In a world increasingly shaped by technology, the Legal Resources Centre's Democratising Big Tech dives into critical conversations at the intersection of technology, law, and human rights. From the shadowy underbelly of misinformation and disinformation to the pervasive threats of surveillance, hacking, and cybersecurity, this initiative unpacks the pressing issues that impact communities worldwide.
We explore topics like:
- The ethical and legal implications of surveillance technology and spyware.
- How misinformation and disinformation campaigns influence elections, media, and society.
- The systemic challenges of online discrimination, sexism, and xenophobia.
- The balance between privacy rights and national security in the digital age.
Through expert interviews, real-life stories, and legal insights, Democratising Big Tech aims to shed light on how individuals and communities can navigate, challenge, and transform the digital revolution to ensure accountability, transparency, and equity in Big Tech.
Join us to unpack the big questions surrounding Big Tech and chart a path toward a more just, equitable digital future.
When power exploits: The legal gaps in Sexual Corruption
In this episode of the Legal Resources Radio's series on sexual corruption, Claire Rankin and Muyenga Mugerwa-Sekawabe sit down with Professor Sope Williams, a professor at Stellenbosch University and Deputy Director of the African Procurement Law Unit. Prof Williams is a leading anti-corruption expert and has produced extensive research focused on sexual corruption. Claire, Muyenga and Prof Williams delve deep into the legal landscape surrounding sexual corruption; and explore the gaps in the current legislative framework - which see perpetrators go unpunished and place victims themselves at significant risk of criminalisation.
2 Mar 2026
Sexual Corruption with AWACN
In this episode, Zakhona Mvelase of African Women Against Corruption Network (AWACN) talks to Claire Rankin about Sexual Corruption. They unpack what sexual corruption is, how it manifests in state officials' abuse of public power for sexual gratification, and the important work AWACN is doing to combat it in communities across South Africa. Subscribe for more conversations to come on the intersection of the law and sexual corruption, and how to ensure our anti-corruption frameworks account for the devastating impact of sexual corruption.
Subscribe for more conversations to come on the intersection of the law and sexual corruption, and how to ensure our anti-corruption frameworks account for the devastating impact of sexual corruption. #LegalResourcesRadio #SexualCorruption #GBV
16 Feb 2026
Pre-Bunking Anti-Foreigner Narrative with UNHCR and Alt Advisory
In our latest episode of Legal Resources Radio, we explore how we can prevent disinformation, hate speech, and prejudice before they take hold.
In this episode, Murray Hunter of ALT Advisory, Phenyo Sekati of Power Law Africa, and Katie Drew of UNHCR discuss Mzansi Life, a new board game designed to help young people recognise harmful narratives, understand how social and political conditions fuel inequality, and see that identity is never the cause.
This audio episode does not include gameplay, but it does unpack the thinking behind the game, what it is trying to achieve, and why playful learning can be a powerful tool for building resilience and social cohesion.
2 Feb 2026
The Long Walk to School: South Africa's Scholar Transport Crisis
In our latest Legal Resources Radio podcast episode, Claire Rankin speaks with Attorney Cameron McConnachie from our Makhanda office and Petros Majola, Director of the Khula Community Development Project, about the scholar transport crisis in the Eastern Cape that has left tens of thousands of learners without reliable transport to and from school. The conversation unpacks the judgment against the Department of Education & Department of Transport handed down in Khula’s favour at the end of December 2024, and the practical challenges that have emerged in giving effect to the court order over the past year.
12 Jan 2026
Why Public Procurement Matters in South Africa
Public procurement sits at the heart of how services reach people in South Africa and accounts for roughly 12 percent of annual GDP. When procurement rules are weak or poorly enforced, the cost is felt in everyday life, through wasted public funds, delayed delivery, and communities left without the services they rely on.
In this first episode of our public procurement series, Rashaad Dadoo speaks with Sam Sole from amaBhungane and LRC candidate attorney Claire Rankin, who is closely involved in our procurement work. Together, they unpack what public procurement is, why transparency matters, and what the new Public Procurement Act could mean for accountability and service delivery.
amaBhungane has spent years investigating procurement related corruption, and has also advocated for stronger, mandatory transparency during the public participation process around the Act. This conversation looks at what is at stake when procurement fails, and why getting it right matters for constitutional promises to become lived realities.
#PublicProcurement #SouthAfrica #Accountability #Transparency #ServiceDelivery #Governance
3 Nov 2025
Late Birth Registration Backlog
This podcast episode unpacks our Late Birth Registration Backlog case. Host Claire Rakin speaks with LRC attorney Cecile about why birth registration matters, what counts as late registration, and how delays at Home Affairs are shutting children out of school, health care and social services.
We represent the Children’s Institute together with eight individual applicants. The case asks the Court to address systemic delays, set fair and workable time frames, and ensure a process that recognises the realities many families face, including rural births, cultural practices, and parents who do not yet have documents. The Constitution protects every child’s right to a name and a nationality. Paperwork should not stand in the way of a child’s future.
This conversation explains the law in plain language, shares lived experiences from our clients, and sets out the relief we are seeking.
#LateBirthRegistration #ChildRights #SouthAfrica #HomeAffairs #BirthCertificate #LegalResourcesCentre #Podcast #PublicInterestLaw
4 Aug 2025
Tech-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence
Tech abuse is here, and it is hitting the most marginalised first. In this episode of Legal Resources Radio, digital-rights advocate Jaimee Kokonya from Access Now in Nairobi helps us unpack the many faces of tech-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV). We discuss how doxxing, deep-fake pornography, location-tracking spyware and coordinated harassment campaigns are being deployed against women, LGBTQIA+ people and migrants across East and Southern Africa.
Drawing on Access Now’s “Rainbow Burning” report, Jaimee explains why online attacks on queer and migrant communities have surged and how queer-phobia and xenophobia reinforce one another. We examine cases where Ugandan authorities have used social-media platforms and dating apps to entrap LGBTQIA+ people, and we trace the global networks fuelling anti-rights movements online. The conversation then turns to survival: device-hardening basics, smarter privacy settings, threat-mapping and the free digital-security helpline run by Access Now.
Finally, we explore the legal and policy gaps that let TFGBV flourish, the responsibilities of social-media companies, and the kinds of court action and regulation that could hold both perpetrators and platforms to account. Whether you are an activist, a developer or simply concerned about your own digital footprint, this episode offers clear analysis and practical tools to help protect yourself and your community.
Watch, share and stay safe.
Access Now Digital-Security Helpline: https://www.accessnow.org/helpline/
Rainbow Burning report: https://www.accessnow.org/rainbow-burning/
#TechGBV #DigitalRights #Spyware #Deepfake #LGBTQSafety #AccessNow #LRC
23 Jul 2025
Shallow Justice: A Water Crisis Story
The State Capture and Beyond (SCAB) campaign has released the first episode of the Capture This! podcast series. Titled “Shallow Justice,” the first episode draws on the recently published Water Justice report to highlight the government’s failure to provide effective access to water. Through inaction and the effects of state capture, many communities have extremely limited access to this essential resource, relying on leaking pipes and sporadic water tankers.
Hosted by Tsogo Kupa (HRMT) and Eldonna Muhwava (LRC), the podcast presents a picture of the water crisis and how it affects people’s lives. The podcast presents the voices of individuals from communities struggling with water access while also discussing water rights with experts, including Ferial Adams, Koni Benson, Dale McKinley, and Ingrid Bester.
State Capture and Beyond (SCAB) is a collaboration between Brot für die Welt (Bread for the World), the Human Rights Media Trust (HRMT), and the Legal Resources Centre (LRC) with funding from the European Union. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of the Human Rights Media Trust and can, under no circumstances, be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.
12 May 2025
Expropriation Act Myth Busting: With LRC's Cecile van Schalkwyk
In January 2025, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Expropriation Act into law. This Act is an effort to align expropriation legislation with section 25 of the Constitution and to replace the outdated 1975 Expropriation Act, which was promulgated long before South Africa’s constitutional democracy.
While the power to expropriate land for a public purpose — such as building a dam or a road — is a function held by most governments around the world, the signing of the Expropriation Act has ignited both national and international responses.
The controversy surrounding the Act appears to be driven by the inclusion of “public interest” as a valid reason for expropriation, as well as the possibility that nil compensation may be paid in limited circumstances. Some have described the Act as a race-based law aimed at expropriating farmland held by white owners, or as a mechanism for arbitrary land seizures. This rhetoric has even prompted international reactions, including an executive order by US President Donald Trump to halt all funding to South Africa.
But what is fact, and what is fiction?
In this episode, the Legal Resources Centre (LRC) looks at what the Expropriation Act actually says and attempts to dispel some of the myths surrounding it. The podcast seeks to provide a balanced and accurate analysis of the powers granted to the state under the Act, aiming to combat the misinformation that has shaped much of the public response.
Join us as LRC’s Cecile van Schalkwyk breaks down the facts, clarifies misconceptions, and brings expert insight into one of the most hotly debated legislative developments in South Africa.
7 Apr 2025
Transgender Rights and Corporate Accountability: Brent’s Fight for Justice
Transgender Rights and Corporate Accountability: Brent’s Fight for Justice | Legal Resources Radio 🎙️
In this episode of Legal Resources Radio, we bring you the powerful story of Brent Janse van Vuuren—a transgender man who was excluded from the 2025 CrossFit Open, not because of his performance, but because of who he is.
After participating in the 2024 Open with no issue, Brent was suddenly barred from competing as a recreational athlete. CrossFit, a global fitness brand, had quietly changed its policy to exclude all trans athletes from participation.
This episode explores what it means when multinational companies bring discriminatory rules into countries like South Africa, where equality, dignity, and the right to identity are protected by our Constitution.
We speak to Brent about his journey, his passion for CrossFit, and how it feels to be told he doesn’t belong—simply for being himself. We also unpack the broader legal and human rights implications of policies like these and how we can hold corporations accountable.
🎧 Tune in, learn, and stand with us in the fight for justice.
🗣️ Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to support our work.
#LegalResourcesRadio #TransRightsAreHumanRights #BrentSpeaks #JusticeForAll #CorporateAccountability #CrossFitInclusion
9 Mar 2025
South Africa: A Surveilled State (Part 2)
In this episode of Legal Resources Radio, we continue our deep dive into South Africa’s surveillance landscape, shifting our focus to one of the most controversial surveillance tools today—facial recognition technology (FRT). Our host is joined by Murray Hunter, a public interest advisory expert from ALT Advisory, a Bertha Fellow, and a Ruth First Fellow, whose work focuses on communication surveillance, data protection, and digital rights.
Together, they unpack what facial recognition technology really is, debunking the Hollywood myths of flawless crime-solving systems and revealing the harsh realities of its implementation in South Africa. While this technology is often introduced under the guise of crime prevention, Murray explains why its effectiveness is highly questionable—especially given its well-documented biases against people of color, its inaccuracies, and the risks it poses to fundamental rights and freedoms.
We also explore the growing role of private companies in driving facial recognition adoption, how global tech firms are exporting this technology to South Africa, and why our government’s attempts to build its own biometric database remain a cause for concern. Beyond the technical and legal challenges, we discuss the historical and political implications of mass surveillance in a country with a legacy of apartheid-era state control.
With crime being a major concern for many South Africans, there’s an increasing push for security-first solutions like facial recognition. But does it actually reduce crime, or does it merely shift it elsewhere? And at what cost to our civil liberties?
Join us for this thought-provoking discussion as we critically assess whether South Africa is truly becoming a surveillance state—or simply a state being surveilled.
3 Mar 2025
Episode 3 - South Africa: A Surveilled State (Part 1)
In Part 1 of South Africa: A Surveilled State, Prof Jane Duncan delves into the complexities of surveillance intelligence in South Africa, shedding light on the lack of comprehensive legal protections for citizens' privacy. This episode explores the risks posed by unchecked surveillance practices and the urgent need for stronger laws to safeguard our rights in an increasingly monitored society. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on the intersection of technology, security, and human rights in South Africa.
19 Dec 2024
Political Microtargeting
Kimal Harvey, Candidate Attorney at the Legal Resources Centre, explores microtargeting in politics with Dr. Charlene Kreuser, Attorney, and Joseph Theuri Gitonga, Lead Data Scientist, revealing the complexities of ad tech and its impact on voter privacy.
28 Nov 2024
Online Harassment and Disinformation
Karyn Maughan, a seasoned legal journalist, delves into the urgent challenges of online harassment and disinformation, exploring their far-reaching implications for democracy, media freedom, and human rights.
Who has been a guest on Legal Resources Radio
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Dr. Charlene Kreuser
Joseph Theuri Gitonga
Karyn Maughan
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
44,704
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Podcast Authority Score: 28 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
23
Social presence
0
YouTube
85
Engagement
0
Contact Legal Resources Radio
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Legal Resources Radio?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
