A leading community activist and member of the Solidarity Action Committee Collective, Mokoena Letsie, has been killed in what authorities are investigating as a targeted shooting in Potchefstroom in the North West. According to reports, the activist was shot multiple times, and the circumstances surrounding the killing are now part of an active police investigation. The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of outspoken activists in South Africa, with civil society groups pointing to a broader pattern of threats, intimidation, and violent attacks against community organisers in recent years. Another recent activist killing has also added to growing alarm about the risks faced by individuals involved in grassroots mobilisation and political or social advocacy. As investigations continue, questions are being raised about what protection exists for activists on the ground, and
whether enough is being done to prevent politically or socially motivated violence. Tonight, we look at this case as it stands, and ask: how safe are activists who speak out and organise within their
communities in South Africa today?

A leading community activist and member of the Solidarity&nbsp;Action Committee Collective, Mokoena Letsie, has been&nbsp;killed in what authorities are investigating as a targeted&nbsp;shooting in Potchefstroom in the North West. According to&nbsp;reports, the activist was shot multiple times, and the&nbsp;circumstances surrounding the killing are now part of an&nbsp;active police investigation.&nbsp;The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of&nbsp;outspoken activists in South Africa, with civil society groups&nbsp;pointing to a broader pattern of threats, intimidation, and&nbsp;violent attacks against community organisers in recent years.&nbsp;Another recent activist killing has also added to growing&nbsp;alarm about the risks faced by individuals involved in&nbsp;grassroots mobilisation and political or social advocacy.&nbsp;As investigations continue, questions are being raised about&nbsp;what protection exists for activists on the ground, and whether enough is being done to prevent politically or socially&nbsp;motivated violence.&nbsp;Tonight, we look at this case as it stands, and ask: how safe&nbsp;are activists who speak out and organise within their communities in South Africa today?

METRO FM Talk with Faith Mangope

METRO FM Talk with Faith Mangope

HOW SAFE ARE ACTIVISTS WHO SPEAK OUT AND ORGANISE WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES IN SOUTH AFRICA TODAY? ( GIFT SIKISI MASHABA - Solidarity Action Committee Collective )

South Africa's latest General Household Survey has once again highlighted a striking reality about family life in the country. According to Statistics South Africa, nearly 46% of children live in households with their mothers only. For many, this raises difficult questions about the role of fathers, the pressures facing families, and the impact that economic hardship, migration, and unemployment continue
to have on households. While some see the figures as evidence of a growing fatherhood crisis, others argue they reflect broader social and economic challenges that have shaped South African families for generations. What does it mean for children to grow up without both parents in the same household? How does it affect their emotional wellbeing, sense of identity, and future opportunities? And what responsibility do men, communities, and society as a whole have in changing this picture? Tonight, we unpack what these statistics tell us about modern family life in South Africa and ask whether the country is doing enough to support fathers, mothers, and children alike.

South Africa's latest General Household Survey has once&nbsp;again highlighted a striking reality about family life in the&nbsp;country. According to Statistics South Africa, nearly 46% of&nbsp;children live in households with their mothers only.&nbsp;For many, this raises difficult questions about the role of&nbsp;fathers, the pressures facing families, and the impact that&nbsp;economic hardship, migration, and unemployment continue to have on households. While some see the figures as&nbsp;evidence of a growing fatherhood crisis, others argue they&nbsp;reflect broader social and economic challenges that have&nbsp;shaped South African families for generations.&nbsp;What does it mean for children to grow up without both&nbsp;parents in the same household? How does it affect their emotional wellbeing, sense of identity, and future&nbsp;opportunities? And what responsibility do men, communities,&nbsp;and society as a whole have in changing this picture?&nbsp;Tonight, we unpack what these statistics tell us about modern&nbsp;family life in South Africa and ask whether the country is&nbsp;doing enough to support fathers, mothers, and children alike.

AFTER 8 IS AFTER 8: NEARLY HALF OF SOUTH AFRICAN CHILDREN LIVE WITH THEIR MOTHERS ONLY

A recent policy shift by the Gauteng Department of Social Development has introduced new funding rules for non-profit organisations in the province. Under the updated clauses, provincial grants may no longer be used to pay non-South African staff unless they are classified as scarce skills, and
certain leadership roles in funded organisations are now required to be held by South African citizens.
The department says the changes are intended to prioritise employment for qualified South African social workers and align funding with national skills and labour considerations. It also points to a significant number of unemployed social work graduates in the province. However, the new rules have raised questions within the non-profit sector about how they will affect staffing, service delivery, and the continuity of care for vulnerable communities who rely on these organisations. At the centre of the discussion is a broader policy question: how should government balance employment priorities with
the operational realities of organisations delivering frontline social services? Tonight, we unpack the implications of Gauteng’s new NGO funding rules and what they could mean for the sector going
forward.

A recent policy shift by the Gauteng Department of Social&nbsp;Development has introduced new funding rules for non-profit&nbsp;organisations in the province. Under the updated clauses,&nbsp;provincial grants may no longer be used to pay non-South&nbsp;African staff unless they are classified as scarce skills, and certain leadership roles in funded organisations are now&nbsp;required to be held by South African citizens. The department says the changes are intended to prioritise&nbsp;employment for qualified South African social workers and&nbsp;align funding with national skills and labour considerations. It&nbsp;also points to a significant number of unemployed social work&nbsp;graduates in the province.&nbsp;However, the new rules have raised questions within the non-profit sector about how they will affect staffing, service&nbsp;delivery, and the continuity of care for vulnerable&nbsp;communities who rely on these organisations.&nbsp;At the centre of the discussion is a broader policy question: how should government balance employment priorities with the operational realities of organisations delivering frontline&nbsp;social services?&nbsp;Tonight, we unpack the implications of Gauteng&rsquo;s new NGO&nbsp;funding rules and what they could mean for the sector going forward.

GAUTENG'S NEW NGO FUNDING RULES AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT SECTOR

South Africa’s violent crime crisis is changing the way many women think about safety, survival and self-defence. From kidnappings and home invasions to gender-based violence and violent robberies, fear has become part of daily life for many South Africans — and increasingly, women are deciding they do not want to feel helpless anymore. For some, that means learning self-defence. For others, it means firearm training and legal gun ownership. Tonight we explore the growing number of women
taking an active role in their own protection, and the difficult questions that come with it. Is firearm
ownership becoming a form of empowerment for women in a country battling extreme violence? Or
does putting more guns into civilian hands create even greater risks? We’ll also speak to GOSA Girls on Fire, a women’s empowerment initiative focused on turning victims into victors through practical skills, situational awareness and confidence-building. In a country where many women feel unsafe almost everywhere they go, what does true empowerment actually look like?

South Africa&rsquo;s violent crime crisis is changing the way&nbsp;many women think about safety, survival and self-defence. From kidnappings and home invasions to&nbsp;gender-based violence and violent robberies, fear has&nbsp;become part of daily life for many South Africans &mdash;&nbsp;and increasingly, women are deciding they do not&nbsp;want to feel helpless anymore. For some, that means&nbsp;learning self-defence. For others, it means firearm&nbsp;training and legal gun ownership. Tonight we explore the growing number of women taking an active role in their own protection, and the&nbsp;difficult questions that come with it. Is firearm ownership becoming a form of empowerment for&nbsp;women in a country battling extreme violence? Or does putting more guns into civilian hands create&nbsp;even greater risks? We&rsquo;ll also speak to GOSA Girls on&nbsp;Fire, a women&rsquo;s empowerment initiative focused on&nbsp;turning victims into victors through practical skills,&nbsp;situational awareness and confidence-building. In a country where many women feel unsafe almost&nbsp;everywhere they go, what does true empowerment&nbsp;actually look like?

HOW SAFE ARE ACTIVISTS WHO SPEAK OUT AND ORGANISE WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES IN SOUTH AFRICA TODAY? ( GIFT SIKISI MASHABA - Solidarity Action Committee Collective )

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