BizNews Radio

South African comedy has moved beyond Leon Schuster slapstick to stand toe-to-toe with international standards, says Ari Kruger, the director of Amazon’s first original South African film, The Shakedown. Kruger, co-founder of Sketchbook Studios, wrote and directed the film, the first original South African film commissioned by Amazon. The other co-founder of Sketchbook is his wife, Julia Anastasopoulos, better known as SuzelleDIY, who portrays Natalia Diamond in the film. The Shakedown follows a broker entangled in an affair that leads to extortion, prompting him to seek assistance from his brother in the underworld. In an interview with BizNews, Kruger said he is inspired by real life, particularly South African characters in the underworld. He said he sees “South Africanness as our currency” expressing hope that a global audience would find the film interesting. With the backing of Amazon, Kruger benefitted from a larger budget and creative collaboration that introduced an "international way of working.” Since the making of The Shakedown, the streaming giant has retracted from the South African market, but Kruger is optimistic that it will come back.

In just 88 days since he was appointed South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs, 36-year-old Dr Leon Schreiber has been operating at warp speed. In this update with BizNews editor Alec Hogg, Schreiber shares details on the numerous fixes that were introduced. He explains the results of “magnifying glass” attention to regulatory details. And is confident that the changes being implemented will facilitate a long-overdue tourism boom; resulting in a surge of digitally-enabled ‘nomads’ from rich countries and a work-visa regime that will reverse SA’s decades-long brain drain. Critically, all of this, he says, is being facilitated by politicians from differing backgrounds simply “finding each other” through the Government of National Unity.

For the past dozen years, Brenthurst Wealth founder Magnus Heystek has (correctly) been consistently bearish on South African assets. In this interview with BizNews editor Alec Hogg he explains why things may be turning - explaining that the bullish mood among locals could spark global capital inflows.

This episode of the BizNews Briefing covers the major news events of the moment, moving from the impact of the Chinese stimulus package to surging SA commodity shares and continuing tensions over Stellenbosch University Council's decision to close the historic Wilgenhof residence. It is hosted by BizNews editor Alec Hogg.

Residents of Wilgenhof at Stellenbosch University are in “despair” following the decision to close down the residence following an investigation into two rooms used by an internal disciplinary committee. In this interview with BizNews, Nicola Theron, a spokesperson of the Association for the Advancement of Wilgenhof Residents, speaks about the ultimatum given to the SU Council to not implement the decision of 16 September to close Wilgenhof in 2025. Should no such undertaking be given, the Association will turn to the Western Cape High Court to obtain an urgent interdict to keep the residence open. She says: “…this can't be a rational decision either if one thinks about the psychological and the trauma impact on these, what are essentially children really; they are young adults, but they are children.” Theron describes how the current Wilgenhoffers celebrated Heritage Day “amidst this feeling of gloom and disappointment...it's really despair...a deep disillusionment with the university environment, which I think they expected to be nurturing in terms of education, nurturing in terms of their duty of care. And I think they feel abandoned really by the university."

At the BNIC fireside chat , Bryan Smith, a South African entrepreneur, shared his transformative journey from traditional real estate in South Africa to pioneering equity crowdfunding in the United States. After relocating in 2012, Smith navigated the complexities of the American credit system while leveraging the opportunities presented by the Jobs Act, which democratised capital-raising. His company, Capital Engine, has successfully raised over $200 million for US properties, making real estate investment accessible to retail investors. Smith highlights the resilience of South Africans as a key factor in their success abroad and discusses partnerships with local firms like Easy Properties to explore US commercial real estate opportunities. As he continues to bridge the investment landscapes of South Africa and the US, Bryan Smith is committed to empowering a broader audience through innovative financial solutions and technology, fostering a new era of investment accessibility.

At the BizNews Investment Conference BNIC#1, fund manager Sean Peche sounded the alarm on overvalued US stocks and revealed where smart investors like Warren Buffett are hedging their bets. Highlighting the excessive hype around companies like Nvidia and Apple, Peche emphasized the need to diversify into underappreciated sectors, from European banks to emerging markets. In a Q&A session, he urged caution, stressing that familiar names don’t guarantee safety, and savvy investors must look beyond the US to find true value in today's market. Peche's candid insights left attendees reconsidering their portfolios and eyeing global opportunities.

South Africa was abuzz yesterday following reports of a meeting between South African-born billionaire Elon Musk and President Cyril Ramaphosa in New York. Footage released by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) captured the two engaged in discussions in Ramaphosa’s hotel room during his attendance at the United Nations General Assembly. According to the Presidency, the talks centred around investment opportunities in South Africa. Prof. Theo Venter, a political analyst from the University of Johannesburg, told Biznews that the dynamics of Ramaphosa’s visit to New York shifted after the Musk encounter. Instead of focusing primarily on the international court case involving Israel and Palestine and the transformation of the Security Council, the meeting with Musk took centre stage. Venter emphasised that if a breakthrough on Starlink for South Africa is achieved, it could open up “Musk’s financial muscle to be more prevalent in South Africa in the future.” Additionally, Venter pointed out that this engagement with Musk could be strategically beneficial for Ramaphosa, given Musk’s backing of Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential elections.

South Africa’s GCIS has released footage of an extremely friendly engagement in New York between President Cyril Ramaphosa and the world’s richest man, SA-born-and-bred super entrepreneur Elon Musk. BizNews UK correspondent Linda van Tilburg has been following the story and explaining its significance. She spoke to BizNews editor Alec Hogg.

In a recent conversation, Alec Hogg interviews David Shapiro about the current optimism in American markets, where the S&P and Dow have reached record highs amid falling interest rates. Despite this bullish sentiment, David highlights lingering skepticism about the economy, driven by political narratives and the aftermath of COVID-19. He predicts that interest rate cuts will stimulate consumer spending and revive sectors like housing, while banks stand to benefit from improved economic activity and potential mergers and acquisitions. David also discusses the challenges facing Europe and expresses caution regarding foreign investments in South Africa, reflecting on recent corporate governance issues. Observing consumer trends, he notes strong demand for new Apple products among younger buyers, ultimately encouraging investors to seize the moment and invest in the market.