Nominated for ‘Podcast of the Year’ in the 2024 African Podcast and Voice Awards (APVA), the weekly Sandton Times Hour is a Sandton magazine show that brings the digital pages of The Sandton Times to life.
- Zweli Nyathi, Chief Executive Officer of the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), chats about the R149-million plan to give Sandton roads an upgrade.
- Tat Wolfen, Entertainment Commentator for The Sandton Times discusses ‘Four Letters of Love’, based on Niall Williams’ best-selling novel.
- Noni Kokinos, Owner of Sorbet Sandton City and Franchisee of the Year, chats about her new store and her journey from banker to business owner.
- Visit www.sandtontimes.co.za for more stories.
As the only radio show and podcast dedicated to Africa’s richest square mile, this Sandton magazine show is packed with an array of entertaining and informative interviews blended with the best music, every week on 91.9 FM, Mondays from 7pm to 8pm.
The Sandton Times offers readers all they ever wanted online, and The Sandton Times Hour is the go-to weekly magazine show broadcast from greater Sandton. The show features fabulous food spots, luxurious lifestyle bits, first-hand travel tips, motoring notes, and world-class entertainment, business discussions and so much more, even venturing beyond the borders of greater Sandton.
In 2024, The Sandton Times Hour secured the third spot on Feedspot’s list of the “30 Best South Africa Podcasts” highlighting the top South African podcasts from thousands available on the web, ranking them based on relevancy, authority, social media followers, and freshness.
In this week’s show [Edition 205 Week 30] The Sandton Times covers an array of topical news as well as these interviews:
R149-Million Plan To Give Sandton Roads An Upgrade With Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) CEO Zweli Nyathi
The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) has launched a major road infrastructure upgrade programme focused on high-traffic areas like Sandton, with R149-million allocated to the initiative. Speaking on The Sandton Times Hour, JRA Chief Executive Officer Zweli Ndiati outlined the scope, priorities, and challenges of this much-needed improvement plan.
Sandton, as Johannesburg’s economic hub, experiences high daily traffic volumes due to its status as a commercial and corporate centre. Roads like Grayston Drive, Rivonia Road, and Jan Smuts Avenue, along with key feeder routes from all directions, are among the primary targets for resurfacing and structural upgrades. Smaller suburban roads will also be maintained through internal JRA teams.
While welcomed, the current budget is acknowledged as insufficient to address Johannesburg’s extensive road network, which spans nearly 17’000 km and includes thousands of bridges, culverts, and stormwater systems. Zweli Ndiati compared the city’s limited resources with the significantly larger budgets allocated to national roads by SANRAL, highlighting the ongoing struggle to meet urban infrastructure demands with inadequate funding.
Unpredictable weather patterns, population growth, and the rapid increase in vehicle ownership have further strained Johannesburg’s roads. Prolonged rains delay repairs and accelerate road deterioration, turning minor issues into major infrastructure failures.
To supplement the limited budget, the JRA is actively pursuing public-private partnerships. Successful collaborations such as Discovery’s Pothole Patrol and traffic signal adoptions in areas like Fourways have demonstrated the value of corporate involvement. The agency is also exploring technology-driven solutions through pilot projects funded by private partners.
Zweli Ndiati emphasised the importance of consistent maintenance, better intergovernmental cooperation, and community involvement. He encouraged residents to report issues via the JRA’s Find & Fix app and stressed that a seamless service experience should be the norm, regardless of whether roads fall under municipal or provincial jurisdiction.
While the R149-million upgrade is a drop in the ocean compared to the city’s infrastructure needs, it marks a critical step forward in restoring the condition and reliability of Sandton’s roads, improving safety, mobility, and the overall look and feel of the area.
‘Four Letters of Love’ With Entertainment Commentator Tat Wolfen
This week’s entertainment segment featured a review of Four Letters of Love, a new theatrical release based on the bestselling novel by Niall Williams. Set in Ireland during the early 1970s, the story follows two distinct families navigating passion, duty, and the randomness of life.
In one storyline, Pierce Brosnan plays a civil servant who abruptly leaves his stable job to pursue his passion for painting, an act that deeply disrupts his family – especially his wife, who mentally unravels. The second family features a poet father (Gabriel Byrne), a tradition-bound mother (Helena Bonham Carter), and their two adult children. These family arcs eventually intertwine, though the film avoids overused romantic tropes and instead focuses on subtle emotional development and fate – or perhaps, random chance.
Pierce Brosnan appears to have matured into a new phase of his career. His portrayal of a man finding his purpose later in life mirrors Pierce’s own evolution as an actor. The entire cast delivers strong performances, with no weak links.
While the film is thoughtful and beautifully shot, it isn’t flawless. It appears the studio shortened it by 20-minutes before release, likely affecting the pacing of the final act where the story’s emotional core unfolds. Despite this, the film retains its charm and depth.
Not your typical Hollywood rom-com or blockbuster, Four Letters of Love offers a quiet, introspective experience – ideal for mature viewers seeking substance over spectacle. It’s an arthouse-style film by South African standards, but mainstream by European ones. Overall, it’s a refreshing departure from formulaic cinema, elevated by stunning Irish landscapes and a moving, well-acted narrative.
New Sorbet Sandton City With Owner Noni Kokinos
Sorbet Sandton City has officially opened the doors to its brand-new salon in the heart of the Banking Court, ushering in a fresh era of beauty, luxury, and self-care.
In the bustling corridors of Sandton City and Nelson Mandela Square, beauty isn’t just skin deep – it tells a story of resilience, reinvention, and relentless hustle. And no one embodies that story more vividly than Noni Kokinos, the franchise partner behind three flourishing Sorbet salons, including Sorbet Sandton City (Opposite Baby City), Sorbet Menlyn Maine Hair & Beauty Salon and the new Sorbet Sandton City Hair & Beauty Salon.
Full Story: From Banking To Beauty: Sandton City Welcomes A Bolder Sorbet Salon
Sandton Times Hour Music Playlist
- The Velvet Sundown – Dust on the Wind
- Tracy Chapman feat. Jonas Blue and Dakota – Fast Car
- Braaten – Enjoy The Silence
- Teddy Swims – Lose Control
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