The Great Equalizer

Episode 83: PARENTING & POLITICS! With journalist, editor & entrepreneur Verashni Pillay

The Great Equalizer

Show Notes

With news last night from our DP (Dear President), there is no better time to put out our latest episode.

C*vid fatigue has hit us all hard this time round, and the never-ending stream of mismanaged funds, poor system rollout and fake news (looking at you, #Tembisa10) has us all sticking our heads in the sand.

It’s tough to put on a brave face, guys. BUT, we’re all parents (well, most of us on this platform are) and this week we’re wrestling with the concept that we might need to keep abreast of news, politics and current events. Why? Because we’re the best advocates our kids will have until they can be advocates for themselves.

Yes, we should be tuned in to the State of the Nation Address, the budget speech and government gazettes. We should be more concerned about child care grants and whether or not the ball is rolling to get ECD schools placed under the Department of Basic Education (instead of the already overloaded and underachieving Department of Social Development). We should be more sure and steadfast that we know what we’re talking about when we talk about these issues. We should be more informed, period.

Joining us to discuss why politics and parenting is such an important pairing is none other than journalist, editor and entrepreneur Verashni Pillay. Verashni cut her teeth in the News24 offices before working her way through the various editorial ranks at the Mail & Guardian, where she steered the ship as editor-in-chief. Since then, Verashni filled roles as editor-in-chief at Huffpost SA and head of digital at PowerFM. And, in 2020, she founded her own news site, Explain.co.za. This lady has been a Mandela Washington fellow; she’s received a Standard Bank Vukile Award not once, but twice; and she’s been selected among the BBC’s 100 Women. Also, she’s a mom. And she joins us on The Great Equalizer this week.

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