BizNews Radio (OLD)
Welcome to BizNews Radio where we interview top thought leaders and business people from South Africa and across the globe.
Flash Briefing: Markets 'confused' after cabinet; Omnia shares tumble; Ayo, PIC legal battle; Auntie Pat
In today's business headlines: Investors react favourably to Ramaphosa's cabinet but the US-China trade war dampens sentiment; Shares tumble in Chemical and fertiliser company Omnia Holdings after it announced a rights offer of R2bn to cut debt; Ayo Technology Solutions and the PIC are suing each other; Africa is working…
Ramaphosa foot on the pedal to clean up corruption - Melanie Verwoerd
The relief among investors was clear to see as they assessed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s South African cabinet line-up. The slimmed down executive were given the thumbs-up and the retention of the crucial Finance Ministry post to Tito Mboweni, while allowing Pravin Gordhan as Public Enterprises Minister to continue the clean-up…
Starting a company in the UK: Here's what you need to know
With the Brexit drama engulfing the UK and resulting in the scalp of yet another Prime Minister, it's tempting to overlook that country as a place to start a new business. However, the reality is that the UK's highly advanced first world market coupled with the fact that it remains…
Flash Briefing: Cyril’s pruned Executive excites Rand; Shell seeks SA oil; PIC gets Unioned; Naspers
In today's business headlines: Ramaphosa has announced a slimmed-down Cabinet, reflecting a clean-up but there are some political trade-offs; The Rand gains following the announcement of the Cabinet; Naspers says it is not abandoning South Africa as it plans to list in Amsterdam; Royal Dutch Shell takes a second stake…
Flash Briefing: Mabuza phobia knocks rand; Moyo fiasco shakes Old Mutual; Sibanye, Reunert
In today's headlines: The rand fell on speculation that graft-tainted David Mabuza could be re-appointed as deputy president. The Sibanye share price gained about 9% on the news that Lonmin and Sibanye shareholders have approved the takeover of struggling Lonmin. Reunert fell more than 5% as investors absorbed the details…
Flash Briefing: Telkom's shift in focus bears fruit; Ramaphosa goes slow; Naspers' Tencent; Aspen chill
In today's headlines: Telkom was a big mover on the JSE as its share price jumped nearly 14% to an all-time high of just over R98 per share after it released its Group Provisional Annual Results for the year ended 31 March 2019. Other JSE stocks that gained in value…
Innovative wood science: UP's Martin Wierzbicki recognised in global award
Martin Wierzbicki, an MSc graduate from the University of Pretoria, is making waves in the world of wood science. He was recently named among three winners of the global 2018-2019 Blue Sky Young Researchers and Innovation Award for his research on genome-based biotechnology for designer wood. Wierzbicki’s work has focused…
Salt River's Nadine Maselle gives back thanks to $50k Facebook grant
Electrical engineering student Nadine Maselle was a matric student at Salt River High last year and, while there, she realised that her old school's computer lab could do with a much-needed improvement. So, when she became a fellow of the Facebook Community Leadership programme, she had an opportunity to give…
Vumatel-CIVH merger: RMB's Jessica Spira on her bank's role in the deal
At the end of April this year, the Competition Tribunal approved, subject to conditions, a merger involving Community Investment Ventures Holdings (CIVH) and Vumatel, bumping up CIVH's shareholding in the fibre-broadband provider. The deal means that Johann Rupert-linked CIVH now has sole control of Vumatel in what is a major…
Flash Briefing: CEO-firing stocks plunge; Boris in big lead; Carbon Tax now law; S&P holds SA rating
Former UK foreign secretary and London mayor Boris Johnson has emerged as the strong frontrunner to succeed British Prime Minister Theresa May, who steps down on June 7. The South African Treasury last night released details of the long anticipated Carbon Tax proposals which have now been signed into law…
'Success is about showing up' - interior designer Nthabi Taukobong on her 23yr career
JOHANNESBURG — Well-known South African interior designer Nthabi Taukobong - who is the Founder and Managing Director at DITAU - African Luxury Lifestyle has just published a book highlighting her 23-year career in the space. Taukobeng has been a trailblazer, thanks to her work for several high profile people and establishments on…
Meet Frank Solomon: Pro Surfer helping out Hout Bay's underprivileged kids
JOHANNESBURG — Cape Town-based Frank Solomon is famous around the world for being a big wave professional surfer and for having featured in a popular Red Bull film dubbed 'Let's be Frank - the double life of Frank James Solomon'. Frank has been described by some as breaking the stereotype…
Flash Briefing: Massmart earnings nose-dive; Steinhoff investors queue to sue; Brait, Mabuza
In today's news headlines: Massmart announced on Thursday that it had hired an American heavy hitter, Mitch Slape, as CEO. Brait’s share price hit a 7-year-low on news that the net value of its assets has fallen sharply. There was another development in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s strategy to root out…
Is there a secret formula to happiness?
When it comes to world happiness, it probably comes as no surprise to South Africans, that we are low on the list. The latest United Nations and Gallup poll put us 106th behind other African countries like Nigeria, Algeria, Cameroon, Burundi and Benin. You would think that all that lovely…
Flash Briefing: Mabuza fuels rand; Prasa's anti-corruption steam; Tuna Bond minister heads home; Sasol, Eskom
In today's business headlines: The Rand gained on news that Deputy-President David Mabuza will not be sworn in as MP. Corruption busting at Prasa gathers momentum with suspensions. South Africa has decided to extradite Mozambican Manuel Chang wanted for the tuna bond scandal to his home country not the US…
Flash Briefing: Tesla Code Red; Tuna Bond scam nabs first fish; Jamie Oliver's UK insolvency; Rand
In today's business headlines: Morgan Stanley sees Tesla at $10 as market for electric cars goes soft. Huawei goes to EU warning it could happen to any international company. Ex-Credit Suisse banker pleads guilty in Tuna Bond scandal. Jamie Oliver restaurants in the UK declared insolvent. JSE is flat with…
Tesla is facing Code Red
The news that Tesla shares have dipped to below $200, which is the lowest level since 2016 this week is not the end of bad news for Elon Musk's electric car company. Morgan Stanley has slashed its worse-case scenario for the share price to just $10 over concern that the…
Huawei ban could derail US/China trade negotiations
173 companies including footwear giants, Nike and Adidas have signed an open letter to US President Donald Trump in which they say that tariffs on shoes made in China will be a catastrophic for the American economy. They posted it on the Footwear Distribution and Retailers of America's website. This…
Flash Briefing: Ramaphosa cabinet cull begins; Pioneer plummets; GOT set-back knocks Naspers
President Cyril Ramaphosa has moved quickly to show he is serious about cleaning up his cabinet following May 8 elections. On the JSE, Pioneer Foods was the big loser of the day. Its share price plunged about 12% after the release of its half-year results. Also dragging down the JSE…
DA leader Mmusi Maimane could face leadership challenge after election performance
PRETORIA — Although the Democratic Alliance has managed to hang on to the Western Cape, their support has dipped since the 2014 elections. This raises the question whether the leadership of Mmusi Maimane could be challenged. Political analyst Theo Venter from the North West University spoke to Biznews about the…