To unpack how this covert defence partnership unfolded, what the whistleblower’s documents reveal, and what this means for oversight of South Africa’s arms exports, John Maytham is joined by Michael Marchant, Head of Investigations at Open Secrets — the organisation that broke this story after a three-week court gag order was lifted. Michael walks us through the findings and the troubling implications for accountability at home and abroad.

That’s the question we’ll be attempting to answer this evening as we look at the cost of private health care in South Africa, as many households struggle to keep up with the costs of basic care and an unreliable public health care system. There are over nine million people covered by medical aid in South Africa, with around 4.8 million (52%) covered by open schemes. But have we over commercialised and commodified private health care?

Guest: Luthando Vilakazi, Lawyer at Open Secrets

Over the past few months Radio 786 has been highlighting the Open Secrets series of reports, titled Who Owns South Africa?. The first report unpacked how a powerful few control our economy and politics, while the second looked at the private control of healthcare.

The latest report looks at Private Telecoms. It uncovers how just a few corporations, that’s MTN, Vodacom, Telkom, and Cell C, dominate the sector and profit from essential communication services.

Guest: Senior investigator at Open Secrets, Ra’eesa Pather

Ra’eesa Pather joins Koketso Sachane on The Meeting Point to discuss the powerful owners behind South Africa’s private telecoms.

Michael Marchant, Head of Investigations at Open Secrets, interviewed on POWER 98.7 about the “Who Owns South Africa?” (WOSA) series. Its first profile, The System: Money, Power and Politics, explores how concentrated wealth and corporate dominance influence policy, deepen inequality, and hinder social progress. By highlighting the gap between the elite and millions dependent on social grants, the series seeks to promote transparency, empower citizens, and hold powerful actors accountable.