BizNews Radio

In a lively conversation with BizNews editor Alec Hogg, Rory Steyn unpacks a thrilling weekend of rugby. From the Blitzboks’ Cape Town Sevens victory signalling a return to form, to South Africa’s challenges in the Investec Champion's Cup, Steyn emphasises rugby's cyclical nature and the need for adaptability. He highlights standout teams like Bordeaux and Leinster while calling for greater crowd engagement and strategic scheduling. A celebration of rugby's global evolution, Steyn’s insights illuminate the sport’s growing vibrancy and South Africa’s enduring legacy.

The weekend’s collapse of a 54-year Syrian dictatorship has dramatically altered Middle Eastern politics - and it is now clear that South Africa’s largest political party and mobile phone operator MTN backed a losing horse. Iranian-born and raised Iraj Abedian provides context on the dramatic collapse of the Assad family’s Syrian dynasty, which for over a decade had been propped up by Tehran and Moscow. The changes have implications for the ANC and MTN, both of whom profited greatly from their links to the Iranian regime and its Syrian ally. Although recently MTN exited Syria, its investment into and 15-year involvement in the dictatorship is sure to carry consequences - as are its continued operations in Iran.

This week, South Africa assumed the Presidency of the G20, comprising many of the world’s largest developing and developed economies. It is the first time an African nation chairs the bloc. Ramaphosa said at the launch in Parliament in Cape Town that inclusivity would be a key feature of South Africa’s leadership of the G20 and that he would continue the developmental agendas of the previous G20 presidencies of India, Indonesia, and Brazil and bring the development priorities of Africa and the Global South to the fore. The G20 is “extremely prestigious, says Dr. Jakkie Cilliers, Head of the African Futures and Innovation Programme at the Institute of Security Studies in Pretoria and it is an opportunity to showcase South Africa and ensure it is visible on the international stage. The newly re-elected US President could, however, take a bit of the shine off Ramaphosa’s G20 Presidency, according to Dr. Cilliers. President-elect Trump, he said, is not committed to climate change or sustainable development or multilateralism—the issues that are important to South Africa. South Africa will hand over the G20 Presidency to the US in November at a G20 summit next year, and Dr. Cilliers said there is a big question mark over Trump’s attendance. The newly elected US President has in the past lumped African countries into a basket of “shithole countries.”

In this episode of the Sunday Show with BizNews, Neil de Beer, the President of the United Independent Movement (UIM), slams Deputy President Paul Mashatile for not declaring a diamond gifted to his wife by Ponzi accused Louis Liebenberg; warns that Democratic Alliance Federal Chair Helen Zille knows where’s the nuclear button to implode the Government of National Unity (GNU); and calls President Cyril Ramaphosa “spineless, gutless” and without backbone,”watermelons” and “rugby balls” for redeploying Minister Thembi Simelane. Discussing the deportation this weekend of the killer of former South African Communist Party (SACP) leader Chris Hani, De Beer comments on speculation that it was an “inside job” and that some members of the African National Congress (ANC) were part of a plot to use the Right Wing to dispose of him. He also expresses outrage over the costly training of Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s “AmaPanyaza” who are “suddenly goose-stepping in the format of Russia and of China”. As for the R90 billion rand municipal debt to ESKOM, De Beer warns: “if we don't get corporate, economic, soluble good governance in the municipal areas, we are dead. We are not going to make it.”

Two companies whose goal is to democratise ownership of assets have combined as members of a consortium that is offering SA Rugby an alternative to the highly contested Ackerly Sports proposal to acquire management control and 20% of the Springbok brand for $75m. BizNews editor Alec Hogg gets the inside track from AltVest’s Warren Wheatley and Charles Savage of Easy Equities on how they will make it possible to invest in Springbok Rugby from just R1.

Spud, one of South Africa’s most beloved characters, is making a return in the fifth book by author John van de Ruit. In Spud: The Reunion, the Crazy Eight return to their school ten years after they left. John told BizNews in an interview that Spud has become his Frankenstein creation. He thought Spud had run its course and would “fizzle out,” but it kept on bubbling. It has been a decade since the last Spud book, and during that time, John had a couple of hairy experiences, including a boat accident on Lake Kariba and getting caught up in a tsunami in Asia. Spud, he says, allows him to create a fictional memoir of his life. Van de Ruit hinted that there could be more books on Spud, the adult, noting that everybody asks him if there will be more movies. He revealed that he is busy writing Spud: The Musical, which will include some of the music featured in the films. The book is available as an e-book overseas, and there is also an audiobook narrated by Joe Vaz for international audiences.

From Bitcoin's meteoric rise to $100,000 and predictions of a million-dollar future, to reshaping South Africa's bloated government, entrepreneur Rob Hersov doesn't shy away from controversy. In this riveting discussion, Hersov shares his insights on cryptocurrency, the failures of bureaucracy, and his blueprint for a streamlined government that prioritizes efficiency over excess.

In this episode of the BizNews Briefing, we hear from the director of a Cambridge University’s Institute explaining the danger of the ANC’s close relationship with Iran; How OUTA is to intensify its attack on the debacle around SA’s dysfunctional Driver’s Licence card issuing; Plus the DA’s two most outspoken critics of the ANC, Rob Hersov and the very latest from the investment markets. The Briefing is hosted by BizNews editor Alec Hogg.

Some City of Jo’burg councillors are in the cross-hairs after a court ordered that City Manager Floyd Brink must resign because his reappointment was unconstitutional, unlawful and invalid. This ruling comes after the Democratic Alliance (DA) challenged Brink's appointment in court after the ANC/ EFF/ PA/ActionSA coalition supported his irregular appointment. In this interview with BizNews, DA’ Caucus Leader Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku says: “…we have written already…to the Minister and the MEC and the National Treasury and the AG to look at fruitless and wasteful expenditure with a view to recover the cost from these councillors who voted in favour of these unlawful decisions.” Meanwhile, they are awaiting the City’s next move: “We haven't seen any reaction from the City Manager himself, now former City Manager, but we have seen statements from the Executive Mayor who said they are still studying the judgment to determine what will be the next directive to take. We've also seen this morning a statement by the Speaker requesting for an amicable solution; and we're not so sure whatever that means because in our view, the law is the law and the rule of law is the rule of law.” She also details plans to deal with the water crisis and cadre deployment.

The African National Congress (ANC) has sold its soul, its democratic principles, its “brilliant” legacy, its own people to anti-democratic, “Nazi-inspired” forces. That is the view of Dr. Charles Small, the Founding Director of the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy and a former Chair of the ANC Solidarity Committee of Canada. In this interview with BizNews, he charges that the ANC went to the Hague for “two pieces of silver” from “paymasters” with “Nazi ideology”. Dr Small says the fact that SA has paved the way for the Iranian Revolutionary Regime to join BRICS, and its working with Russia, and Hamas, “is not going over very well” in Washington. “I think they're going to be checked by democratic countries. I don't think this can go on,” he warned. “…we can see the Iranian Revolutionary regime and Hamas preaching hatred based on Nazism. And for the ANC to be aligned with this is shocking. And it's just, I would say for money, for political expedience…And the ANC leadership needs to question itself. Do you want a quick fix for your financial troubles or do you want to rectify it slowly and methodically for a bright future? Or do you want to take bribes from anti-democratic entities that are diametrically opposed to the raison d'etre of the African National Congress?”