BizNews Radio
Welcome to BizNews Radio where we interview top thought leaders and business people from South Africa and across the globe.
Covid-19 vaccine hopes and the bitter reality
There have been some promising early trials of various nascent Covid-19 vaccines, and many are hoping for a usable shot by year-end. In reality, however, we are in the very early days yet and promising early-stage trials are no guarantee of success. What’s more, the rollout of any Covid-19 vaccine…
50 minutes with John Steenhuisen - A moment of truth looms for Cyril Ramaphosa: Growth or pandered destruction.
A moment of clarity from John Steenhuisen who describes Covid-19 as the hill, but the economy the mountain. The leader of the Democratic Alliance reckons the real battle is still to come, and that if the president chooses policies promoting economic growth over pandering to the forces of state intervention…
Wits prof Guy Richards on potential Critical Care shortage; and kids back to school
At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in many countries around the world; the worry has always been that countries' health services will be overwhelmed. In Italy and New York in the United States, there was a stage that the hospitals could not cope with the influx of critically ill patients…
Inside Covid-19: Expert insights into tough road ahead for SA; PMB's life-saving ventilators drowning in red tape. Ep 37
In episode 37 of Inside Covid 19, on a day when South Africa’s confirmed infections rose above 19,000, Discovery’s chief actuary Emile Stipp and Prof Guy Richards, a critical care expert from Wits, assess the country’s tough road ahead; we revisit the Maritzburg ventilator-making company and find out its offer…
SA Covid-19 cases nearing 20k, Groote Schuur in crisis, actuaries slam virus data; interest rate cut; Tsogo Sun
In today's news headlines: * Big jump in Covid-19 cases in South Africa, with the Ministry of Health reporting a total number of 19,137 cases and the death toll reaching 369; * GroundUp news agency reports that the number of Covid-19 patients at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town is doubling…
Small Business Institute CE John Dludlu proposes risk adjusted approach to avoid economic catastrophe
The small business sector is widely seen as a life blood of the economy, and it is no different for South Africa. In an interview with Biznews editor-in-chief Alec Hogg, Chief Executive of the Small Business Institute, John Dludlu, laments the fact that when the country was moved from Stage…
Inside Covid-19: Small business says: Treat us like adults; 25% insurance premium rebated; Moderna. Ep 36
In episode 36 of Inside Covid-19, the Small Business Institute expects a major opening of the economy soon; Discovery Insure is rebating 25% of its members’ April premiums; We ask whether coronavirus killed open plan offices?; Donald Trump’s hydroxychloroquine endorsement gets another fan – Elon Musk; top global political risk…
David Shapiro on Steinhoff's Heather Sonn and the drawn out investigation; plus a slow fashion pick up
Heather Sonn, chairperson of Steinhoff shows integrity as she steps down from the board after acknowledging she was unwittingly involved in irregularities two years ago. But the bigger question is why is this investigation taking so long? Biznews founder Alec Hogg dives into the Markus Jooste leftovers with South Africa's…
Covid-19 expected to peak in SA from July, 40k deaths; new China lockdown; Bitcoin; platinum coins; Ninety One
In today's news headlines: * Health minister Zweli Mkhize has moved to quash optimism that the Covid-19 lockdown is going to be fully lifted any time soon. The rate of new coronavirus infections in South Africa has to slow in line with World Health Organisation guidelines first - and his team…
Covid-19 lockdown to level 3 – soon, school in June, SA faces ‘humanitarian crisis’; SA Express
In today's news headlines: * As South Africa enters its 55th day in lock down, government has announced plans to open schools in June, starting with grades 7 and 12; * Health Department Acting Director General Anban Pillay says many parts of the country could move to alert level 3…
Grades 7, 12 back to school 1 June; 1,577 schools vandalised during lockdown - Motshekga
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga announced that all schools in the country, including the independent schools in the metropolitan areas will resume from the 1st of June in phases, starting with Grades 7 and 12. Teachers will arrive on the 25th of May and a new school calendar for the…
How the world sees SA: ANC internal politics trumping science, economics. Investors "very worried" - Eurasia Group
London-based Darias Jonker is leading global political risk consultancy Eurasia's director for Africa. In this insightful podcast, Jonker explains why multinationals who have operations in SA and foreign portfolio investors in the country's stocks and bonds are "very worried" at a continuation of the lockdown and the damage it is…
Restaurant sector, currently in ICU on a ventilator, will die if we must wait for Level 1 - Ocean Basket's Grace Harding
Alec Hogg speaks to Chief Executive of Ocean Basket and spokesperson for the Restaurant Collective, Grace Harding, about South Africa's strict lockdown and the enormous strain which it has placed upon the country's restaurant industry. From banks to landlords, Harding discuses the different responses and levels of support the restaurant…
SA taxpayers may have to pay the price of cigarette ban - UCT Prof Corné van Waalbeek
Professor Corné van Walbeek, director of the research unit of the economics of excisable products at the University of Cape Town, has done extensive research on how the ban of cigarettes has affected South Africa. The good news is 16% of smokers have quit, but the bad news is while…
Inside Covid-19: First successful vaccine; DA tackles lockdown "irrationality"; Prof exposes cig "disaster". Ep 35
A bumper edition of Inside Covid-19 with good news as the first human coronavirus vaccine tests deliver promising results while other medical treatments are being uncovered at a rapid clip; DA leader John Steenhuisen explains why SA’s official opposition political party is going to court to stop what it calls…
First Covid-19 vaccine 'works well' - US scientist; 80,000 businesses could go bust in booze ban - Distell; Sasol
In today's news headlines: * The first coronavirus vaccine to be tested in people appears to be safe and able to stimulate an immune response against the virus, its manufacturer, Moderna, announced on Monday; * As of late Monday, the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in South Africa had…
SA's own Sheldon Cooper, home-schooled Pretoria whizkid Hjalmar Rall heading for quantum greatness
South Africa seems to have its own Sheldon Cooper. Like the physics genius from The Big Bang Theory fame, Pretoria youngster Hjalmar Rall graduated with honours in physics in his teens, he reveres Prof Richard Feynman and hope to one day be top in his field. Home-schooled after getting bored…
Top economist on why it’ll take years to recover from Covid-19
As we emerge from our homes, blinking in the light and ready to get back to work, everyone is asking how quickly our economies can recover from their Covid-19 crunches. Some believe that recovery will be rapid as restrictions ease and that we can quickly resume our previous levels of…
Cigarette ban 'spectacular failure'; extra cash for every EC job saved; grounded SAA guzzles R10bn; SA on UK rich list
In today's news headlines: * The cigarette ban a ‘spectacular failure’, with nine out of 10 smokers breaking the law during lockdown and the illicit trade flourishing, UCT research finds; * The Eastern Cape plans to offer employers R10,000 for every manufacturing job saved; * SAA continues to suck up…
The Kolisi Foundation tackling Covid-19 induced hunger
The captain of the Springboks Siya Kolisi is a man known for humility and he knows just what to say in the big moments. With food and hunger, and the needs of so many poor communities increasing due to the lockdown in South Africa; he is again in tune with…