The Talking Sense Podcast

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The Common Sense's main weekly podcast focusing on the state of the world.

  1. Sep 23

    The GNU Risk Markets Are Missing, the DA Takes SA's Cities, AI Doomers, and Germany's Split

    Markets have priced South African risk down to almost zero on the belief that the GNU holds after November. Frans Cronje and Bheki Mahlobo explain why the foundations are weaker than in 2024, what would reprice SA's bonds overnight, and how that reaches your bond and credit card rates. Also this week: Marius Roodt's research showing the DA is bigger than the ANC in the eight metros, more than 100 hung councils ahead, Cape Town's ConCourt win against racial procurement rules, Simon Lincoln-Reader on Dario Amodei's push to regulate AI, Ronald Lamola with Bernie Sanders in New York, and why Germany's hard left and hard right both won. Become a member of The Common Sense for R99 a month and get all the facts and analysis: https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/subscribe Read the articles discussed:SA's Cities Have Moved Away from the ANC: Is the Country Next? https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/Politics/sa-s-cities-have-moved-away-anc-country-nextCourt Blocks Government's Most Prescriptive Racial Procurement Regime Yet: https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/Politics/court-blocks-government-s-most-prescriptive-racialHard Right, Hard Left Each Win State Election in Germany: https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/Global/hard-right-hard-left-each-win-state-election-germanyThe enclave guide, What Families Must Do to Thrive in South Africa's Enclave Future: https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/Politics/special-report-a-guide-to-what-families-must-do-to-thrive-in-south-africa-s-enclave-futureSimon Lincoln-Reader, Are Calls for AI Regulations Just an Excuse for More Government Control? https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/columns/are-calls-ai-regulations-just-excuse-more-government-control On the panel: host Gabriel Makin, Frans Cronje and Simon Lincoln-Reader, with guests Bheki Mahlobo, The Common Sense's economics editor, and Marius Roodt, its deputy editor. Chapters:0:00 Why markets are so optimistic about the GNU9:28 Welcome to Talking Sense11:22 Is the GNU still what it was in 2024?17:26 Overhang and the Constitutional Court wildcard22:53 Markets have priced South African risk at zero25:48 Why bond yields reach your bond and credit card28:21 Why the DA may be right to leave the GNU35:47 Cape Town's ConCourt win on racial procurement42:09 If the 8 metros were a country, the DA would win45:11 Why the ANC is losing rural South Africa too52:55 More than 100 hung councils in November55:09 Why the markets are complacent this time58:03 Dario Amodei, AI regulation and the effective altruists1:17:25 Lamola, Bernie Sanders and the national interest1:27:39 Germany: the AfD and Die Linke both win1:32:19 How bad policy compounds, from Berlin to MK1:36:41 Thanks and goodbye If this was worth your time, subscribe and like the video. It costs you nothing and helps The Common Sense reach more South Africans.

  2. Sep 17

    Springboks For Sale, America Sanctions the ANC, a Serial Killer, Somaliland, and the Enclave Future

    Become a member of The Common Sense for R99 a month: https://thecommonsense.co.za/subscribe This week the Talking Sense panel talks about the Springboks' Baltimore experiment and the bid to buy the Boks, the United States' first sanctions against South Africa, the serial killer in Ekurhuleni, Reform's £72 million weekend in UK party donations, two good things out of Britain, Somaliland's pitch to the West, The Common Sense's special report on the enclave future, and why the DA is a middle-class party. Chapters:0:00 Bongani Baloyi, MK and the ANC's electoral court defeat5:58 Intro7:20 The Springboks for sale: Baltimore and the diaspora17:52 The United States sanctions South Africa25:52 The serial killer in Ekurhuleni37:25 Reform's £72 million weekend: UK party donations55:26 Two good things out of Britain: Jackdaw and assisted dying1:02:52 Somaliland's pitch to the West1:12:41 The Common Sense's enclave special report1:25:44 The DA is a middle-class party1:28:20 Outro Read the pieces discussed in this episode:The Diary — A Summer Night's Eve in Baltimore: https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/Columns/common-sense-s-diary-summer-night-s-eve-baltimoreUS Announces Sanctions Against South Africa Over Racial Policies: https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/Politics/us-announces-sanctions-against-south-africa-over-racialSevere Blow to ANC in Six Municipalities Ahead of the Local Government Elections: https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/Politics/severe-blow-anc-six-municipalities-ahead-local-governmentSPECIAL REPORT — What Families Must Do to Thrive in South Africa's Enclave Future: https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/Politics/special-report-a-guide-to-what-families-must-do-to-thrive-in-south-africa-s-enclave-futureMembers video — How To Thrive In South Africa's Enclave Future: https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/videos/how-to-thrive-in-south-africa-s-enclave-future-members-special Watch Gabriel's interview with Bongani Baloyi of MK: https://youtu.be/bnOBffnfNXk

  3. Sep 10

    South Africa's Election Maths Problem, the Black Vote Shatters, the Falklands, and Wouter Basson

    Become a member of The Common Sense for just R99 a month: https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/subscribe This week on Talking Sense: the election maths problem that could throw November's local government results into chaos — how a party that loses the vote can still end up running the council — plus the fragmenting Black vote in our latest poll, the Falklands back in the news (and what Milei is playing at), the Chagos giveaway, the American midterms and Trump's own goals, the strange return of Wouter Basson, and a rare piece of good news — the Supreme Court of Appeal clears the way for the Western Cape's school reforms. Timestamps:0:00 Pre-show: drinks and banter1:50 The overhang problem: November's election maths10:52 Welcome and this week's menu12:10 The Black vote fragments17:50 How not to read a poll: Ipsos and the SRF24:48 The Falklands: a brief history30:18 Why now? Milei, oil and a weakened Britain40:27 The South African angle: Simon's Town and the South Atlantic43:48 The Chagos giveaway57:42 The American midterms1:09:16 Trump's own goals1:15:09 The strange return of Wouter Basson1:18:48 Basson, Libya and the ANC1:31:02 Good news: the courts clear the Western Cape's school reforms1:36:24 Connect the dots: who funds the obstruction?1:43:52 Wrap-up Read the articles discussed in this episode:— Black Vote Fragments: https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/Politics/black-vote-fragments— How Equal Education and SADTU Work to Stunt Poor Black Children: https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/Editorials/how-equal-education-sadtu-work-stunt-poor-black-children— Estimating What South Africa Would Gain from Exploiting Its Oil and Gas Reserves: https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/Economics%20&%20Policy/estimating-what-south-africa-would-gain-exploiting-its-oil On the panel this week: Gabriel Makin (host, London), Frans Cronje, Richard Tren (Washington, D.C.), James Myburgh (Bremen) and Simon Lincoln-Reader (London). The Common Sense is South Africa's home of independent news and analysis: https://www.thecommonsense.co.za

  4. Sep 4

    Milei's Argentina, the US Bond Spike, SA's Strange Crime Stats and Nike Going Woke.

    Richard Tren reports from Buenos Aires on Milei's revolution, Frans Cronje explains what the US bond yield spike actually means, James Myburgh unpacks South Africa's mysterious murder decline and the party funding declarations, and Simon Lincoln-Reader tells the story of how Nike went woke and lost its way. Plus: the ANC misses its own candidate registration deadline, the impossible economics of being a domestic worker, and Helen Zille's water project. Articles referenced in this episode:Just How Dangerous Is a South African Farm? We Ran the Numbers: https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/politics/just-how-dangerous-south-african-farm-we-ran-numbersWhat's Driving the US Yield Spike — And the Bessent-Warsh Standoff Behind It: https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/economics_and_policy/what-s-driving-us-yield-spike-bessent-warsh-standoff-behindThe Impossible Economics of Domestic Work: https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/economics_and_policy/impossible-economics-domestic-workRichard Tren — President Trump's Misread of South Africa (RealClearWorld): https://www.realclearworld.com/articles/2026/09/02/president_trumps_misread_of_south_africa_1203862.html Become a member of The Common Sense and get all the facts and analysis for R99 a month: https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/subscribeSign up for the newsletter: https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/newsletters Talking Sense is The Common Sense's weekly panel: host Gabriel Makin with James Myburgh, Frans Cronje, Richard Tren and Simon Lincoln-Reader. Chapters0:00 Before the show: Trump's misread of South Africa and the farm murders data9:31 Show open and this week's rundown10:57 Richard in Argentina: Milei's revolution up close30:14 What is a bond? Frans explains from first principles39:48 Why are US yields spiking? The Common Sense breakdown1:04:51 The UK's gilt problem: 5.89% and climbing1:09:14 Nike goes woke: Shoe Dog, share prices and shutting up1:24:18 South Africa's crime stats: the mysterious murder decline1:36:52 The ANC misses its own candidate registration deadline1:43:08 Party funding declarations: who funds whom, and who declares nothing1:50:06 The impossible economics of domestic work1:56:32 Helen Zille's water project and the battle for Johannesburg2:03:02 Wrap-up: a record-length episode If this was worth your time, like the video and subscribe for the full weekly episode.

  5. Aug 26

    The ANC's Two Eras | The Water Bill | Shell | Jason Arday | SA's Verdict on US Companies

    In the latest episode of Talking Sense, with James Myburgh, Richard Tren, and Simon Lincoln-Reader, and hosted by Gabriel Makin, the panel looks at new SRF polling showing that South Africans support closer alignment with the United States. Majorities back exemptions for American companies from BEE, guarantees against expropriation, and protecting America’s security interests. Black voters were also more supportive than white voters on BEE exemptions, with 60% backing the policy compared with 55% of white voters.The panel also also looks at the ANC's two eras, the new Water Bill, the Constitutional Court's Shell ruling, primaries in the United States, and the Jason Arday affair. Become a member and support The Common Sense — Common Sense Plus is 99 rand a month and gets you the full archive of articles, explainers and the data behind South Africa's most important trends: https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/subscribeSite: https://www.thecommonsense.co.zaPanel: Gabriel Makin (host), James Myburgh, Richard Tren, Simon Lincoln-ReaderChapters:0:00 Pre-show: the AI wunderkind vs Wall Street4:25 March on March and the AfriForum model8:32 US fundraising spam and ActBlue12:03 Show start: this week's stories13:14 Did the ANC ever really deliver? (subscriber question)22:35 The new Water Bill25:59 The Shell ruling, Eskom and net zero36:29 The United States' primaries: Florida50:01 Jason Arday and the DEI reckoning1:06:14 New poll: South Africans on American companies1:11:52 Closing thoughtsIf this was worth your time, like the video and subscribe for a new episode every week.

  6. Aug 20

    Talking Sense I Duduzane Zuma, the DA Manifesto, and America’s Cost of Living

    Black South Africans are more willing than white South Africans to move to the US as refugees, according to new polling discussed in this week’s episode of Talking Sense. The panel discusses South Africa's "useless men" problem and why young men are abandoning women to leave them to raise children alone. The panel also examines Duduzane Zuma’s appearance at the BizNews conference, where he told Alec Hogg that the MKP is real and here to stay, with Frans Cronje arguing that South Africans should take the party seriously. Simon Lincoln Reader looks at the Church of England’s £100 million slavery reparations pledge and asks what happens when the church stops being a church. The panel delves into the deep splits within the Church of England which has seen its Global South leadership break away, stressing the Bible should be at the centre of its work, whereas its Western community stresses socialist dogma and ideology. Bheki Mahlobo discusses US inflation and why young Americans feel alienated from their country’s economy, while James Myburgh analyses the DA’s local government manifesto and the fight inside UCT’s council. The panel also looks at questionable US climate data.Gabriel Makin hosts. Panel: Frans Cronje, James Myburgh, Simon Lincoln Reader, Bheki Mahlobo.Common Sense Plus is R99 a month.https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/subscribeChapters0:00 Female-headed households3:03 Richard Tren, Yorktown, Kings Mountain6:57 Clacton and Count Binface8:36 Fake polls12:29 Show open14:08 Duduzane Zuma on BizNews, MK and the ANC24:36 Church of England reparations45:22 US inflation, jobs, cost of living1:00:24 DA local government manifesto1:14:11 UCT council and the vice-chancellor1:19:13 America’s “hottest month”1:28:34 Refugee poll1:31:21 Closethecommonsense.co.za

  7. Aug 20

    ANC at 34%, the Third Force Returns, Jason Arday, News24's IDAC Apology.

    Read the full analysis and more data-driven insights: https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/Become a Common Sense Member for R99/pm https://bit.ly/3QJWRIdThis week the panel discusses the Social Research Foundation and The Common Sense new national and Johannesburg, Durban and Pretoria polling. The ANC sits at 34% nationally and under 20% in Johannesburg. Frans Cronje explains why Phala Phala and the immigration campaigns have become a vice around the ANC, why MK now commands two thirds of the ANC's support among black voters, and what a party polling below 50% in every one of its historical constituencies means for November.Also on the show: the reinstatement of Tshwane city manager Johan Mettler after Solidarity and the DA went to court; Willie Aucamp's approach to the foot-and-mouth crisis and the return of Dawie Oudendaal and Theo de Jager to the industry coordinating council; News24's partial climbdown on IDAC and the still-unanswered question of who exposed the Pretoria safe house; the death of Rod Liddle; and Abdul El-Sayed's razor-thin victory in the Michigan Democratic Senate primary.

  8. Aug 20

    IDAC Captured, Fauci's Diaries Exposed, and the Secret War Under South Africa | Talking Sense

    Read the full analysis and more data-driven insights: https://www.thecommonsense.co.za/Become a Common Sense Member for R99/pm https://bit.ly/3QJWRIdSouth Africa's new anti-corruption body, IDAC, was supposed to clean up the state. Instead it appears to have run interference against the people investigating one of the country's most murderous criminal syndicates.The panel works through IDAC's capture, and the media complicity around that, and what the Madlanga Commission has exposed about it all, and then traces the same playbook back to the SARS "rogue unit" operation against Johann van Loggerenberg in 2014.Also this week: the SANDF is training a special warfare unit to fight deep underground in an effort to win back the mineral resources the state expropriated 20 years ago and then lost control of. Richard Tren goes through Anthony Fauci's newly released diaries and what Fauci knew about the origins of COVID - whilst the panel suggests what those origins most likely were. Simon Lincoln Reader takes apart The Economist's interview with Elon Musk. And Frans Cronje explains why South Africa already has the electricity it needs to grow at 4 percent.0:00 — Opening banter and setup9:14 — Show intro and guest lineup10:11 — IDAC capture and the Madlanga Commission24:21 — Media complicity and the SARS rogue unit playbook30:04 — South Africa’s underground military unit and illicit mining43:03 — Dr. Fauci’s diaries and the COVID response61:15 — Elon Musk’s Economist interview76:33 — South Africa’s energy needs and growth potential94:45 — Closing remarks

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About

The Common Sense's main weekly podcast focusing on the state of the world.

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  • Creator
    The Common Sense ZA
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    47
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © The Common Sense ZA
  • Show Website
    The Talking Sense Podcast

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