Sound Africa

As a young girl, when Lusungu Kalanga saw inequalities in her community, she didn’t have a language for it. Today, she creates safe spaces for girls in Malawi. We talk about how online activism rallied offline organizing in Malawi’s #MeToo movement. Lusungu on Twitter: twitter.com/Lusukalanga Growing Ambitions: twitter.com/GrowingAmbition Feministing while Malawian: anchor.fm/feministingwhilemalawian Transcript of this available at: www.hrw.org/video-photos/podcas…ower-of-the-streets

Visual storyteller Kiki Mordi produced an award-winning documentary about sex for grades in Nigerian and Ghanaian universities. As part of a feminist collective there, Kiki continues to speak out against the violence women and queer people face. • Watch the documentary ‘Sex for Grades’ here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we-F0Gi0Lqs • Check out Kiki’s latest project Document Women here: https://documentwomen.com • Follow Kiki here: https://twitter.com/kikimordi?s=20

Naked Protest: Public nakedness has been documented as a means of political protest worldwide in vastly different cultural contexts. We explore naked protests in Africa, their origins and contemporary impact with the Associate Prof of Comparative Literature from Cornell University, Naminata Diabate, the author of Naked Agency; Genital Cursing and Biopolitics in Africa (2020).

A Leadership Revolution: African states are often described as “irremediably corrupt; ‘hopeless’; ‘criminal’; ‘ungovernable’ or generally in ‘chaos’. But is the cause of these maladies an inherent inadequacy of leadership and governance? If not, what is? For the season finale of Think African, Dr. Ayak Chol Deng Alak joined the conversation. She is the Head of Research at the Strategic Defence and Security Review Board, an implementation mechanism of the revitalised South Sudan Peace agreement. She is a former deputy coordinator of the South Sudan Civil Society Forum, and co-founder of AnaTaban, a youth led political movement. She is a medical doctor, and a certified facilitator at the National Transformation Podcast Credits: Think African is brought to you in cooperation with the Heinrich Boell Foundation and African Arguments. Graphics and Artwork: Neo Rakgajane Guest Story Editor: Laura Bain Sound Editing: John Bartmann Soundtrack/Music: The Good People Additional Sound Recording: Dennis/Kampala Writ

Joy As Resistance: It’s a curious feature of autocratic regimes that forms of joy are usually banned. We explore how democratic governments in Africa are continuing in that same tradition. In this weeks episode we speak to Wanuri Kahiu a Kenyan Film Director and founder of AfroBubblegum whose film about same sex love, Rafiki (2018) was banned in Kenya. Podcast Credits Think African is brought to you in cooperation with the Heinrich Boell Foundation and African Arguments. Graphics and Artwork: Neo Rakgajane Script/story Editing: Rasmus Bitsch Sound Editing: John Bartmann Additional Sound Recording: Carl Odera Soundtrack/Music: The Good People Writer/Host: Jedi Ramalapa

Research on legal and judicial processes has revealed biases in the treatment of women in courts both as witnesses, and accused. We explore how African women lawyers in West Africa are working to change those biases. We speak to Criminal Justice and Human Rights Lawyer, Sabrina Mahtani who has been at the forefront of changing those biases. EPISODE CREDITS: Think African is brought to you by Sound Africa in cooperation with Heinrich Böll Stiftung Cape Town and African Arguments Graphics and Artwork: Neo Rakgajane Story Editing: Rasmus Bitsch Soundtrack/Music:The Good People Sound Mix/additional Music: John Bartmann Recording Studio: #SolidGoldPodcasts Executive Producer: Rasmus Bitsch Operations and Marketing Manager: Lebo Leitch Writer/Host: Jedi Ramalapa

Rule of Law: Given the importance of the rule of law as an instrument for promoting social, political, and economic development all of which are critical to peace and stability. The ominous decline of the rule of law in Africa cannot be ignored. But, what alternatives does Africa have? We speak to Okechukwu Nwanguma the Executive Director, Rule of Law and Accountability, Advocacy Centre, an organization that promotes justice and for victims of human rights violation and has handled several cases of Human rights violations by the Nigerian Police. Episode Credits: Graphics and Artwork: Neo Rakgajane Script/story editing: Rasmus Bitsch Additional editing: Laura Bain Additional Sound Recording: Sam Olukoya Sound Editing: John Bartmann Soundtrack/Music: The Good People Host/Writer: Jedi Ramalapa

So Where to From Here: Covid-19 has brought with it an increase in homelessness and loss of shelter across the continent. Can the courts protect them? We speak to Khululekile Banzi, the media spokesperson for Residents of Singabalapha (we belong here) informal settlement who won a court order prohibiting the City of Cape Town officials to stop trying to evict them without proper court process. In March 2020 the city issued “compliance notices” warning them that they were contravening the City’s street bylaws by erecting structures. During lockdown, officials tried to relocate them to its Strandfontein shelter for the homeless, but they resisted.

We See You: Access to land, property and housing rights continue to be contentious conflict riddled issues on the continent. But, is Anarchy the only viable alternative? We speak to Kelly-Eve Koopman, an Author and community leader who uses diverse discipline to propel social change. She has worked in both the theatre and film industry and has used these creative skills to develop, implement initiatives that drive social transformation. She is the co-creator of Coloured Mentality, a platform which has become a unique interactive storytelling space for the coloured community. She is a co-director of FEMME projects, a nonprofit organization that facilitates workshops on women empowerment in rural communities. Kelly is one of the seven occupiers. CREDITS: Think African is brought to you by Sound Africa in cooperation with Heinrich Böll Stiftung Cape Town and African Arguments Graphics and Artwork: Neo Rakgajane Script Writing/Editing: Jedi Ramalapa Sound Editing/Recordist: Rasmus Bitsch Soundtrack/Music

There’s a huge global political debate about food production, profit and sustainability. We explore some of the challenges farmers face on the continent. Who is feeding Africa? We speak to Ruramiso Mashumba a Zimbabwean Commercial Farmer, 2020 Global Farmer Kleckner Award Winner from Marondera, Zimbabwe. Podcast Credits: Think African is brought to you by Sound Africa in cooperation with Heinrich Böll Stiftung Cape Town and African Arguments. Graphics and Artwork: Neo Rakgajane Script Editing: Brittany Kesselman Sound Editing: Rasmus Bitsch Additional Sound Recording: Privilege Musvanhiri Soundtrack/Music: The Good People Executive Producer: Rasmus Bitsch Operations and Marketing Manager: Lebo Leitch Resources from this Episode: Global Farmers Network Kleckner Award for Innovation. Mnandi Africa Women Who Farm Africa Afsafrica.org

The Cost of Power: In this episode we dive into how Africa’s natural resources are managed and the implications of mismanagement on democracy. Is Nuclear power the answer to power generation in Africa? We speak to Environmental Activist, Human Rights Defender and Director of Earthlife Africa Johannesburg, Makoma Lekalakala.

This introductory episode starts from the very beginning by asking if Africa is headed in the right direction? It also asks what type of seeds are we planting for the Future? We speak to Elizabeth Wathuti is a Kenyan environment and climate change activist and founder of the Green Generation Initiative, which nurtures young people to love nature and be environmentally conscious from a young age. She has now planted 30,000 tree seedlings in Kenya through her Green Generation Initiative. PODCAST CREDITS Graphics Artwork: Neo Rakgajane Script Editing: Brittany Kesselman Additional Script Editing: Rasmus Bitsch Marketing and Operations: Lebo Leitch Sound Recordist: Carl Odera Sound Editing: Rasmus Bitsch Soundtrack/Music: The Good People Writer & Host: Jedi Ramalapa

Bi-Monthly seasonal podcast engaging African thinkers and doers on what it means to Think, African. Produced in Cooperation with Heinrich Boll Stiftung, Cape Town and African Arguments.

Meet the team who made One Night in Snake Park. Jedi Ramalapa hosts a discussion that takes you behind the scenes of the making of the podcast series. We discuss what happened, what we learned and the status of xenophobia in South Africa right now.

It has been almost six months and five levels of lockdown since we last visited the Mahoris in Snake Park. We return for an update.

There is one person we know for sure saw what happened when Siphiwe was shot in Snake Park. His name is Lebogang, and we know he was there because he was shot as well. But after the killing, Lebogang vanished from the case and was never in court. The police say they cannot find him. In this episode we speak to Lebogang. “One Night in Snake Park” investigates the killing of Siphiwe Mahori. Why was the shooter let off with a suspended sentence? Why was his shop attacked? Why do xenophobic attacks keep happening? Why did Siphiwe have to die? This podcast is made with the support of a Taco Kuiper Investigative Journalism grant. Sound Africa is supported by Hindenburg Systems and the Open Society Foundation’s Program for Independent Journalism.

To understand what happened in the case against Yusuf, the man who shot Siphiwe, we get hold of the audio recordings from the court. But the tapes raise more questions than what they reveal. “One Night in Snake Park” investigates the killing of Siphiwe Mahori. Why was the shooter let off with a suspended sentence? Why was his shop attacked? Why do xenophobic attacks keep happening? Why did Siphiwe have to die? This podcast is made with the support of a Taco Kuiper Investigative Journalism grant. Sound Africa is supported by Hindenburg Systems and the Open Society Foundation’s Program for Independent Journalism.

In South Africa, xenophobia and money are inseparable. The arguments against foreigners are often that they steal the jobs of locals, that they don’t pay taxes, that they sell fake and expired goods in order to make more money. But are these claims true? How much money are we talking about? And what does the spaza economy of Snake Park have to do with the killing of Siphiwe? “One Night in Snake Park” investigates the killing of Siphiwe Mahori. Why was the shooter let off with a suspended sentence? Why was his shop attacked? Why do xenophobic attacks keep happening? Why did Siphiwe have to die? This podcast is made with the support of a Taco Kuiper Investigative Journalism grant. Sound Africa is supported by Hindenburg Systems and the Open Society Foundation’s Program for Independent Journalism.

We know the man who shot Siphiwe Mahori as Yusuf. In this episode, we search for him in Snake Park and the Somali part of Mayfair, Johannesburg. We want to hear his side of the story, to understand what life is like for an immigrant shopkeeper in a hostile environment. “One Night in Snake Park” investigates the killing of Siphiwe Mahori. Why was the shooter let off with a suspended sentence? Why was his shop attacked? Why do xenophobic attacks keep happening? Why did Siphiwe have to die? This podcast is made with the support of a Taco Kuiper Investigative Journalism grant. Sound Africa is supported by Hindenburg Systems and the Open Society Foundation’s Program for Independent Journalism.

A year after the killing of Siphiwe Mahori, a local councillor in Snake Park told the SABC that the violence had been started by criminal elements. Many blame drug users, so called nyaope boys for starting the violence. But is this fair? And what role did the local politician play himself? “One Night in Snake Park” investigates the killing of Siphiwe Mahori. Why was the shooter let off with a suspended sentence? Why was his shop attacked? Why do xenophobic attacks keep happening? Why did Siphiwe have to die? This podcast is made with the support of a Taco Kuiper Investigative Journalism grant. Sound Africa is supported by Hindenburg Systems and the Open Society Foundation’s Program for Independent Journalism.