The much-anticipated Food Indaba
Crystal Orderson speaks to Iain Harris, Event Project Manager at the Food Indaba, who helps shape this multi-day programme of talks, demos, and conversations. He says this year’s theme is about reimagining Africa’s food future with both traditional wisdom and cutting-edge tech at the centre of the …
Senzo Mchunu wants to beef up the Metro Police: Part Two, the analysis
In Part Two of the discussion on proposed reforms to South Africa’s policing landscape, Crystal Orderson is joined by veteran policing and crime analyst Eldred De Klerk to unpack the deeper implications of Minister Senzo Mchunu’s wide-ranging SAPS restructuring plans and his proposal to expand the …
Senzo Mchunu wants to beef up the Metro Police
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis joins Crystal Orderson to unpack Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s bold proposals to expand the powers of metro police forces across South Africa Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round…
The fight for birth justice
Freelance researcher and writer Alexandra Willis joins Crystal Orderson to unpack the rising global C-section rates and what they reveal about the medicalisation of birth. Drawing from Alexandra’s recent Daily Maverick article, the conversation explores how doulas are helping restore agency to birt…
G7 Summit
International relations expert Dr Oscar van Heerden joins Crystal Orderson to unpack the key outcomes and controversies from the 2025 G7 Summit, held in Kananaskis, Canada. From Donald Trump’s abrupt departure amid the escalating Israel-Iran conflict to muted support for Ukraine and tensions surrou…
SCOPA - The NPA and the Hawks
Lindsay Dentlinger from EWN joins Crystal Orderson to unpack the latest from Parliament, where the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) is being briefed by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Hawks. The session focuses on high-stakes corruption cases referred by the Special In…
Encounters Film Festival
Festival Director Mandisa Zitha joins Crystal Orderson to discuss this year’s edition of the Encounters South African International Documentary Festival — running from 19 to 29 June in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Since 1999, Encounters has been a defining platform for powerful local and global docu…
Waiting for a grave, not a home: The Western Cape housing queue
Brett Herron joins Crystal Orderson to unpack what he calls a “radical governance failure”, and to explain how systemic inaction, misused budgets, and spatial planning bias are undermining real housing delivery. Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned j…
Addressing the ongoing gang violence in Mitchells Plain
Crystal speaks to Linda Jones, Chairperson of the Mitchells Plain Community Policing Forum to discuss the wave of gun violence in Mitchells Plain. She says communities are under siege while SAPS remains stretched and under-resourced. With guns flowing into the hands of criminals and no clear strate…
Residents pushing back on tourism in Barcelona: What does this mean for Cape Town?
Barcelona has become a flashpoint in the global debate around over-tourism. With more than 15 million annual visitors, nearly ten times its population, the city is grappling with rising rents, resident displacement, and growing public anger. David Frost, CEO of the Southern Africa Tourism Services …