In a landscape marked by economic challenges and staggering unemployment rates, South Africa stands at a crossroads. The vision of a 24-hour economy has been championed by various political leaders, including former president Jacob Zuma, who posited that such an initiative could significantly reduce unemployment. Inadequate infrastructure and dysfunctional public transport services are examples people often refer to when talking about the need to improve national productivity in an economy like South Africa’s. Nhlanhla Sehume is joined by Thokozile Madonko, political economy researcher at the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies at Wits and, Dr Gumani Tshimomola, head of research in parliament for the EFF.