BrightGuide Africa The Commute

The Commute

The Commute is a podcast for South Africans, at home and across the world, who are interested in some of the biggest questions of our time and what they might mean for South Africa. Short and nutritious, it’s a great way to keep your ears company during your taxi/ car/ aeroplane/ bicycle/ train commute. And if your commute is longer – listen to several in a row! Designed to provide a high value explainer from experts, The Commute gives you, the smart South African, the big ideas in small bites. Series 1 available now.
Occasionally English United Kingdom News · Society & Culture
19 Episodes

The idea of Geek Culture

Did you know that 71 000 people attended Comic Con Africa in Jo'burg recently? William Shatner was there! So-called “Geek Culture” or “Nerd Culture" is clearly really popular in South Africa. Excitingly, we’re also seeing the rise of local comic heroes like Kwezi and Captain South Africa (who is a…
14 Oct 2019 40 min

The idea of mapping South African emigration

Los Angeles for Justice Malala. New York for Redi Tlhabi. London for Nakhane Toure. And your Facebook feed is showing a stream of middle class South Africans moving to Australia, the UK and Ireland, right? South Africans seem to be on the move - but why don't we have the…
6 Oct 2019 35 min

#PODSTRIKE

#PODSTRIKE! This week, the Commute is part of #PODSTRIKE, a global coalition of podcasts lending our voices to support the young people seeking to make a difference about climate change. Learn more here about climate action globally and at home in South Africa: https://globalclimatestrike.net https://www.podstrike.net Politically Aweh's Climate Change series…
29 Sep 2019 4 min

The idea of cyberattacks

This is a fun one! How ready is South Africa for the new frontier of cyberattacks? The same technology that gives us social media and the ability to send text messages from our fridge is also being used for theft, extortion and election interference. Jessica speaks to Karen Allen, a…
22 Sep 2019 35 min

The idea of National Health Insurance

Yikes, the National Health Insurance bill is scaring the daylights out of South Africa’s middle class. Introduced by new(ish) Health Minister Zwele Mkhize, the bill promises to outlaw medical aids and make government the sole administrator of your healthcare by 2026. Jessica interviews Anthea Jeffery from the Institute of Race…
15 Sep 2019 45 min

The idea of going on holiday to North Korea

North Korea for your next vacay, anyone? Jo'burger Dan Brotman has done it, travelling to the world’s least visited country in January 2019. He tells Jessica what it was like, what he saw, and why South Africans should consider being a little more adventurous when splashing out on an overseas…
8 Sep 2019 37 min

The idea of an IMF bailout for South Africa

Will South Africa have to go to the IMF for a bailout at some point? Where did this idea come from? What do bailouts entail anyway? And does South Africa actually need one? Jessica speaks to Africa Expert and Director of Africa Risk Consulting Tara O’Connor to learn more about…
1 Sep 2019 44 min

The idea of South Africa billions of years ago

You know South Africa is basically the global hotspot for ancient rocks and fossils, but you didn't know how COOL they are. Jessica interviews paleontologist (amongst other things) Dr Robyn Pickering, who is back in South Africa after a decade abroad, about the pre-historic origins of SA's gold, #FeesMustFall, being…
13 Feb 2019 39 min

Episode 11: The idea of the Ramaphoria hangover

It’s the last episode of Season 1, folks. But don’t be sad, because it’s a great one. Are you confused about whether the goodies or the baddies are winning in Ramaphosa’s presidency so far? Me too. The President seems constrained and the ANC resistant to economic reform. And the Deputy…
4 Sep 2018 37 min

Episode 10: The idea of playfulness as a radical act

Art time! We're delving into some culture this week, and taking a break from geopolitics. Jessica speaks to the Standard Bank Young Artist of the Year Jemma Kahn about her latest work, the Borrow Pit, her Japanese influences, and why you're never going to make good art by just having…
24 Aug 2018 45 min

Episode 9: The idea of Making America Great Again

Donald Trump considers South Africa a sh*thole country – although to be fair he thinks America is a total sh*thole too. But he's gonna make it great again. What does having an American reality tv host in the White House mean for South Africa? Jessica speaks to Phillip van Niekerk,…
6 Jul 2018 43 min

Episode 8: The idea of Finland's lekker schooling system

We suck at reading. South Africa came bottom out of 50 countries in a recent international assessment of reading and literacy. Other than calling for a revolution (as Tracy Chapman has been urging Jessica to do), what can we do? Well, some South Africa schools have decided they're going to…
12 Jun 2018 37 min

Episode 7: The idea of the North Korean Embassy in Pretoria

Counterfeit money, shipments of crack, ivory smuggling... no, this isn't a new Netflix series, it's just an average day in North Korea's underground world. And it's all happening just up the road. Jessica speaks to veteran investigative journalist Julian Rademeyer about South Africa, the DPRK, and why that North Korean…
9 May 2018 37 min

Episode 6: The idea of Expropriation Without Compensation

#GiveBackTheLand! Yeah! But which land? And how? And to whom? And through which process? The EFF and the ANC want the South African Constitution changed to enable expropriation without compensation. Jessica talks to Professor Ruth Hall about how we can put actual human beings and their needs at the centre…
1 May 2018 31 min

Episode 5: The idea of China's 'One Belt One Road' push

Xi Jinping, President of China, just got the go ahead to become president for life when his party abolished term limits. Who is Xi? Should South Africa worry about all those lovely loans it took from China? And what is the not-exactly-well-named "One Belt One Road" initiative announced in 2017?…
4 Apr 2018 30 min

Episode 4: The idea of a (functional?) Arts Ministry

Sometimes it feels like South Africa's Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) is a big nothing-burger. But given South Africa's extraordinary artistic talent pool (Trevor Noah, Black Coffee, Dada Masilo, Andile Ndlovu, Zanele Muholi etc etc etc), why do they seem to suck? Jessica talks to acclaimed playwright Mike van…
4 Apr 2018 30 min

Episode 3: The idea of Bitcoin

South Africa topped the charts in 2017 for Google searches for the word ‘Bitcoin’. What is Bitcoin? Why is everyone so excited about cryptocurrencies? Will I be able to buy my groceries at Woolies using Bitcoin soon? Jessica speaks to Claire Ingram Bogusz to learn more about this amazing new…
4 Apr 2018 30 min

Episode 2: The idea of Vladimir Putin

We know Vladimir Putin likes to pose shirtless while hunting bears, and that he and Donald Trump have something special going on, but how much we do know about the man himself? Jessica van Onselen continues her conversation with Irina Filatova about Putin and South Africa. The books mentioned in…
4 Apr 2018 28 min

Episode 1: The idea of the USSR and the ANC

It's Episode 1 of this brand new South African podcast, the Commute! We all know vaguely that the Soviet Union supported the ANC under Apartheid, and many of the USSR's ideas from the 60s and 70s still permeate ANC's big policy ideas. Jessica van Onselen talks to Professor Irina Filatova…
4 Apr 2018 42 min