In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser

Before his untimely passing, Eusebius was working on a series of essays about the different types of friendships we encounter throughout our lives . In this episode, our host Lovelyn Nwadeyi explores the different types of friendships Eusebius had with people of different age groups, genders and racial identities. In a country like South Africa, these markers matter, making friendship both a sacred and vulnerable space. Listening to Mikhail Brown, Dawn Klatzko, Scott Burnett and Nduduzo Nyand...

Eusebius was a loud and proud gay man. He was often very open about the experiences, struggles, celebrations and achievements of queer people. In this conversation, our host Nolwazi Tusini, explores the wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation across the continent of Africa and the urgency required to engage the reality of queer people's lives today. Through reflections about the role of the law in affirming the inherent dignity of queer lives, the utility of being a publicly 'visible' queer person an...

Between laughter and tears, in this episode, our host Lovelyn Nwadeyi speaks to Vanita Daniels, Tshidiso Ramogale and Wiseman Zondi. Each guest offers a generous and vulnerable reflection on what it has felt like to grieve Eusebius while still celebrating his life over the past year.

Remembering Eusebius exactly one year after his untimely death on 30 May 2023 is not an easy thing to do. In this sometimes hilarious and sometimes poignant episode, Lovelyn speaks to some of the people who have had to make sense of a world without Eusebius namely: His father Donald McKaiser, his niece Jodie Colville and one of his best friends Lwandile Sisilana.

This second part of the Final Literature Corner is a combination of tributes from fellow writers, journalists and broadcasters who share what they love about how Eusebius discussed their work and what they miss about Eusebius’ contributions to the landscape of public intellectual life.

Everyone knows about Eusebius' love for books. He would regularly admonish his friends and listeners to keep reading, to stay curious, to ask questions, to challenge their beliefs and he felt very strongly that building a solid relationship with literature would enable that. To that end, this conversation pays tribute to the Literature Corner, a regular feature of Eusebius's former live radio show in which he regularly featured authors and readers to talk about books. A key component of these...

Eusebius's last public contribution to the conversation about the upcoming national elections in South Africa was on 30 May 2023, the day he passed away, in which he asked if there was a viable option to the ruling party in the country. By all predictions, South Africa is likely to end up with a coalition government at a national level. We started our democracy in 1994 as a coalition with the government of national unity, are we approaching a full circle moment after May 2024? In this discuss...

Eusebius McKaiser was very deliberate about expressing his Coloured identity online, showcasing what it meant to him, challenging stereotypes and sometimes hilariously confirming stereotypes. In this conversation, host Lovelyn Nwadeyi speaks to three Coloured South Africans each with differing roles in the South African media landscape: Tessa Dooms a political analyst and author of Coloured: How Classification became Culture; Megan Lubke - Executive TV Producer at the SABC and Investigative J...

In this episode, we spotlight key organisations in which Eusebius McKaiser was affiliated. Lovelyn speaks to Wayde Davy, Former Deputy Director of the Apartheid Museum and Zaakira Mahomed, Founder of the Mina Foundation, and explores issues these two organisations face (race, gender and period poverty) as we celebrate our 30 year old democracy. While Eusebius did not consider himself an activist, we delve into his work with the Apartheid Museum and the Mina Foundation as we remember both his ...

In this edition of In The Ring, I analyse Prince Mashele's responses in interviews granted to eNCA, 702 and the SABC, in light of media reports that he had, ok the face of it, been dishonest about the nature of his biography of Herman Mashaba. Herman Mashaba is leader of politica part ActionSA, and prior to that was always known as a very successful businessman in an against-all-odds tale at the height of apartheid; in recent years he a new career pivot that had also seen him...

Sihle Khumalo has written a fascinating, witty, brilliantly researched new book, Milk The Beloved Country One of our continent's best writers, Zukiswa Wanner, came over to my house, and after a hearty lunch we hit the 'record' button for this edition of In The Ring. We dissected Sihle Khumalo's new book, reading from it, telling you why we both loved it (for overlapping but also different reasons), and debating where and how we think he might have done things differently (or not).Di...

Redi Tlhabi, well-known South African journalist now based in London and working across the globe, joined me for a bloody fascinating and blunt conversation about South African media.It was wide-ranging and interesting. Dig in. Debate it. Share it widely.

In this edition of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser, I reflect on both Freedom Day and Worker's Day. I spend some time arguing that my generation and those of you who are younger shouldn't be ahistorical and glib about the achievements of those who came before us.That said, we have to be rigorous in our conceptualisation of 'freedom': what precisely is it? Unless we do some definitional work, we can't mind the empirical gap between the normative vision of the constitution and our prese...

All I ask is that you listen to this entry of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser. It is ONLY 6min20sec. Only engage me afterwards. Just do me that favour.

In this exceptionally short audio entry, I voice my argument, first published by TimesLIVE ( https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times-daily/opinion-and-analysis/2023-04-11-eusebius-mckaiser-the-opposite-of-pointing-out-western-moral-viciousness-isnt-to-let-putin-off-the-hook/ ), for why South Africa should arrest Russian president Vladimir Putin should he come to our country.Have a listen.

I tweeted a picture of Julius Malema marching to the Uganda embassy where he spoke - with the rainbow flag wrapped around it - condemning the bill criminalising identifying as gay in Uganda.I accompanied the tweeted image with the following words:@Julius_S_Malema thanks for showing leadership today and not being worried about homophobic backlash even among some of your supporters online.Shame on the ANC government for SILENCE.Doing right isn't about calculating how many 'likes' you'll get.#Ga...

I listened to John Steenhuisen's acceptance speech after he was re-elected as the federal leader of the Democratic Alliance, South Africa's official opposition in parliament. This is a very important leadership position given that the DA is the second largest party in the country.I was shocked by the bizarre content at the heart of the speech. It was filled with relentless negativity and fear mongering, which bodes very poorly if this is a dress rehearsal for how the DA will approach the 2024...

This week, former president Thabo Mbeki wrote an extraordinary 17-page letter to deputy president Paul Mashatile. In it, he essentially critiqued various shortcomings of the current ANC parliamentary caucus.In this edition of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser, I do several things: a) explain the essential point of the letter; b) explain the structure and logic of the letter in a bit more detail; and (most importantly perhaps) c) offer you political analysis of what is at play here, which may...

Why do so many people obsess about what queer people do, and how we identify? The latest expression of hatred is in Uganda, where a bill has been passed that now even criminalises merely IDENTIFYING as gay. Yes, you've read correctly. Now it is up to the president - a long-time homophobe - to decide whether or not he sign it into effective law.Everyone must oppose hatred wherever it rears its head. I analyse in detail in this episode why the entire international community ought to be out...

Eve Fairbanks is an American journalist who has just written and published an amazing book, one that already won a significan international literally award. It is called The Inheritors, and is situated in South Africa. She has been based here for more than ten years, and developed a fascinating interest in making sense of how a country with our traumatic past, tried to carve out ways of dealing with the past, and moving forward. She follows three characters for many years, and tell...

Are you confused that Somizi and Mohale were never married? "How so?", you may have asked yourself.Are you also confused as to why Somizi, rather than Mohale, is the one who wanted to sustain the claim that there WAS a valid marriage in place? After all, wouldn't Somizi, more than Mohale, be excited to know there was no valid marriage in place? If Mohale is the alleged gold digger, why wouldn't Somizi be happy to accept that they were not spouses?! Confused? Let me help you out. I do two...

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 enjo...

Dean Michael Weeder (St George's Cathedral, Cape Town) wrote a stunning and moving collection of poems and ruminations. You have to - HAVE TO - listen to some of the poems and ruminations being read in this episode of In The Ring. And get yourself a copy of his anthology. We talked, along the way, about jazz, social justice, aesthetics, celebrating the everyday, artistic technique and creativity, and so much more.Spoil yourself and listen to Dean Michael who is a wonderfully reflect...

Here's what I think of the interview outgoing UCT VC Prof Mamokgethi Phakeng did with JJ Tabane on eNCA.EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T FOLLOW THE STORY, THIS PODCAST CONTAINS LOTS OF CONTENT ON CRISIS COMMUNICATION THAT IS OF GENERAL INTEREST TO EVERYONE. Have a listen.

I sometimes get asked in my keynote speeches on diversity, equity and inclusion whether interventions aimed at inclusion are dangerous because they can result in "unconscious exclusion." The fear is that victims of oppression may become today's oppressors.In this small entry of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser, I slay some myths around this issue.Have a listen

A sad person or bunch of 'em unsuccessfully attempted to run a disinformation campaign against me recently. In this episode of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser, I explain why these campaigns should not be oxygenated but, nevertheless, why they should not be taken lightly either. They are a threat to public discourse and to democracy by implication; that is quite apart from the potential to literally destroy lives.What is their ultimate function? And how should we think through the...

Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi joined me to discuss a very specific feature of racism. We drilled down into a tendency to assume that a singular act of failure on the part of a black person tells you about their entire skillet and capability. From here, we slowly examined the structural features of the workplace, with a racist undergird, that leads to "competency racism".I predict many of you listening to this discussion with me and Tembeka may feel overwhelmed by a familiar and painful re...

I was joined by Vanita Daniels (director at Rise Up Against Gender-Based Violence) and Nduduzo Nyanda (techpreneur), who are regular listeners of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser. We decided to shoot (not literally) ... uhm to shoot the breeze on a bizarre recent story of a tigress on the loose in Johannesburg. How the story played out, including the public responses to the story, was most interesting. It revealed many of our class, racial, political, and other fissures.In this ep...

Nice Racism by Robin DiAngelo opens up a conversation with white progressives. It is a book that is stunning but which will also, and already has, upset many white progressives.This episode is just my FIRST reaction to the book? Buy it. Read it. Sit with it.We will engage a lot of material from it in the weeks ahead.For now, enjoy my first, raw, unmediated reaction to it.

Excellent futurist and Africa analyst Koffi Kouakou (The Centre for Africa-Chinese Studies, University of Johannesburg) joined me for a fascinating debate about ANC voters. He had listened to my previous episode, episode 145- 'Ramaphosa told you why you shouldn't vote ANC' ( https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/episode-145-ramaphosa-told-you-why-you-shouldnt-vote-anc/id1561851417?i=1000593632513 ) and wanted to put the ANC voter on trial. Koffi agreed with my main analysis ( https://www...

In this edition of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser, I share the main insights from my recent analysis piece ( https://www.timeslive.co.za/ideas/2023-01-10-eusebius-mckaiser-ramaphosa-told-you-why-you-shouldnt-vote-anc/ ) which critically examined the ANC's January 8th statement. The ANC's annual January 8th statement is part of its birthday celebrations. The statement is traditionally read by the party's president. It is an indication of what the party hopes to see happening wit...

In this edition of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser, I wear my hat as a political analyst and review the coverage thus far of what happened at a resort in Free State recently. I argue and explain how certain frameworks chosen by reporters, sub-editors, and editors unwiittingly water down the seriousness of racism. I also offer arguments in support of the view that editorial choices are not value-neutral (just as writing and reporting are not value-neutral speech acts). What w...

In this podcast lament, I meditate on how little focus there is this year on Reconciliation Day because of the elective conference of the ANC. But there is a link: delays and organisational chaos at the conference speak to the state of the ANC and the state of the ANC-led state. The state has not enabled and delivered economic justice for South Africans.I focus on the importance of centering economic justice and related material questions in public discourse about reconciliation. I...

In this edition of In The Ring, I am joined by Sunday Times investigative reporter Sabelo Skiti who wrote the story about the recent bullying scandal at Roedean including a fracas involving parents ( https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/news/2022-11-27-parents-of-roedean-bullies-in-ugly-school-fight/ )We explore a number of issues including: a) damning findings from an educational psychologist about institutional failure on the part of Roedean; b) corporate creep or corporatism on the par...

A section 89 independent panel had arrived at the conclusion that, on the face of it, President Cyril Ramaphosa has an impeachment case to answer. For a simple, 10-minute EXPLAINER of what they said - in case you missed it - check out the previous episode of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser (episode 140 - Is Ramaphosa a fatally wounded buffalo? Here's a quickie)For a wider conversation about the issue and the implications for our democracy, beyond the narrow legal issues, check out my conve...

The section 89 panel's findings that President Cyril Ramaphosa has a case to answer on allegations of serious misconduct and serious violation of the constitution is the biggest crisis of his political career. It is also an inherent crisis for the ANC and a serious challenge to our democracy. I'll unravel it fully in the hours and days ahead. For now, here's a quickie to help you grasp the essence of it all.

Luke Lamprecht ( https://www.lukelamprecht.co.za ) is an excellent and well-respected expert in child protection and child development. He has worked with and in countless schools, tackling the very issues we are exploring in this series. In this episode- the second in the series focusing on bullying at Roedean, he educates us all on the complexity of bullying. It is a difficult concept to get a clear definitional grip on, and he helps us to navigate our way through th...

In the recent edition of Sunday Times ( https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/news/2022-11-27-parents-of-roedean-bullies-in-ugly-school-fight/ ), the paper reported on a horrible incident at a well-known independent school in Johannesburg, Roedean. It even allegedly involved fighting between parents that necessitated police being dispatched.The backdrop to the fights are guilty bullying verdicts and punishment for these: the alleged bullies' families feel the school had not dealt with the ...

Friday is International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. It marks the beginning of 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. In this audio essay, based on an analysis piece I had written for and published on TimesLIVE, I explore why and how GBV is squarely a men's problem.But, I am not merely putting us men on moral trial. That is not unimportant, but, of course, the ultimate goal should be to recover our humanity and to create spaces that are safer for everyon...

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 abo...

I will soon interview Jacques Pauw about Our Poisoned Land, his sequel to The President's Keepers, one of the most commercially successful books in South Africa over the past ten years, quite apart from the phenomenal discursive impact it had.Here's a reminder, from the archives, of the key themes in The President's Keepers. I had, back then, interviewed Jacques Pauw as that book was causing massive public debate. Enjoy

Many of you write to me privately, asking for informal advice on quitting alcohol or cutting back massively.I've not consumed alcoholic beverages for more than three years now.Along the way, I have learned many things. Whether you are an alcoholic, or simply curious about sobriety, or maybe just keen to drink much less, this episode of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser, which is my story about accidentally quitting alcohol, will be of some use to you.Enjoy, and all the best.

In this epsiode of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser I explain my support for the decriminalisation of sex work.

[FROM THE ARCHIVES] I flighted a documentary about the work of an organisation in inner city Johannesburg aimed at changing the lives of boys and girls who have offended and who are at risk of offending by using boxing as a way to help them recover their own humanity and to fulfill their human potential.What an incredible experience.I shared with them my own journey too... this was a very emotional rollercoaster for my team. Listen and share this one widely too.

I cannot even believe I typed that question because it should be regarded as totally absurd. Right? But sadly there are still people who walk around imagining that heteronormativity is intrinsic to being African. Bizarre. Well, about ten years ago I took part in what was a difficult but productive debate about this question hosted by Zeinab Badawi.It featured politicians and various activists. I too was one of the panel members. I thought it would be useful to re-broadcast that deba...

I interviewed banker Lincoln Mali about his book, Blazing A Trail: Lessons For African Leadership. Mali has spent over two decades in banking and financial services working across the continent, from Nigeria to Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya and elsewhere, as a banking executive facing a myriad of leadership challenges entrusted to him by his mentors and bosses.This comes after a stint in government, a more natural home for a student political activist who had studied law at Rh...

Kukhokuhle Tswenga is a brilliant doctoral engineering student at Oxford University with a research interest in robotics. His life began in deep rural Eastern Cape, a poorly resourced community that did not stop his academic brilliance from manifesting , early on. He even, uhm, got 100% for both maths and science in matric, one of the top students in the country. In this beautiful podcast conversation, he allowed me to share parts of his amazing and inspirational story with you. It is so...

I interviewed Matthew Wilhelm-Solomon about his stunning book, The Blinded City- Ten Years In Inner-City Johannesburg, which tells countless and complex sets of stories about people who occupy buildings in inner-city Johannesburg.Some call these bulldings "hijacked buildings" but Matthew explains why this term is problematic. He has spent over ten years getting to know the people living in these buildings, recording their stories, following lawfare between these communities, property develope...

In this edition of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser, I voice an essay I had written for TimesLIVE in which I critique the bullshit idea that race-based affirmative action policies are racist, and also slay the myth of meritocracy that make many white people falsely claim that their economic successes are due to hard work and fair play.There is a cluster of explicit and hidden premises in these positions that are popular despite being spectacularly false and fallacious. Have a listen.

I decided to re-broadcast the incredible story of geophysicist professor Musa Manzi.I don't wanna summarise it in this blurb. I interviewed him a couple of years ago and his amazing life story remains poignant. There is SO MUCH that is dreary in South Africa right now.This story is a story you didn't know you needed to listen to - whether for the first time or again - RIGHT NOW. Literally. Stop what you're doing. Listen to it. And share it as a gift with others.I am still in tears having list...

In this latest edition of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser, I voice an essay I wrote this week that means a lot to me; it is a meditation on the joy and value of reading. I hope you enjoy it. If you are a keen reader, I hope you will feel affirmed. And if you are not yet a keen reader, I hope you will feel motivated to give books a chance.#ForTheLoveOfReading #ForTheLoveOfBooks

A man who is on the DownLow wrote me a message sharing his story. In this edition of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser I give my view on men who are married but who have same-sex desire, and who may even actually be having same-sex sex.There is a helluva lot to say so this is the start of multiple conversations on the issue rather than one definitive take on it. Have a listen. And feel free to inbox me on social media to share your views and stories.

We're in the middle of bisexuality awareness week. There are lots of myths and stereotypes about bisexuality. These myths and stereotypes aren't only held and expressed by many straight people but even by gay men and women.So. In this episod of In The Ring, I went into my archives and am lifting to the surface a conversation with three black bisexual men about their lived experiences as bisexual men. There are many more stories to collect and record; many more issues to exami...

Can one ever get enough of the incisive commentary of South African author, essayist and commentator Sisonke Msimang? I hosted her on this edition of In The Ring to explore aspects of the social and cultural impact of Queen Elizabeth II.I started off by asking Sisonke whether she would like an opportunity to mourn the Queen. I wonder what you will make of her response? It was uhm #AwksWe explored a range of questions and issues, among them: the script of Empire, including "respectability and ...

In this edition of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser I share an audio version of my essay ( https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times-daily/opinion-and-analysis/2022-09-10-eusebius-mckaiser-the-ifp-wants-unconditional-love-so-its-protesting-against-a-lowly-newspaper-man/ ) that critiques a decision by an opposition party in South Africa, the IFP, to march to the offices of one of the weekly papers, City Press, because of the work of the editor, Mondli Makhanya. Listen to the narration of...

What is the place of intentions in our lives? If someone "meant well" should they get discount for harmful actions that flow from "good intentions"?These questions matter in politics, allyship, law, ethics and even basic interpersonal relationships. In this episode I explain why intentions do matter BUT ... why it is disingenuous to always refer to your good intentions when called out about the impact of your words and actions.Have a listen

Broadcaster Oliver Dickson asked me to think through the place of struggle songs, and iconography, in contemporary South Africa. We discussed it on SAfm, an SABC platform, where he is a broadcaster.It was a rich and fascinating discussion, so much so that I thought that if you had missed it perhaps, then you may want to have a listen to it.Enjoy.

Many of you - sadly - have written to me complaining about managers and bosses who are toxic, not empathetic and the proverbial 'boss from hell'. I asked brilliant executive coach Dawn Klatzko ( from www.theartofthesuit.com ) to provide a toolkit that can help you cope, and maybe even thrive in your workplace, despite your feelings about and experiences of your manager or boss. This podcast is crucial to better negotiating workplace politics and complexities.You can also reach Dawn ...

In this second podcast special, focusing on James Baldwin, historian Vashna Jagarnath and I dive into his brilliant essay collection, Notes of a Native Son.In episode 113, which is worth listening to if you missed it, we introduced you to the life and times, and overall significance, of Baldwin.In this episode we examine Baldwin the essayist. We decided, in particular, to focus on two of his most brilliant essays, Notes of a Native Son and Everybody's Protest Novel. Enjoy!

In this epsiode of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser I share my recent essay ( https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times-daily/opinion-and-analysis/2022-08-09-eusebius-mckaiser-searching-for-the-meaning-of-life-in-your-grey-hair/ ) about the meaning of life. Searching for meaning need not be dreary. I draw on existentialism to reflect on the quandary of making sense of our existence

Do you also, wittingly or otherwise, change languages or accents or vocabulary between different spaces (for all sorts of reasons)? [Many of us do so at school, in lecture rooms or at work] In a country like ours, with so much diversity, and skewed cultural and economic power distributions, sometimes you have to code-switch in order to survive, to be accepted, to fit in, in order to THRIVE/EARN...It can be funny, innocent, silly. It can also, at other times, be costly, and even toxic and...

Based on an essay I recently wrote ( https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times-daily/opinion-and-analysis/2022-08-02-eusebius-mckaiser-outrage-about-rape-must-be-accompanied-by-action-heres-what-we-might-do/?device=feature_phone ) about rape culture, in response to the gang-rapes that had happened in Krugersdorp here in South Africa, I narrate the content of my essay. It focused on several aspects of our responses to incidents of rape when they are reported: a) an inappropriate grading o...

Brilliant historian Vashna Jagarnath is back!! We have decided to show James Baldwin lots of love in August, with three or four podcast episodes dedicated to the life & times of Baldwin. If you secretly don't know anything about Baldwin but have been too embarrassed to say so, we will bring you up to speed, and you'll know what the fuss is about. Hopefully it will inspire you to read him, and seek out audio and visual materials featuring him too. There is plenty of primary sources an...

Theuns du Toit was found guilty of violating various clauses of Stellenbosch University's disciplinary code for students and amended residence rules. The findings were deemed sufficiently serious to justify expulsion.Is Theuns du Toit a drunk who lacked control of his bodily functions and urinated on a fellow student’s property? Or is he a white student who intentionally urinated on a black student’s property, motivated by racial superiority? The answers, yet to be settled with finality in va...

I know many of you will be shocked that I agree with SOMETHING said by former president Thabo Mbeki. But an ad hominem response to his speech at the memorial service held in honour of the late ANC leader Jessie Duarte would not be useful. In this episode of In The Ring, I tell you what Mbeki said about Ramaphosa, explain why I agree and tell you the irresistible conclusion that follows from all this.Have a listen!

Ida B Wells was a brilliant anti-colonialist activist, journalist, writer, teacher and a leader within the human rights movement of her time. Born on 16 July 1862, she grew up during a time when the legal end of slavery did not translate into an anti-racist United States of America. Lynchings, for example, which is a dominant theme of her work, was one mechanism used by white supremacists to continue instilling fear within Black people, and to continue social and economic oppression through t...

Police minister Bheki Cele shouted at some guy called Ian Cameron (from an outfit called Action Society) at a community safety event in Gugulethu, Cape Town. It is one of the most horrendous acts of public bullying from a politician I have seen. In this edition of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser I analyse the issues: what might have triggered the minister's response? Is there any explanation for his shouting? How should we (properly) characterise it? Are there factors that shoul...

A debate that's never been settled- and perhaps never will- is whether or not president Cyril Ramaphosa is liable for the deaths of 34 mineworkers in August 2012.He was a director of Lonmin, the mining company the workers worked for. In a series of emails with other leaders of the company, Ramaphosa described the mineworkers strike action as "dastardly criminal" and he promised to convey that sentiment to the security cluster within government so that "concomitant action" could be taken.A cou...

I asked you to send me any questions, without fear of being shamed or lashed, that you have about homosexuality/queer people/"the queer community" etc. There were too many! We'll do another round in future. For now, in this episode of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser, I offered answers or thoughts (where clear answers evaded me) in response to the following ten sets of questions/comments: Question 1Where do you stand on the recent ruling that trans women can't participate in profession...

IS BALENCIAGA'S 'DISTRESSED' R30 000 SNEAKER ART OR EXPENSIVE TRASH?I hosted an energetic debate about a controversial limited-edition sneaker released by Balenciaga. The 'distressed' design, looking like very dirty, well-worn shoes that only persons under conditions of extreme poverty may be reluctantly compelled to wear, not having alternative choices, retails at some $ 1,850. Mikhail Brown, who writes on the politics of fashion, framed a fascinating debate in Sunday Times recently (https:/...

I LOVED LOVED LOOOOOVED reading Into Dark Water - A Police Memoir by Jeremy Vearey. It is so much more than a police memoir. It is a memoir about his life as a political activist, and how that life segues from there into the role of career cop after returning from Robben Island, and following a stint as a Nelson Mandela bodyguard. But Jeremy is an activist, teacher, poet, intellectual, and so this book does not simply chronicle policing experiences - that alone would have been fascinating - r...

Historian Dr Vashna Jaganarth joined me to explain why Juneteenth matters. We inevitably hear her brilliant narration of many complex aspects to the historical (formal) end to slavery in 1865. Along the way, she talks about the gaps between legal declarations of freedom, and forms of enslavement that continue thereafter. Unsurprisingly, who can access legal justice becomes a matter of class politics. Vashna spends a lot of delicious time on food, and what the lives of enslaved peoples ha...

In this episode of In The Ring, I simply voice an article I had recently written - Pride Month - Mind the gaps in the rainbow - which reflects on aspects of our experiences as queer people within a heternormative and patriachal world. I acknowledge, reference and affirm the importance of legal rights victories. But, these legal victories do not always translate into changes in our social realities. Also, within "the queer community", there are many communities, and minorities within mino...

The 2020 Booker Prize winner, Douglas Stuart, spoke to me about his sensational second novel, Young Mungo. Stuart became an international writing sensation after his debut novel, Shuggie Bain, won the Booker, and gained him countless readers and fans in the literary world. In this episode, we explored the story of Mungo in great detail. As I summated in a review recently ( https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times-daily/opinion-and-analysis/2022-05-19-book-review-the-quiet-violence-of-yo...

EFF MPs disrupted parliament on Thursday, trying to prevent President Cyril Ramaphosa from delivering the presidency budget speech. It all turned into chaos, and with EFF MPs being ejected. The delivery of the president's speech was delayed by over an hour.I think the EFF made a strategic error. And that is putting it lightly. Listen to this latest edition of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser to understand the details of why I think the trick employed by EFF should be criticised. The trick d...

I was joined by two of your favourite guests of mine on this podcast, Lance Claasen (who is now full-time back in radio as GM of Rise FM) & Thabo Shole-Mashao (former journalist with massive news experience, and now working as a sought after strategist in public relations, media management and training, etc). We debated whether or not the claims by former spy boss Arthur Fraser that president Cyril Ramaphosa is implicated in criminality, should be taken seriously. Or, is this a story that...

Here's a summary of what well-respected analyst and author Songezo Zibi's new book, Manifesto: A New Vision for South Africa, is about.You want to buy it. Definitely. And, more importantly, you want to engage it actively, and debate the main contours of his manifesto with your peers.Have a listen to my comments in this podcast, explaining why I recommend this book, and doing so strongly. For those who want more, here is a link also to the written review published on TimesLIVEhttps:...

I asked former finance minister Trevor Manuel to join me, to chat about a defamation case he has initiated against broadcaster JJ Tabane.It .... was ... lit. The tone wasn't lit, but listen carefully to every word. I think there will be some explosive debate and discussion about what Manuel said to me in this interview. For once, I'm not gonna summarise the essence of his claims.CLICK IMMEDIATELY & LISTEN! Do share it. [And remember to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an ep...

My goodness. Thando Pato has been through A LOT, and she has left it all on the pages of her 'sober lit' memoir, On The Rocks: Memoir of a High-Functioning Alcoholic. I invited her to come and share her multiple journeys, from her toxic relationship with alcohol, battling to accept she is an alcoholic because of the shame and self-shame attached to the word; to her diagnosis of breast cancer, quite apart from anxiety and depression, and an addiction to sugar, and so much more...Many of u...

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-...

It is weird to write about brilliant actor Jamie Bartlett in the past tense. He was a larger than life human, and an astounding actor.I profiled him a few times over the years, and we had many conversations offline, sometimes clubbing in Melville.In this podcast, I share some of his reflections, in his own distinctive voice, on so many topics from the burden of fame, dealing with PTSD, his love of David Bowie, parenting, and so much more.RIP Jamie. You'll never be forgotten.

I invited Daily Maverick's Mark Heywood (himself an author, and also a well-known activist who has spent decades fighting for justice) to join me to talk about Young Mungo, the second novel written by brilliant Douglas Stuart. Stuart won the Booker Prize for his stunning debut, Shuggie Bain.I couldn't ask for a better guest than Mark. He has a deep love of literature and of reading - he really remains a student of literature - and he found the evocative writing of Stuart in both of his novels...

The law only allows three exceptions to the use of symbols of hate such as the old SA flag. These exceptions include the usage of the symbol for purposes of bona fide artistic ends, academic endeavour or journalism. The gratuitous display of the old SA flag, for these reasons, has been declared as constituting hate speech.AfriForum is hoping to persuade the supreme court of appeal that general free speech rights are impermissibly restricted by such a declaration. The Nelson Mandela Foundation...

We often bitch and moan about the state of our politics. Justifiably so. There are glaring weaknesses in all of our main political parties- from the governing African National Congress to the two biggest opposition parties, Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters.Many smaller parties emerged in recent years, some doing well during the recent local government elections, but even they come with downsides such as populism and xenophobic sloganeering from their leaders. This raises...

Afriforum is hiding behind free speech rights in order to justify their nostalgia for apartheid. In this episode of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser I explain why the legal debate is less important than the political and moral debates.I explain why we should be concerned about anyone who desires to cling on to symbols of hate, symbols of trampling on black people's dignity. There are issues here that the law cannot settle. I frame these for public discussion. The legal issues are less ...

I asked University of Cape Town's Jacques Rousseau (lecturer in critical thinking and ethics) to help me puzzle through the latest instantiation of the free speech debate. It's been sparked by the news that Elon Musk, who describes himself as a free speech absolutist (whatever that means), is buying Twitter. The difficulties are several: at a theoretical or principled level, what kinds of speech acts (if any) should be barred? And, related, how feasible is online policing of content anyw...

In this edition of In The Ring, I explain two ways in which you should NOT try to tackle racism, patriarchy and other forms of oppression in the workplace and elsewhere. There is a tendency to look for 'quick fixes', and I give examples of what these mistakes are. I outline, as an alternative, a different strategic pathway for companies to embark on, if they are genuinely committed to transforming the workplace - or any institution and any space - into a genuinely socially just environment th...

Professor Sarojini Nadar (University of Western Cape) responded(https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times-daily/opinion-and-analysis/2022-04-16-god-grief-and-good-friday-a-response-to-eusebius-mckaiser/?fbclid=IwAR0SioBDrOuKohEuxvKf2-i51Uvrtz2ow9V8X43wWBwzCero5zZ-1P8p3iI ) to an article in which I had argued that the God I was taught about in Catholiism does not exist ( https://www.timeslive.co.za/ideas/2022-04-15-eusebius-mckaiser-i-was-taught-god-exists-that-is-a-lie-heres-why/ ). I argued t...

Some people are upset by a recent article I wrote ( https://www.timeslive.co.za/ideas/2022-04-15-eusebius-mckaiser-i-was-taught-god-exists-that-is-a-lie-heres-why/ ) in which I had argued that evil is imcompatible with God's alleged omnisience, omnipotence and omnibenevolence. Many of the responses to me were sheer bile, and one of them appealed to 'free will' as an explanation of why God cannot interfere in natural disasters like floods and earthquakes.In this edition of In The Ring Wi...

TRIGGER WARNING: THIS EPISODE CONTAINS STRONG AND SOMETIMES GRAPHIC LANGUAGE INCLUDING DESCRIPTIONS OF RACISM/COLOURISM, VIOLENCE AND SPECIFICALLY SEXUAL VIOLENCE In this episode of In The Ring, I hosted Ismail Lagardien, the author of Too White To Be Coloured, Too Coloured To Be White. Lagardien's book is painfully compelling as it mixes stories from a fascinating life he has lived, with incisive and challenging analyses about the social and political (un)realities of South Africa. I de...

I have already told you on social media just how compelling Nikolaos Kirkinis' biography of former professional footballer Junior Khayne is. You can also check out my written review ( https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times-daily/opinion-and-analysis/2022-03-27-book-review-the-junior-khanye-story-nimble-on-the-field-tripping-off-it/ ) of this book, Ghetto Ninja: The Junior Khanye Story. In this latest episode of In The Ring, you are in for an even greater treat; the author, Niko, is as ...

Yesterday, former president Jacob Zuma suffered another legal setback when the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed his application for leave to appeal his lower court failure to delay his corruption trial further. What was Zuma hoping for? Why is he delaying getting his day in court on the main corruption charges? What, truly, is going on here? I was joined by excellent senior legal journalist Karyn Maughan (News24) to make sense of it all. Enjoy, and remember to subscribe to the podcast before...

I think Will Smith and Chris Rock should both be criticised for what happened at the Oscars. I argued for this viewpoint on TimesLIVE ( https://www.timeslive.co.za/ideas/2022-03-28-eusebius-mckaiser-heres-why-chris-rock-and-will-smith-deserve-neither-praise-nor-defence/ )In this edition of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser, I summarise my argument but go further and also expand on responses to criticism while adding new points I did not raise in my analysis piece.Enjoy

There can be no doubt, after the local government election results of last year, that the governing African National Congress is in deep political trouble. Many analysts take for granted that in 2024 there is a real possibility of the ANC getting less than 50% of the national vote, ushering in an era of coalition politics both nationally and provincially. This kind of prediction is premised on the assumption that the ANC cannot be saved from terminal electoral decline.In this episode of In Th...

I have had the pressure and privilege, for more than ten years, of serving on many bursary and scholarship selection committees. I also, before that, had applied for many bursaries and scholarships myself - during high school and throughout university. Not everyone knows how to go about constructing an application that has decent odds of succeeding. In this episode of In The Ring, I draw on my many years of experience, and list and discuss 5 top tips for ANYONE applying for a bursary or a sch...

I end off my short audio contributions for anti-racism week by explaining why the END GOAL should be to arrive in an anti-racist society and not a non-racial society.While we shouldn't be distracted by language debates - and rather focus on materially changing society - I do think it is useful to explain my general unhappiness with the term or concept of non-racialism and my preference for framing the justice project as squarely an anti-racist project

Have you considered one painful aspect of anti-black racism that we really do not like talking about - internalised oppression? In today's short audio contribution to anti-racism week I raise some examples of internalised oppression with a view to sparking an intra-black dialogue about the deep psychological violence of white supremacy, violence so enormous that even when whites aren't around we could display internalised oppression which is why we must be vigilant, and get a proper grip on t...

Now former Democratic Alliance politician and leader Mbali Ntuli explained in detail her reasons for exiting both the party and the political stage. On Eusebius on TimesLIVE, which we also cross-post here on In The Ring, she painted a picture of a political culture that had taken root within the DA that is factionalist in nature, leading to the "weaponising" of party structures and processes, including disciplinary processes, for factional ends. While describing herself as being "emotional" a...

Continuing this week's daily nuggets in response to anti-racism week, today I speak directly to white allies in the fight for racial justice.There are useful and not-so-useful ways of responding to the reality of anti-black racism. This short audio entry helps white allies to think more carefully about the demands of allyship