Podcasts about biznews

There are particular fields in which those that stray from the official narrative are instantly shunned as dissidents. Climate change is one of these. Dr Judith Curry, Professor Emeritus and former chair of the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology, has become known as one of the outspoken scientists who doubt the “scientific consensus” on climate change. As a result, she was “academically, pretty much finished off” and “essentially unhirable”. However, this didn't slow down the bold climatologist. BizNews spoke to Curry about her views on climate change and the impact that human beings have had on the planet. A delightfully fascinating discussion ensued in which Curry explained her objection to the “manufactured consensus of scientists at the request of policy makers” and how far reality really is from the grim picture painted by environmental activists. Curry made sense of recent extreme weather events and indicated that “Earth has survived far bigger insults than what human beings are doing”. An eye-opening interview. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The now former mayor of Joburg, Dr Mpho Phalatse, wants her job back and she's turning to the courts to try and snatch back the reins from what she calls the ANC's “coalition of corruption”. She was ousted in a motion of no confidence last week in a process she'll be challenging through the courts. BizNews correspondent Michael Appel spoke to the DA's deputy caucus leader in Johannesburg, Bongani Nkomo, to unpack Phalatse's ousting in a "coup", the looming court case, the crisis within the multi-party coalition, and the ongoing public spat with ActionSA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After September's near double digit average drop in stock prices around the world (including the JSE which lost 9% in Dollar terms), investors are justifiably nervous as the fourth quarter of 2022 begins. Corion's David Bacher, however, offers some positive suggestions - specifically on South African financial and resources shares which he reckons offer value, especially relative to offshore alternatives. A realist, Bacher remains cautious about local economic prospects, but says valuations are just so low that avoiding these stocks would be a mistake. On the other hand, he is staying away from offshore stocks, especially in the US, where the Bear's Grip is tightening. He spoke to Alec Hogg of BizNews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As trains ground to a halt in South Africa due to loadshedding and cable theft, forcing rail commuters to rely on taxis, students from Soshanguve Technical High School decided to come up with a solution and developed a solar powered train locomotive. It has photovoltaic panels fitted to the roof, moves along an 18-metre test track and can reach speeds of up to 30km an hour. Acting principal of the school, Tladi Mashiane, told BizNews the University of Pretoria had offered to help the school with its innovation drive, while pupils Ronnie Masindi, Princess Nkwana and Lethabo Nkadimeng that we spoke to were surprised by the huge amount of publicity their experiment attracted. The pupils were invited to display their solar train at the Sasol Innovation Expo. – Linda van Tilburg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite increasing reports relating to vaccine injuries and deaths and widespread data which has reliably brought the safety of Covid-19 vaccines into question, the DA has continued to push for higher vaccine uptake by the South African population. To find out how the DA justifies their unwavering stance in respect of Covid-19 vaccination, BizNews spoke to DA Shadow Minister of Health Michéle Clarke. In addition, Clarke clarified the DA's position in respect of the proposed NHI Bill Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The DA's leader in the Eastern Cape, Nqaba Bhanga, believes the unfolding coalition drama in Johannesburg is perhaps a cautionary tale for managing coalitions in Nelson Mandela Bay where his party's Retief Odendaal has just assumed the mayoral position. The NMB Metropolitan Municipality has been rocked by years of chaos, a lack of services, and corruption. BizNews correspondent Michael Appel spoke to Bhanga about the recent arrest of three former DA councillors, along with the acting city manager in the metro, among others, about their alleged involvement in corruption which resulted in former Mayor Athol Trollip being ousted in 2018. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's back to a focus on investments in our regular interview with top performing global fund manager, London-based value investor Sean Peche of Ranmore. The obvious question is whether the chaos currently rocking UK financial markets - and Europe's - presents an opportunity for investors. Peche draws on two of his industry's greatest minds - Warren Buffett and Howard Marks - to explain why it's now opportune to swim against the tide, to think beyond the obvious and get greedy at a time when everyone appears to be fearful. He spoke to Alec Hogg of BizNews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode BizNews' Ross Sinclair and Gaurav Nair of Jaltech discuss the outcomes of the Ethereum merge, the adoption of cryptocurrencies, why you should invest in cryptocurrencies, and which crypto exchanges look as though they are going to win. For more information about Jaltech:  https://www.biznews.com/jaltech-cryptocurrency-notes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ukraine's Ambassador to South Africa, Luibov Abravitova, is seeking clarity from DIRCO about whether or not ANC Youth League members travelled to occupied territories in east and southern Ukraine to act as election observers in recent referendums. Four occupied regions of Ukraine - Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, and Donetsk - which make up about 15% of that country, recently held referendums on whether or not to join Russia. The UN, EU, US and Nato-aligned countries regard the referendums as illegitimate, illegal and a sham. Abravitova told BizNews that if ANCYL members are there, "they violated Ukraine's immigration laws by entering into Ukraine". The ambassador refused to be drawn on internal political matters after the DA sought clarity on who funded the trip. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Interviews with Capitec CEO Gerrie Fourie are usually a treat - and this one is no exception. It kicks off with Fourie's perspective on the stock's R30bn market cap drop after a Trading Update three weeks ago and moves through to Interim Results released today which included details of the latest strategic initiatives. Leading these is a massively disruptive move into the mobile phone market where Capitec this week launched a 50% cheaper alternative to over 8m clients who already buy data and airtime through the bank. Also in the spotlight is the impending relaunch of Mercantile Bank as Capitec Business Bank - spearheaded by a simplified, low cost offering for SMEs. Fourie spoke to Alec Hogg of BizNews.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even in progressive, modern society, conversations about sex and porn addiction haven't managed to escape taboo territory. The ever-increasing availability of porn, however, has escalated the issue to a point where ignorance is no longer excusable and frank conversations are imperative to assisting those who struggle with sex and porn addiction to take steps towards their recovery. To discuss the growing societal problem, BizNews spoke to veteran psychotherapist Dr Paula Hall, widely recognised as the UK's leading expert in the field of sex and porn addiction, and entrepreneur Jack Jenkins, founder of tech startup Remojo, an app that assists in recovery from porn addiction. Insights from both Dr Hall and Jenkins provided a comprehensive look into the (still) shamed and misunderstood issue of sex and porn addiction. – Nadya Swart Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prof Zeblon Vilakazi is a nuclear physicist who was employed at CERN, focal point of Europe's nuclear sector and one of the world's most respected centres for scientific research. He also speaks nine languages, including French, German and Russian. In this podcast we neet this much-referenced researcher and academic leader who last January returned to Wits University (where he received a PhD in 1998) to succeed Adam Habib as vice chancellor. Vilakazi is passionate about the role brainpower can and, he believes, will play in developing Africa; unpacks how Wits is replicating the partnership-with-business models pioneered by Oxford University and MIT - and shares how his university is one of only a baker's dozen sites worldwide linking-in to IBM's Quantum Computer project. Fascinating and uplifting. He spoke to Alec Hogg of BizNews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Members of the ANC Youth League are currently acting as "election observers" in occupied territories in Ukraine where referendums were held over five days. Voting took place to decide whether residents of the four regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia wanted to be incorporated into Russia. It's a move widely viewed as a pretext to the full annexation of that area by Russia. BizNews spoke to Steven Gruzd, head of the Russia/Africa programme at the South African Institute of International Affairs for his take on the truly bizarre involvement of ANCYL members in what many around the world consider a "sham". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this wide ranging interview, political heavyweight Helen Zille unpacks the thinking behind a multi-stakeholder group established this week which intends wresting power away from Pretoria to the Western Cape Government. The group is segments in SA's Constitution to argue that on areas where the State is failing, there's a legal obligation on local government to take over. Leading its brief is police services, but its focus also includes restoring the collapse of rail services - and the ability of the Provincial Premier to call Referendums. Zille spoke to Alec Hogg of BizNews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's two years since the Cape Independence Advocacy Group's Phil Craig was first interviewed on BizNews. Back then his secessionist-focused organisation was viewed as part of the lunatic fringe. No longer. The CIAG is among role-players who coalesced this week to create a Working Group who intend using SA's Constitution to force Pretoria to devolve key centralised responsibilities it has failed to supply - including the critical area of policing. Craig explains why he sees the new body as another step towards secession, and takes us inside the meeting where parties representing 60% of the Western Cape's voters committed to being a group of action - motivated by the prospect of a ANC/EFF alliance ruling SA after the 2024 National Election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BizNews last spoke to Action Society's director of community safety, Ian Cameron, three months ago in the wake of his refusal to cower to police minister Bheki Cele at a community meeting - and things have really blown up for Action Society - in a good way. Cameron, who became somewhat of a hero for standing up to Cele, has embraced the attention and used it to focus on sustaining momentum around battling social ills that continue to bedevil South African communities. A South African is murdered every three hours and 120 rapes are reported daily (a crime likely under-reported by 90%). These stats come directly from the SAPS quarterly crime statistics. Cameron also expands on Action Society's involvement as one of nine organisations involved in the Western Cape devolution working group seeking to transfer national policing power down to a local level in that province. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Award-winning South African script writer and film director Craig Freimond likes to work in comedy. He is known for films like Gums & Noses, Jozi, Material, Beyond the River, and New Material. When a young actor Freimond had come to know called Sibusiso Khwinana, the star of the movie Matwetwe, was murdered – for a cellphone – Craig tried to come to terms with how this random act of violence caused unimaginable sadness. Although he is a trauma counsellor at his local police station in Johannesburg and has seen the effects of the country's rampant crime at close range, Freimond was devastated by Sbu's death and decided to make a documentary film to understand why crime in South Africa is so violent and whether something could be done about it. The result is “57” – a documentary film which tries to answer the why and find solutions to the country's violent crimes. For those who would rather run for the hills than watch a film about violent crime in South Africa – the subject is handled in an entertaining and informative manner with solutions offered. Freimond told BizNews that he wanted to start a conversation and sees it as a call to action for society to look at the issue of violent crime in a deeper and more meaningful way. – Linda van Tilburg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest business news and moves with our business brain Nadine HigginsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This month's focused KasiPreneur is a former midnight shift cleaner at Woolworths who tossed in her job six years ago to start a KasiKos business that today employs 18 other people with sales of R165 000 a week. Mbali Kubekha personifies the belief of first dreaming it and then seeing the reality. Apart from seven outlets selling thousands of Chicken Dust and Kotas, she has a booming order-in business via Whatsapp and Facebook. Ms Mbali Kubekha was joined in studio with informal market consultant and author GG Alcock. They spoke to Alec Hogg of BizNews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the average age of first-time home buyers rising in many countries, co-living has become increasingly popular. For most people it may sound like student digs, but communal living blocks are designed for millennials and young professionals. Occupants or ‘guests' have a micro flat or apartment and access to luxury communal spaces that could include swimming-pools, gardens and in some, even a chicken coop. The units are also built to be ‘green', for less of an impact on the environment. Global real estate investment platform, Wealth Migrate has teamed up with Australian co-living developer BNTO, formerly known as Six C, to offer co-living investments as a new asset class. Scott Picken from Wealth Migrate told BizNews that co-living has been one of the most resilient asset classes during the pandemic. Added to this, said Riaan van der Vyver, occupancy rates and yield per square metre is high for co-living investments. Jason Eggleton from BNTO told BizNews Australia is an ideal destination for co-living investments, as Brisbane and Sydney are experiencing a shortfall - and says it's going to take decades for this to change. – Linda van Tilburg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For someone who slept less than two hours last night, new Nelson Mandela Bay executive mayor Retief Odendaal was surprisingly gipper in this interview, one of the first interviews from his new office. After a fractious council meeting that ended at 3:30am this morning, he was confirmed as the leader of a 10-party coalition that put their city ahead of egos and ejected a disastrous ANC/EFF combine which has driven the metro beyond the point of disaster. In this interview with Alec Hogg of BizNews, the DA's newest mayor explains what happened in NMB, what lies ahead - and what he will be doing to ensure the fragile coalition doesn't collapse like the previous DA-led one did in 2018. Odendaal's group carry a huge responsibility - what happens in NMB will be closely monitored as a test case on whether coalition government is a workable option after the 2024 National Election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since Covid-19 became part of our everyday lives, the polarisation of scientists, doctors, families and countless formerly united fraternities has become a staple of ‘the new normal'. Frontline doctors who have served their communities and delivered appropriate medical treatment, always following the all-important principle “first, do no harm” have been sidelined as rogue, even dangerous loose cannons – simply for doing their jobs. Dr Jackie Stone, a veteran primary care physician in Zimbabwe with a profound success rate treating Covid-19, has been put through the wringer for simply doing her job excellently. BizNews spoke to Dr Stone about her stellar track record relating to the early, solution-based treatment of Covid-19 and the consequences she has had to face as a result of diverting from the globally recommended treatment protocol. Dr Stone's story is nothing short of inspiring, but also shocking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After his controversial speech at BNC#4, Rob Hersov answers questions from BizNews founder Alec Hogg and members of the BizNews community.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fourteen years almost to the day after Paul O'Sullivan orchestrated the arrest of South Africa's then corrupt head of police Jackie Selebi, he has repeated this unlikely achievement. This morning, the SAPS's former Commissioner Kgomotso Phahlane was arrested at his luxury home on charges of siphoning R54m of public money to a "business" associate, one Inbanathan Kistiah, who was arrested last night. In this interview the ace forensic investigator tells Alec Hogg of BizNews that he has been on Phahlane's trail for almost seven years, but has paid a high personal price for exposing the crooked cop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two year old ActionSA continues to gather momentum, helped by a laser-like focus on a mission to eject the ANC from ruling South Africa in 2024 - and for it to have no role whatsoever in deciding the country's future path. During this in-depth interview with Alec Hogg of BizNews, ActionSA's leader, former business Herman Mashaba, shares his party's belief that the country's salvation lies in convincing dystopian citizens to regain hope and to participate in the democratic process. To this end it has 180 full-time volunteers pounding the pavements and signing up previously unregistered voters. In this must-listen interview with the man who is among the leader contenders to become SA's president after 2024 national election, Mashaba addresses the Eskom disaster, Knysna, DA "propaganda", being shocked by Carte Blanche's expose' of Agricultural Schools, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this riveting talk at the fourth BizNews conference, mayor of uMngeni Chris Pappas, speaks about the process of being elected to his municipality, the incredible things going on in the municipality as well as what the municipality has managed to accomplish in the short time it's been in office.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Covid-19 came onto the scene, Dr Peter Breggin, known as the “Conscience of Psychiatry” for fifty years, turned his attention to the pandemic and the misuse of science around it. After an illustrious career challenging the field of psychiatry itself, Dr Breggin and his wife Ginger Breggin, another lifelong reformer, co-authored Covid-19 and the Global Predators: We Are the Prey, a book which Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,  the author of The Real Anthony Fauci, endorsed as “the single most comprehensive analysis of the coalition of global predators behind Covid-19”. To discuss the Breggins' bestseller, BizNews spoke to Dr Breggin, who concisely unpacked each of the four parts in the book. Breggins' grasp of the corruption and systematic strategising of ‘the global predators' leading up to Covid-19 is truly distressing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In his insightful presentation at the fourth BizNews conference, South African politician and provincial chairman of ActionSA in the Eastern Cape, Athol Trollip details his extensive political background from his early days in a new and infant democracy post 1994. Skirmishes with the self-serving, corrupt and inept politicians. His tenure as mayor in 2016 all the way to his resignation in 2020 and eventual comeback under ActionSA in 2022. Trollip believes that well governed and dependable coalitions have a large part to play in the future of South Africa, a future he thinks needs to happen now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In recent weeks, the BizNews tribe has been subjected to strong opinions on why 'Value' stocks are about to enjoy a massive re-rating - and high flyers of the past few years set to fall even further after the recent 30% correction. London-based Mark Perchtold presents the counter view, arguing that concerns about inflation running riot are overdone and as a result, that it is time to start accumulating beaten-down Big Tech stocks. The cornerstone of his mindset is a view that technological advances, population growth and benefits of globalisation will continue to exert a powerful influence on price increases. And as a result, that once aberrations like supply chain blockages, interest rate hikes and the Ukraine War are behind us, the world will return to a place where deflation, rather than inflation, is a more likely danger. He spoke to Alec Hogg of BizNews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this conversation with Alec Hogg at the fourth BizNews conference, Charles Savage, CEO of Purple Group and founder of EasyEquities, relates the story of how the platform which 'democratises investing' came to be. He also outlines the future plans for the company and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of CrypTalk, BizNews' Ross Sinclair speak to Gaurav Nair of Jaltech about the coming Ethereum merge, its economic implications and the likelihood of success, as well as the recent scandal surrounding an ISIS sympathiser creating an NFT to potentially fund the terrorist organisation.  For more information about Jaltech: https://www.biznews.com/jaltech-cryptocurrency-notes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On 31 August, the FDA (United States Food and Drug Administration) announced that they had issued EUAs for BA4/5 bivalent Covid-19 quasi-vaccines. The EUA (emergency use authorisation) of these boosters signalled great cause for concern as it indicated that the FDA had once again undergone a further relaxing of their safety and efficacy standards. To discuss the FDA's lowering standards and the apparent absence of pharmacovigilance, BizNews spoke to Dr David Wiseman, a PhD research bioscientist with a background in pharmacy, pharmacology, immunology and experimental pathology. Wiseman, with his extensive skill set and experience, having been one of the top 66 research scientists at Johnson & Johnson, provided clarity on confusing concepts and deep insight into the continued drive towards mass Covid-19 vaccination which he said has “become politicised”. The discussion around immunological addiction relating to the increasingly shortened periods between Covid-19 boosters was both fascinating and gravely concerning. – Nadya Swart Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many people in Alexandra township are battling to make a living and feed their own families. The CEO of LFP Agri, Louis Pulzone, says it's the result of decades of underinvestment in agriculture, increasing competition for land and water, rising fuel and fertilizer costs and climate change. There have been promises of renewal including a project for which R1.3 billion was made available by former President Thabo Mbeki in 2001, but little has changed. Pulzone, who describes himself as a social entrepreneur, is committed to unlocking the potential of agriculture in the township in a sustainable way by introducing incubation training programmes, and Hydro Coop. Pulzone told BizNews that a Hydro Coop is a three-by- three metre multi-functional smart farm that is easy to assemble and has the capacity to raise 1,100 broiler chickens and 3,600 vegetable plants. – Linda van Tilburg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this impassioned speech from the fourth Biznews conference, RW Johnson explores the turbulent history of post 1994 South Africa and some of the decisions taken by the ANC government at the time, which led to the tragic predicament the country now finds itself in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A cracking interview with Sibanye Stillwater's founding and still current CEO Neal Froneman, who believes political correctness is for the insincere - especially in the South African context. In this fascinating half hour he explains why the solution to SA's fraught labour relations lies in "share value" and "stakeholder capitalism" rather than confrontation with "increasingly irrelevant" trades union. Froneman also explains why he supports Rob Hersov's forthright message expressed at BNC#4, shares his view of what is urgently needed for SA Inc to effect a turnaround, and the impact of a sanctioned Russia for platinum and palladium, where Sibanye is a major player. He spoke to Alec Hogg of BizNews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joburg councillor Colleen Makhubele says no one bribed her to vote against her coalition partners in the city's multi-party government. She says she's done it before and would do it again. In an expansive interview with BizNews, Makhubele - who ran as COPE's mayoral candidate for the city in 2021 - explains the rationale behind her decision to vote with a PAC-sponsored motion to remove the DA-aligned speaker of council, Vasco da Gama. This despite COPE forming part of the nine-party coalition that has led the city since the 2021 local government elections with a combined total of 140 out of 270 seats in council. Some councillors from COPE, IFP and the ACDP - all of whom form part of the coalition - voted in favour of the motion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Corion director Garreth Montano explains in this interview how an idea to tap into the best ideas of four free-thinking asset managers is working out. The Prime Concentrated Equity Fund combines between four and eight stock picks by four money managers, with Corion adding a few balancing stocks of its own. Two years since launching, the highly focused fund is significantly outperforming its benchmark, leaving "Flock Stocks" in the dust. Montano spoke to Alec Hogg of BizNews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fun-loving conductor Richard Cock personifies classical music in South Africa. The 73-year-old Maestro this year is celebrating a quarter century of his hugely successful creation Starlight Classics. A musician who dedicated his life to expanding the appreciation of classical music in his homeland shares a fascinating journey - one which took him from childhood in Gqeberha on to Bishops in Cape Town, to eight years in the UK mostly studying Church Music, through to his directorate at now-defunct Classic FM, the niched SA radio station modelled on its British counterpart. Articulate, hopeful and reflective - Cock spoke to Alec Hogg of BizNews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In February this year, the UK government took the decision to shut the Tier 1 investors visa route into the country, more commonly known as the ‘golden visa', citing security concerns. It was effectively closing the stable after the horse had bolted, however, as the visa that allowed wealthy foreign investors with at least £2 million in investment funds to fast-track residency was used to funnel dirty money into London. Mishal Patel from Sable International told BizNews that there are other new routes for South Africans wishing to gain UK residency or citizenship, including a new innovator visa. Added to that, Patel said historic wrongs in terms of discrimination have finally been removed from UK nationality law, which could also lead to thousands of people in South Africa being able to claim British citizenship through their UK-born grandmothers. – Linda van Tilburg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A political tussle is playing out in the City of Johannesburg, following the recent booting out of the DA's speaker Vasco da Gama in a motion of no confidence, with mayor Mpho Phalatse ultimately the next target. Da Gama's ousting was made possible by certain councillors from smaller parties breaking the multi-party coalition agreement, by voting with a motion brought by the PAC (as a proxy for the ANC) to remove the speaker. Cope councillor Colleen Makhubele - who presides as the Chair of Chairs in council - regards herself as the "acting speaker" and has called a special sitting on 13 September. DA deputy caucus leader Bongani Nkomo tells BizNews the party is headed to court on an urgent basis seeking to interdict Tuesday's planned special sitting from taking place. Nkomo says the acting speaker's role falls to the city manager and not Makhubele. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Bacher of Corion Capital engages with many of SA's fund managers. When asked to name his favourite, he recommended we have a chat with ClucasGray's Andrew Vintcent. So we did. Here's the resulting interview with a portfolio manager who believes many unappreciated SA stocks are so cheap they're discounting far worse than even what the worst pessimists are projecting. He spoke to Alec Hogg of BizNews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the past three weeks South Africa's largest asset managers - and particularly Coronation, Allan Gray and Ninety One - have been accused of profiteering at the expense of retail investors. This came in the wake of detailed analysis by Ranmore Funds founder Sean Peche, who holds both CA and CFA qualifications, which showed South African investors were paying much higher fees than their counterparts elsewhere in the world. Coronation's Head of Personal Investments, Pieter Koekemoer, presents the other side of the story in this Right of Reply discussion with Alec Hogg of BizNews.com. In it he argues that Peche's analysis is not a fair comparion; addresses the Coronation incentive model (30% of pretax profits as a bonus); responds to Sygnia founder Magda Wierzycka's scathing attack in Coroantion's culture - and explains why it has taken so long for the JSE-listed company to respond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Auditor General of South Africa has released a report naming and shaming 15 government departments who consistently incurred fruitless and wasteful expenditure over five years amounting to R1.5bn. AG CFO Bongi Ngoma also briefed Parliament's Standing Committee on Appropriations about the financial health of government departments, agencies, and state-owned entities. It's a shocking state of affairs. BizNews correspondent Michael Appel takes a look. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the SA money management industry's ultimate insiders, veteran investor Chris Logan, has entered the debate over 'performance fees' charged to small investors via big companies' self-created benchmarks. Logan was a star manager at Old Mutual, BOE Asset Management and HSBC before starting his own company, Opportune, two decades ago. As a shareholder in Coronation, he is urging the company to publicly respond to Ranmore Funds founder Sean Peche's disclosures, which he describes as "explosive". Only one of the big companies tagged by Peche for charging fees not countenanced elsewhere (Ninety One) has offered a response - and then primarily because it was inadvertently named instead of Coronation for a dubious practice conducted by its rival. Adding spice to the mix is that Coronation, whose numbers are public because its shares are listed on the JSE, carves out 30% of its profit into a bonus pool for distribution among 160 staff - in its most recent financial year that came to R700m. Logan says such a huge bonus aligns staff with shareholders. A counter is that it may also encourage profiteering of the kind alleged by Peche. Logan discussed the issue with Alec Hogg of BizNews.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While ANC leadership clings to the notion of winning an outright majority in 2024's national elections, even their own voters believe coalitions are the way of the future. BizNews correspondent Michael Appel unpacks the Social Research Foundation's latest report. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deeply rational Piet Viljoen updates us on his investment perspectives in this wide ranging interview with Alec Hogg of BizNews.com. The BNC#4 keynote speaker contrasts the fortunes of the world's three major economic blocs, but warns that while currency and share markets are priced for this to last indefinitely, nothing is forever. Viljoen also shares his thoughts on the debate over performance fees, sparked by Sean Peche's disclosures on BizNews - providing perspective on seemingly outrageous rumours that the CEO of Coronation Fund Managers is paid a staggering R100m a year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's becoming increasingly obvious that gut health is central to overall wellbeing in more comprehensive ways than previously conceivable. Research into the human microbiome is challenging the traditional definitions and treatment methods of virtually all diseases, from depression to coronary disease. BizNews spoke to Dr William Davis, a cardiologist who transformed health by doing the exact opposite of what all dietary guidelines suggested. The New York Times bestselling author and gut health expert delved into the ways in which gut microbes affect human health and how Big Pharma and Big Agribusiness have been so successful at squashing the dissemination of health messages that threaten their interests. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former President Jacob Zuma's private prosecution of state Adv Billy Downer and News24 journalist Karyn Maughan has been labelled vindictive and an attack on media freedom. In this podcast, BizNews correspondent Michael Appel breaks down the charges laid against Downer and Maughan. The summons - served on Tuesday - instructs the duo to appear in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on 10 October 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

South Africa is way behind the curve when it comes to early-stage venture-backed businesses. The country has not managed to excite the global venture capital community in the same way that other African countries like Nigeria and Kenya. To address this lag, the Local Scale Up programme was launched in 2021 by Endeavor, an international company with a local presence that promotes high-growth entrepreneurs, and the SA SME Fund. The programme supports a cohort of early stage tech start-ups and help them access markets, mentors and capital. The managing director of Endeavor in South Africa, Alison Collier, told BizNews the companies in the programme have seen excellent growth and are expected to deliver R3 billion in revenue by the end of the year. Job growth has almost doubled in the last six months. The SA SME Fund's Ketso Gordhan told BizNews about the pitfalls of grant funding and said venture capital in South Africa was about driving costs down, but in South Africa it is geared to solving crucial societal problems. – Linda van Tilburg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the BizNews conference last week, David Bacher invested time with Sean Peche to better understand the whistleblower's perspective on SA money manager performance fees - and was particularly interested in the way big companies restrict access to the investment platforms (which they own). He shares his conclusions on both aspects in this interview with Alec Hogg of BizNews. Plus Bacher also provides insights into the Corion Report, the regular review of investment markets over the past month - and takes a stab at a trifecta of accurate forecasts after being spot on with his predictions for July and August. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices