BizNews Radio (OLD)
Welcome to BizNews Radio where we interview top thought leaders and business people from South Africa and across the globe.
PIC, GEPF a political piggy bank amid R7.4bn write-offs - expert
JOHANNESBURG — The Public Investment Corporation together with the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) have been under the spotlight this week amid revelations that they have effectively written off loans of R7.4bn to a Steinhoff connected entity and Sekunjalo, which is headed by controversial media owner Iqbal Surve. This is…
Load shedding woes: Chris Yelland explains latest Eskom headache
JOHANNESBURG — For the first three days of December 2018, the country has been plunged into electricity shortages as Eskom restarted rotational load shedding. While coal problems have come to haunt Eskom once again, this time it's a range of other issues that have created this latest mess, according to…
Tech recovers, Microsoft shines, we benefit – The Editor’s Desk
After a devastating October, the global tech sector has posted a significant recovery in recent weeks. Many of the shares included in the Biznews Global Share Portfolio, like Apple and Amazon, clawed back a good portion of their share price decline. But one share in particular, Microsoft, outshone the rest…
Backstory to Motus Holding's new JSE listing
JOHANNESBURG — Motus Holdings, the automotive unit that unbundled from Imperial Holdings, listed on the JSE on Thursday. In this interview, Motus Holdings CEO Osman Arbee and his CFO Ockert Janse van Rensburg explain the story behind the new listing. - Gareth van Zyl
White Zulu GG Alcock on the rise of the 'Kasinomic Revolution'
JOHANNESBURG — GG Alcock is no stranger to BizNews as he's been interviewed previously by Alec Hogg as well as having had one of his articles published on BizNews. It was therefore great to catch up with GG and find out about his latest book, 'Kasinomic Revolution - The Rise of African…
A big, bad week in Brexit and Bitcoin - The Editor's Desk
In this episode, Alec Hogg and Felicity Duncan look back on a chaotic week in Brexit. Theresa May secured a draft agreement, but defections from her own party have put its future in doubt. With some calling for a hard Brexit, it's anyone's guess what the future holds. Meanwhile, markets…
Fighting ELWC, IRR takes Parliament committee on judicial review
JOHANNESBURG — Fewer issues than land expropriation without compensation elicit such highly, emotionally charged feelings among South Africans. So, when a Parliament committee on Thursday controversially announced that it would start the process of changing the Constitution to affect so-called land 'ELWC', the likes of the Institute of Race Relations…
PfP tales: How Mediclinic ICT manager helped Cloetesville High
JOHANNESBURG — Stories from the Partners for Possibility (PfP) programme continue to amaze me. Listening to this interview with Mediclinic ICT Ops Manager, Deon Myburgh, you'll realise how solutions to South Africa's education crisis lie with better, more cohesive partnerships with different stakeholders in society. We can improve education in…
Change finally coming to SA's Electoral Act - Dr Michael Louis
JOHANNESBURG — Some major and rather unreported events have happened in South Africa's still relatively new democracy in recent days. Just this week, COPE leader and Member of Parliament, Mosiuoa Lekota, presented a private member's bill in the House to get the ball rolling on changing the country's Electoral Act…
New Tesla chair has a tough job - The Editor's Desk
In this episode, Alec Hogg and Felicity Duncan discuss new Tesla chair Robyn Denholm and the tough task she faces. With a strong finance background, she is well-positioned to help Tesla address their reporting issues - can she also rein in outspoken CEO Elon Musk? They also look at Pravin…
Brian Menell bets big on electric batteries with TechMet venture
JOHANNESBURG — South African-born mining veteran Brian Menell is shifting his focus to what looks set to become the next gold rush. Demand for minerals that make up batteries, for the likes of electric cars and other smart devices, is expected to soar over the next few years. Many minerals…
Irina Filatova: SA’s future? Not the Moscow fantasy.
Irina Filatova is a Russian professor who moved to South Africa in 1992 when she joined the University of Durban-Westville, now part of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. In this fascinating interview with Alec Hogg, the two explore the communist movement in South Africa and how it ties in with the…
The Editor's Desk: After KPMG, Gupta’s, SA needs a dose of truth
In this episode, Alec Hogg and Felicity Duncan discuss why South Africa needs a healthy dose of truth. They look at KPMG's latest series of setbacks in SA and abroad, and ask why some South African companies are still pretending that KPMG isn't the problem. They also ask if Ramaphosa's…
Move for Two targets uplifting Gugulethu's children through dance
JOHANNESBURG — Cape Town-based Jessica Bester and Nastasha Coetsee quit their previous daytime jobs to launch a dance school in Gugulethu. The school targets giving a sense of hope to underprivileged children in the township while teaching them valuable life skills. In this interview, Bester and Coetsee tell us why they…
Aussie visas: What Saffers need to know if they want to go
JOHANNESBURG — More South Africans than ever before are trying to get Australian visas, according to Sable International's Sam Hopwood. A poor South African economy, as well as political uncertainty, are sparking a mass exodus among many skilled Saffers looking to ply their trade elsewhere. Australia is an attractive option…
The Editor's Desk: What does the Budget really tell us?
In this episode, Alec Hogg and Felicity Duncan dig into the Budget, asking what message Cyril Ramaphosa and Tito Mboweni are sending investors and what that means for South Africa. With all the bad news so clearly and honestly laid out, how will Ramaphosa entice investors? And what will happen…
SA active fund managers world's second-worst performers — S&P
JOHANNESBURG — If you invest in actively managed funds, this interview with Zack Bezuidenhout of S&P Dow Jones Indices is sure to make you sit up and take notice. According to the latest SPIVA South Africa Scorecard Mid-Year 2018 report, over a one-year period, 51% of actively managed South African…
The Editor's Desk: KPMG and VBS - another day, another scandal
The folks at KPMG complain, sometimes, that their critics (including Biznews) are unfair and too quick to pass judgement. But evidence has emerged that KPMG played a role in facilitating the VBS bank heist. Add this to the auditing firm's role in a laundry list of scandals around the world,…
R6.5bn renewables boost as construction starts at Biotherm plants
South Africa’s internationally admired renewable energy programme was jumpstarted by the Ramaphosa administration, with the new president’s immediate deployment of a new Minister helping to accelerate the latest agreement with the private sector. Biotherm Energy, a participant in the very first Renewables round back in 2011, returned to the fray…
Fighting pests with drones, SA startup revolutionises farming
JOHANNESBURG — Cape-based startup Aerobotics is seriously making headway in improving the way farmers farm. The company specialises in using drone and software technology to help farmers identify possible problem pests and diseases on their crops. The company does this by using incredible image capturing technology that can go down…