Over the past two years, we’ve lost many people. Jobs have been lost, the economy has nosedived, our lifestyles have been altered forever. We are living through a serious historical milestone and in this episode we reflect on the unforgettable moments we’ve experienced. We chat to renowned medical historian and anthropologist from UCT, Dr Mandisa Mbali, about the shape of our post-pandemic society ..read more

Before SA had a secure and healthy stash of Covid-19 vaccines, there was a mighty push by the South African and African community to make sure that vaccines were being supplied equitably.  However, now that we have a bountiful supply of vaccines and have hopes to vaccinate enough of our community to substantially curb transmission, a powerful “anti-vax” sentiment seems to have taken hold ..read more

Some scientists bask in the limelight because of their work. Others quietly - and rigorously - go about their mission wearing many challenging hats so that the interests of public health are at the front of the agenda for the rest of us. One such person is Prof Helen Rees who gave up some of her precious time to talk to us about Covid-19 vaccines, ivermectin and other hot Covid-19-related topics ..read more

"We are now living in world where grief itself is transmitted globally," says Wits University historian Professor Hlonipha Mokoena. In this podcast, she speaks to Sunday Times reporter Tanya Farber about ways in which the South African and global psyche has changed since a pandemic swept across the globe, bringing with it a fight for vaccines ..read more

Vaccines are the talk of the town, but what about the natural immunity (or lack thereof) enjoyed by those who have suffered through Covid-19 disease? And what about those who were infected but asymptomatic? Do they have any antibodies to speak of? And what about immunity against the new variant if you got sick in the first wave? And is an antibody test even worth getting? In this podcast, Sunday Times senior science reporter Tanya Farber digs into some of these questions with the esteemed Professor Shabir Madhi, a global leader in infectious diseases and a vaccinologist at Wits University wher ..read more

From quack dentists misinterpreting bite marks, to a few grains of glitter solving a crime, forensic science keeps the public enthralled. But what about one of the most accurate forensic disciplines that simply does not have enough resources? In this podcast, we look at the extraordinary world of forensic palynology in which tiny grains of pollen help solve some of the most mysterious crimes - including the local case of a murder victim who was moved to Knysna after she was killed ..read more

In this episode of the Khwezi Science Report, Tanya Farber looks at the physics behind traffic jams, and the conundrum of urban sprawl in which people need to get from A to B to earn a living. She asks if we've learnt anything during lockdown and how to untangle the mess our cities are in ..read more

It all started with one very flawed trial and the next minute, a drug called hydroxychloroquine was doing the rounds on twitter and flying off the shelves. But while fake news about cures for Covid makes its way across the globe, real people suffer. Daniella Djan, author of Crazy Became Me - A Lupus Story, speaks about her struggles before Covid-19, and how things went from bad to worse when her life-saving drug was suddenly in short supply because of bad science ..read more