Podcasts about biznews

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.

Stef and Daneel Steinmann couldn't buy the vintage Springbok jerseys they kept seeing around Stellenbosch in 2019, a Rugby World Cup year when green and gold were everywhere, so after roughly 100 emails they found a supplier and started their own brand, Old School SA. Six years on, Old School holds official partnerships and licences with the Springboks, Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs, Manchester City and the NBA, and operates branded stores across the country. With Bafana Bafana back at the Football World Cup for the first time in 16 years, Old School is now the official supporters' brand, and their Bafana kit has become so popular that, as Stef Steinmann puts it, “people are sleeping in their jerseys.” In an interview with BizNews, he reflects on their journey and the brother dynamic, how Daneel knocks on doors “making promises” while Stef makes sure those promises are kept, a balance that works. Daneel is already on the ground with Bafana Bafana in Mexico, where they played their first match, while Stef, delayed by a visa issue, is holding the fort in South Africa. What does he attribute their meteoric success to? Uniting people behind the teams they love, because people tend to remember who they were with during the big sporting moments more than the match itself. - Linda van Tilburg

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.

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.

To get Cape fynbos and proteas ready for the Chelsea Flower Show after wildfire one year and drenching rain the next is no small feat. But Leon Kluge, South Africa's plant guru and master designer, has done it again. This year he returned from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London, the world's most prestigious floral showcase, with not only a Gold medal but also the coveted Best Exhibit in the Great Pavilion for Life After Fire. The display, one of South Africa's largest ever at Chelsea, featured 20,000 stems, thousands of burnt protea branches and even blooms from the Drakensberg. In an interview with BizNews, Kluge describes the hurdles he and artist Tristan Woudberg faced, from hostile weather to the soaring cost of flights. South Africans will be able to see the exhibition in September in Stanford in the Overberg, an event dedicated to the community and the flower pickers who helped make it possible. Kluge says South Africa's natural spaces are becoming fewer and more fragile, and that he sees it as his responsibility to tell the story of an ecosystem that is both uniquely vulnerable and admired around the world. – Linda van Tilburg

A young South African filmmaker is heading to Hollywood after her one‑take student film, Ongeluk, rose above more than 8,400 global entries to secure a place in the 2026 Sony Future Filmmaker Awards. Centurion's Talita Brits, 24, will join four other finalists in Los Angeles for a week of masterclasses at Sony Pictures Studios ahead of the gala ceremony on 11 June. Brits told BizNews about the chaos of shooting a high‑stakes, low‑budget film in a single take and why she gravitates toward stories that push audiences to confront uncomfortable ethical choices. Her next project, part of her honours research at the Open Window Institute, explores one of filmmaking's most sensitive challenges: how to portray suicide responsibly. She hopes her work will help young people speak more openly about mental health, depression, anxiety and cyberbullying.

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.

In this interview with Irakli of BizNews, Currency co-founder Giulietta Talevi unpacks the April 23 letter from Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to Joburg Mayor Dada Morero, which laid bare the city's "shocking" financial picture: just R3.9bn in cash against R25bn owed to creditors. "Technically, you would say that it's bankrupt now, and cannot afford an excessively expensive wage deal," Talevi says of the R10.3bn SAMWU agreement at the heart of the dispute. She explains why Moody's downgrade watch is really about governance — not just numbers — pointing out that the city's failure to produce its audited financial statements "indicates serious deterioration in governance, and not just Joburg's financial health." Two deadlines loom: audited financials owed to the JSE by May 31, and a R1.4bn bond repayment due June 22. Talevi explains that because the debt is unsecured, all creditors "are treated equally" — meaning a single default event could trigger every lender to call in their loans simultaneously. She also raises the spectre of moral hazard, citing Chartis Asset Management's Ian Scott on what he calls a "treasury-funded put" — the idea that bailing out Joburg signals to leadership that they "can mess up, you can collapse the financial situation of the country's biggest Metro… and we'll bail you out because you're too big to fail." When Irakli draws a parallel to the e-toll saga, Talevi agrees taxpayers are "on the hook again" — paying their taxes only to face additional costs for the basic services those taxes were meant to fund.

Egoli Youth Empowerment started with squash courts in Soweto and grew into a holistic youth development programme spanning sport, academic support, life skills, leadership, entrepreneurship and urban farming. Director Glenn Lazarus and Programme Director Sharon Sibanda tell BizNews how EYE is creating safe spaces, developing young talent, and helping vulnerable youth in Soweto and Johannesburg's inner city build confidence, resilience and opportunity.

Another victim has come forward to share her experience of allegedly being scammed by FXSI, a company accused of using sophisticated online tactics and deepfake-style advertising to lure victims into fraudulent investments. In this follow-up interview with BizNews, the victim explains how she first encountered the scheme through social media adverts that appeared credible and professionally produced, creating the impression of a legitimate investment opportunity. The victim shares details how scammers built trust over time through persistent communication and promises of significant returns, before allegedly pressuring them into depositing more money. The interview also explores the emotional toll of the ordeal, the difficulties victims face after realising they have been deceived, and the steps she has taken to report the matter to authorities, including the South African Police Service. As AI-generated scams and impersonation fraud become increasingly sophisticated, this interview highlights the growing risks facing ordinary South Africans online. The victim's decision to speak publicly adds to mounting concerns around deepfake financial scams exploiting trusted public figures, media brands, and the credibility of online investment advertising.

Discount retailer Boxer is accelerating its expansion strategy with 50 new stores added over the past year and a growing focus on liquor outlets attached to supermarkets. In an interview with BizNews, Marek Masojada says the retailer remains confident in its low-cost model despite mounting pressure from rising energy costs and intensifying competition. With a new KZN distribution centre now online, strong cash generation and plans for 60 more stores, Boxer is betting big on value-conscious South African consumers.

In this interview with BizNews, Ryan Passmore – Durban-based fintech founder of ZenFund Connect – unpacks why he believes South Africa's student funding system is broken, and how he proposes to fix it. Passmore points to the "missing middle": households earning between R350,000 and R600,000 a year, who are too well-off to qualify for NSFAS but cannot afford the R19,000 a month the University of Pretoria says it costs to put a child through an undergraduate degree. He cites stark 2026 figures – NSFAS received over 900,000 first-time applications, with more than 100,000 rejected outright, while of 500,000 continuing students assessed, only 100,000 were approved. Passmore says: "I believe the missing middle is South Africa's policy blind spot." He outlines how ZenFund Connect – a nonprofit student life ecosystem associated with the Chad le Clos Foundation, spanning South Africa's 26 public universities – aims to plug the gap through three integrated modules: finance, DHET-verified student accommodation, and career placement. Passmore argues that bursaries and loans alone will not solve graduate unemployment; only an end-to-end ecosystem that walks with the student from matric through to a job placement can shift the trajectory of the working-class families he calls the country's invisible backbone – the nurses, teachers, civil servants and small business owners whose children South Africa cannot afford to lose.

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.

In today's BizNews Daybreak: A sobering first-hand account of a deepfake investment scam that cost a BizNews community member over R24 000. We also analyse the latest earnings from Google, Meta, and Amazon, where artificial intelligence is driving both massive revenue growth and a historic surge in infrastructure spending. Finally, we cover President Trump's "Project Freedom" initiative to guide neutral ships through the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions in the Persian Gulf.

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.

The United Kingdom remains a stable and attractive property investment destination for South Africans, says Mikayla Morkel-Brink from immigration specialists Sable International. She explained to Biznews in an interview that rental demand is driven by a chronic undersupply of housing and consistently high tenant demand. For South Africans, the appeal is reinforced by realistic net yields of 7–8% and mortgage rates of around 4–5%, far lower than in South Africa. Asked whether the upcoming Renters' Rights Act will affect landlords, MorkelBrink says the shift toward more openended leases, rather than fixed 12month contracts, is unlikely to have a significant impact in the regional university university cities such as Leeds and Birmingham where Sable operates. The company is also highlighting new opportunities in Reading, a regeneration hotspot on the Thames within easy reach of London. – Linda van Tilburg

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.

Jock of the Bushveld, the classic story of how the runt of the litter became the trusted, gutsy companion of Sir Percy FitzPatrick during South Africa's goldmining era, is one of the country's most enduring stories. The book once outsold the Bible locally and was adapted into a feature film by producer Duncan MacNeillie, released in 1986. Now, a new generation will be able to see the film, which is being upscaled in 4K with the help of AI. In an interview with BizNews, MacNeillie said his original master copy of the film was destroyed and that, for years, he tried unsuccessfully to upgrade the film, which enjoyed one of the longest theatrical runs in SterKinekor's history. Financially, the theme song, Spirit of the Great Heart, became Johnny Clegg's most successful song. With recent advances in AI, MacNeillie is now able to restore and rerelease the film for a new generation. While Disney showed interest at the time, the film was blocked internationally because of apartheid. This beloved story will now be available first to South African audiences and then worldwide. – Linda van Tilburg

Stellenbosch student‑turned‑founder Veer Gosai built an edtech platform serving millions of school pupils with free past exam papers – and he's not only a tech entrepreneur. A stolen ID led him to uncover fraud in the SASSA grant system. In this BizNews interview, Gosai talks about how his exam‑prep platform Taptic has expanded to seven African countries, with another eight in his sights; why he believes AI is detrimental to the youth in a country where more than 80% of Grade 4s cannot read for meaning; and, in an interesting titbit, how his data shows that Grade 9s are the “laziest” learners in South Africa. – Linda van Tilburg

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.

South Africa's housing backlog exceeds 2.5 million units, with more than 4,000 informal settlements straining municipalities for serviced land. KwaMashu-born architect Wandile Mthiyane, who grew up in a mud-brick shack, is developing Ubuntu Home – an AI platform designed to provide people with land, services and AI tools so they can design and build their own homes. In a Biznews interview, Mthiyane recalls his aunt receiving a Mandela-era housing list number but recently dying still in the same shack. He says the crisis needs decentralised solutions, not more top-down contractors. The Obama fellow and future Harvard student launched the Walk for Home to raise R3 million to develop and scale the platform. He reports receiving many offers of accommodation, financial assistance, and support within days. – Linda van Tilburg

Heavily armed illegal mining syndicates are no longer just a problem for abandoned shafts and remote communities. In this interview, De Wet du Toit of the Blyde River Task Force tells BizNews how zama-zama operations linked to foreign criminal networks are threatening South Africa's water systems, tourism economy and wildlife heartland, while residents, farmers and activists face growing danger on the ground.

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.

In this Boardroom Talk podcast, BizNews editor Alec Hogg details how South Africa is sitting on extraordinary oil and gas potential just as the world searches for safer energy sources beyond the volatile Middle East. Using fresh discoveries in the Republic of Congo and Namibia as examples, he makes the case that regulatory paralysis, ideological resistance and government indecision are stopping South Africa from unlocking investment, jobs and badly needed growth.

South Africa's Hartebeesthoek ground station has once again proven its strategic value in deep space exploration, delivering critical tracking support for NASA's historic Artemis II mission, the first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years. SANSA Space Operations Executive Director Raoul Hodges told BizNews in an interview, how the station's veteran 12-metre antenna provided essential one-way data to help pinpoint the Orion spacecraft, the excitement in the control room during passes behind the Moon's far side, and why South Africa's Southern Hemisphere location remains vital for global lunar missions. Looking ahead, Hodges outlines plans for the new Matjiesfontein ground station and efforts to train the next generation of South African space professionals as the country positions itself for Artemis III, IV and the intensifying international space race. – Linda van Tilburg

Adriaan Wildschutt came so close to an Olympic medal in Paris, delivering the country's strongest performance at the 2024 Games. With no track world championships on the calendar this year, Wildschutt shifted his focus to the roads and stormed to victory at the New York City Half Marathon in a blistering 59:30. Speaking to BizNews from Arizona, where he trains at altitude, Wildschutt reflected on a journey that began in Ceres and was propelled by a Zola Budd athletics scholarship that took him to the US. He now has his eye on the marathon at the LA Olympics in 2028. Alongside his athletic ambitions, Wildschutt is preparing for the release of his memoir, Change of Pace, which explores how hard work carried him from humble beginnings to the world stage, and has colaunched an electrolyte drink, Hybrid Water. The 27yearold, who has an MBA, emphasises the importance of good grades for athletes who want overseas scholarships and shares one gripe about South Africa: professional runners can't access university tracks without special permission, making it especially tough for young athletes without resources. – Linda van Tilburg

With one in five people in the world suffering from hearing loss, hearing care remains one of the least accessible areas of healthcare globally. A South African innovation led by University of Pretoria professor De Wet Swanepoel has helped to change that reality, using smartphones to take hearing screening, diagnostics and even treatment out of clinics and into communities. In an interview with BizNews, Prof Swanepoel explains how hearX, a company he founded and which was spun out of the university, developed digital tools for screening, clinical testing and selftest solutions that caught the attention of the World Health Organization. Prof Swanepoel highlights how hearX developed a probe to enable hearing screening for newborns, and how the company is addressing the exorbitant cost of hearing aids, which are now available over the counter in the United States. He says other countries, including South Africa, are watching this space closely. hearX has also launched a free AIenabled WhatsApp training programme for teachers, which he says is delivering measurable improvements in awareness and knowledge of hearing loss. – Linda van Tilburg

After drawing more than 65,000 pupils and students last year, the JSE Investment Challenge has set its sights on 100,000 as it looks to build a new generation that's money and investment savvy. In an interview with BizNews, senior JSE CSI officer Ralph Speirs said the impact is clear, with the challenge opening young people's eyes to how they can grow their money over time, and to career opportunities they may never have considered. He says it attracts learners from very different backgrounds, from city schools to rural areas where these conversations often don't happen at home. The 2026 challenge kicks off on 16 March, with registration open until June. – Linda van Tilburg

In his latest interview with Chris Steyn, US intelligence analyst, retired Colonel Chris Wyatt reacts to the new US Ambassador to SA, Brent Bozell 111, being demarched by DIRCO following his first public address at last week's BizNews conference. He comments on the tit-for-tat ultimatums issued by US President Donald Trump and Iran to end the war, and warns that - at this rate - the conflict could last two months. He expresses concern about the apparent censorship coming out of Israel amid speculation about the whereabouts and condition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Meanwhile, Wyatt is optimistic about the future recovery of Dubai - despite the exodus of expats as several Middle Eastern countries are targeted for military retaliation over their US links. He also speaks about the shock shoplifting arrests in the US of SA Reality TV couple, lawyer Peet Viljoen and his wife Mel, as well as the latest drama surrounding the SA Refugee Programme.

Welcome to BizNews Daybreak with Alec Hogg. In today's jam-packed Monday episode, we cover the latest overnight market movements, including gold soaring past $5,000 an ounce and Sasol's massive 17% jump in the past week (12% on Friday). In this episode, we unpack: Global Conflict: US President Donald Trump wants his NATO allies to join the war against Iran. We feature insights from Retired Colonel Joel Rayburn, who worked in the Trump Administration, on the severe military imbalance in the region. Johannesburg Mayoral Race: A fiery debate over the future of Joburg was set between the DA's Helen Zille and the Patriotic Alliance's Kenny Kunene. There was just one problem: only Zille showed up. Listen to her unapologetic take on her opponent's disappearing act. South African Economy: Economist Dawie Roodt is in typical truth-bombing form, arguing that an overpaid, 'parasitic' civil service is actively bankrupting South Africa. Market Safe Havens: Could US tech stocks be a surprisingly safe bet right now?. The FT's Emily Herbert explains how the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has driven a rush to Silicon Valley. Stay ahead of the curve. For the full interviews and more expert analysis, visit BizNews.com. If you enjoyed today's show, please hit the Like button, Subscribe, and share it with your network!

Iran-born economist Iraj Abedian tells BizNews the Iranian regime's confrontation with the West was inevitable, arguing Pretoria has badly misjudged events by aligning itself with a dictatorship accused of massacring its own people. He says the next three to five weeks will be critical for Iran, the Middle East and the global economy, with major implications for oil, BRICS and South Africa's foreign policy.

In today's Editor's Desk, BizNews founder Alec Hogg unpacks the extraordinary escalation in Iran, what it says about Donald Trump's strategy, and why South Africa's closeness to Tehran deserves far more scrutiny. He also points to two sharp pieces — from Gideon Rachman and The Economist — that ask the same central question: what, exactly, comes next?

To reduce poverty in Africa, there are very few silver bullets. Yet energy access is emerging as a rare bright spot, says Eugene Amusin, Head of Strategy and Global Solutions for Social Finance at Citi. He told BizNews in an interview that offgrid solar and payasyougo (PayGo) models are scaling faster than any other energy solution and are transforming rural lives across the continent. Citi is helping mobilise private capital for Mission 300, the World Bank and African Development Bank initiative to connect 300 million people to electricity by 2030, including a landmark $156 million securitisation for Sun King, in Kenya that has drawn new investors into the sector. Amusin says South Africa's success in industrial scale solar offers lessons for the continent, while South Africa itself could learn from its neighbours' rapid expansion of offgrid household systems, still needed by around 10% of homes in the country. – Linda van Tilburg

When using AI in businesses in South Africa, it can be prone to hallucinations as the models have limited training data on local companies, products and regulations. Lars Gumede, a young SwedishSouth African tech entrepreneur, has developed a local AI product called NowNow to give businesses in South Africa better access to AI. In an interview with BizNews, he describes it as the ultimate AI assistant for South African businesses, trained exclusively on SA data including SARS, the CIPC and labour laws. Gumede explains it can handle tasks like email summaries, calendar management, receipt and invoice processing, compliance checks and, crucially, tender discovery. A core focus, he said, is enhancing transparency in government tenders to reduce secretive “nobid” scenarios where corruption thrives, increase competition among bidders and ultimately deliver better value for taxpayers. He has offered his services to the government but says the response has been slow.

In this interview with BizNews, energy expert Thomas Garner looks at the reasons behind the warning in ESKOM's Medium Term Adequacy Report that loadshedding could return in 2029. He describes the various challenges ESKOM would have to overcome to prevent that, and shares what is possible to achieve in new grid capacity with different technologies: coal, nuclear, gas, solar and wind. He stresses that the challenges are “systemic and it comes a long way” and is also as a result of “the monopolistic nature of the animal ESKOM”. Commenting on President Cyril Ramaphosa's SONA statement that the National Transmission Company will be independent being contrary to what ESKOM and the Minister of Electricity had wanted, he says: “There's different factions within ESKOM. There's the faction that wants to see privatisation, a market, and full unbundling and then there's a faction that doesn't want to see it and wants to see the monopoly stay intact as it has been for the last hundred years. So it depends who's the management and it depends who's allowed to have the loudest voice.”

Since the last South African Grand Prix was raced at Kyalami in 1993, the country has made several attempts to bring Formula One back. The circuit has been upgraded to FIA Grade 2 standards, and various promoters, including the Kyalami owners and international partners, have tried to secure a deal with Formula One Management. Most recently, Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie conceded that the 2027 race “will not take place now,” but said government remained committed to landing a future Grand Prix. Anton Roux, a former member of motorsport's governing body, the FIA Senate, and a trustee of the FIA Foundation, says South Africa's real obstacles lie elsewhere, in strained ties with Washington and a lack of political commitment at home. Roux told BizNews that South Africa has not done the diplomatic groundwork needed to convince Liberty Media, the American company that owns Formula One. His advice to the sports minister was blunt: start by backing, and showing up at, the international motorsport events South Africa already hosts, to prove the country can deliver an event that other African nations, like Rwanda, are now openly keen to host. But first, the interview dives into a question many motorheads are asking: Why are electric vehicles so ugly? Is Italian design the answer?

CityMenderSA was created by KwaZuluNatal engineering student Keyuren Maharaj to help residents report and track local infrastructure problems, an idea sparked by his experience chairing a ratepayers' association in Durban. He told BizNews that the app began as a simple tool for documenting servicedelivery failures but has since grown into a national platform covering 36 categories of issues across South Africa.Reports logged on the app are escalated directly to municipal councils, with updates and followups managed through features like WhatsApp integration to encourage faster responses. Maharaj stresses that user privacy is central: the platform collects no personal data beyond the WhatsApp phone number. With AI now built in, CityMenderSA can estimate realtime water loss from leaks and analyse patterns across municipalities. When Maharaj ran the algorithm on seven months of Johannesburg data, even the small sample of issues logged on the app revealed hundreds of thousands of litres of water lost. Bootstrapped from the start, CityMenderSA is already available in Afrikaans, Zulu and English, with more African languages on the way. Maharaj describes it as a “virtual butler for service delivery.” Once an issue is logged, he says, users know it's being tracked, increasing the chances it will eventually be fixed.

In South Africa, high earners face a 45% marginal rate with limited deductions, making Section 12B of the Income Tax Act a powerful tool to ease the tax burden while investing in renewable energy. In an interview with Biznews, Mitchel Fieldgate, wealth manager and alternative investment lead at Pangea Wealth, revealed they have facilitated R1 billion in deductions over the last two years. He noted that while this provides relief for high earners, it has also mobilised billions into commercial solar projects, reducing reliance on Eskom and alleviated load shedding. Fieldgate explained who might not benefit from the tax relief, clarified that it is not a tax loophole, and stressed that the 12B opportunities are not a one-size-fits-all solution. He suggested the government introduce similar tax breaks for repairing other infrastructure, such as water systems or roads, “because it mobilises money and there's no leakage.”

Tonight's BizNews Briefing spans infrastructure, energy, markets and global tech risk. Stephen Moore argues Gauteng's water crisis needs urgent, ring-fenced funding. Dylan Bradfield outlines why Blue Label's non-Eskom power route into municipalities could be a breakthrough. We then track a bumper SENS day led by Glencore's copper pivot and gold-sector windfalls, before Bloomberg explains how AI disruption fears are hitting stocks beyond tech. And we pay tribute to Clem Sunter (1944 - 2026), renowned South African scenario planner and one of the BizNews tribe's most loved contributors.

Following talks between President Cyril Ramaphosa and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the South African men sold into combat in Russia are being processed for their return. In his latest interview with BizNews, the real founder of MKP, Jabulani Khumalo - who has been supporting the families - calls for the arrest of those among the “hijackers” of his party for their alleged involvement in the trafficking “…we are saying to the government of South Africa they must punish these people because they are known who they are. There are five that went to court, but it's not all of them….I don't know why they are still not behind bars…And they are still continuing to make a lot of problems within the communities because they are thugs.” Slamming former President Jacob Zuma, Khumalo says: “Jacob Zuma is allowing all these shenanigans because remember, the government has allowed him for very long to fool the government to abuse our money in going to courts just for him to stay away from jail. And because of that, thinks he's above the law…”

South Africans looking to work or settle abroad, whether for a few years or permanently, are increasingly trapped in a bureaucratic maze created by the South African Revenue Service (SARS), the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) and National Treasury. In an interview with BizNews, immigration tax specialist William Louw of Sable International argues that these authorities operate with overlapping mandates and conflicting definitions of “residency”, leaving ordinary people confused and exposed. The result, he says, is damaging with expats severing all financial ties with South Africa, extract every cent and asset they can, and abandon any intention of returning with their skills or capital. According to Louw, the system even discriminates against South African ID holders living abroad, granting them fewer rights than foreign non‑residents, a contradiction that raises constitutional concerns. Far from protecting the economy, Louw contends, these policies accelerate capital flight, deter future investment and ultimately undermine South Africa's long‑term economic prospects.

South Africans looking to work or settle abroad, whether for a few years or permanently, are increasingly trapped in a bureaucratic maze created by the South African Revenue Service (SARS), the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) and National Treasury. In an interview with BizNews, immigration tax specialist William Louw of Sable International argues that these authorities operate with overlapping mandates and conflicting definitions of “residency”, leaving ordinary people confused and exposed. The result, he says, is damaging with expats severing all financial ties with South Africa, extract every cent and asset they can, and abandon any intention of returning with their skills or capital. According to Louw, the system even discriminates against South African ID holders living abroad, granting them fewer rights than foreign non‑residents, a contradiction that raises constitutional concerns. Far from protecting the economy, Louw contends, these policies accelerate capital flight, deter future investment and ultimately undermine South Africa's long‑term economic prospects.

Gold's Wild Ride: Gold prices experienced extreme volatility this week, surging past $5,600 before dropping back to $5,200. The Rand strengthened to R15.83 against the Dollar. Tech Giants Diverge: Meta: Surged 10% after strong results, defying market expectations. Microsoft: Plunged 10% in a single day, a massive move for the tech giant. Apple: Reported record holiday sales driven by the iPhone 17 and a rebound in China, with revenue jumping 16%. Crypto Slump: Bitcoin struggled, dropping 6% to trade around $83,500. New Fed Chair: President Trump is expected to nominate Kevin Warsh as the next Federal Reserve Chair, replacing Jay Powell. The "Taco" Trade: Financial Times columnist Rob Armstrong explains the "Taco" acronym ("Trump Always Chickens Out"), suggesting markets now bet that Trump will retreat from extreme policy threats (like 25% tariffs) once markets react negatively. Local Movers: JSE miners like South32, Glencore, and BHP tracked commodity prices higher, while BizNews portfolio members Afrimat (+6%) and Sabvest (+5%) enjoyed significant gains. AI and Jobs: Contrary to fears of mass unemployment, experts argue AI may increase the need for human workers to manage growing system complexity.

CapeNature, the Western Cape agency tasked with protecting its nature reserves, is confronting two threats: destructive summer wildfires and a surge in wildlife crime as international syndicates target everything from abalone to rare succulents and reptiles. In one case, a 126 kg shipment of succulents was intercepted at OR Tambo International Airport. In an interview with BizNews, Pierre de Villiers, CapeNature's Senior Manager for Marine and Coastal Operations, outlines the scale of the crisis. He says that succulents now fetch prices that rival rhino horn and explains how a coordinated, intelligence-led enforcement model, drawing in the Police, private sector partners and local communities and the navy, is beginning to turn the tide in the Overberg.