Lukhona Mnguni, political scientist and public commentator, joins Power 98.7

Lukhona Mnguni

Lukhona Mnguni shares what we can expect to hear on the Power Perspective which kicks off on Monday, 11 January 2021.

Congrats on the announcement of you joining Power 98.7. How did this move come about?

Thank you. This move is a product of sustained engagement with the Power 98.7 family and space. It's probably been almost two years since we first started thinking about a possible collaboration. The timing is just perfect for it to come to life.

Which slot will you be taking over? When is your first show?

I will be hosting Power Perspective from Monday to Thursdays at 8PM-11PM and on Sundays at 9PM-11PM effective 11 January 2021.

As a political scientist and public commentator, what can listeners expect to hear from you?

Reflective conversations with intellectual rigour backed up by sound research. I will do best not to be a lecturer on air and simply be a curator of meaningful conversations.

Will Power Perspective be all things serious? Or will we get a balance of entertainment too?

The content will always be serious, but its delivery will be a blend of deep and light touches, creating a good space for edutainment.

If I'm not mistaken, you’re not leaving academia, but merely using radio as an extension of years of work. Could you elaborate more on this?

Yes, I remain married to academia as I am working on my PhD and still doing some research work with the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Remaining attached to academia is important for me to stay updated with emerging trends of thought and debates, especially in the two areas of my core interest: political science and development studies. But most of the work, ideas and commitment in the academic space remains sheltered away from society. This is a good opportunity to experiment on ways to amplify on that work, bring on air some voices of people who are doing interesting research work in advancing our country, the continent and the world we live in.

What do you love most about what you do?

The fact that every aspect of it is towards achieving positive social transformation in the life of my country.

As we enter 2021, what message do you have for South Africans to help us deal with the many challenges we face?

We must remain seized with the challenges of our country and never tire on finding solutions to overcome whatever confronts us. There are no Messiahs. We need to be committed to deepening dialogue in order to find each other and advance our country.