In this edition of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser, I ask and engage a bloody award question about Mr Ramaphosa's leadership weaknesses - should he even be the ANC's presidential candidate for 2024?I engaged this controversial question in a TimesLIVE analysis piece ( https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times-daily/opinion-and-analysis/2023-03-06-eusebius-mckaiser-can-the-anc-risk-putting-ramaphosas-face-on-its-2024-elections-posters/ ) and I voice the argument here for those of you who enjoy audio journalism as much as you enjoy reading. And yes obviously part of the debate would be "But who is better, Eusebius?!" I'm afraid you MUST listen to the whole podcast- it is a short episode- to appreciate why the ANC has one helluva headache ahead of 2024 even if there is no obvious alternative candidate (which is debatable and complicated as an aside).Enjoy. Listen. Reflect. Engage. And share the epsiode widely!

Author and journalist Jacques Pauw joined me to discuss his new book, Our Poisoned Land. It is a sequel to his previous bestseller, The President's Keepers.It was a wide-ranging but also focused conversation that could have been longer. I want you to read the book before we debate it further. This interview won't spoil your reading experience. It gives you a sense of what the book is about. Here is a non-exhaustive list of questions I explored with Pauw: Is the much discussed excerpt about the EFF a distraction from the main issues in the book or a fair reflection of his intentions as author? How does he respond to critics who think that unethical journalism, related to an incident at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, undermines his journalistic integrity and credibility? What are examples of the linkages between money, politics, and the subversion of the constitution? Why is PRASA such a big focus of the book? What are the implications of the empirical evidence of state capture specifically for the leadership of President Cyril Ramaphosa? Is the EFF a bona fide political party or a criminal enterprise? Etc.Enjoy!

Haji Mohamed Dawjee has written a fantastic second essay collection, Here's The Thing, as a follow-up on her well-received first collection, Sorry, Not Sorry.I invited her to chat to me about her latest book. It spans many themes, from parenting to mental health, cancel culture and online mob attacks, complex relationships with our parents, suicidality, and much more.I have written a review of the latest book  ( https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times-daily/opinion-and-analysis/2022-04-25-book-review-heres-the-thing-living-is-bloody-hard-lets-be-honest/ ) and encourage you to buy, and read it.Meanwhile, enjoy this podcast and make books and reading sexy!

We refer to taxes imposed on consuming alcohol as 'sin taxes' because of the association of alcohol with many social sins. This is not entirely unjustified if one looks at what fuels violence, and other anti-social behaviours in our society, but is that the whole story?We particularly view sheebens and taverns as moral hazards in ways in which clubs and pubs in urban areas are not. Is this fair? Are shebeens and taverns moral hazards? Or is that, at best, a partially correct view? What, at any rate, is the difference between a shebeen and a tavern? Do they contribute meaningfully to our economic and social lives? Who runs them and what drives these owners?In this episode of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser we bust a few myths, share some interesting facts, and frame a set of conversations about shebeens and taverns that you did not know you would find interesting ... take a chance on this episode, featuring my compelling guest Lucky Ntimane (National Liquor Traders' Council), and remember to hit the subscription button for this podcast so that you do not miss the next episode!  

The Democratic Alliance ran an advert to scare voters into voting for the DA. The advert explicitly tells voters that it is a mistake to vote for small parties. I analyse three reasons why this advert shows a lack of understanding of multiparty democracy and democratic theory on the part of the DA leader, John Steenhuisen.

I invited Professor Pierre de Vos to tackle a range of issues starting with an explanation of the law of discrimination when it comes to the renting of one's private property. Can I rent my property only to white people if I so wish?Is it unjust for the law to even try to regulate how I do commerce? What is the thinking here, jurisprudentially?If the law cannot guarantee a change in a racist's heart, what are we hoping to achieve by regulating how private property is used by citizens?

Professor Francois Venter (Wits University) is back for a second installment of Frequently Asked Questions about covid-19.The following are just some of your questions he answered: if everyone I imvite is fully vaccinated, can I have a braai at my house now? If I recently had covid-19 does that mean I have natural immunity and don't need the vaccine? Is it true that the J&J vaccine is safer than the Pfizer one? Why must I wear a mask if I'm fully vaccinated? If I am fully vaccinated can I have casual sex without worrying about the other person's covid-19 or vaccination status? Etc. Also, if you missed them, listen to episode 24 (I ALMOST DIED OF COVID-19) and episode 17 (ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT COVID-19 VACCINES) 

Many South Africans love saying that we should aim at a non-racial South Africa. But what does that mean? And is 'non-racialism' really the appropriate goal to formulate in response to the legacies of colonialism and apartheid?In this episode, Professor Lewis Gordon retrns, in the second of our 3-part series on race and racism. (The first episode in the 3-part series is archived as episode 23 of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser)He argues that we should focus on anti-racism and not on non-racialism. But it is in the details of his analysis in support of this proposition that brilliant insights into the nature of race and racism emerge, from one of the world's most impressive living philosophers. 

Is the cabinet reshuffle announced by president Cyril Ramaphosa really going to strengthen government? What motivated the choices? How should we interpret what was just announced?What about the collapse of the intelligence ministry? Was that a sensible decision or a mistake?As for now former minister Zweli Mkhize- is his resignation from the health portfolio today admirable (if late) or was it a gimmick that shouldn't earn him any political points?Have a listen to my political analysis on these nexus questions.

I was joined by Adriaan Shipalana (CEO, Harambe Technologies) for a silence-breaking conversation about mental health. Adriaan, who cuts an intimidating figure as a life-long fitness enthusiast with a bodybuilding physique, is precisely the kind of person many would stereotype as self-assured, resilient and comfortable with his place in the world. But he has experienced mental health challenges which he opens up about in this podcast episode. I, too, share stories of my own battle with panic attacks. The idea for this podcast is simple: let's break the silence, and share our stories.This is Part 1 of a 2-part series focusing on mental health. The next episode will focus on ways of living with mental health- technologies to help you thrive. But first we need to give ourselves permission to exhale, to speak to our experiences.

Uber drivers literally have a front row seat watching the lives of a diverse group of riders who use the Uber technology daily to get from one part of the city to another. I decided to record some of the Uber chronicles of drivers in Johannesburg. I requested trips and struck up conversations with these drivers, who agreed to share with me some of the most fascinating stories of what they have seen and experienced, from random acts of kindness to acts of violence and criminality. Drivers, it struck me, are social scientists sitting on a wealth of data about their subjects, the riders. Enjoy.