South African podcasts you should be listening to

by Emily Harrison | Mar 8, 2020 | Entertainment

EMILY HARRISON

Podcasts have been steadily gaining popularity over the last few years. Almost everyone in the world has access to a smart device which has made listening to podcasts a lot easier. Podcasts are an amazing way to learn something new or to listen to a story on commutes to campus or walks to class. Locally, there have been a lot of podcasts started over the last few years. Here is a small portion of the best:

Alibi is an award winning South African podcast. There are currently two seasons available to listen to on most podcast platforms as well as on iono.fm and has a 4.5-star rating on Apple Podcasts. The first season investigates the case of a man who was behind bars for 17 years but may have been wrongfully convicted. After the very popular first series of episodes, the podcast won Best Radio Feature at the national Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards.The second series, which was released late last year, follows award winning journalist ,Paul McNally, as he investigates what really happened at the now infamous Laduma High in KwaZulu-Natal. Any fan of investigative journalism or true crime is sure to be hooked.

True Crime South Africa is the perfect podcast for true crime junkies. The podcast is released once a week and each episode follows a different South African crime, solved and unsolved. The host, Nicole Engelbrecht, researches every detail of the cases to give a true deep dive into the crime. The podcast also gives a voice and dignity to the victims of the crimes. You can listen to the podcast on most platforms (including iono.fm) and has a 4.5-star rating on Apple Podcasts.

The Burning Platform is a collaboration between Cliff Central and Nandos. Various political commentators and journalists join host Gareth Cliff to discuss the biggest news stories of the week and current trends in the world of politics. This podcast is great for anyone who wants to be more knowledgeable about the current political climate. The Burning Platform has a 4.5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and is available on most platforms as well as on cliffcentral.com.

Polotiki is the politics podcast from the popular news platform News24. The episodes are quick and range from 15 to 20 minutes each. The short episodes are an easy way to stay updated on the biggest political stories from each week. The podcast has a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and is available for listening on most podcast streaming platforms.

Lesser Known Somebodies is one of the most popular comedy podcasts in South Africa. The podcast was started by comedian Simmi Areff after his bosses at a radio station refused to put him on air. Areff talks to all types of talented South Africans from comedians to journalists and everything in between. His podcasts are hilarious but also feel genuine. The podcast is great for introducing audiences to new talent as well as uncovering interesting facts about well-known personalities. The podcast has a 4.5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and is available everywhere.The Sobering is a popular hip-hop podcast hosted by Lil FRAT, Kitso Moremi (one half of the rap duo Fratpack) and Mokgethwa. The podcast features hip-hop playlists made up of only local artists as well as interviews with important figures in the South African hip-hop scene. The podcast usually comes out once a month, but it is worth the wait. The show is great for discovering new music and gaining knowledge on the local hip-hop community.

The Sobering has a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and is available for streaming on most podcast platforms.Tuks FM Podcast. Most students are unaware that Tuks FM has a podcast where they discuss a variety of subjects and interview many interesting people. You can listen to the podcast on the station’s website.

Illustration: Marchall Potgieter

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