BizNews Radio

What would Glynnis Breytenbach do if she were the Minister of Justice? In a face-to-face interview from the Latitude Aparthotel studio in Cape Town, BizNews asks her for solutions. Breytenbach, the Democratic Alliance’s (DA’s) Shadow Minister of Justice, says that her first priority would be to ensure that the functionality of the criminal justice system was restored. “The entire system needs a serious overhaul, and that includes the police, the prosecution, the judiciary and correctional services.” Currently, Breytenbach is working hard towards the establishment of an Anti-Corruption Commission that would relieve the overburdened National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) of the task of prosecuting very high-level corruption- and organised crime cases. She is optimistic that the bill will sail through Parliament - with the expected support from the African National Congress (ANC) - and that the Commission could be set up within about a year - and that this completely independent Chapter 9 institution could start prosecuting these complex cases within 18 months so that South Africans can start seeing accountability and consequences. - Chris SteynYour early morning brew of the BizNews Insider keeps you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here - https://bit.ly/3lfVRYP.---Timestamps:00:00 - Introductions00:28 - Glynnis Breytenbach on the state of the Justice Deparment in SA and what changes she would make if she were Justice Minister06:35 - On if the dire state of the Justice Department can be turned around timeously07:22 - On the National Prosecuting Authority11:20 - On the public scepticism toward the Justice Department and NPA12:49 - On the safety and protection of whistleblowers in SA15:59 - On the Anti-Corruption Commission Bill18:40 - On the endemic corruption in South Africa20:27 - On the timeline for the Anti-Corruption Commission Bill21:16 - On what drives her passion for justice22:51 - On her relationships with the Ministers of Police and Justice and the Thabo Bester debacle24:11 - On President Cyril Ramaphosa24:42 - On the state of justice in South Africa25:52 - Concludes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr Kevin Trenberth, a highly regarded climate scientist whose work on several IPCC reports has made him a leading voice in the field, sat down with BizNews to discuss the current state of climate change. Dr Trenberth did an exemplary job of explaining how, while climate change is primarily caused by greenhouse gases, it also amplifies natural weather patterns like El Niño. Both those on the climate change alarmist and sceptic sides of this critical debate are sure to follow the interview keenly as Trenberth provided detailed explanations of complex climate science concepts and responded to statements made by climate scientists in the opposing camp. Dr Trenberth was forthcoming and informative with his beliefs and arguments – a fresh and very welcome level of professionalism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

United States inflation fell to 3% in June, the lowest in three years, as increased interest rates started to bite. This easing in CPI has lifted hopes that the current trend of rising interest rates will be cooled. But what does all this mean for a South African investor? This week on the Fantasy Fund Manager podcast BizNews' Stuart Lowman was joined by Corion Capital's Garreth Montano and Grant Morris, a portfolio manager at CluclasGray Asset Management to try to answer this ever-changing scenario. With a big scope on which sectors and stocks may benefit from a dovish interest rate environment and a stronger Rand. Education is one of the cornerstones of Fantasy Fund Manager and this week dividend ratio was explained, and how it is used in investment decision-making. Remember to make your picks each week by the market open on Monday to have a chance to win any of the prizes up for grabs. And invite your friends. Register at www.fantasyfundmanager.co.za—thanks to our platinum sponsors Sharenet, Terebinth Capital, ClucasGray Asset Management, and Money Better. Remember to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Martin Wolf, the esteemed chief economic commentator at the Financial Times, requires little introduction. Regarded as the gold standard of financial and economics journalism, Wolf’s latest book, The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism serves as a wake-up call for democratic nations. In it, he highlights the faltering marriage between democracy and the market economy, exposing democratic nations to the perils of profoundly anti-democratic forces. In an exclusive interview with BizNews, Wolf delves into his background and how it has shaped his perspectives, illuminating the concerning backsliding of democracy and proposes remedies to reverse this decline ‘before it is too late’. Reflecting on South Africa, a country for which he penned his “saddest but perhaps best column” in the early 2000s, Wolf laments the predatory and non-productive elite that is not creating new wealth. The leadership’s unbelievably difficult task, he says, has deteriorated. He emphasises that South Africa’s path to success necessitates the economy to grow at 5% a year and the incomes of the poorest should grow at 7or 8%. - Linda van TilburgYour early morning brew of the BizNews Insider keeps you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here - https://bit.ly/3lfVRYP. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many whistleblowers in South Africa end up on the run. Some even end up dead. Others have to live in hiding in fear of their lives. One of those is South African Police Service (SAPS) whistleblower Patricia Morgan-Mashale, a former Senior Administration Clerk in the Firearm Registry in the Free State. Patricia has been in hiding since February last year (2022) after repeatedly trying to expose “massive” corruption in SAPS. She tells BizNews of threats to her life and liberty; how Police Minister Bheki Cele tried to get her to meet him alone; and how President’s Cyril Ramaphosa has ignored her pleas for protection. Still, she says: “…my children have told me they’d rather have a mother who died because of a truth than a mother who's still alive because she was afraid to speak out and tell the truth.” This is her story… - Chris SteynSign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Western Cape government's "Growth for Jobs Strategy" is being launched later this month. Western Cape Premier Alan Winde gives a sneak preview – and details a raft of positive developments in the province. He discusses the latest plans to counter the "biggest blockage" to the economy – electricity and energy. And he tells BizNews how the province's residents are being made safer with "boots on the ground" in murder- and crime hotspots. Meanwhile, new schools are being built fast, with one for 500 learners completed in just 65 days. Premier Winde also gives optimistic feedback on his recent trip to the United States (US), where talks were held with big investors and the US Government on AGOA, amongst other matters of bilateral interest. – Chris Steyn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

South Africa is home to one of the world’s foremost scenario planners - an Oxford PPE and erstwhile top business executive who played a huge role in the late 1980s in steering the nation towards the High Road of negotiation, rather than a widely anticipated civil war. Now in his late 70s, futurist Clem Sunter’s passion for the country is undimmed. But he fears that today’s political and business leaders are not appreciating the arrival of the second watershed that was highlighted in the original High Road Low Road scenarios three decades back. In this absorbing interview he explains to BizNews’s Alec Hogg what’s really at stake in Election 2024. In short, that it’s “the economy, stupid...” and without a 1980s-type refocus, this time to promote entrepreneurship, all of the Young Democracy’s gains since 1994 will be lost Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this latest episode of the Radical Collaboration series with Kagiso Trust, experts discuss the pressing issues of social justice and corruption in South Africa. The conversation centers around the concept of social justice as enshrined in the country’s Constitution, emphasizing equal access to basic necessities such as clean water, which is a fundamental right. However, the reality on the ground tells a different story, with disparities in the quality of services between different communities. The guests, Zukiswa Kota from the Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM) and Wayne Duvenage, CEO of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), shed light on the detrimental effects of corruption and the challenges faced in achieving social justice and equitable service delivery.Join us for this 6-part series with Kagiso Trust, as we explore ways of being a part of the solution and not part of the problem.Sponsored by:Kagiso Trust - https://bit.ly/3N4FZ9e Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Lings, Chief Economist at Stanlib, has added a lot of Eskom-related data to the weekly pack of graphs he distributes to the company’s clients - and in this interview, unpacks the key information, cutting through the complexity and technical jargon that often makes it inaccessible for many. Lings presents the information digestibly, allowing for a clearer understanding of the energy sector’s overall situation. His conclusions point to there being hope - thanks to the successful renewables programme and the huge and growing role now being played by the private sector, which was only recently allowed to enter the sector. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Democratic Alliance’s (DA’s) Shadow Minister of Police Andrew Whitfield says President Cyril Ramaphosa should take responsibility for the state of safety and security in South Africa because he has refused to get rid of Police Minister Bheki Cele. He speaks to BizNews as Cele seems to have gone “underground” while the furore over VIP Protection Unit members assaulting unarmed civilians, rages on. The exposure of that has now resulted in an apparent death threat to an ex-cop in the security industry for sharing footage of the ”Blue Light Mafia” assault last week. That threat read: “Goodday we don't take kind (sic) to the footage that you supplied to the media. You made a lot of enemies in specialized units, we will deal with you…” Meanwhile, President Ramaphosa “unfortunately appears dead set on keeping Minister Cele in this position”. But Whitfield warns that as long as Cele stays in his job, the country’s safety and security environment will deteriorate. He also slams SAPS’ use of spy grabber technology to illegally intercept communications from ordinary South Africans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices