BizNews Radio (OLD)
Welcome to BizNews Radio where we interview top thought leaders and business people from South Africa and across the globe.
Basil Sgourdos: Prosus listing has unlocked $20bn for Naspers shareholders
On Rational Radio this week, Naspers Group CFO Basil Sgourdos told Alec Hogg how the decision to list the group's global internet assets in the now Dutch listed company Prosus, has unlocked more than $20bn for shareholders. Speaking from Amsterdam on the day Prosus shares were listed, Sgourdos explained that…
David Shapiro: Praising Naspers, blasting Sasol, Old Mutual, Aspen
South Africa's favourite market commentator, Sasfin Securities deputy chairman David Shapiro, was at his best in this week's episode of Rational Radio. He is forthright in his appreciation for the role that Naspers has played in bolstering SA retirement portfolios (his own included) and delighted to see the strong debut…
Secret of I Love Coffee's success: Only hires deaf baristas.
Gary Hopkins tells me the difference between social entrepreneurs and their vanilla alternatives is that they measure success in terms of jobs created rather than profit generated. And by that measure, Hopkins's mushrooming I Love Coffee enterprise is roaring. After popping into the nearby offices of DeafSA one day, Hopkins…
South Africa does not need an IMF bailout - Dawie Roodt
Author and political scientist RW Johnson has predicted that South Africa will eventually be forced to go to the IMF and ask for a loan. Several other analysts have also supported this idea, but this lender of last resort has been described as a brutal loan shark by countries who…
VBS liquidators want Nkandla; Hawks investigate Malema; China SA ambassador takes aim at Trump; Mine strikes; Discovery share perks up
The wheels of justice are starting to turn a bit faster in South Africa, with former president Jacob Zuma and Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema both in the spotlight in connection with court action. In an unusual move, Lin Songtian, China’s ambassador to South Africa, has opened fire at…
Xenophobia crackdown - 600 arrests; Moyo-Manuel battle continues; MTN R5m WhatsApp fine; How Trump's Tweets move markets
South African authorities are cracking down on the perpetrators of a series of xenophobic attacks that left at least 12 people dead, Police Minister Bheki Cele said. The police have arrested 639 people so far. Old Mutual has once again blocked its CEO Peter Moyo from returning to work. Old…
Rene van Wyk: The unlikely CEO helping transform ABSA's fortunes
One of my biggest surprises of the past year was seeing ABSA's long-time CEO Maria Ramos's resignation a few days after our interview in late January at the WEF meeting in Switzerland. As SA's new president Cyril Ramaphosa was a regular visitor to the high profile ABSA presence on Davos's…
MTN nationalisation threat; Sasol delays results (again); No Eskom "haircut"; HK activists want US help.
The fallout from last week’s xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals is now affecting some of South Africa’s major companies, especially MTN. China’s exports to the US fell for the fourth straight month in August, down almost 16% year-on-year, after a 6% drop in July. South Africa’s oil-from-coal and chemicals group…
SARB Governor Lesetja Kganyago: Is SA's upbeat 2Q GDP flash in the pan?
SARB Governor Lesetja Kganyago's once jet black moustache has greyed. And there are a few more lines on his face. But apart from those physical signs, only those who live close to the fire would appreciate the tough ride he has had over the past few years as, first, Zuptoids…
Andrew Muir: Environmental tipping point near - at last world is listening
Wilderness Foundation head Andrew Muir is one of those low profile South Africans who quietly go about changing the world. He is a regular on global platforms, providing compelling evidence of the environmental challenges being wrought by man's ignorance of how his actions are affecting Mother Nature. Andrew is also…
Skye Meaker: WEF Africa's youngest agent for positive change
I met Skye Meaker earlier this year in Davos, the day before his 17th birthday. The lad from KZN was the youngest attendee of the couple thousand participants at the annual meetings of the World Economic Forum. He had been invited as the winner of a global competition for wildlife…
SA violence in global spotlight; 300 arrests; Boris prepares to die for Brexit; US stocks soar; MAS, Capitec, Discovery, Hyprop, Assore
The World Economic Forum on Africa was supposed to be President Cyril Ramaphosa’s chance to prove South Africa’s claim to being the continent’s top investment destination. But it has all gone horribly wrong, says Bloomberg. About 300 people have been arrested as police move to restore calm across South Africa,…
Dr Martyn Davies: Time for talking is over - SA needs action. Now.
At the WEF Africa meeting, independent-minded Dr Martyn Davies of Deloitte picked up a bunch of penetrating questions from the Biznews community - and provided his own forthright responses. Davies, who is fluent in Mandarin and travels widely, tackled thorny issues ranging from the proposed NHI through to stalling economic…
ON THE RECORD: Nick Binedell on robots v humans, corruption and re-introducing death penalty
At the WEF Africa meeting, Nick Binedell, the founder and former dean of GIBS, Africa's top business school, applied his mind to some tricky questions posed by members of the Biznews community. His responses opened a number of new avenues of inquiry. He was talking to Biznews founder Alec Hogg.
ON THE RECORD: Absa's Jeff Gable talks turkey on Tito's recovery plan
One of the most popular themes of questions posed by the Biznews community ahead of the WEF Africa meeting related to Finance Minister Tito Mboweni's economic revival plan. So Alec Hogg tracked down one of the relative few economists who have actually read the entire document. Among the questions were…
ON THE RECORD: PWC's Africa boss Dion Shango answers our community
In Monday's Daily Insider newsletter, we asked members of the Biznews community to send through questions that we could ask heavy hitters attending the WEF Africa meeting. Alec Hogg caught up with Dion Shango, the Africa head of PWC, the world's leading Big Four accounting and auditing firm. Alec got…
Xenophobia storm hits MTN, Shoprite, Pepkor, Pick n Pay; Nigeria recalls SA envoy; Ramaphosa Tweets for calm
Mobile-phone giant MTN and grocer Shoprite are among South African firms facing a backlash to xenophobic violence in their home country. Nigeria has recalled the High Commissioner to South Africa and is boycotting the World Economic Forum in protest against attacks on its citizens living in the country. Hundreds of demonstrators protesting…
Recession avoided; Rand rebounds: Aspen reduces debt; Boris loses majority; AMCU deregistration reconsidered; army deployed for xenophobic attacks
In today’s business headlines: South Africa has averted a recession after economic growth rebounded in the second quarter; The Rand firmed on the surprising GDP rebound; The Pound rebounded as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson lost his majority in Parliament; Aspen Pharmacare is making progress in reducing its debt burden,…
Modern business world encourages psychopathic behaviour - Heidi Maibom
Former Steinhoff CEO, Marcus Jooste is rumoured to have been asked if he was an 'effing' psychopath when it came to light that he had been lying for years to colleagues and close friends. DA MP, David Maynier caused a stir in Parliament when he repeated the question to Jooste…
Bumper Sea Harvest; Sugar tax hits RCL Foods; Vox buys out Investec; Manufacturing sentiment slips; Petrol price hike; Tesla powers Zim
In today's business headlines: Sea Harvest Group reported a surge in first-half sales and profits; While RCL Foods reported a 60.8% drop in full-year profit hurt by a poor performance in its sugar and chicken divisions; Vox Telecom SA shareholders including Rand Merchant Bank agreed to buy out fellow investor…