Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso continues to make headlines by defying the western powers. This time around he has granted Russia mining rights for gold. On the other hand U.S. General Michael Langley, head of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), has accused Traoré, of misusing the country’s gold reserves for personal protection rather than national benefit. Traore’s decolonization of Burkina Faso started off by cutting off French influence in the country something that raised eyebrows even leading to threats from regional body ECCOWAS. Looking at the latest developments, is he heading for trouble with the US and can the Russians protect him from a possible attack from the Americans? For a perspective on this, we are joined by…

Guest(Studio): Nixon Katembo - African analyst and executive producer at Channel Africa’s Kiswahili desk

Guest:  Enoch Randy Aikins - Researcher, African Futures and Innovation, at the Institute for Security Studies (TBC)

Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso continues to make headlines by defying the western powers. This time around he has granted Russia mining rights for gold. On the other hand U.S. General Michael Langley, head of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), has accused Traor&eacute;, of misusing the country&rsquo;s gold reserves for personal protection rather than national benefit. Traore&rsquo;s decolonization of Burkina Faso started off by cutting off French influence in the country something that raised eyebrows even leading to threats from regional body ECCOWAS. Looking at the latest developments, is he heading for trouble with the US and can the Russians protect him from a possible attack from the Americans? For a perspective on this, we are joined by&hellip;
Guest(Studio): Nixon Katembo - African analyst and executive producer at Channel Africa&rsquo;s Kiswahili desk
Guest:&nbsp; Enoch Randy Aikins - Researcher, African Futures and Innovation, at the Institute for Security Studies (TBC)

Newsmakers and Guest Experts offer their insights and perspectives into the national and global discourse on politics, economics, education, social matters and comprehensive dialogues on cultural diversity and other essential issues of public interest like, poverty alleviation, unemployment rate and health related issues.

NewsmakersandGuestExpertsoffertheirinsightsandperspectivesintothenationalandglobaldiscourseonpolitics,economics,education,socialmattersandcomprehensivedialoguesonculturaldiversityandotheressentialissuesofpublicinterestlike,...

The Talking Point

Ibrahim Traore - On a coalition course with the West?

New questions have been raised on the charter plane used to transport the 49 refugees that left for the USA earlier this month. Every foreign charter plane that enters the country requires a foreign operator's permit and disclose the purpose for travel. In the event where they are transporting more than 8 people, the charter plane has to provide status of passengers. According to a Department of Transport spokesperson, all procedures were followed to obtain the permit. However, The Department of Home Affairs and International Relations have dismissed the status of the 49 Afrikaaners as refugees and the passengers would not be able to prove their immigration status. Some experts have called the approval of the plane irrational, unconstitutional and a dangerous aviation precedent.

This is not the first time chartered planes have landed in South African airports without the correct foreign operating permits: the most recent incident involved an Angolan flight in Cape Town back in 2022. Our next guest helps us unpack the regulations that the International Air Service Licensing Council should have followed, the relationship with the National Department of Transport and how these incidents affect our national security. We are joined by…

Guest: Phuthego Mojapele - Aviation Expert

New questions have been raised on the charter plane used to transport the 49 refugees that left for the USA earlier this month. Every foreign charter plane that enters the country requires a foreign operator's permit and disclose the purpose for travel. In the event where they are transporting more than 8 people, the charter plane has to provide status of passengers. According to a Department of Transport spokesperson, all procedures were followed to obtain the permit. However, The Department of Home Affairs and International Relations have dismissed the status of the 49 Afrikaaners as refugees and the passengers would not be able to prove their immigration status. Some experts have called the approval of the plane irrational, unconstitutional and a dangerous aviation precedent.
This is not the first time chartered planes have landed in South African airports without the correct foreign operating permits: the most recent incident involved an Angolan flight in Cape Town back in 2022. Our next guest helps us unpack the regulations that the International Air Service Licensing Council should have followed, the relationship with the National Department of Transport and how these incidents affect our national security. We are joined by&hellip;
Guest: Phuthego Mojapele - Aviation Expert

New questions emerge on the charter plane carrying refugees

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana is expected to table the 2025 national budget at 2pm this afternoon. The process follows two previous attempts that were halted due to political and legal challenges.One of the major disagreements in the second attempt was when GNU parties disagreed on the proposed increase in VAT. This time around, what can we expect the compromises to be for parties to agree under the government of national unity? To help us understand, we are joined by…

Guest: Xhanti Payi - Senior Economist at Price Waterhouse Coopers

Guest: Dr Eliphas Ndou - Senior Lecturer in the Department of Economics at Unisa

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana is expected to table the 2025 national budget at 2pm this afternoon. The process follows two previous attempts that were halted due to political and legal challenges. One of the major disagreements in the second attempt was when GNU parties disagreed on the proposed increase in VAT. This time around, what can we expect the compromises to be for parties to agree under the government of national unity? To help us understand, we are joined by&hellip;
Guest: Xhanti Payi - Senior Economist at Price Waterhouse Coopers
Guest: Dr Eliphas Ndou - Senior Lecturer in the Department of Economics at Unisa

Budget Vote - What will make the GNU parties agree this time?

We continue our series on the G20 with Lerato Tsebe looking at how South Africa uses this opportunity of being at the helm for 2025. 

Guest:  Lerato Tsebe - Independent African Researcher

We continue our series on the G20 with Lerato Tsebe looking at how South Africa uses this opportunity of being at the helm for 2025. 
Guest:&nbsp; Lerato Tsebe - Independent African Researcher

Ibrahim Traore - On a coalition course with the West?

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