BizNews Radio

Retail analyst Evan Walker discussed with BizNews host Alec Hogg the challenges facing South African retailer Pick n Pay, Shoprite's market dominance, and the success of Clicks' loyalty program. He also highlighted competition from Chinese e-commerce platforms like Shein and potential impacts of Amazon's arrival in the local market.

In recent years, there have been numerous reports about the degradation of river systems in South Africa, largely linked to municipalities’ inability to effectively treat wastewater, which has far-reaching implications for human and environmental health. These challenges are the driving force behind the research by Professor Patricks Voua Otomo and Sanele Mnkhandla from the University of the Free State’s research into utilising mushrooms and microfiltration techniques to enhance the quality of contaminated water. In an interview with BizNews, Mnkandla said that they had found they could remove up to 94% of iron and 31% of insecticides from contaminated water with common edible mushrooms. Mnkandla says a TED Talk inspired her to investigate the use of mushrooms to purify contaminated water. The next step would involve designing a pilot plant, and if successful, UFS could collaborate with municipal engineers to scale it further. This method could also be used to purify water farmers use to clean equipment, which often contains pesticides and harmful chemicals, for irrigation systems in farming and for filtering rainwater running off roofs for washing.

Deep insights in this episode of the BizNews Briefing as top retail analyst Evan Walker of 36ONE explains what impact the annual financial results will have on the super-charged share price of Clicks and the sector generally in the context of the Takealot v Amazon v Temu; and mining guru Peter Major assesses the latest news from Afrimat; Anglo American; Anglo Platinum and Kumba. Also in this show, Western Cape focused property stock Spear’s CEO Quintin Rossi; Wilgenhof; implications of North Korean troops in the Ukraine front line; and chances of success for Putin-punted BRICS currency.

The Association for the Advancement of Wilgenhof Residents (AWIR) and Stellenbosch University (‘SU’) have settled litigation concerning the SU Council’s decision to close the Wilgenhof residence in 2025. As part of the agreement, in the first semester, the 2025 Wilgenhof students, together with new first year students who will be allocated to the residence, will be entitled to all move to a new residence together and to retain the current House Committee during which time SU will conduct as much of the necessary renovations as possible. The students will be entitled to return in the second semester even if some of the upgrades still need to be completed. However, the Wilgenhof Alumni has not been able to come to an agreement with SU on its separate application to the High Court to review and set aside the June 2024 report and recommendations by an investigative panel, as well as the decision by the SU Rectorate to accept the panel’s conclusion that Wilgenhof was “irremediable” and should be closed. In this interview Jaco Rabie of the Wilgenhof Alumni Association takes BizNews viewers through the whole saga.

In today’s BizNews NewsWrap, we cover the most talked-about stories. Rob Hersov shares his unfiltered views on the controversial Springbok private equity deal. Advocate Glynis Breytenbach calls for Justice Minister Tembi Simelane's resignation amid VBS Mutual Bank scrutiny. We dive into Tesla's impressive earnings report, with Bloomberg and Seth Goldstein of Morningstar. Finally, Russian historian Irina Filatova unpacks BRICS' geopolitical shift and its message to the West. Tune in for the latest updates and expert insights!

In a hard-hitting interview with BizNews founder Alec Hogg, DA spokesperson on Justice and Constitutional Development, Glynnis Breytenbach, exposes the questionable financial dealings of Justice Minister Thembi Simelane during her time as Polokwane mayor. Breytenbach highlights a conflict of interest involving a shady loan connected to the VBS Mutual Bank scandal, where Simelane allegedly benefited from a half-million-rand "loan" while municipal funds were directed into the failing bank. With Simelane now leading the justice ministry and under investigation by the Hawks, Breytenbach argues that her position undermines the integrity of South Africa’s fragile criminal justice system.

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In a revealing interview, Rob Hersov discusses the alarming involvement of North Korean troops in the Ukraine conflict and its potential to galvanize Western support for Ukraine. He critiques the recent Springbok rugby partnership deal with Ackerley Sports Group, calling it poorly constructed and highlighting the incompetence within the South African Rugby Union. Hersov advocates for a transparent process and better partners to elevate the Springbok brand and address its financial needs.

Russian President Vladimir Putin - who is hosting the latest BRICS Summit - has managed to demonstrate to the world that he is not isolated at all - and that - together with China - he leads the Global South. So says Russian historian, Professor Irina Filatova. In this interview with BizNews, she says BRICS sees itself as fighting for a new multipolar world - and that the addition of the new members, particularly Iran, has pushed BRICS away from cooperation with the West. She describes as the biggest take-out from the Summit, “the huge announcement by the Global South. We are here and you have to listen to us.” She adds: “It may be that this summit actually was a point in the international relations and in the global situation that we shall remember as a turning point which will mark the strengthening, final strengthening of the rest at the expense of the West, or it may not. It may be completely different and the world may collapse into a host of different groupings, conflicts and fighting interests both on the battlefield and in the trade relations, the economy, etc.” Professor Filatova also describes the impact a new BRICS financial system could have on the current global financial system. Furthermore, she analyses the implications of North Korea entering the war against Ukraine.

In a startling development, reports suggest that North Korean soldiers are being deployed to aid Russia in its war against Ukraine. Satellite images from South Korea reveal troops being prepped in Russia's Far East, raising concerns about global conflict escalation. This alliance signals a broader internationalization of the war, as experts question how the West will respond to this growing threat.

Major companies like EOH, Tesla, and Famous Brands are all facing unique challenges and opportunities. EOH is restructuring after corruption scandals, Tesla is seeing soaring demand and cost reductions, while Famous Brands recovers post-COVID. Strategic pivots and market resilience are key themes driving these corporate stories forward.