The Midday Report with Mandy Wiener

The Midday Report with Mandy Wiener

National and international news and current affairs updated at midday each weekday.
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סיכום הפרק

Statistician General Rasenga Maloleke discusses the official unemployment rate, which rose to 33.6% in the second quarter of 2026. The discussion covers the methodology behind national surveys and the distinction between polling and large-scale labor force surveys used by Stats SA. The episode details the drivers behind rising unemployment, including an increase of 345,000 people moving from outside the labor force into active job seeking. Maloleke also provides a breakdown of job losses across various sectors such as community and social services, mining, agriculture, and manufacturing, while addressing broader indicators of labor underutilization.

פרקים

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עיקרי הדברים

to count everyone, every quarter would cost us about $6 billion and we would not afford to spend that money

00:01:20 · The Statistician General explains the economic constraints and logistical reasons why Stats SA uses sampling rather than full censuses for quarterly surveys.

this is largely because there are people who are coming from what we call outside the labor force so you're discouraged work seekers as well as people who are seated at home and not looking but are looking it are saying if a job comes i'll take it have moved out of that area of not looking for employment and have gone out to look for employment

00:02:16 · Maloleke identifies the primary reason for the increase in the number of people actively seeking work.

In mining, we lost 26,000 jobs. In agriculture and manufacturing, we lost 15,000 jobs each

00:03:09 · The speaker provides specific figures regarding job losses in key industrial sectors.

About 700,000 of them indicated that they were not spending enough time. they wish they could do more in terms of the work that they have.

00:04:20 · The discussion highlights the issue of underemployment among those currently holding jobs.

And that composite measure of labour underutilisation comes to 46.3%.

00:05:00 · The Statistician General reveals the much higher percentage when considering all forms of labor underutilization.

פרקים

10766-

Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), Quarter 2 2026 results

Statistician General Rasenga Maloleke discusses the official unemployment rate, which rose to 33.6% in the second quarter of 2026. The discussion covers the methodology behind national surveys and the distinction between polling and large-scale labor force surveys used by Stats SA. The episode details the drivers behind rising unemployment, including an increase of 345,000 people moving from outside the labor force into active job seeking. Maloleke also provides a breakdown of job losses across various sectors such as community and social services, mining, agriculture, and manufacturing, while addressing broader indicators of labor underutilization.

11 אוג' 2026
10765-

Snowfall eases as E Cape Transport reopens most mountain passes

Unati Binkose, spokesperson for the Eastern Cape Department of Transport, discusses the recent impact of snowfall on road networks in the Eastern Cape. While five mountain passes, including parts of the N6 and N9 national roads, were previously closed, all passes are currently open as the snowfall has subsided. However, officials warn that wet and slippery conditions persist, requiring extreme caution from motorists. The discussion also covers reports of minor vehicle accidents involving cars sliding out of control in the snow, noting that no fatalities or serious injuries have been reported. The episode concludes with listeners sharing personal memories of historical heavy snowfalls in Johannesburg and Gauteng.

11 אוג' 2026
10764-

Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber portfolio committee on the latest regarding the repatriation of undocumented foreign nationals

Home Affairs Minister Dr. Leon Schreiber briefs the Portfolio Committee on the ongoing repatriation and deportation of undocumented foreign nationals. The report highlights discrepancies in figures between the Department of Home Affairs and the Border Management Authority, noting that while numbers are currently being scaled back, the expenditure has approached 300 million rand. The discussion covers the financial strain on the department, including the use of funds from the criminal assets recovery account and requests for repayment from the governments of Nigeria, Malawi, and Ethiopia. Additionally, the report details changes to infrastructure, such as the scaling back of the Messina repatriation center and plans for new courtrooms at both the repatriation center near Johannesburg and OR Tambo International Airport to handle immigration challenges.

11 אוג' 2026
10763-

Social Research Foundation election’s opinion poll in JHB and KZN

An interview with Gabriel Mankin, Director of Research at the Social Research Foundation, discussing recent national and metropolitan polling data in South Africa. The discussion focuses on the shifting political landscape ahead of upcoming local government elections, specifically looking at support levels for the ANC, DA, MK, and EFF. The conversation highlights significant shifts in major metros like Johannesburg, Tshwane, and eThekwini. Mankin provides a breakdown of party percentages and discusses the complexities of coalition building, particularly regarding the DA's potential partners and the volatile voter pool shared between the ANC, MK, and EFF.

11 אוג' 2026
10762-

South Africa's only dedicated whistleblower support organisation faces possible closure without urgent funding

Ben Turon, CEO of Whistleblower House, discusses the critical financial crisis facing South Africa's only organization dedicated to whistleblower support. Due to a lack of funding, the organization has been forced to halt most legal, psychological, and security services, leaving only three months of operational costs remaining. The potential closure of the organization threatens the infrastructure necessary to protect individuals exposing corruption. Turon appeals for urgent donations via whistleblowerhouse.org to prevent staff retrenchment and the total cessation of services. He emphasizes that while corporate approaches are ongoing, individual contributions are vital to maintaining the essential legal and psychological support systems required for whistleblowers to function safely.

11 אוג' 2026