his most recent How Long will South Africa Survive which is a follow up to his 1977 book of the same title.

His most recent book has captured the public imagination and is being debated both in the press and across dinner tables around the country.

I sat down with John Purchase to talk about the state of the agriculture industry in South Africa. We cover the current crippling drought, El Nino, GMO crops, the state of food security and policy decisions around land reform. Plus – Should we be farming Rhinos!

John is currently CEO of the Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz) of South Africa, having been appointed to the position in 2007. Prior to taking up the position with Agbiz, he was the CEO of Grain South Africa. He started his professional career as a scientist in South Africa’s Agricultural Research Council (ARC).
John was appointed to the Board of the Land & Agricultural Bank of South Africa in July 2012, as well as appointed as Council Member to the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) by the South African Cabinet. John is the current chairman of the CEO Forum, a forum of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) in which the CEO’s and MD’s of agribusinesses and organized agriculture meet with the Minister and senior executives of DAFF (government) to address the critical and strategic challenges facing the broader agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries of South Africa.

He serves on various Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) committees and NEDLAC task teams with regard to policy and legislation matters impacting on the agro-food industry, such as co-operatives legislation, consumer protection legislation (GM labelling), climate change and carbon tax policy, land reform policy and legislation, spatial planning and land use management legislation and expropriation legislation.

Among other awards, he received the 2011 Alumnus of the Year award from the University of the Free State, as well as the 2012 South African Agriculturalist of the Year Award from the South African Agricultural Writers Association. In June 2013 he was also elected to the Board of the International Food and Agribusiness Management Association

We also discuss why we aren’t governed like a normal G20 country, why the specific reasons for his sacking don’t really matter, why we have never been serious about fiscal reform, what this means for our sovereign rating and where we go from here. It’s not all doom and gloom however with both guests finding some silver lining in our current plight.

This week I discuss the racial situation in South Africa with Scott Burnett.

We discuss the racial inequalities in our country, the problem of White Privilege and an analysis of offence. Plus why some Save the Rhino bumper stickers are racist.

Scott has worked for many years for loveLife; a national youth leadership development organisation where he developed a strong interest in social change and youth leadership. In 2003 he was selected as a Clinton Democracy Fellow for his work on citizen service.

He holds and honours in English Literature and Philosophy from Rhodes university and a Masters in Philosophy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

He is currently a PhD candidate at the Wits Centre for Diversity Studies where his focus area is critical whiteness studies with a specific research into the influence of whiteness on environmental discourse.

This week on ZAR I discuss the state of the nation with Public Protector Advocate Thuli Madonsela.

We discuss why we are headed for a crisis if we don’t change course, why the size of the state has increased corruption, why we still have a robust and independent judiciary and why millennials are the hope for the future of the country.

Advocate Madonsela is the Public Protector of South Africa, a position she has occupied for over 6 years. The 3Rd Public Protector and first woman to occupy the position, Adv Madonsela was appointed by the President with effect from 15 October 2009 following a unanimous vote by all parties represented in Parliament.

Advocate Madonsela is also a Human Rights Lawyer and Equality Expert and is one of the 11 technical experts who helped the Constitutional Assembly draft the final constitution in 1994 and 1995.

Since Advocate Madonsela took office, the Public Protector as a constitutional institution has tackled tough questions and has received unprecedented national and international recognition, which has included her being recognized by Time Magazine as one of the world’s most influential people in 2014.