BizNews Radio

South Africa’s ever-optimistic Minister of Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has had “no accountability” for six months. That has emerged from a BizNews interview with the Democratic Alliance's (DA’s) Shadow Minister of Electricity, Samantha Graham-Mare. She shares the details of her many failed attempts to engage the Minister to collaborate on solving the country’s power-supply crisis. She charges that he has failed to attend any of the ad hoc Energy meetings in the Western Cape, “despite having three times agreed to be there and then not pitching for them”. However, with Parliament having decided that the Minister now reports to the Department of Public Enterprises, she is hopeful that there will be opportunities to engage with him in the Portfolio Committee. Meanwhile, the Minister’s predictions ”change weekly” in terms of when the crisis will be resolved. “But if we actually had to have a look at ESKOM's outlook for the next 52 weeks, you will see that every single week is indicated in red, which means that there will be load shedding - according to ESKOM- for every single week of the next 52 weeks,” she warns.

Blood has a voice. That is the title of a book written by one of South Africa's top forensic pathologists, Dr. Hestelle van Staden, who has conducted thousands of autopsies - and is one of between only 60 and 70 qualified specialist forensic pathologists in the country. As such she is often the last voice of a deceased person, a victim’s only chance for justice, a family’s only hope for answers. And in this interview with BizNews, she speaks about how the dead speak to her. Dr van Staden, whose expert testimony in court could mean the difference between a guilty verdict and an acquittal, also details “the most harrowing case” she has been involved in; reveals how a person who is found hanged in an apparent suicide can “tell” her that he or she was in fact murdered; and explains why a person found with a gunshot wound and gunshot residue on his hand, may not have committed suicide. “…you simply cannot assume that what you are seeing is exactly what is there,” she says. - Chris Steyn

Photograph of Dr Hestelle van Staden by Theana van Bruegem

One of SA's best-performing fund managers is adamant that South African shares are discounting the worst but will rebound strongly, just like in every previous cycle. Andrew Vintcent of ClucasGray, whose returns in the past three years have been double those of the market, is confident that the worst is already behind JSE-listed stocks. In this interview with BizNews editor Alec Hogg, he argues the perfect storm of bad news is already starting to brighten, especially for small and medium-cap stocks. This assessment aligns with what we heard from Piet Viljoen earlier this week.

n this interview with BizNews, Ambassador Eli Belotsercovsky vows: “We will not succumb to this terror…Israel will do anything in order to defend its citizens…” The Ambassador gives an update on current Israeli military operations in the northern part of Gaza where Hamas is using civilians as human shields. He also speaks about Hezbollah’s support of the terror attack and the “very tense situation” currently on the border with Lebanon. And he reveals that Hamas has an office in South Africa. “This is, in my opinion, absolutely shocking. The Hamas was responsible for the murder of about 1,300 civilians now, and not only of Israelis, but also of people of many other nationalities. And the fact that there is a Hamas office operating freely in South Africa, in my opinion, it's completely unacceptable.”

Welcome to the Fantasy Fund Manager podcast, the nexus where finance and real-world events collide. This week, Stuart Lowman navigates through the tumultuous waves of the market with Corion Capital’s Garreth Montano and Caelib Hannibal from Sharenet, exploring the impact of geopolitical tensions, humanitarian crises, and the ever-volatile resource counters. Dive deep into a candid discussion about the intricacies of market movements, and the subtle art of maintaining stability amidst chaos, and glean insights into strategic plays in the current economic climate. Whether you're an investor, a market enthusiast, or someone keen on understanding the economic ripples of global events, this episode is your ticket to comprehending the complex world of investing amidst uncertainty. Remember, each dawn of Monday is your chance to pitch your winning stocks. With enticing prizes awaiting, the game is on. Rally your comrades and head to www.fantasyfundmanager.co.za to register—big thanks to our platinum sponsors, Sharenet, Terebinth Capital, ClucasGray Asset Management, and MoneyBetter. And mark your calendars: Subscribe now to our podcast to keep up with every episode.

How can South Africa unlock the potential of its incredible sporting talent pool? According to Brad Bing - founder and managing director of Sporting Chance, an NGO focused on youth sports development and health education in South Africa - “South Africa keeps underselling itself as a top, top sporting nation.” Speaking to BizNews, Bing discusses the country’s pool of “incredible natural talent and flair” and the steps that SA’s sporting structures need to take to get the most out of it. Bing calls for more private sector and government investment in youth sports development at grassroots level, arguing that the return on this investment would be hugely beneficial to the economy. Beyond the benefit to the economy, Bing cites the impact of sport on national morale, “If our teams are doing well and the national psyche is at a huge high… The more people feel good about themselves, the more successful they're going to be.” And on the work of Sporting Chance and the need for kids to lead an active lifestyle, “it's absolutely vital that South African children understand the importance of learning how to be healthy and active.” - Patrick Kidd

CROW is South Africa's oldest wildlife rehabilitation centre. For the past 43 years, the centre has been rehabilitating and releasing wild animals and birds. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which suspended their international volunteer programme for two years, combined with the devastating 2022 floods in Kwazulu-Natal and the current cost of living crisis, the centre is in danger of closing down. In an interview with BizNews, Clint Halkett-Siddall, the Director of CROW, shed light on the centre's current plight. What was once a sanctuary rescuing 3,000 to 4,000 injured, orphaned and displaced animals and birds annually is now facing a grim reality: a mere ten months of operational costs stand between them and closure. In a bid to keep their doors open, Halkett-Siddall said CROW has initiated a BackaBuddy campaign, reaching out for support. He emphasised the critical role played by CROW in educating future generations. CROW's education program has already reached 160,000 pupils. He said urbanisation is exacting a significant toll on South Africa's wildlife.

In another informative interview, GoSolr co-founder and CEO Andrew Middleton explains how the company’s cost per kw/h was already in line with Joburg’s before City Power announced a 13% increase; and is also lower than Cape Town’s. Middleton unpacks why this cost advantage will keep widening - and the self-confessed ‘solar nerd’ shares some practical tips on how those who switch to self-reliance can save even more.

In another informative interview, GoSolr co-founder and CEO Andrew Middleton explains how the company's cost per kw/h was already in line with Joburg's before City Power announced a 13% increase and is lower than Cape Town's. Middleton unpacks why this cost advantage will keep widening - and the self-confessed 'solar nerd' shares some practical tips on how those who switch to self-reliance can save even more. For more information on GoSolr, visit https://bit.ly/3q0jk6n.

A 12-year-old girl who has special needs is one of the hostages taken by Hamas terrorists during the worst ever terror attack on Israeli soil. In this emotional interview with BizNews, Noya’s mother Galit Dan pleads with the kidnappers not to harm her daughter. “Don't hurt her. The Quran says that if you have someone in your house, you shouldn't hurt him. You should take care of him. I'm sure there's women there, there's mothers. I'm sure you understand that she's someone's daughter. Be kind. Find your heart.” And Galit sends her daughter this message: “I'm doing everything I can to get you out of there. Noya, I'm strong and my love is strong. Everything will be okay. I'll save you…Be strong…” The terrorists also abducted Gilat’s 80-year-old mother Carmella Dan, as well as her sister’s children, Erez (12) and Sahar (16) and their father, Ofer Kalderon (50). - Chris Steyn