Podcasts about biznews

The General Botha was originally an ex-Royal Navy cruiser, later converted into a training ship that served as a nautical college from 1922 to 1989. To honour the proud legacy of South Africa's only training ship, former students established the SATS General Botha Association Bursary Fund in 2011. The fund aims to provide life-changing educational opportunities for young South Africans pursuing careers in maritime studies. In an interview with BizNews, Tony Nicholas - chairman of the association and himself a former cadet, shared what it meant to train four Chiefs of the South African Navy, a Victoria Cross recipient from World War II, and a Mayor of Johannesburg. Nicholas explained that the training includes compulsory school projects, mentoring, and a range of activities such as swimming, pre-sea training, sailing, and motor boating, all supported by skilled volunteers. He noted that the Bursary Fund is viewed as a way to perpetuate the legacy of the General Botha and honour all those who trained aboard her.

Amid outrage over government's delay to launch the Commission of Inquiry into the explosive allegations of Police Capture made by whistleblowing general Lucky Mkhwanazi - and fears of a cover-up in the making, BizNews speaks to Juanita du Preez of Action Society over the smoke and mirrors behind the scenes. “If people have very big secrets to conceal…,they will do anything to keep it covered and secret. That's why we see everybody scrambling around and we don't know what is going on exactly behind the scenes, where the alliances are.” She questions whether Police Minister Senzo Mchunu - who is on special leave -might be seeing his alliances dry up. As for former Police Minister Bheki Cele, she says: “…I don't I don't think his alliances are that strong anymore…maybe he overstepped into the criminal world too much. We all know he was involved in the criminal world, but maybe his alliances were not as strong as he thought. And people are covering their own backs, not his, because he doesn't have power anymore.” As for General Mkhwanazi who is continuing to open cans of worms, Du Preez says: “We should be careful not to make him a messiah, but at least he's a whistleblower. And it seems like he really does have...the best interest of the South African Police Service and South Africans at heart.”

Studying abroad is becoming more complex for South African students as visa rules tighten, and compliance thresholds rise. Brent Morris from Sable International told BizNews that UK institutions now risk losing their licence to sponsor international students if over 5% of visa applications are rejected. He said, while the UK and USA remain top choices, interest is growing in postgraduate options in Germany, Spain, Ireland, and Australia. Sable International, which claims a 100% placement success rate, recently secured a German university acceptance in just two hours. Morris says the company stays closely connected with students, helping them land internships and jobs abroad. And the most common question asked by parents: "How will my child feed themselves?". The company is hosting educational expos across South Africa in September, offering students a chance to meet university representatives and advisers.

With MTN facing mounting legal challenges because of its links to Iran, BizNews interviews US Attorney Nicholas Reddick whose firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher and partner firm Sparacino have filed five lawsuits on behalf of over 500 American veterans and family members who lost their loved ones in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. “…there have been former employees or officials at MTN that have come forward and provided evidence that we believe establishes our allegations that MTN was knowingly supporting terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan…we believe we've obtained evidence and have, again, well-founded allegations that everyone at the highest levels of MTN knew what was going on”. Asked if President Cyril Ramaphosa's name features in the lawsuits, Reddick says: “Yes, so he does appear in our complaint. You know, he was heavily involved in the leadership at MTN for a time.” As for the US Government's Grand Jury investigation into MTN, Reddick - a former Department of Justice Prosecutor - says: “Typically when the department opens a grand jury investigation, it's because they believe they have well founded evidence of wrongdoing.” **Read MTN's full response to the interview here: https://www.biznews.com/sa-investing/right-reply-mtn-group-rejects-claims-terrorism-support

Many African cultures use body parts, claws, teeth and hides in rituals. Vultures are often targeted because their keen eyesight is believed to grant clairvoyance. In Limpopo's Blouberg Nature Reserve, VulPro is raising awareness of vultures' vital role; community involvement and youth engagement have reduced muti‑related killings. CEO Keri Wolter told BizNews that school programmes have shifted young people's attitudes — more now report sightings and value vulture protection. Wolter says vultures uniquely consume diseased carcasses and that her interest began after raising an abandoned chick. She said Vulpro is hoping to use the success of the Limpopo project to other hot spots area of South Africa where there is side-by-side living with culture colonies.

Iranian-born and bred economist Dr Iraj Abedian is baffled by loyalty expressed by SANDF general to his homeland's theocratic regime - arguing it carries zero upside and substantial downside for South Africans. Abedian says those who pay General Rudzani Maphwanya's salary - and soon his generous pension - should be demanding an explanation. In this insightful interview, the academic-turned-entrepreneur also offers context on the significant challenges its Iranian connection is causing MTN. He spoke to BizNews editor Alec Hogg.

Ian Cameron, the Chair of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Police and the Democratic Alliance Spokesperson on Police. has vowed to continue his work following a horror attack on his life in which two of his colleagues were also injured. In this interview with BizNews, he describes the violent attack following an oversight visit to the Phillipi SAPS Training Academy that has been mired in allegations of corruption and mismanagement. Despite previous Threat and Risk assessments done by the police that indicated that some kind of protection was necessary for Cameron, that has still not been implemented. As for the motive behind yesterday's attack, Cameron says: “It's not going to stop us, whether it was targeted or not. We're going to continue doing what we do.” At the time of interview two of the three attackers were in custody, one - shot by Cameron - in a critical condition under police guard, while the third was being traced.

In the debut episode of Miningweb.com's flagship show featuring inimitable Peter Major, the conversation covers topical developments of interest to investors. This week's menu kicks off with Anglo American's results and an aborted coal sale to Peabody and accelerates. Major spoke to BizNews editor Alec Hogg.

General Rudzani Maphwanya, whose surname in his native Venda means “to crush”, is far from the politically appointed puppet assumed by many commentators. He is a battle-hardened warrior who commanded SA's most significant military action since 1994 when 200 SANDF troops defended the CAR president against 7,000 rebels for three days. This reality introduces a chilling aspect to statements the General made during last week's visit to Iran, an act threatening to torpedo SA's diplomatic efforts to moderate US tariffs that threaten a hundred thousand jobs in the motor industry and agricultural sectors. William Saunderson-Meyer, author of the Jaundiced Eye, discusses the implications with BizNews editor Alec Hogg.

A small contingent of around 200 South African soldiers faced a force of up to 7,000 Seleka rebels during the Battle of Bangui in March 2013, a conflict that lasted for three days. The South African troops fought with extraordinary bravery and tactical skill, suffering 13 fatalities and 27 injuries while inflicting up to 800 casualties on the rebels. Their allies from the Central African Republic's army (FACA) and the regional force (FOMAC) abandoned them, leaving them exposed and outnumbered. The mission, rooted in a 2007 defence agreement, highlighted significant strategic missteps and severe military capability gaps, including a lack of air support and strategic airlift. This harrowing story underscores the human cost of geopolitical decisions and the critical need for a nation's military ambitions to align with its actual capabilities. Disclaimer: This podcast was created by Google's NotebookLM, with content checked and edited by BizNews.

Despite being the focus of a concerted campaign to eject him from the country, Western Cape Independence protagonist Phil Craig is continuing his fight to get the province out of the country tacked together in 1910 by a colonial power. In this interview with BizNews editor Alec Hogg, the co-founder of the Cape Independence Advocacy Group explains how a five-week working trip to the US - and continued own-goals by Pretoria - has injected fresh momentum into the project.

In this vibrant discussion on a major court victory against South Africa's racist laws that moves into Government over-reach, Lichtenberg's collapse, Cape Independence, Steenhuisen's attack and even Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, Sakeliga CEO Piet le Roux shares his insights with BizNews editor Alec Hogg. Joins many dots.

In the latest Sunday Show on BizNews, Chris Steyn hosts Renaldo Gouws, former Parliamentarian, industrial psychologist and Podcaster to talk about another tumultuous week in South African politics. He examines the motives of the African National Congress (ANC) with the National Dialogue and its move to control the Parliamentary Inquiry into the allegations made by the whistleblowing KZN General “Lucky” Mkhwanazi. “…Ramaphosa has never been the President of South Africa. Cyril Ramaphosa has always tried to be the President of the ANC and trying to save the ANC.” Meanwhile, people have also become “gatvol” of the Government of National Unity (GNU). “So the boogeyman that has been created by political parties, especially the DA, is that we need to stay in the GNU because we're keeping the real enemies out. What real enemies, though, if you've already passed the BELA Act, the NHI Act, the Expropriation Act? What more is there that the opposition would have stood against if you didn't pass what you've passed?” Gouws delves deeply into the racist tweet storm that has hit Sports, Arts and Culture Minister and the Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie. As for the visit to Iran by South Africa's top SANDF general and the misaligned spin from DIRCO, the Minister and the President, he says “…this just reinforces the belief that Cyril Ramaphosa is the weakest president that we've had in this country”.

South Africans love their rusks - or “beskuit,” as we say in Afrikaans. It's a ritual we can hardly imagine our morning coffee without. It was a habit embraced by most of the families Nelia Ngulube, affectionately known as Yaya, worked for - one that eventually prompted her to start baking her own. Yaya's Rusk has now grown into a thriving business and a fast-growing online presence. What began as a financial lifeline quickly snowballed into a social media phenomenon, with Yaya's Rusks gaining thousands of followers and orders within weeks. In this interview with Biznews, Yaya and her social media mentor Kate Wilkinson share the story behind South Africa's beloved Chief Rusk Officer - and what's next for her delicious empire.

A sea-cavorting social media influencer's"swimming in poo" video has sparked a much more serious problem for the tourism magnet that is Cape Town - its centuries-old practice of pumping sewerage into the sea is posing an increasing threat to its tourism boom. One of SA's leading water scientists, Prof Leslie Petrik, unpacks the issue with BizNews editor Alec Hogg.

More and more parties and organisations are withdrawing from the National Convention amid fears that the National Dialogue will become an African National Congress (ANC) monologue. In this interview with BizNews, Dr Theuns Eloff of the Afrikaner Leadership Network (ALN) says: “There are, for good reason, fears and suspicions that the Presidency has taken this over, not as a Government of National Unity, but as an ANC Presidency to steer this process into a certain way and to avert any negative criticism that can come to the ANC.” On top of that there is a real fear that the ANC could misuse the dialogue to boost its chances in local government elections next year. “It's like the ANC says we don't have enough money in our own coffers to run a campaign, let us use the National Dialogue for that. And if the ANC goes ahead alone with these things with public money, then they have a campaign. They can wage their campaign without interference from anyone else.” Furthermore, Dr Eloff expresses concern that President Cyril Ramaphosa sees the National Dialogue as his personal legacy. “It's said in the Presidency that he wants a thousand people there because he wants to make a speech. Now that is not a National Dialogue. That is exactly an ANC monologue.” Meanwhile, Dr Eloff outlines the dialogue options open to civil society organisations.

The KwaZulu-Natal Public Works and Infrastructure Department has been hard at work the past few months to turn around the dysfunction there. In this interview with BizNews, MEC Martin Meyer gives an update of the milestones reached. He says the rot was “deep” regarding corruption and maladministration. “And even though it was a small group of officials, they were well embedded and we had to take some very strong action regarding those officials…Currently, our HOD is going through his disciplinary and four other senior officials were successfully prosecuted within the department and their services with us terminated.” He further lists various radical cost-cutting measures - including moving away from consultants - to save millions. Meanwhile, huge progress has been made to pay contractors, some of whom had been waiting five years. Furthermore, a proactive stance against the Construction Mafia has resulted in “many arrests…, and the NPA is now charging people…and in the last six months we've had zero disruptions at any of our building sites”.

Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald opens up to BizNews on South Africa's broken prison system – from inmates languishing for years over R100 bail, to overcrowded cells, foreign nationals draining millions, and his controversial call to revisit corporal punishment and even the death penalty.

In an interview with BizNews founder Alec Hogg, Ryan Smith, the DA's new Spokesperson on International Relations and Cooperation, discusses his challenging roles and South Africa's foreign policy 'follies'. He criticises ruinous 30% Trump tariffs, citing negotiation failures. Smith strongly condemns Ronald Lamola's "ridiculous decision" to downgrade the Taiwanese embassy. He highlights Taiwan's crucial role as the sole supplier of vital semiconductor chips (TSMC), arguing this alienates essential trade, hindering SA's manufacturing and job creation efforts. Smith advocates for a truly non-aligned, South Africa-first foreign policy driven by economic development, not ANC party interests, stressing the need for career diplomats. The DA seeks new agricultural markets to offset these challenges.

More than a century of mining in the Witwatersrand has left behind vast mine dumps stretching from Randfontein to Springs. But at the Brakpan tailings facility, wildlife is making a comeback. Mining company DRDGold has rehabilitated the site by cladding mine waste with soil, allowing natural vegetation to return spontaneously. This, in turn, has attracted wildlife back to the area—prompting the company to reintroduce zebras, blesbok, and wildebeest. In an interview with BizNews, CEO Niël Pretorius said the initiative is part of a broader effort to reverse the environmental legacy of over a century of gold mining. Next on his rehabilitation list: the Russell Stream, which runs from Braamfontein to Orlando. Pretorius also shared how DRDGold has benefited from the financial windfall of soaring gold prices, which have climbed from R65,000 to R1.9 million. This surge, he said, is enabling significant capital investments.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has put an end to speculation around the resignation of International Relations spokesperson Emma Powell who cited threats and intimidation. Speaking to BizNews, the party's National Spokesperson Willie Aucamp read out a message in which she denied a lack of support. It read “This is complete and utter nonsense. I've had nothing but support from the party and took the decision to step back for purely personal reasons.” Aucamp commented: “You can imagine the amount of pressure that was applied on Emma Powell to find out that you are being surveilled by the State Security services…” Aucamp also addresses charges that his party has sold its liberal soul for power. Listing all the DA wins in the Government of National Unity (GNU), he stated: “… to say that the DA or to imply that the DA has been co-opted and that we are a rubber stamp for the ANC is simply just not true”. Commenting on the African National Congress (ANC) NEC's move to “reset” the GNU and is talking to other parties, Aucamp states: “that (Sufficient Consensus) clause is very clear that there must be sufficient consensus when decisions are made and that sufficient consensus only occurs when parties within the GNU representing at least 60% of the votes in the National Assembly agrees. So there's no way that the ANC, together with all the other parties within the GNU currently, reaches that threshold. The only way that sufficient consensus can be reached is if the ANC and the DA at least agrees on something.”

Billions of rands are being sent out of South Africa annually to fund terror activities. In this interview with BizNews, Willem Els of the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) dissects the nexus between organised crime and terror funding. “Organised crime can do without terrorism. They can live without terrorism, they can survive without terrorism, but terrorism cannot survive without organised crime and using them.” He notes that neither group can operate with impunity without high-level protection either. “And in South Africa, the prevalence of your State-embedded actors on a very high political level and on operations level is way above the average for Africa.” Nel lists poor governance, limited resources, and limited use of technology as the reasons why Africa has become such a hub for terror financing. He outlines what measures South Africa will have to take to get off the Grey List later this year - and what it would have to do to prevent relisting. He also gives a run-down on recent terror-related cases, and describes the implementation of Sharia Law in Johannesburg, and the use of assassinations and extortion by an ISIS-linked to raise funds for terror.

Businessman and BizNews regular Rob Hersov has changed his tune on the so-called Dimension Data Six, once damning in his critique of the executives accused of fraud in a scathing High Court judgment. In this follow-up conversation with Alec Hogg, Hersov urges caution, arguing the case was unfairly decided on affidavits alone and deserves to be aired properly in open court. He says reputations, justice and the integrity of South African business are all on the line.

Julia Jansch's filmmaking journey began in London and Los Angeles, where she worked on major reality television productions including Idol and The X Factor. Seeking to tell more personal and socially grounded stories, she returned to South Africa and founded her own production company, Southern Point Pictures. Her documentary My Father the Mover won the Best Documentary Short award at the Tribeca Film Festival. Jansch's work drew the attention of Disney, which commissioned her short documentary The Academy, now streaming on Disney+. The film follows Azile Arosi, a young woman from Khayelitsha who joins a sailing programme at Cape Town's Royal Yacht Club. Through sailing, Arosi finds healing and a sense of empowerment. In an interview with BizNews, Jansch said she is committed to telling South African stories of transformation. She described townships like Khayelitsha as places marked by hardship but also by profound resilience and hope. “There is hope,” she said, “for girls everywhere, no matter what their background.”

Economist Dawie Roodt warns that looming US tariffs on South African exports are politically driven and could significantly damage the country's fragile economy. In a BizNews interview, he criticises government inaction, highlights geopolitical risks, and calls for urgent reform. With economic growth stagnating, Roodt stresses the need for a new political direction and smarter international alignment.

Following the resignation of Emma Powell, Ryan Smith has been announced as the Democratic Alliance's spokesperson on International Relations and Cooperation. In his first interview since his appointment, Smith speaks to BizNews about the chances of South Africa cutting a last-minute deal with the United States to avert the 30% export tariffs due to come into effect on Friday. He reacts to US President Donald Trump's latest utterances in which he reiterated that he has had a “lot of problems with South Africa” and once again cited “some very bad policies”. Describing what it would take to reset the US-SA relationship, Smith urges non-alliance and a foreign policy that is “no longer the ambit of political whims”. On the resignation of Powell - who cited harassment, threats and intimidation - he says “it became far too heavy a personal toll for her”. As for what he now faces, Smith says: “… there are allegations across every government department of collusion, political interference, of corruption, and when you take your oath of office and you take a seat as a Member of Parliament in South Africa, certainly on the DA's benches, you are well aware that you're going up against all of this and that it can get very, very ugly”.

BizNews founder Alec Hogg checks in with Piet Viljoen and Magnus Heystek as their four-year Million Rand investment face-off nears its conclusion. Viljoen's local-value strategy holds a narrow lead, but Heystek's offshore picks are closing fast. With 16 months to go, the race reveals hard truths about markets, fund managers and the surprising resilience of SA equities.

ActionSA parliamentary leader Athol Trollip has laid criminal charges against forensic investigator Paul O'Sullivan after a barrage of threats and accusations. Trollip says he was simply calling for urgent investigation into police corruption, but won't be intimidated from doing his job as an MP. Trollip spoke to BizNews' Alec Hogg.

Behind successful films is an army of people creating the magic we see on screen. In the case of animated films, that means 24 painstaking frames per second to bring characters to life — ones our kids and we have come to love. One of those creators is a South African born in Pretoria who moved from satellite imagery at CSIR to become a digital effects artist at Pixar. Ferdi Scheepers has worked on The Incredibles, Toy Story, and most recently, Disney's sci-fi adventure Elio. Now on his 19th film for Pixar, he told Biznews in an interview that he was also part of the team behind Piper, the Oscar-winning short that took home Best Animated Short Film in 2017.

Shyft by Standard Bank has added JSE shares to its platform, allowing South Africans to invest locally with ease. In an interview with BizNews' Alec Hogg, Shyft head Glynn Allen discusses the platform's rapid growth, upcoming features like fractional shares, and the renewed focus on empowering investors through education and seamless access to both local and global markets.

The Patriotic Alliance (PA) scored a shock win last night over the Democratic Alliance (DA) in a Paarl in a ward where it got 43% of the vote after getting only 1% there in 2021. Elections analyst Wayne Sussman tells BizNews: “…this means that Gayton McKenzie and the Patriotic Alliance are edging closer and closer to the City of Cape Town. If they can win seats off the DA in the DA stronghold of Mossel Bay, in places like Amstelhof Paarl, what can they do to the Democratic Alliance in the City of Cape Town? So, I would sense that there's great concern for the DA at DA headquarters today.” The PA win came despite the suspension of PA Deputy President Kenny Kunene after he was found at the Sandton home of a murder suspect. Sussman says: “ I think that this will have no impact on the PA in the Western Cape or the Northern Cape or the Eastern Cape. However, in Gauteng, this could present a challenge… …to the PA amongst its Black voters.” In other by-election results, Sussman comments on the African National Congress (ANC) seeing its vote share fall to 37% in a ward in the traditional stronghold of Sebokeng. “So this is major turbulence, major upheaval in a core Gauteng township. And I believe that this basically could be a harbinger of things to come in the next local government elections.”

The US's punitive Jackson Bill, which threatens harsh punishment for South Africa including personal financial sanctions on leading ANC members, has taken another big step towards becoming law. Its sponsor, former White House medical chief Ronny Jackson, celebrated its passing through the committee stage by tweeting that it will give President Trump “the tools necessary to hold their corrupt government accountable.” Joshua Meservey, a senior fellow at Washington's prestigious Hudson Institute, provides context in this interview with BizNews editor Alec Hogg.

Former SAPS General Johan Booysen, the honest cop who was publicly harassed and then suspended for doing his job too well, shares his insights into the long-overdue suspension of political-appointment Adv Andrew Chauke. He also provides context on fellow KZN top cop Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's bombshell disclosures of abuses by criminals and their puppet politicians that have numerous parallels to Booysen's own experiences. Gen Booysen spoke to BizNews editor Alec Hogg.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has been slammed for the “unacceptable inconsistency” he shows in firing members of his Cabinet. In this interview with BizNews, Wayne Duvenage of OUTA says: “… you look at our President and you ask him: do you understand what you do to the trust in government?” Duvenage was commenting on the sacking of Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane over her handling of controversial politically-linked appointments to CETA boards. Duvenage points out that while the sacked minister is not corrupt, others accused of corruption like former Justice Minister Thembi Simelane - who was just moved to Human Settlements, is still in the Cabinet. Yet, The Democratic Alliance's Andrew Whitfield was sacked as Deputy Trade Minister for failing in his efforts to get permission from the President to travel abroad. “So we have a compromised president with his political party members who actually do not want to see a highly effective criminal justice system. They don't, it's not in their favour.” Meanwhile, Duvenage warns that the new Higher Education Minister, Buti Manamela, is taking over “probably the most corrupt network in government in this country”.

Springbok forward Nomsa Mokwai doesn't just hit hard on the rugby field for the Women rugby team - she also resuscitates patients in a Cape Town emergency room. With 13 Test caps to her name and a gruelling schedule that sees her swapping scrums for 12-hour ER shifts, Mokwai is one of many women juggling full-time work with national duty. At 32, she's gunning for a spot in the squad heading to Twickenham for the 2025 World Cup - even if that means sacrificing family time and sleep. In an interview with BizNews, Mokwai shares how she balances life on the frontlines of medicine and sport, and why she hopes to trade her stethoscope for a full-time medical degree once her rugby career winds down.

In the most recent annual assessment of trade relationships, the US listed three pages of ‘non-tariff barriers' imposed by South Africa, whose exports currently enter America duty-free. From August 1, Trump Tariffs will make SA goods 40% more expensive for Americans. Trade expert, former WTO senior official Johann Human rates the chances of SA avoiding Trump Tariffs at ‘zero' and in this powerful interview, says unless Pretoria starts to take US objections, SA goods will soon be priced out of the world's biggest marketplace, with a devastating impact on employment. He spoke to BizNews editor Alec Hogg.

There have been “very, very few signs of a military coup or a revolution in South Africa” , says Elections Analyst Wayne Sussman in his latest interview on BizNews. He was reacting to a coup being one of the key threats listed in the National Security Strategy report for 2024 - 2028. “I can't think of an actor in our Defense Force who'd be positioned to be able to lead a coup,” he says. However, Sussman agrees that some of the other key threats identified are real challenges. He says the assassinations of key figures in the lead-up to elections “means that we won't attract good people into politics, won't attract good people to stick their heads up and get involved with business leaders or civil society leaders”. He agrees that sabotage too is a big threat that has “metastasised through the mafias we see over the country, blocking economic growth, blocking infrastructure spend, blocking service delivery”. Sussman further gives an in-depth analysis of the latest by-election results and previews upcoming by-elections that could set the tone for the 2026 municipal elections.

A new report from the Middle East Africa Research Institute (MEARI) warns that South Africa's deepening relationship with Iran carries significant consequences—undermining democratic values and threatening strategic interests, particularly with the United States.In an interview with BizNews, MEARI's Benji Shulman expands on the report's findings, raising the alarm over what he sees as a troubling alignment with an authoritarian regime. He argues that South Africa's engagement with Iran risks damaging its constitutional integrity and jeopardising trade with the US, where Iran is increasingly viewed as a hostile actor. Shulman also details the ANC's historical and financial ties to Iran, including alleged funding linked to South Africa's International Court of Justice case against Israel, and MTN's business interests in Iran's cellular market. While Iran gains a rare ally in the Global South, Shulman questions what South Africa stands to gain—suggesting the relationship may be less about diplomacy and more about the Ramaphosa government being part of a strategic alignment against Israel and the United States.

With just two weeks to go before 30% tariffs are likely to come into effect on the 1st of August, it has emerged that President Cyril Ramaphosa's Special Envoy Mcebisi Jonas has not even been able to get into the US because his diplomatic visa was denied and his credentials rejected. In this interview with BizNews, Emma Powell, the Democratic Alliance's spokesperson on International Relations and Cooperation, warns that South Africa is “hurtling towards disaster at a rapid rate” while “once again, the “Presidency and the President's Envoy are missing in action”. Powell charges that President Cyril Ramaphosa is most likely saving face by retaining this Special Envoy despite the diplomatic visa having been rejected, despite the US having informed the Presidency that they will not engage with Jonas. “So, it's my contention here that President Ramaphosa is more invested in saving face than he is in acting in the national interest in ensuring that we get a deal across the line by the 1st of August.” Powell examines the possible reasons for the US' rejection of Jonas, as well his appointment in the first place. Meanwhile, she warns, “hundreds of thousands of jobs are on the line”.

National Business Chamber chair Melanie Veness, whose day job is CEO of the PMB & Midlands Chamber, says whistleblowing Gen Nhalnha Mkhwanazi is fully supported on the ground in KZN. She says efforts by the provincial head of SAPS have been successful in turning the tide against crime and corruption - and that his disclosures of corrupt MPs being in cahoots with criminals is no surprise in a province wracked by the consequences of endemic corruption. She also shares suggestions for exporters struggling to see a future with 40% export tariffs looming. Veness spoke to BizNews editor Alec Hogg.

In a wide-ranging and provocative address to the Rotary Club of Hermanus, BizNews founder Alec Hogg unpacks why 'First Principle Thinking', championed by Elon Musk, is the key to solving South Africa's biggest challenges in governance, media, and the economy.

KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi is “not scared of all types of bombs”. So says former police commander Willem Els, who is now with the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) as Senior Training Coordinator in the ENACT organised crime programme. Els tells BizNews that the “bomb” dropped by the General last Sunday took “tremendous courage”. Els, who trained the General in Bomb Disposal, described him as a”disciplined officer, a straight talker, a straight shooter, a straight walking” officer who is doing “the right thing as a policeman in his heart, in his actions…”, stressing: “He's a policeman in heart and down to the bone.” Apart from training the General, Els also worked with him on s number of foreign missions, and the two even had to “hot extract” former President Thabo Mbeki and then Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma from a coup in Haiti. They also worked together in Mozambique “where we lifted arms caches and destroyed huge, huge numbers of arms and munitions”, as well as in Equatorial Guinea in preparation of an African Union Summit. Els warns that it would “hurt” President Cyril Ramaphosa “very much” if he deals with the general's allegations of police-underworld links by using the “old playbook that the ANC (African National Congress) has been using ever since they came to power”. As for threats that black and white citizens could even riot together if the KZN general is not treated right, Els notes there are people who say “we might see a repeat of 2021 if people feel that they're not being listened to…”

Centuries ago, the French Huguenots sowed the seeds of winemaking in South Africa. Now, the tables have turned—South Africans are bringing a taste of their own culture back to French soil. One of them is South African businessman Christo Lindeque, who, along with his wife Elbe, breathed new life into Château de Montfleur, a 15th-century turreted château that had stood uninhabited for decades. The manager of Château de Montfleur, Carel Nolte, told BizNews in an interview that there are now about 30 South Africans living in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, including artists and entrepreneurs who have opened shops. Although French bureaucracy can be challenging, Nolte says the community has been exceptionally welcoming—and the South Africans have even introduced their beloved tradition of ‘le braai' to the locals.

In his latest interview with BizNews, Elections Analyst Wayne Sussman explains why KZN Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's Press Conference was “absolutely devastating”. He says the General's claims “go to the heart of the challenge of the ANC, that President Ramaphosa was going to reform the ANC and course correct after the devastating years of Jacob Zuma leading the ANC”. Intead, “here you have one of his trusted lieutenants, one of his right-hand men, one of the people in the party he's extremely close to, being fingered with the most damning of evidence with ties to the underworld”. He notes that the implicated Police Minister Senzo Mchunu was going to play “a key role in the next election for the ANC to recover all that lost support in KwaZulu-Natal”. Sussman also laments the assassination of African National Congress (ANC) councillor Thabang Masemola in Ward 10 in Mamelodi, saying that “this is becoming too common a feature of Gauteng politics”. Dissecting the latest by-election results, Sussman says the “the DA will say that they are on track on the road to Tshwane, which will be a battleground metro in 2026; uMkhonto weSizwe make inroads in ANC heartland, in Xhosa-speaking heartland; the Freedom Front will say…that they have some hope in the Free State”. He also gives a preview of upcoming elections that could be “really narrative forming on the road to the 2026 local government elections”.

South Africa's sluggish economic growth since 2010 has left its citizens 40% poorer than the global average. Osagyefo Mazwai, investment strategist at Investec Wealth & Investment International told BizNews in an interview that the country's GDP per capita decoupled from global peers in 2010, with growth averaging just 1% annually compared to 4.5% for emerging markets. This has resulted in a nominal GDP of R7.4 trillion today, versus a potential R11.5 trillion had growth kept pace. The R5 trillion shortfall in government revenue could have reduced national debt and funded critical infrastructure, like Eskom's R400 billion transmission network expansion. He said key barriers to growth are energy shortages, logistics inefficiencies, crime, and an under-skilled workforce and called for urgent government action to stabilise electricity, improve logistics, reduce crime, and enhance workforce skills and to foster a business-friendly environment with less red tape.

The pot-boiling strategy of destructive ANC economic policies is typified in its approach to employment equity, a quota-based employment system that SA businesses are obliged to implement from September. Sakeliga executive director Russell Lamberti explains why his organisation and Neasa are approaching the courts to block the ANC's most granular racial policy yet attempted. He spoke to BizNews editor Alec Hogg.

Ninety One, managing £130.8bn, released a white paper, “The Unstoppable Dollar Meets the Immovable Mr Trump,” predicting the end of a 14-year US dollar upcycle. Sahil Mahtani, Head of Macro Research, told BizNews the dollar faces an inflection point driven by geopolitics, interest rates, investment trends, and currency interventions. He forecasts a potential 25% decline, signalling a multi-year bear market with implications for asset allocation. Mahtani notes investors are diversifying from US equities, potentially boosting non-US assets in emerging markets and Europe. He says the Chinese renminbi's global reserve status hinges on China easing capital controls.

Evidence-based insights into the latest Trump Tariffs from California-based Bheki Mahlobo, economist and partner at Frans Cronjé Private Clients. His conclusion: South Africa is a mountain of missed opportunities, the result of own goals scored through poor decisions. He spoke to BizNews editor Alec Hogg.

Derangement describes the detached armchair observers who judge those in the arena. Capitec CEO Gerrie Fourie and Kasinomics author GG Alcock have had their fill of these critics - and explain why to BizNews editor Alec Hogg in this forthright interview about the unappreciated slug of South Africa's economy. The two champions of SA's Emerging Sector explain why the official data is badly wrong - and how the country's unemployment rate is closer to 10% than the widely quoted 30%. Hitting back at the hand-wringers with a message of hope - and reality.

In today's BizNews Briefing, South Africa faces a 30% US tariff, among 14 countries, despite President Ramaphosa's claims of a successful White House meeting. Plus a potential BRICS surcharge. Joel Pollak told BizNews' Alec Hogg that tensions stem from South Africa's land reform policies and its ICJ case against Israel, fueling US perceptions of anti-Americanism. A proposed US bill threatens aid freezes and Global Magnitsky Act sanctions to pressure Pretoria's foreign policy. The DA's Ian Cameron demands that Ramaphosa address Police Commissioner Mkhwanazi's allegations, highlighting a national security crisis. Meanwhile, Elon Musk's “America Party” proposal raises questions about his rift with Trump, potentially impacting Tesla shareholders further. This, as US markets continue to breach record levels.