This final episode is intended as an homage to who Eusebius was over time and space. Through conversation with Nick Ferreira, Julie Taylor and Bongani Khumalo, our host Lovelyn Nwadeyi delves into their experiences of Eusebius in the key locations that so profoundly shaped his life: Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) and his time at Rhodes University, Oxford town and University, and Johannesburg which he fondly called "Johussleburg". In this lively discussion Eusebius' friends share some of their f...
Jun 27, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Before his untimely passing, Eusebius was working on a series of essays about the different types of friendships we encounter throughout our lives . In this episode, our host Lovelyn Nwadeyi explores the different types of friendships Eusebius had with people of different age groups, genders and racial identities. In a country like South Africa, these markers matter, making friendship both a sacred and vulnerable space. Listening to Mikhail Brown, Dawn Klatzko, Scott Burnett and Nduduzo Nyanda a...
Jun 14, 2024•2 hr•Season 2Ep. 7
Eusebius was a loud and proud gay man. He was often very open about the experiences, struggles, celebrations and achievements of queer people. In this conversation, our host Nolwazi Tusini, explores the wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation across the continent of Africa and the urgency required to engage the reality of queer people's lives today. Through reflections about the role of the law in affirming the inherent dignity of queer lives, the utility of being a publicly 'visible' queer person and t...
Jun 06, 2024•52 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Between laughter and tears, in this episode, our host Lovelyn Nwadeyi speaks to Vanita Daniels, Tshidiso Ramogale and Wiseman Zondi. Each guest offers a generous and vulnerable reflection on what it has felt like to grieve Eusebius while still celebrating his life over the past year.
May 30, 2024•57 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Remembering Eusebius exactly one year after his untimely death on 30 May 2023 is not an easy thing to do. In this sometimes hilarious and sometimes poignant episode, Lovelyn speaks to some of the people who have had to make sense of a world without Eusebius namely: His father Donald McKaiser, his niece Jodie Colville and one of his best friends Lwandile Sisilana.
May 30, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Season 2Ep. 5
This second part of the Final Literature Corner is a combination of tributes from fellow writers, journalists and broadcasters who share what they love about how Eusebius discussed their work and what they miss about Eusebius’ contributions to the landscape of public intellectual life.
May 20, 2024•21 min
Everyone knows about Eusebius' love for books. He would regularly admonish his friends and listeners to keep reading, to stay curious, to ask questions, to challenge their beliefs and he felt very strongly that building a solid relationship with literature would enable that. To that end, this conversation pays tribute to the Literature Corner, a regular feature of Eusebius's former live radio show in which he regularly featured authors and readers to talk about books. A key component of these di...
May 20, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Eusebius's last public contribution to the conversation about the upcoming national elections in South Africa was on 30 May 2023, the day he passed away, in which he asked if there was a viable option to the ruling party in the country. By all predictions, South Africa is likely to end up with a coalition government at a national level. We started our democracy in 1994 as a coalition with the government of national unity, are we approaching a full circle moment after May 2024? In this discussion...
May 16, 2024•1 hr 32 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Eusebius McKaiser was very deliberate about expressing his Coloured identity online, showcasing what it meant to him, challenging stereotypes and sometimes hilariously confirming stereotypes. In this conversation, host Lovelyn Nwadeyi speaks to three Coloured South Africans each with differing roles in the South African media landscape: Tessa Dooms a political analyst and author of Coloured: How Classification became Culture; Megan Lubke - Executive TV Producer at the SABC and Investigative Jour...
May 06, 2024•1 hr 22 min•Season 2Ep. 2
In this episode, we spotlight key organisations in which Eusebius McKaiser was affiliated. Lovelyn speaks to Wayde Davy, Former Deputy Director of the Apartheid Museum and Zaakira Mahomed, Founder of the Mina Foundation, and explores issues these two organisations face (race, gender and period poverty) as we celebrate our 30 year old democracy. While Eusebius did not consider himself an activist, we delve into his work with the Apartheid Museum and the Mina Foundation as we remember both his sel...
May 01, 2024•56 min•Season 2Ep. 1
In this edition of In The Ring, I analyse Prince Mashele's responses in interviews granted to eNCA, 702 and the SABC, in light of media reports that he had, ok the face of it, been dishonest about the nature of his biography of Herman Mashaba. Herman Mashaba is leader of politica part ActionSA, and prior to that was always known as a very successful businessman in an against-all-odds tale at the height of apartheid; in recent years he a new career pivot that had also seen him becoming mayor of J...
May 23, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 166
Sihle Khumalo has written a fascinating, witty, brilliantly researched new book, Milk The Beloved Country One of our continent's best writers, Zukiswa Wanner, came over to my house, and after a hearty lunch we hit the 'record' button for this edition of In The Ring. We dissected Sihle Khumalo's new book, reading from it, telling you why we both loved it (for overlapping but also different reasons), and debating where and how we think he might have done things differently (or not). Dig in!...
May 10, 2023•53 min•Season 1Ep. 165
Redi Tlhabi, well-known South African journalist now based in London and working across the globe, joined me for a bloody fascinating and blunt conversation about South African media. It was wide-ranging and interesting. Dig in. Debate it. Share it widely.
May 05, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 164
In this edition of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser, I reflect on both Freedom Day and Worker's Day. I spend some time arguing that my generation and those of you who are younger shouldn't be ahistorical and glib about the achievements of those who came before us. That said, we have to be rigorous in our conceptualisation of 'freedom': what precisely is it? Unless we do some definitional work, we can't mind the empirical gap between the normative vision of the constitution and our present soci...
May 02, 2023•20 min•Season 1Ep. 163
All I ask is that you listen to this entry of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser. It is ONLY 6min20sec. Only engage me afterwards. Just do me that favour.
Apr 25, 2023•6 min•Season 1Ep. 162
In this exceptionally short audio entry, I voice my argument, first published by TimesLIVE ( https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times-daily/opinion-and-analysis/2023-04-11-eusebius-mckaiser-the-opposite-of-pointing-out-western-moral-viciousness-isnt-to-let-putin-off-the-hook/ ), for why South Africa should arrest Russian president Vladimir Putin should he come to our country. Have a listen....
Apr 13, 2023•8 min•Season 1Ep. 161
I tweeted a picture of Julius Malema marching to the Uganda embassy where he spoke - with the rainbow flag wrapped around it - condemning the bill criminalising identifying as gay in Uganda. I accompanied the tweeted image with the following words: @Julius_S_Malema thanks for showing leadership today and not being worried about homophobic backlash even among some of your supporters online. Shame on the ANC government for SILENCE. Doing right isn't about calculating how many 'likes' you'll get. #...
Apr 05, 2023•11 min•Season 1Ep. 160
I listened to John Steenhuisen's acceptance speech after he was re-elected as the federal leader of the Democratic Alliance, South Africa's official opposition in parliament. This is a very important leadership position given that the DA is the second largest party in the country. I was shocked by the bizarre content at the heart of the speech. It was filled with relentless negativity and fear mongering, which bodes very poorly if this is a dress rehearsal for how the DA will approach the 2024 n...
Apr 03, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 159
This week, former president Thabo Mbeki wrote an extraordinary 17-page letter to deputy president Paul Mashatile. In it, he essentially critiqued various shortcomings of the current ANC parliamentary caucus. In this edition of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser, I do several things: a) explain the essential point of the letter; b) explain the structure and logic of the letter in a bit more detail; and (most importantly perhaps) c) offer you political analysis of what is at play here, which may n...
Mar 31, 2023•25 min•Season 1Ep. 158
Why do so many people obsess about what queer people do, and how we identify? The latest expression of hatred is in Uganda, where a bill has been passed that now even criminalises merely IDENTIFYING as gay. Yes, you've read correctly. Now it is up to the president - a long-time homophobe - to decide whether or not he sign it into effective law. Everyone must oppose hatred wherever it rears its head. I analyse in detail in this episode why the entire international community ought to be outraged w...
Mar 22, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 157
Eve Fairbanks is an American journalist who has just written and published an amazing book, one that already won a significan international literally award. It is called The Inheritors, and is situated in South Africa. She has been based here for more than ten years, and developed a fascinating interest in making sense of how a country with our traumatic past, tried to carve out ways of dealing with the past, and moving forward. She follows three characters for many years, and tells their storie...
Mar 15, 2023•48 min•Season 1Ep. 156
Are you confused that Somizi and Mohale were never married? "How so?", you may have asked yourself. Are you also confused as to why Somizi, rather than Mohale, is the one who wanted to sustain the claim that there WAS a valid marriage in place? After all, wouldn't Somizi, more than Mohale, be excited to know there was no valid marriage in place? If Mohale is the alleged gold digger, why wouldn't Somizi be happy to accept that they were not spouses?! Confused? Let me help you out. I do two things...
Mar 15, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 155
In this edition of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser, I ask and engage a bloody award question about Mr Ramaphosa's leadership weaknesses - should he even be the ANC's presidential candidate for 2024? I engaged this controversial question in a TimesLIVE analysis piece ( https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times-daily/opinion-and-analysis/2023-03-06-eusebius-mckaiser-can-the-anc-risk-putting-ramaphosas-face-on-its-2024-elections-posters/ ) and I voice the argument here for those of you who enjoy ...
Mar 07, 2023•14 min
Dean Michael Weeder (St George's Cathedral, Cape Town) wrote a stunning and moving collection of poems and ruminations. You have to - HAVE TO - listen to some of the poems and ruminations being read in this episode of In The Ring. And get yourself a copy of his anthology. We talked, along the way, about jazz, social justice, aesthetics, celebrating the everyday, artistic technique and creativity, and so much more. Spoil yourself and listen to Dean Michael who is a wonderfully reflective guest, e...
Mar 04, 2023•45 min•Season 1Ep. 153
Here's what I think of the interview outgoing UCT VC Prof Mamokgethi Phakeng did with JJ Tabane on eNCA. EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T FOLLOW THE STORY, THIS PODCAST CONTAINS LOTS OF CONTENT ON CRISIS COMMUNICATION THAT IS OF GENERAL INTEREST TO EVERYONE. Have a listen.
Mar 02, 2023•41 min•Season 1Ep. 152
I sometimes get asked in my keynote speeches on diversity, equity and inclusion whether interventions aimed at inclusion are dangerous because they can result in "unconscious exclusion." The fear is that victims of oppression may become today's oppressors. In this small entry of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser, I slay some myths around this issue. Have a listen
Feb 28, 2023•14 min•Season 1Ep. 151
A sad person or bunch of 'em unsuccessfully attempted to run a disinformation campaign against me recently. In this episode of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser, I explain why these campaigns should not be oxygenated but, nevertheless, why they should not be taken lightly either. They are a threat to public discourse and to democracy by implication; that is quite apart from the potential to literally destroy lives. What is their ultimate function? And how should we think through them? Have a li...
Feb 21, 2023•16 min•Season 1Ep. 150
Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi joined me to discuss a very specific feature of racism. We drilled down into a tendency to assume that a singular act of failure on the part of a black person tells you about their entire skillet and capability. From here, we slowly examined the structural features of the workplace, with a racist undergird, that leads to "competency racism". I predict many of you listening to this discussion with me and Tembeka may feel overwhelmed by a familiar and painful recogniti...
Feb 03, 2023•28 min•Season 1Ep. 149
I was joined by Vanita Daniels (director at Rise Up Against Gender-Based Violence) and Nduduzo Nyanda (techpreneur), who are regular listeners of In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser. We decided to shoot (not literally) ... uhm to shoot the breeze on a bizarre recent story of a tigress on the loose in Johannesburg. How the story played out, including the public responses to the story, was most interesting. It revealed many of our class, racial, political, and other fissures. In this episode, we fr...
Jan 27, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 148
Nice Racism by Robin DiAngelo opens up a conversation with white progressives. It is a book that is stunning but which will also, and already has, upset many white progressives. This episode is just my FIRST reaction to the book? Buy it. Read it. Sit with it. We will engage a lot of material from it in the weeks ahead. For now, enjoy my first, raw, unmediated reaction to it.
Jan 22, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 147
