Today is World Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Day — a day observed globally to raise awareness about the lifelong impact of alcohol exposure during pregnancy. FASD is entirely preventable, yet it remains a significant public-health challenge, particularly in South Africa, where some communities have among the highest recorded rates of FASD in the world. But as our cities grow and more people move into urban areas, are we paying enough attention to the social pressures that can influence alcohol use during pregnancy? Does rapid urbanisation — with its unemployment, poverty, stress,
changing social networks and greater availability of alcohol — create conditions that could put more unborn children at risk? Today, we're asking whether the FASD crisis is also becoming an
urbanisation story.

Today is World Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Day &mdash; a day&nbsp;observed globally to raise awareness about the lifelong impact&nbsp;of alcohol exposure during pregnancy.&nbsp;FASD is entirely preventable, yet it remains a significant&nbsp;public-health challenge, particularly in South Africa, where some communities have among the highest recorded rates of FASD in the&nbsp;world. But as our cities grow and more people move into urban&nbsp;areas, are we paying enough attention to the social pressures that&nbsp;can influence alcohol use during pregnancy? Does rapid&nbsp;urbanisation &mdash; with its unemployment, poverty, stress, changing social networks and greater availability of alcohol &mdash;&nbsp;create conditions that could put more unborn children at risk?&nbsp;Today, we're asking whether the FASD crisis is also becoming an urbanisation story.

METRO FM Talk with Faith Mangope

METRO FM Talk with Faith Mangope

AFTER 8 IS AFTER 8: City Life, Alcohol and Unborn Lives: Is Urbanisation Changing South  Africa’s FASD Crisis?

South Africa is heading towards another crucial local government election, with more than 500 political parties registered in the country. On paper, that sounds like democracy offering voters more
choice than ever before. But a new Ipsos survey suggests that more choice does not necessarily mean more representation. According to the Ipsos Khayabus: Pulse of the People study, 47% of
South Africans say there is no political party that represents their views. Almost half the country, in other words, feels politically homeless. And this comes at a time when many communities are
becoming increasingly frustrated by the very issues local government is supposed to address — water, electricity, roads, housing, jobs and basic service delivery. Only 38% of respondents believe their local municipalities are doing their jobs well, while 38% of eligible voters say they have
no interest in politics or elections at all. Yet, despite the frustration and disconnection, there is still a remarkable contradiction: 64% say they want to vote in the upcoming local government elections.
So, if South Africans are unhappy with political parties, distrustful of institutions and disappointed by municipalities — why do so many still want to vote? Are voters losing faith in politicians, but not
necessarily in democracy itself? And perhaps most importantly: who exactly represents the millions of South Africans who feel politically homeless?

South Africa is heading towards another crucial local government&nbsp;election, with more than 500 political parties registered in the&nbsp;country. On paper, that sounds like democracy offering voters more choice than ever before. But a new Ipsos survey suggests that more&nbsp;choice does not necessarily mean more representation.&nbsp;According to the Ipsos Khayabus: Pulse of the People study, 47% of South Africans say there is no political party that represents&nbsp;their views. Almost half the country, in other words, feels politically&nbsp;homeless. And this comes at a time when many communities are becoming increasingly frustrated by the very issues local&nbsp;government is supposed to address &mdash; water, electricity, roads,&nbsp;housing, jobs and basic service delivery.&nbsp;Only 38% of respondents believe their local municipalities are&nbsp;doing their jobs well, while 38% of eligible voters say they have no interest in politics or elections at all. Yet, despite the&nbsp;frustration and disconnection, there is still a remarkable&nbsp;contradiction: 64% say they want to vote in the upcoming local&nbsp;government elections. So, if South Africans are unhappy with political parties, distrustful of&nbsp;institutions and disappointed by municipalities &mdash; why do so many&nbsp;still want to vote? Are voters losing faith in politicians, but not necessarily in democracy itself? And perhaps most importantly: who&nbsp;exactly represents the millions of South Africans who feel&nbsp;politically homeless?

POLITICALLY HOMELESS: WHO REPRESENTS SOUTH AFRICANS?

Today, as the world marks International Literacy Day, South Africa is being forced to confront a difficult question: what does it mean to have millions of children in school, but still have far too many struggling to read and understand what they are reading? Literacy is more than recognising words on a page—it is the foundation upon which education, employment, economic participation and social mobility are built. Yet South Africa's reading crisis has repeatedly raised alarm, particularly following the PIRLS 2021 results, which highlighted the serious learning challenges facing the country's children. On International Literacy Day, the conversation is therefore not simply about celebrating the ability to read and write, but about confronting the consequences of a generation that may move through the education system without acquiring the foundational skills needed to succeed in school, the workplace and an increasingly digital world. Government literacy programmes, including adult education initiatives such as Kha Ri Gude, have attempted to widen access, but the challenge remains enormous.

Today, as the world marks International Literacy Day, South Africa is&nbsp;being forced to confront a difficult question: what does it mean to&nbsp;have millions of children in school, but still have far too many&nbsp;struggling to read and understand what they are reading?&nbsp;Literacy is more than recognising words on a page&mdash;it is the&nbsp;foundation upon which education, employment, economic&nbsp;participation and social mobility are built. Yet South Africa's reading&nbsp;crisis has repeatedly raised alarm, particularly following the PIRLS&nbsp;2021 results, which highlighted the serious learning challenges&nbsp;facing the country's children. On International Literacy Day, the&nbsp;conversation is therefore not simply about celebrating the ability to&nbsp;read and write, but about confronting the consequences of a&nbsp;generation that may move through the education system without&nbsp;acquiring the foundational skills needed to succeed in school, the workplace and an increasingly digital world. Government literacy&nbsp;programmes, including adult education initiatives such as Kha Ri&nbsp;Gude, have attempted to widen access, but the challenge remains&nbsp;enormous.

AFTER 8 IS AFTER 8: Can South Africa Read Its Way Out of Crisis? World Literacy Day  Puts Africa's Education Emergency Under the Spotlight

A senior government official has made chilling allegations about what he describes as questionable spending within South Africa's Department of Transport—and now, he says, he fears for his life.
Research Director Esethu Hasane is blowing the whistle on communications contracts allegedly worth around R15 million, including livestreaming services that he claims cost the department hundreds of thousands of rand, despite attracting very few viewers. Hasane alleges that some procurement processes may have been structured in ways designed to avoid scrutiny, and says his attempts
to raise objections internally have resulted in threats and hostility. Now, his warning is deeply concerning: “They can kill me.” But the Department of Transport has rejected allegations that he was
victimised and says an independent investigation into the financial irregularity allegations is already underway. So tonight we ask: What protection do whistleblowers really have when exposing alleged corruption—and why do so many say speaking out comes with a personal cost?

A senior government official has made chilling allegations about&nbsp;what he describes as questionable spending within South Africa's&nbsp;Department of Transport&mdash;and now, he says, he fears for his life. Research Director Esethu Hasane is blowing the whistle on&nbsp;communications contracts allegedly worth around R15 million,&nbsp;including livestreaming services that he claims cost the department&nbsp;hundreds of thousands of rand, despite attracting very few viewers.&nbsp;Hasane alleges that some procurement processes may have been&nbsp;structured in ways designed to avoid scrutiny, and says his attempts to raise objections internally have resulted in threats and hostility.&nbsp;Now, his warning is deeply concerning: &ldquo;They can kill me.&rdquo; But the&nbsp;Department of Transport has rejected allegations that he was victimised and says an independent investigation into the financial&nbsp;irregularity allegations is already underway.&nbsp;So tonight we ask: What protection do whistleblowers really&nbsp;have when exposing alleged corruption&mdash;and why do so many&nbsp;say speaking out comes with a personal cost?

AFTER 8 IS AFTER 8: City Life, Alcohol and Unborn Lives: Is Urbanisation Changing South Africa’s FASD Crisis?

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