BizNews Radio (OLD)
Welcome to BizNews Radio where we interview top thought leaders and business people from South Africa and across the globe.
David Shapiro: Why ESG is hot - and managers need to pay attention
After getting a blast last week over his Sasol comments from an environmental activist, David Shapiro spent time investigating the hot new trend among investors called ESG - Environmental, Social, Governance. He concludes that the business of business is no longer just business. This has significant implications for investible assets…
IMF warning for SA growth; Ramaphosa race row twist; Eskom pollution slammed; Zesa turns off its own lights; Uber
The International Monetary Fund, which has slashed its growth forecast to just above zero for South Africa, warns that only radical reform will turbo-charge the country's economy. President Cyril Ramaphosa is at the centre of a race row. First he appointed a white man to head Eskom, and in the…
Azar Jammine: S&P switch to "negative" a red flag for SA interest rates
Friday's report from ratings agency S&P switched its outlook on South Africa from "neutral" to "negative" - signalling another credit downgrade is on that cards. That would take the country's sovereign debt rating to three notches below the all-important Investment Grade level. Most analysts are focusing on another of the…
Chair Bongumusa Makhatini on SABC board's approach to State Security Agency
A storm has erupted around around a front page Sunday Times report that SABC's directors resolved to approach the State Security Agency to help address "leaking" of board minutes. Harvard-educated SABC chairman Bongumusa Makhatini reacted aggressively, accusing the newspaper of pursuing a commercial agenda and using fake news to attack…
Deeper into junk; SAA strike over; ME arms exports blocked; Zuma must get his day in court
In today's business headlines: South Africa could fall deeper into junk territory after Standard & Poor's Global Ratings agency cut the outlook on its assessment of the nation’s debt to negative, citing slow growth, the upwardly revised fiscal deficit and a growing debt burden. South African Airways restored a full…
Bongo arrest signals action; Repo rate unchanged; no Bosasa auction; Corpse delivered at OM; FirstRand, MrP, Telkom
In today's business headlines: Former State security minister Bongani Bongo has been arrested in a case related to bribery at state owned companies in what is seen as Cyril Ramaphosa’s first action to end corruption. Bosasa assets cannot be put up for sale. That is according to Jared Watson, the…
Perry Feldman on FMF's Khaya Lam: 8,500 new homeowners - 6m to go
There is a strong school that believes those who have accumulated wealth make great philanthropists because they understand how to leverage their resources for maximum impact. In this fascinating interview, Perry Feldman shares a practical example of this by unpacking an innovative homeowner focused project championed by the South Africa's…
Gordhan won't interfere; Bosasa goods under hammer, Prasa's Lucky Montana asset seizure; Inflation, Remgro
In today's business headlines: The government has ruled out intervention in the ongoing battle between South African Airways and unions leading the strike. Assets belonging to several entities of Bosasa, which include the company's former headquarters and a copper plant will be auctioned off over three days in December. Former…
David Melvill's story: Independent financial advisor v Sanlam bureaucracy.
After a short break, my weekly Rational Radio returned to a new Monday lunchtime slot with a bonus added to the usual hour. The extra time was to ensure space for this interview with the independent financial advisor being threatened with an unyielding “rules-are-rules” edict by an unbending Sanlam bureaucracy…
Magnus Heystek explains his assault on SA's post-RWC euphoria
Many in the financial services sector would prefer that independent advisor Magnus Heystek had never been born. The former financial editor and founder of Brenthurst Wealth enjoys ruffling powerful feathers, using facts to puncture the facade created by billions spent on carefully crafted marketing campaigns. He's at it again this…
The Reel Gardening story: A conversation with founder Claire Reid
A budding entrepreneur won a gold medal for her invention of a seeded paper tape that took the guess work out of gardening. This idea, born out of frustration when planting a vegetable garden, was put on the back burner while she completed her qualification in architecture. Once qualified, the…
Investors don't like new Eskom CEO; SAA scabs; DA will help Cyril - Steenhuisen; Zim inflation 440%; Investec AM rebrands
Yields on Eskom’s 2021 dollar bonds jumped the most in more than three months after the appointment of Andre de Ruyter as chief executive officer, showing that bond investors aren’t showing much faith in the utility’s new boss, reports Bloomberg. Many SAA workers have ignored the call by unions to…
Jared Watson: How Agrizzi and Van Tonder stole from Bosasa
The wrapping continues to come off the Bosasa story, a dramatic tale of bribery corruption and intrigue which has kept the chattering classes entertained throughout 2019. The late Gavin Watson was tried and convicted in the court of public opinion on the say-so of his former COO Angelo Agrizzi, star…
Nampak CEO to rescue Eskom; foreign ownership blow for SAA; Hain's explosive testimony; SA equities could soar in 2020
South Africa appointed Andre de Ruyter as chief executive officer of Eskom, the debt-strapped utility that provides about 95% of the nation’s electricity and poses the biggest threat to its economy. De Ruyter, currently CEO of packaging firm Nampak, will take up the post on Jan. 15, the Department of…
David Shapiro on why Sasol shares are cheap and why Eskom needs Calitz
South Africa's favourite market commentator David Shapiro reflects on Sasol's disastrous month and finds a silver lining in a share price that he reckons looks incredibly cheap; and encourages the Ramaphosa Administration to make the right call when deciding on the new Eskom chairman - because the person at the…
Jean-Pierre Verster: Why Steinhoff shares still suck - Richemont's too
Highly respected and newly independent asset manager Jean-Pierre Verster provides perspective on two of today's major company news releases. The proprietor of Protea Capital Management says the fact that Steinhoff did not disclose the price of two large sales of subsidiaries today - in Australia and the UK - speaks…
Steenhuisen leads DA; SAA intl flights resume; Ex-Denel staff 'stole' missile IP; Platinum wage deal; Wiese
In today's business headlines: John Steenhuisen has been elected as the interim federal leader of the Democratic Alliance and says race is not being ignored by the party. South African Airways has resumed some of its international flights last night but wage strikes are continuing. A security breach at arms…
John Steenhuisen - new interim leader - DA not ignoring race
The Democratic Alliance has elected its former Parliamentary chief whip and leader of the party in Parliament, John Steenhuisen as its interim leader. He beat Gauteng MPL Makashule Gana in the vote for the leadership. It follows a period of uncertainty following the resignation of Mmusi Maimane that led the…
'Indefinite' SAA strike; Higher Pepkor earnings expected; Sappi halts dividends; Mining production increase; SA hedge fund landscape changes
In today’s business headlines: The two unions at SAA started strike action after they rejected the latest wage offer of the airline. They plan to strike "indefinitely" and are approaching the Labour Court to seek an urgent interdiction against dismissals. Pepkor has issued a trading statement saying they were expecting…
Watsons charge Agrizzi for theft; Strike could end SAA; Job losses at SAPO; Tencent pulls down Naspers; Kolisi effect boosts Spar
In today's business headlines: Jared Watson, the nephew of former Bosasa CEO, Gavin Watson has laid a criminal complaint against whistle blower Angelo Agrizzi for the theft of R35m. South African Airways warn that there may be no recovery if the "mother of all strikes" goes ahead. The Post Office…