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Ivor Ichikowitz turns sixty this year, and by his own account he's never felt more energised. As founder of Paramount, the defence and aerospace group he built into a business operating in twenty countries, he's used to controversy. But in this conversation with Alec Hogg, he's not talking weapons. He's talking about what his foundation's African Youth Survey reveals about a generation that trusts China more than America, doesn't believe in the ballot box, and might just take to the streets instead. He also has a stark warning for South Africa: Denel, the state defence company he helped build his own career alongside, may only have months, not years, left to save.
Today's BizNews Daybreak covers Apple's quarterly results, Rivian's SUV success, and Anthropic's AI breach, alongside a semiconductor rally driven by Microsoft and Oracle. Football federations oppose FIFA selling World Cup stakes, while Donald Trump claims a Gaza disarmament agreement. Meanwhile, Alec Hogg discusses Anglo American's South Africa exit, RMB launches a R1bn housing program, Geraint Anderson tackles psychopathic corporate culture, and Amazon's AWS delivers strong AI-driven growth.
Anglo American's interims dazzled - earnings up 35%, free cash flow up nearly 150%, the dividend all but tripled. But BizNews editor Alec Hogg looks past the headline to what Anglo's walking away from: steelmaking coal sold, De Beers going for a tenth of what it paid, and a Teck merger that moves the head office to Vancouver. A 109-year-old Johannesburg company is quietly leaving. He pairs that with Old Mutual's finding that half of working South Africans now gamble - the sharp end of a two-speed nation. Plus ArcelorMittal, Reinet, Woolworths, a post-Fed bond rout, and the great Microsoft-Meta AI tension.
A former top-ranked City of London stockbroker has written a manual for winning at business, politics and life. There's just one catch: to follow it, you'd have to think like a psychopath. Geraint Anderson, the man behind the legendary "Cityboy" column, tells BizNews editor Alec Hogg why he built his new book around Trump, Musk and the 'manosphere', how a near-fatal motorbike crash changed his mind about the game he was winning, and why the book is now selling harder in South Africa than almost anywhere else. He also explains, only half-joking, why he's booked in to be clinically assessed for psychopathy himself.
Treasury switched off the taps to 69 municipalities for doing nothing about corruption and mismanagement. Today it switched them back on anyway, days before its own deadline. Alec Hogg asks the obvious question nobody in government wants to answer. Plus: why last week's Reserve Bank rate hold is already punishing the rand, a foundation funded by an arms dealer just published a survey putting China ahead of America in young Africans' eyes, and on the JSE it's a tale of two extremes: Valterra Platinum showering shareholders in cash while ArcelorMittal's losses widen by the day. And the machine that prints the world's most advanced chips just found out China isn't waiting around.
In today's episode, we cover the US-Iran diplomatic talks and escalating tech wars with China's new DUV lithography machines. Locally, Jabulani Khumalo warns of Jacob Zuma's alleged plot to seize MK Party finances. We also examine a warrantless SAPS and Home Affairs raid on a Western Cape estate. Finally, Alec Hogg unpacks the Reserve Bank's shock rate hold that battered the rand, while analysts debate mega-cap tech's market leadership.
Two judges signed the same court order and can't agree on what it actually stops. Now Ramaphosa's impeachment fight is headed to the Constitutional Court, with the ANC's own GNU partner pushing Parliament to keep working in the background regardless. Meanwhile South Africa's bookmakers want prediction markets like Polymarket treated as illegal, three JSE-listed companies posted results pulling in three different directions this morning, and overnight a sell-off in AI and chip stocks wiped billions off names like Nvidia and SK Hynix. Alec Hogg unpacks what's actually driving each story, and what it means for your money.
Helen Zille has swapped the Iron Lady tag for "DJ Gogo", but the numbers she puts on the table are dead serious. In this conversation with Alec Hogg, she says Johannesburg only spent half of an eight billion rand infrastructure budget last year, warns that DA supporters staying home on election day could hand the city to the ANC, and lays out exactly how vote-buying has turned South African coalition politics into what one commentator called "auctions". She also responds directly to the lobbying row involving John Steenhuisen and Tony Leon, explains the real mechanics behind uMngeni's 42-vote nail-biter, and says plainly why she believes this election is Joburg's last chance to turn itself around.
Sean Peche has spent 2026 doing the opposite of the crowd. While the market piles into AI, memory chips and Elon Musk's every pivot, the Ranmore founder has been selling Tesla, walking away from SpaceX and quietly buying into Adobe and Tencent instead. In this conversation with Alec Hogg, the South African-born, UK-based fund manager breaks down why Alphabet's capex bill worries him, why Britain's new Prime Minister just handed him a trade, and why getting rich slowly beats chasing the next shiny thing.
South Africa's BRICS bet on Iran is about to cost you at the pump. As the Strait of Hormuz standoff drags on, economist Iraj Abedian tells Alec Hogg why a third of the world's oil is stuck behind a 33km bottleneck, why Dubai is now more exposed than Israel, and why South Africa backed the wrong side. Plus: a boardroom bloodbath at the PIC, an ugly inflation surprise, a R21 billion Pepkor fintech deal, and a tribute to the late RW Johnson.
Seven months into the Iran war, economist Iraj Abedian tells Alec Hogg that Donald Trump has lost more than the battle for the Strait of Hormuz: he's lost America's standing as the world's dominant power. Abedian explains why the narrow waterway carries a third of global oil, why the mullahs are more afraid of each other than of Washington, and why South Africa's tilt toward Iran through BRICS looks like a costly misjudgement. He also has a warning for the Gulf states banking on American protection, and for the rest of us watching from the sidelines.
In today's Boardroom Talk, Alec Hogg confirms the death of RW Johnson, one of South African political writing's sharpest and most combustible voices, and reflects on a decade of working with him: the audiobook that started it, the necrotising fasciitis he refused to let slow him down, the Steenhuisen column that ended their working relationship, and the warmth he never stopped showing even after he stopped writing for BizNews.
Former hedge fund manager and CFA James Gubb argues the AI boom is real, but many investors are backing the wrong winners. In this interview with Alec Hogg, he explains why Oracle's credit downgrade could signal deeper cracks, why OpenAI and hyperscalers face mounting pressure, how China's AI advances are reshaping competition, and why energy - not AI models - could deliver the biggest long-term investment opportunity. Is this another dot-com bubble, or something even bigger?
Chris Pappas was set to leave politics for the private sector. Instead, he's back, seeking a second term as uMngeni mayor after talks from colleagues, community leaders and supporters. In this candid interview with Alec Hogg, Pappas explains why he changed course, reflects on the DA's prospects ahead of the 2026 local elections, defends the party amid recent controversies, and outlines his long-term ambitions. He also argues that uMngeni's governance record offers a blueprint for the rest of KwaZulu-Natal.
In April he told the country he was done, headed for the private sector. By July he'd changed his mind. Chris Pappas, the DA's rising star and mayor of the party's only municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, explains to Alec Hogg why nobody in his own caucus would take the job, what that says about the DA's succession problem, and why he thinks a 25 to 30% national showing is realistic for the party come November. Plus: Gayton McKenzie's R31 million World Cup bill, South32's big bet on copper, and the helium squeeze putting an obscure Free State gas field on the world's radar.
The PIC's governance crisis has reached the regulator. Hours after suspending CEO Patrick Dlamini and acting CIO August Uys, the board now faces a formal FSCA Section 135 investigation into governance, leadership and transparency at the R3.5 trillion asset manager. DA federal finance chairperson Dr Mark Burke tells Alec Hogg why this is the fifth executive suspension in two years, how a murky Lanseria Airport shareholding sits behind Dlamini's fall, and why two ANC factions inside the GNU are pulling in opposite directions on the PIC's unlisted investments. Also on today's Edge: Amazon's quiet regulatory win over Starlink, a rescue deal taking shape for ArcelorMittal's Newcastle Works, and a tidy payday for Prosus in Uber's swoop on Delivery Hero.
South Africa House in Trafalgar Square, a fixture of SA's diplomatic presence in London since 1933, has closed its doors, with the DA's Ryan Smith blaming decades of Dirco neglect and Dirco insisting it's a planned upgrade. Alec Hogg unpacks the row, plus three stories reshaping money and power: the PIC's suspension of chief executive Patrick Dlamini has drawn a formal FSCA probe, chipmaking giant ASML posted a decisive earnings beat, and IBM suffered its worst single-day share drop in history after admitting AI spending is gutting its legacy software business. Four institutions, one lesson: neglect gets found out.
In this Director's Cut of BizNews editor Alec Hogg's conversation with IRR CEO John Endres, the full, unedited exchange goes well beyond BEE and the diaspora. Endres unpacks why R1.8 trillion in corporate reserves and R1.5 trillion parked offshore still isn't flowing home, why Washington's frustration with Pretoria is bipartisan and deepening, and why Treasury's decision to freeze equitable-share payments to Johannesburg and 68 other municipalities is a warning shot that could escalate. He also weighs in on the DA's internal turmoil following Steenhuisen's public break with new leader Geordin Hill-Lewis, and why he still won't drop his "conditional optimism" on South Africa.
Dr Frans Cronje joins Alec Hogg for a wide-ranging catch-up that reframes the week's political noise into something more useful: a structural theory of why the DA is stuck and what it actually has to do next. His regime change argument is sharp — South Africans have lost confidence in the ANC, but they haven't yet gained confidence in the DA as a replacement. Until they do, the country sits in no-man's land. His defense of Tony Leon is equally direct: what Steenhuisen has alleged is lobbying, not state capture, and conflating the two is both factually wrong and damaging to the economy. Also today: Prosus raises $1.65 billion in investment-grade AI-era debt; Hyprop's oversubscribed JSE capital raise proves the exchange is working exactly as it should; and Rob Hersov makes the case for flagpole neutrality at Bishops.
Chery just took over Nissan's old Eastern Cape plant, plugging straight into a subsidy scheme that costs South Africans over R40 billion a year, split between just seven manufacturers. Trade expert Donald MacKay tells Alec Hogg why this isn't a normal acquisition, and how the deal appears to sidestep a contribution other big players like Vodacom and Coca-Cola had to make. With a parliamentary review looming in September, is this subsidy model built to last?
Ramaphosa has handed the R300 billion social grants portfolio to Dina Pule - the minister Parliament once fined for persistently lying about a contractor relationship. Forensic investigator Paul O'Sullivan meanwhile spent six hours before the commission this week - speaking to Alec Hogg yesterday, he lays out uncomfortable history on General Mkhwanazi that cuts against the whistleblower narrative. Apple is negotiating chips from Chinese firms blacklisted for military ties to Beijing, while SARB governor Kganyago warns inflation expectations are creeping above target heading into July's rate decision.
Today's BizNews Edge covers three stories that cut to the heart of South African business and politics. John Steenhuisen has broken publicly with the DA, naming Geordin Hill-Lewis and Tony Leon in allegations that threaten serious damage to the party just months before the 2026 municipals. Prosus, once a byword for discount and drift, has delivered full-year results that show a genuine turnaround — every regional ecosystem now profitable, Takealot breaking even for the first time, and a buyback programme outpacing Meta and Apple. And then the story Alec Hogg has been building toward for months: Malcolm King, the invisible man behind the Steinhoff fraud, found dead in a Cotswolds village — poisoned by a Romanian sex worker — before justice could reach him. The Reserve Bank reckoning rolls on. This one is worth your full attention.
Rian Malan is the author of My Traitor's Heart — a bestseller translated into 11 languages, still in print decades after publication, and a book that drew praise from V.S. Naipaul, John le Carré and the New York Times as one of the most important works ever written about South Africa. In short, he is the real thing, one of the finest non-fiction writers our country has produced. And for me, easily the greatest living SA writer. Commissioning Malan at rates that reflect his stature is beyond what BizNews can fund from its operating budget. The economics of modern media — collapsing CPMs, platform aggregation, subscription fatigue — make it impossible. But a BizNews community member has changed that. Their donation has seeded a commissioning fund dedicated to sourcing the very best South African writing and research for our readers: work we could not otherwise afford. This is not charity. It is an investment in the journalism South Africa needs — fearless, deeply reported, written with the skill that makes it stick. If this piece moves you, consider joining the fund. Write to me via alec@biznews.com. Not to cover salaries or overheads, but to put more Rian Malans in front of more South Africans. And for the rest of the tribe, enjoy. - Alec Hogg
Today's Daybreak covers the landmark US-Iran peace deal and the Federal Reserve's unanimous decision to hold interest rates steady. Alec Hogg analyses DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis's strategic cabinet demotion of Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen. We also unpack SpaceX's massive $2.52 trillion IPO valuation, the Western Cape's expanding provincial policing powers, and South Africa's missed exploration opportunities despite holding the world's largest remaining gold endowment.
In this Boardroom Talk, BizNews editor Alec Hogg unpacks the political and practical unravelling of John Steenhuisen's tenure as South Africa's Minister of Agriculture. From the foot-and-mouth disease crisis that exposed a fatal mismatch between parliamentary skill and executive capability, to three damning High Court cost orders, Hogg traces how one of the DA's most respected figures ended up on the wrong side of the very accountability standards his party championed. But this isn't just a post-mortem. It's also a sharp-eyed assessment of what new DA leader Jordan Hill Lewis's decisive — and graceful — cabinet reshuffle reveals about the kind of leader he intends to be. Performance over loyalty. Outcomes over comfort. Is this the beginning of something different in South African politics?
BizNews editor Alec Hogg leads with a political signal investors shouldn't miss: the DA is moving to replace John Steenhuisen as Agriculture Minister after three High Court cost orders — and his proposed successor is an actual farmer. Then Dr. Duarte da Silva's third paper on South Africa's gold lands with force: the Witwatersrand holds as much gold underground as it has ever produced, Australia spends 70 times more exploring its endowment, and SA's share of African exploration budgets has collapsed from 35% to 7%. On the JSE: Premier Group is the standout — net profit up nearly 30% while digesting the RFG acquisition. Vukile raises R2.8 billion for Italy, heavily oversubscribed. Stor-Age quietly accumulates institutional buyers. Powerfleet's integration pain is finally paying off. And Brikor heads for the exit. The close ties it together: the political story and the gold story are the same story.
In today's BizNews Daybreak: Global markets rallied after President Trump halted planned military strikes against Iran. In South Africa, the Patriotic Alliance clinched a major by-election victory in Malmesbury, weakening established parties. Meanwhile, Alec Hogg unpacked South Africa's overlooked multi-billion rand gold mining fortune. Finally, we highlight Adobe's executive shakeup amid strong AI product demand and rising concerns that steep ticket prices are excluding ordinary soccer fans from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Alec Hogg opens with a thesis from Merrill Lynch veteran Dr. Duarte de Silva: South Africa's abandoned gold mines and tailings dumps — written off at $300–$800/oz — are generating margins above $3,000 per ounce at today's prices. The Witwatersrand Basin still holds as much gold as has ever been extracted from it. Yet exploration spend has collapsed 95% from its 2006 peak. On the JSE: Wesizwe Platinum surges 90% as its year-long trading suspension lifts; Pan African drifts lower despite a sound Australian acquisition; Fortress Real Estate impresses on logistics; Alexander Forbes delivers flat earnings on strong revenue; and Bell Equipment executes a textbook CEO handover. Globally: the ECB raises rates, Belfast burns, and OpenAI flags Chinese disinformation targeting US data centres.
BizNews editor Alec Hogg unpacks a day when geopolitics, markets and history collided. SPAR's SA operating profit collapsed 73% — yet the stock rallied on relief. Afrimat's Competition Tribunal disposal barely moved the needle. MTN laid out its Ambition 2030 strategy and the market sold the news. Then the big stories: US and Iranian forces exchanged strikes near the Strait of Hormuz, Bill Gates faced Congress over his Epstein ties, and SpaceX set a fixed IPO price of $135 — with $250bn of demand for a $75bn raise. Friday's listing could be the most consequential in a generation.
A six-year delay, constitutional criticism, and allegations of misleading the court - Rob Rose's investigation into South Africa's Competition Tribunal raises serious questions about accountability and economic governance. In this hard-hitting discussion with Alec Hogg, Rose unpacks how regulatory paralysis, questionable decision-making, and a lack of consequences are undermining business confidence and investment. From stalled competition cases to broader failures across state institutions, this conversation explores why efficient, credible regulation is essential for economic growth and South Africa's future prosperity.
Johannesburg's new budget lays bare a city in financial distress: less than 10 days of cash reserves, a R220 billion infrastructure backlog, and revenue targets that ignore the fact that nearly half its water never gets billed. Alec Hogg dissects the numbers that every ratepayer and bondholder should see. Then: Jubilee Metals tries to win back the market with a credible operational update from Zambia; Araxi (formerly Capital Appreciation) posts softer headline numbers that mask an 80% surge in its core software earnings; a hostile takeover battle at Mustek nears its conclusion; and why a director selling shares at ASP Isotopes is not what it looks like. And in the second half — SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic are heading for public markets with a combined valuation pipeline of over $3 trillion. Alec draws the parallels with 1999, and asks the question Wall Street is afraid to answer: are we at the top?
Omnia and Sygnia deliver standout half-year numbers and shareholders cheer. PPC posts 84% profit growth and the stock drops 3.5%. Alec Hogg unpacks three SENS announcements that tell you everything about how markets actually work — and why beating expectations matters more than beating last year.
In today's BizNews Daybreak, South African farmers win a massive High Court order against Agriculture Minister John Steinhauser over livestock vaccine restrictions. Globally, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza target new Hamas military leader Mohammed Odeh, while the US deploys health officers to Kenya to establish an Ebola quarantine facility. Back home, Alec Hogg emphasizes long-term market conviction for deeply discounted local stocks like Purple Capital, Afrimat, We Buy Cars, and Pick n Pay.
BizNews editor Alec Hogg sits down with THIRSTI founder and CEO Rob Hoatson at the company's Tulbagh bottling plant for a wide-ranging discussion on state overreach, private-sector investment, Woolworths, counterfeit bottled water, the informal market and South Africa's looming water infrastructure challenge. Hoatson explains why his family business continues to invest heavily in SA, why standing up to abuse matters, and how THIRSTI has built a differentiated brand in a fast-growing market.
Five years after his explosive Voetsek ANC speech, global entrepreneur Rob Hersov returns to BizNews with a wide-ranging update on South Africa's political and investment landscape. Speaking to BizNews editor Alec Hogg, Hersov weighs in on Cyril Ramaphosa's Phala Phala troubles, the ANC's decline, the GNU's coming reckoning, Prince Mashele's political ambitions, Gayton McKenzie's rise, the 2026 municipal elections, and the global impact of the Ukraine and Middle East wars.
President Trump has paused "Project Freedom" in the Strait of Hormuz to evaluate a potential agreement with Iran, causing oil prices to retreat as US equities reach record highs. Meanwhile, the SEC proposes shifting to semiannual earnings reports, and AMD reports surging revenue driven by AI demand. Locally, BizNews editor Alec Hogg defiantly rejects legal threats from a deepfake scam syndicate, and intelligence analyst Chris Wyatt discusses the "painful" reality of South African fuel price hikes.
In this episode of Boardroom Talk, BizNews editor Alec Hogg exposes the AI-powered FXSI scam that used deepfake footage of him and President Cyril Ramaphosa on a fake Carte Blanche set to lure unsuspecting South Africans into a fraudulent trading scheme. After BizNews interviewed an anonymous victim who lost more than R24,000, lawyers claiming to act for FXSI demanded the article and podcast be removed. Hogg's response: no.
Are multinational giants and massive local retailers losing touch with the South African market?. In this episode, Alec Hogg sit down with Rob Rose, Editor-in-Chief of the FM Group, to explore the harsh realities of corporate bullying and executive arrogance. They dissect the recent ProNutro public relations disaster, the devastating consequences of the Woolworths supplier squeeze that killed a local chocolatier, and the ongoing danger of foreign executives ignoring local consumer wisdom.
For the first time in six decades, Warren Buffett is no longer leading the charge at the "Woodstock for Capitalists". Alec Hogg reflects on Greg Abel's first AGM as CEO, exploring Berkshire Hathaway's impressive $11.3 billion in operating earnings and their staunch refusal to deploy capital into sub-par opportunities. This is essential listening for rational investors who understand the power of extreme patience in a hyped-up market.
This interview tells the cautionary story of a South African victim who lost over R24,000 after being drawn into a sophisticated online trading scam run through a platform called FXSI. What began with a convincing video advert and seemingly professional “account managers” quickly turned into a high-pressure scheme, with the victim encouraged to make larger deposits and then pressured to pay more to recover losses. The interview highlights how manipulative and believable online investment scams can be, the emotional toll they take on victims, and the importance of verifying any platform before committing money.
In this episode of Boardroom Talk, BizNews editor Alec Hogg unpacks a blockbuster night for global tech investors, with Alphabet, Meta and Amazon all reporting quarterly results. Held in the BizNews Ricardo US dollar portfolio, the three tech titans reveal how artificial intelligence has shifted from promise to hard infrastructure — and hard spending. Hogg explains what booming cloud revenues, massive AI capex, inflated paper gains and resilient core businesses mean for South African investors with offshore exposure.
In today's edition of BizNews Daybreak, we dive into President Trump's strategic move to sustain an economic blockade on Iran over military alternatives. The global market faces further upheaval as the UAE announces its departure from OPEC following decades of membership. Meanwhile, King Charles III delivers a historic address to the US Congress, emphasizing the critical importance of the Atlantic partnership and unyielding support for Ukraine. In local news, environmental activists challenge Eskom's nuclear expansion in the Eastern Cape, citing threats to unique biodiversity and water security. Plus, Alec Hogg analyzes Tesla's $25 billion gamble on the "Optimus" robotic future and unpacks the latest quarterly tech earnings.
Is South Africa about to repeat its most expensive infrastructure mistakes? Ten years after a corruption-laden Russia/Zuma initiative was shelved, the controversial proposal for a nuclear power plant at Thyspunt near St Francis is back on the table. Communities in the Eastern Cape are sounding the alarm at a siting decision rooted in a 'homeland-distant' priority of a fearful Apartheid Regime. In this interview, Alec Hogg speaks with Trudi Malan, a passionate local activist and leader of the Thyspunt Alliance. She exposes Eskom's flawed scoping reports, the deadly lack of evacuation routes for residents, and the devastating threat to a global heritage site recognised as the cradle of modern humankind. Capping it all was the shocking arrogance displayed by officials at the required 'town halls' required as part of the public participation process. This is a must-listen for anyone concerned about South Africa's energy future and the protection of its heritage.
In today's BizNews Daybreak: Global energy markets are on edge as Iranian minelaying in the Strait of Hormuz and a fragile Israel-Lebanon ceasefire extension drive crude oil prices above $105. While the South African Reserve Bank warns of fuel and food inflation, Sasol's stock has tripled by securing domestic supply amidst these geopolitical shocks. In tech, Intel and Tesla shares rallied on massive AI and production forecasts, contrasting with significant job cuts at Meta and Microsoft. Meanwhile, Alec Hogg reflected at the Rotary Club on the success of the eighth BizNews Conference, emphasizing that "Pretoria will not provide" and urging citizens to drive South Africa's turnaround.
Download and read the BNC#8 post-conference PDF here: https://bit.ly/4eB6uCi In a candid address to the Hermanus Rotary Club, BizNews editor Alec Hogg reflects on the key takeaways from BizNews Conference 8, unpacking South Africa's economic stagnation, governance failures, and the growing realisation that “Pretoria will not provide.” Drawing on insights from global and local thought leaders, he highlights both the risks of a “parasitic state” and the opportunities for renewal through civic action, investment discipline, and self-reliance—offering a sober yet ultimately hopeful outlook for the country's future.
In this Boardroom Talk, BizNews editor Alec Hogg unpacks Tesla's shift into AI and robotics, Sasol's resilience amid oil shocks, and Teledyne's disciplined growth — highlighting how each plays a role in a rational, diversified portfolio.
In this Boardroom Talk, BizNews editor Alec Hogg takes a second-level look at three heavyweight shares in the BizNews Ricardo portfolios — Capitec, Chubb and Remgro. He unpacks Capitec's strong growth and rising credit risk, Chubb's underwriting discipline, and Remgro's FirstRand exit as a capital-allocation play, highlighting what each says about management quality and long-term shareholder value. Engage with the BizNews Portfolios here: https://www.biznews.com/investment-webinar/2025/04/09/biznews-portfolios
BizNews editor Alec Hogg sits down with Ranmore Fund Management founder and chief investment officer Sean Peche for an investing masterclass on navigating volatile markets. Using a vivid analogy about buck grazing where the lions lurk, Peche explains why investors should avoid the herd, focus on value, and stay disciplined when fear and greed drive market swings. It's a timely conversation packed with practical lessons for both new and seasoned investors.
In this Boardroom Talk, BizNews Editor Alec Hogg exposes a sophisticated online scam using AI-generated images, fake SABC branding and a fabricated “Carte Blanche” showdown with President Cyril Ramaphosa to lure victims into handing over personal details and money. He explains how the con works, why it is so dangerous, and the red flags every South African should watch for.
In this Boardroom Talk, BizNews editor Alec Hogg details how President Cyril Ramaphosa's appointment of Roelf Meyer as South Africa's envoy to Washington is one of the smartest decisions of his presidency. Hogg says Meyer's credibility, history and stature could help thaw a badly damaged US-SA relationship, ease pressure around AGOA, and signal a long-overdue return to pragmatic, economically minded diplomacy.