RC 260817Power FMColleen Makhubele
Monday, 17 August 2026
The episode was dominated by a heated debate on the DA’s plan to outsource municipal services, followed by warnings about private security firms and a positive disability-employment feature.
- 21:18
DA’s local government pitch centred on outsourcing water, sanitation, electricity and waste services to private operators, arguing councils must deliver better infrastructure, fewer outages and stronger performance.
- 21:29
COSATU rejected the model as a threat to public services and workers, pointing to hollowed-out municipal capacity, unpaid salaries, pension arrears and the risk of higher user costs.
- 22:00
Panelists argued the proposed outsourcing differs from ordinary tendering because payment would be linked to outcomes, with penalties for poor performance and government still controlling tariffs and oversight.
- 22:44
A second major segment warned that South Africa’s private security industry has become a conduit for organised crime, with claims of weak SIRA oversight and an average of 138 firearms lost monthly.
- 23:12
The disability feature highlighted a Johannesburg summit that linked 1,200 final-year students with disabilities to 40 corporates, with several learners already landing internships or jobs through the programme.