Buwa Basebetsi
Buwa Basebetsi is a weekly current affairs labour show where we focus on your rights as a worker… and bring you relevant news, views and stories.
S2 Ep10: The long wait for justice at the CCMA
The CCMA was established as a place where workers and bosses can settle disputes. But over the years, the institution has faced massive budget cuts, causing a shortage of commissioners, interpreters and creating a backlog of cases. Host: Tebadi Mmotla Guests: Patricia Mokoto & Sam Tilley
S2 Ep9: Migrant workers getting a champion for their rights
Migrant workers have long been the backbone of the South African economy. Yet, despite their important contribution, many endure exploitation and xenophobia. Organisations like the Casual Workers Advice Office are working to change that. Host: Tebadi Mmotla Guests: Migrant Workers Organiser & Ighsaan Schroeder
S2 Ep8: Men in unions ‘doing the same old s%$!’
Ahead of Women’s Day, we take stock of how far women’s rights have progressed in the labour movement. Through the eyes of a union veteran, it is clear that it is far from a pretty picture. Host: Tebadi Mmotla Guest: Jenny Grice
S2 Ep7: The impossible choice between food and electricity
Wages shrink, food prices soar and working class families are forced to trade nutrition for necessities. Experts say the real crisis isn’t just inflation, but a monopolised food system built to keep the poor hungry. Host: Tebadi Mmotla Guests: Semaka Moshokoa & Mervyn Abrahams
S2 Ep6: The National Dialogue – What about the working class?
A “nation engaging in dialogue”. That’s how government is describing next month’s National Dialogue. But, as we hear in this episode, it will be a sanitised, stage-managed talk-shop which will cost R700-million, only to benefit monopoly capital. Host: Tebadi Mmotla Guest: Ighsaan Schroeder
S2 Ep 5: David versus Goliath: How the workers won against the beer giant
Six labour broker workers from Simunye Workers Forum took the liquor giant Heineken to labour court – and won. Gladys Thaane, one of the workers, shares how she stayed motivated throughout their seven-year struggle. Host: Tebadi Mmotla Guests: Gladys Thaane & Sam Tilley
S2 Ep4: The story of South Africa’s most exploited workers
Permanent jobs are vanishing, replaced by a precarious workforce. Casual workers hired through labour brokers face job insecurity and exploitation, with weak rights. Buwa Basebetsi sat with some who shared their stories. Host: Tebadi Mmotla Guests: Lefa Hadebe; Solomon Moloi & Jacob Potlaki
S2 Ep3: Government insists controversial law amendments are good for you
There has been a groundswell of opposition to the proposed labour law amendments. Many workers’ organisations believe they will make it easier for bosses to fire workers. But, Labour deputy director-general, Thembinkosi Mkalipi, tells us these controversial amendments are necessary, and beneficial for all. Host: Tebadi Mmotla Guests: John Appolis,…
S2 Ep2: The Story of the American guerrilla who taught SA unionists
Fifty years ago a young guerrilla went underground after helping to rob a bank in California. He stayed on the run for 27 years, including spending a significant time in South Africa, training local workers. Here’s his fascinating story. Host: Tebadi Mmotla Guest: James Kilgore
S2 Ep1: Youth month and the politics of maths
Nearly 50 years after the Soweto Uprising against inferior education started on June 16, 1976, and the picture still looks grim. But we visit a maths project for children from working-class homes, and it provides lots of hope. Host: Tebadi Mmotla Guests: 1. Eneth Mogale 2. Rethabile Qwabe 3. George…
S1 Ep12: This is enough, say exploited EPWP workers
The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) was meant to offer temporary skills and income to the unemployed. But 21 years into the programme, EPWP workers are angry with poor conditions and are pursuing legal action. Host: Tebadi Mmotla | Guests: Dumisani Dlamini; Gordan Molane; Steven Ditsebe; Bafana Montseng; Monica Matshalilanga…
S1 Ep11: Workers Day Special: A Trip Down May Day Memory Lane
The 100th anniversary of May Day in 1986 was a most significant political moment in South African history – millions of workers stayed away, challenging apartheid dominance. One of the organisers, union veteran Moss Manganyi, takes us back to that momentous day. Host: Tebadi Mmotla | Guest: Moss Manganyi
S1 Ep10: Die The Beloved Labour Movement
Traditional trade unions have been experiencing a sharp decline in recent years, with critics arguing they have lost touch with the realities of workers. This is evident in the new Draft Code on Good Practice on Dismissal. Host: Tebadi Mmotla | Guests: Matsoanelo Motomotomo; Gladman Ntulini; John Appolis; Matthew Parks…
S1 Ep9: Caught out – the boss who tried to rip off migrant workers
Every employee who works at least 24 hours a month is entitled to UIF benefits. But what about contract workers or those who are not South African citizens? Do they still qualify? Buwa Basebetsi finds out. Host: Tebadi Mmotla | Guest: Sam Tilley
S1 Ep8: Pay back the money. Workers battling with bosses and UIF.
The UIF is an institution that is meant to offer temporary financial relief for workers who are unemployed. But the institution is poorly managed, negatively affecting workers who desperately need the money. Host: Tebadi Mmotla | Guests: Daniel Manyisa & Keifus Kubhayi
S1 Ep7: Palestinian workers under siege
Day after day, night after night Israel’s destruction of Gaza continues. But this genocide isn’t only killing people – it is also an economic genocide that’s killing jobs, plunging the 1.3–million Palestinian workers ever deeper into poverty. Host: Tebadi Mmotla Guest: Leila Farsakh
S1 Ep6: The ABC of your employment contact
An employment contract is an important document outlining the terms and conditions of employment. But what happens when a worker doesn’t have one or disagrees with the terms? Buwa Basebetsi finds out. Host: Tebadi Mmotla Guests: Themba Magagula; Buhle Sibiya; Maria Masemola
S1 Ep5: Money, the wealth gap and no coffee at the JSE
Buwa Basebetsi goes on a visit to the JSE to try and hang out with the country’s richest CEOs. And, what bosses really earn. Host: Tebadi Mmotla Guest: Salomé Teuteberg
S1 Ep4: The National Minimum Wage is a Poverty Wage
The recent slight increase of the National Minimum Wage is still not enough for many workers. We spend a day with a factory worker who explains why this is so. Also, CWAO’s John Appolis exposes why the minimum wage is a poverty wage. Host: Tebadi Mmotla Guests: John Appolis, Happiness…
S1 Ep 3: Why you should care about the minimum wage | Moonchild speaks
The National Minimum Wage has been increased. We take the streets to find out how informed South Africans are about this hourly rate increase. Plus an exclusive interview with musician Moonchild about her ghetto roots. Guests: John Appolis, Moonchild