BizNews Radio

In this episode of the BizNews Briefing, which is now aired live at 6pm every night, host Alec Hogg talks to top SA retail investor 36ONE’s Evan Walker about his lunchtime meeting with the team at Boxer, the spinoff from Pick n Pay which will list on 28 November and “should be in everyone’s portfolio”. Also, in this programme, a visual insight into Elon Musk’s ascension into a powerful White House role.

In a recent interview, former JSE CEO and Stellenbosch University Council chair Nicky Newton-King discussed transforming Stellenbosch amid controversy, promoting inclusive leadership, and balancing her international board roles. She emphasised active listening and values-based leadership as essential for navigating complex changes in both academia and the global business landscape.

Donald Trump’s re-election as US President is expected to accelerate the US economy, boost confidence, and benefit the commercial real estate market. That is according to Justin Clarke, the Director of Operations at OrbVest, a company that invests in medical commercial real estate across the USA. Clarke said a good economy boosts confidence, leading to more companies signing long-term leases, unlike the post-COVID era marked by uncertainty. In an interview with BizNews, Clarke highlighted the burdensome regulations in the US real estate, which cause delays and increased costs, and expressed the hope that the new administration might streamline these regulations to enhance efficiency. The influence of Elon Musk, who has become a close confidant of Trump, could lead to a push for the US government to deregulate, he says. Commenting on some of OrbVest’s medical real estate buildings that have not performed as expected, Clarke said that COVID led to tenants walking away from office spaces, and rising interest rates have caused challenges. However, he said, “the wind is starting to blow behind us.” Added to a changing economy is an ageing US population with increasing healthcare costs, which he said ultimately means more tenants and more money flowing around in the healthcare space. And here is an interesting titbit he shared: the US government has so far been OrbVest’s worst tenant.- Linda van Tilburg

In today’s BizNews Briefing, Bronwyn Nielsen delves into South Africa’s equity landscape with Charl de Villiers from Ashburton, who shares the strategic shift toward local equities and the untapped value in mid-caps. The discussion extends to Nicky Newton-King, former JSE CEO and Stellenbosch University Council chair, as she addresses challenges at Wilgenhof, her views on navigating change, and reflections on the broader economic sentiment in South Africa.

Today on BizNews Newswrap, Lucienne Ferreira dives into Bitcoin’s explosive new heights, fresh shifts in U.S. politics, and Johan Rupert’s bold efforts to strengthen South Africa’s trade ties. With insights on local corruption concerns, the BELA Bill controversy, and top moves in the SA stock market, this wrap has everything you need to stay ahead. Don’t miss it!

With Trump’s influence making waves in the U.S. economy, David Shapiro from Sasfin Wealth joins Alec Hogg to dissect how market dynamics are being reshaped. From deregulation benefits and small-cap growth to the electric vehicle slowdown, Shapiro explains the impact of Trump’s policies and the forces behind key stocks like Tesla and Palantir

Jason Welz, Head of Digital Assets at Jaltech, discusses Bitcoin's recent surge, attributing it partly to Trump’s re-election, which may lead to relaxed crypto regulations. Institutional interest is also driving Bitcoin’s appeal as a “trustless” asset. While optimistic, Welz advises cautious investment, suggesting a portfolio allocation of 2–5% for average investors.

We have introduced a streamlined format for the daily BizNews Briefing, making consumption easier for those interested in business, investments and the political economy. In this episode host Alec Hogg has live guests to provide context on the Trump Bump on Wall Street, and Bitcoin’s surge above $80 000, with plenty more news including SA’s richest man Johann Rupert engaging directly with Donald Trump on keeping the country in AGOA, and MKP founder Jabulani Khumalo attacking its recent recruit Adv Dali Mpofu.

On this edition of the Sunday Show with BizNews, Neil de Beer, the President of the United Independent Movement (UIM), says South Africans have lost political decorum. He slams the “everlasting circus that is being played by the ANC, the GNU partnership” - and calls it “a tremendous play of power, greed, innuendos, treachery, treason and self implosion”. De Beer describes how the BELA Bill protest saw “Cabinet (ministers) marching against itself”, and as “a deeper level of madness” the ANC marching - also against itself -  for better service delivery. Delving into the underworld, De Beer talks about the assassination of kingin Mark Lifman in an environment of “pressure coming from inside the group and pressure from outside…global pressure…cartel pressure…governmental pressure”. And he calls the declassification of the IPID investigation into the assassination of Lieutenant-Colonel Charl Kinnear of the Anti-Gang Unit “a shocking indictment of…the people that represent us on the Thin Blue Line”. Lastly, he gives his take on Trump’s US Presidential victory and the role South African-born Elon Musk played in getting him elected.

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The seventh BizNews Conference, BNC#7, is to be held in Hermanus from March 11 to 13, 2025. The 2025 BizNews Conference is designed to provide an excellent opportunity for members of the BizNews community to interact directly with the keynote speakers, old (and new) friends from previous BNC events – and to interact with members of the BizNews team. Register for BNC#7 here.

In his second interview with BizNews, the real founder of uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), Jabulani Khumalo, bluntly calls Advocate Dali Mpofu a liar for claiming that he secretly set up MKP with former President Jacob Zuma. However, he says Mpofu was part of a plot to hijack the party he had founded. He also describes how he had guns pointed at him twice after false claims that he was going to deregister MKP. He speaks of how Zuma is making “all these mistakes” because he is bitter and angry - especially at President Cyril Ramaphosa. Khumalo is outraged at the corruption accused in MKP’s top structure - and says they are not in MK to work for the people. “They are in there to fight their battles”. As for the Government of National Unity (GNU), Khumalo says: “For me, it's a joke. People of South Africa need a government that is clean…GNU is doing nothing for the people. They are only trying to safeguard their positions in the government.”