The budget is made up and the money ain’t there
Makone Maja and Nicholas Lorimer discuss the practice of irresponsible municipal budgeting. They also chat about the impossibility of NHI and how SA is forced to hustle.
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The ANC’s dangerous delusions
“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be”. - Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland The
Method or madness or both? Trump and his tariffs
The ructions caused by US President Donald Trump’s tariff blitz have been severe and felt all over the world, not least in Africa, where some of the heaviest tariffs have been imposed. The emerging consensus is the “mad man” theory,
Pretoria High School for Girls: parliamentary committee reveals malicious intent
On 25 March 2025, members of the parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Basic Education (Committee) pitched up at Pretoria High School for Girls (PHSG) for a “site inspection”. Apparently, they arrived at 16h00 for an appointment that was made for 11h00.
The great GNU stand-off
Today's Daily Friend Show with Nicholas Lorimer, Sara Gon, and Michael Morris discusses the current state of the GNU which seems to be on the verge of collapse. They also discuss the taxi industry and a corruption allegation in Gauteng.
Mr Hattingh went to Washington to gauge what American business thinks about South Africa
We present the podcasts of the weekly IRR Show on Chai FM. The show is broadcast live every Tuesday from 09h00 to 10h00 on Chai FM 101.9 and deals with the politics of the day and related issues. We also
The Sacred Contract: Citizens and Citizenship in South Africa
It’s in the nature of our complex society and its often-contradictory dynamics that the most recognisable representative of the most organised and vocal movement for the dissolution of the country is not legally a South African. This is, of course,
Trump's tariff thicket and the re-ordering of the global trading system
Now that the cheering and jeering at Trump's April 2nd “Liberation Day” tariffs have died down and the global markets have firmly expressed their dissatisfaction, it is worth trying to understand some of the details behind the blanket tariffs that
Electricity decisions: one good, one bad
South Africa has made two important decisions about our electricity supply. One was good, one bad. The good one will certainly benefit the economy and almost certainly save a lot of lives. The bad one will damage the economy and