Gareth's Guests

Martha Ngoye is an attorney of the High Court of South Africa who has practised as a corporate lawyer, working for some of SA’s most prestigious firms. After joining the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) as the Group Executive of Legal, Risk and Compliance, and later the Acting Chief Executive, she found herself fighting unlawful contracts and a ceaseless wave of corruption. Her brave stance has led to much suffering and victimisation, which she is still dealing with to this day. Martha's attorney, Geoffrey Allsop, also weighs in on the discussion.

What is the future of AI and technology? Who are the young innovators and creatives building the future of South Africa? What can Gen Z teach us about the world we’re living in? Gareth speaks to trend analyst, Dion Chang.

Celebrating four decades of growing brands, growing talent and winning! Founders of TBWA Hunt Lascaris – John Hunt and Reg Lascaris – are in conversation with Gareth Cliff, reminiscing about where and how it began all those years ago. From the boot of a car to the first world-class advertising agency out of Africa... and still blazing a path into the future! www.cliffcentral.com

Cancel culture has led to the cancellation of several South African celebrities for various reasons, so it should not be surprising that Gareth Cliff and Unathi Nkayi are on that list. In our first episode, media personality Unathi has a candid conversation with Gareth in front of a live audience, about everything you've ever wanted to know! She talks extensively about how she was fired from KayaFM, and how her family encouraged her to sue the station. She also reveals the real reason for the breakdown of her friendship with Somizi, and we get a glimpse of the incredible relationship she has with her father. This is the podcast where we uncancel culture - #unCancelled. www.cliffcentral.com

Chris Wyatt is a retired US Army Colonel and Intelligence Operative with a particular interest in South Africa. Chris has spent much of his post-military world making sense of the seismic political, economic and cultural changes in South Africa and has a network of informed and well-placed sources that gives him a perspective most South Africans don’t even have of their own backyard. In this discussion he and Gareth get into the future of the US, South Africa and some of the common themes of the deterioration of both systems under the destructive influence of the left. www.cliffcentral.com

Owen Matthews has written an authoritative book on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with incredible and unique insights into Putin, Zelensky and the media’s take on what’s really going on. www.cliffcentral.com

The author of several bestselling books, as well as a journalist, scriptwriter, speechwriter and media trainer with more than 30 years experience - Gus Silber has done it all. He joins Gareth to talk about his recent thesis, and some workshops he’s giving about ChatGPT, and how to incorporate AI in your life as a creative... and embrace new technology instead of running away from it. www.cliffcentral.com

Kelly Khumalo joins Gareth Cliff to talk about her new album and live show, but they dive deeper into a conversation about life and how to keep moving in the spotlight… even when everything doesn’t go your way. www.cliffcentral.com

Bryan Habana is one of South Africa’s most beloved sport stars - and a rugby player with some of the best records on the field. In this discussion, Gareth (who knows nothing about rugby) chats to him about pretty much everything other than rugby. Brought to you by Markets.com Markets.com · www.cliffcentral.com

Prof. David Block joins the #GCS team to talk about the ‘Green Comet’ that has been making headlines. He also tells us about his visit to the Arctic to experience the aurora borealis… and we learn the difference between comets and meteors. www.cliffcentral.com

Fred Roed is the founder of Heavy Chef and a thoughtful businessman who has seen the world of marketing and advertising change before his eyes. He’s also an optimist, a believer in South Africa, a viking and a surfer! Gareth Cliff caught up with him and discussed the year ahead. www.cliffcentral.com

Over 60% of Americans cited violent crime as a core election issue in the 2022 midterms. Seeing it spread, and the failures of leaders in his own hometown of Portland, Oregon - Matt Thornton (Conor McGregor’s coach’s coach, and one of the first American jiu-jitsu black belts), decided to write a guidebook, which provides the average person with all the knowledge they need to survive a violent encounter. In short, it's designed to help good people become more dangerous to bad people. Gareth Cliff delves deeper into Matt's ideology in this interview. www.cliffcentral.com

South African foreign correspondent Al J Venter returned from the Central African Republic six weeks ago, having had personal experience of a Russian mercenary force that has virtually taken over an African state. The international community is now familiar with the activities of the Moscow-run Wagner Group, an exploitative military force that is currently active in several African countries - among them the CAR, Mali, Burkina Faso, parts of Libya and before that, Mozambique. In the process, mines and raw resources are being taken over by force and any opposition summarily dealt with, no questions asked. This Russian force also ingratiates itself with the government, gradually supplanting law and order with military force, and killing those who stand in its way, or are even suspected of opposing its will. How much longer is the world community going to allow these inhuman rights transgressions to continue? When are African nations themselves going to make a stand? Find out more in this compelling, exclusive i

Peter Boghossian is one of the most erudite social commentators and analysts of modern phenomena like wokeism, cancel culture, ideology and his favourite subject, philosophy. Having lectured thousands of students at some of America’s most prestigious universities, he has become a leading voice in criticising academia, and has written a number of books outlining the mistakes being made at institutions of higher learning. He’s also one of the most vocal counter-cultural thinkers, and has propagated much controversy with his studies of street epistemology. www.cliffcentral.com

Simon Sebag Montefiore is one of the great history authors of our time. In his most ambitious project yet, he tells the history of the world through the stories of families. In this discussion, Gareth Cliff and him explore the tapestry of human history - from the earliest days, to Russia and the Ukraine. www.cliffcentral.com

Iris Singer is an Austrian filmmaker and activist who has been telling the story of the Holocaust and survivors of the Holocaust - as well as organising events and tours to remind young people of the importance of history, and the most devastating genocides of the 20th century. In this discussion, she tells the story of her own anti-Semitic grandfather, the value of survivor stories, and the contribution young people can make to keeping history alive. www.cliffcentral.com

Bali Padda, former COO of LEGO, was one of the people who transformed that company from sinking ship to juggernaut. In his book, 'Deliver What You Promise', Bali shares business lessons from his own story to help the rest of us to become more efficient, to understand our businesses better, and to connect meaningfully with the market. In this conversation, he also shares the story of his own blue-collar origins, and the failures that taught him how to become a success. www.cliffcentral.com

Al J Venter has written books on and brought us the news from war zones all over the planet. He has witnessed things most of us cannot comprehend: closer, louder and more frightening than any second-hand account can accurately portray. In this discussion, Al talks about the most dangerous places he’s ever been, the volatile situations he has found himself in, and the human stories that happen behind the headlines. www.cliffcentral.com

Thomas Grant KC is an English barrister, author and polemicist. His latest book on Sir Sydney Kentridge, called The Mandela Brief, is the incredible story of one of Apartheid South Africa’s most infamous trials. In this discussion, he and Gareth Cliff talk about Kentridge, the law, oligarchs, mock trials of the dead and lots more. www.cliffcentral.com

David Smith is the Washington correspondent of The Guardian. From 2010 to 2015, he was their Africa correspondent, and was based in Johannesburg. He has a completely different take on the midterm elections compared to Joel Pollak - who Gareth spoke to recently. They discuss the main issues on the ballot, where the Republicans and Democrats look strongest and weakest… and whether Biden stands a chance of staying in office if the Dems do poorly in today’s results. www.cliffcentral.com