BizNews Radio

Maltento, a pioneering biotech company based in Cape Town, has successfully concluded a capital raise of £3.3 million (R63.78 million) from Sand River Venture Capital. The funding injection will enable Maltento to significantly scale up its business, which centers around farming black soldier flies for animal feed. Operating from their factory located in Epping, Cape Town, Maltento is currently shipping more than 15 tonnes of processed black soldier fly larvae to the United States every month. Dominic Malan, the Commercial Director and Co-founder of Maltento told Biznews that highlighting the gut health and hypoallergenic benefits of insect protein rather than focusing solely on the origin and the insects could shift the narrative and encourage the adoption of insect-based products among humans- Linda van Tilburg 

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81% of Gr4 learners in South Africa could not read for meaning in any language in 2021 - and South Africa experienced the largest decline in reading outcomes (-31 points) of all 33 countries/regions with data in 2016 and 2021. Professor Nic Spaull of the Economics Department at Stellenbosch University shares these and other findings in the latest “Progress in International Reading Literacy Study”. He discusses the causes and the long-term implications with BizNews.

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After years of a slow and tortuous process, the ANC's Hate Speech Bill is now within a few weeks of being promulgated. The Democratic Alliance has fought the proposal all the way because it says it is an attempt to criminalise dissent, rather than address something already well covered by existing laws. South Africans who agree with this the Official Opposition's view have until Monday 22nd May to officially object, an action strongly recommended by Daniela Ellerbeck, legal advisor at Freedom of Religion South Africa. In this interview with Alec Hogg of BizNews, Ellerbeck urges citizens to comment of they will end up with a law which is a dressed up Trojan Horse which will remove important freedoms most citizens currently take for granted.

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In Part Two of the BizNews interview with Dr Patrick Moore, one of the co-founders of Greenpeace and the most prominent figures in the field of environmentalism, Moore makes a compelling case for nuclear energy. Moore shares why he was silenced on the topic of nuclear energy during his years at Greenpeace and provides excellent insight into both the misconceptions around the risks of nuclear energy and why nuclear energy is not inherently evil in any way. Moore argues that we should conserve the most precious fuels we have, which are fossil fuels, by replacing them with nuclear energy where feasible. A brilliant perspective on the world's current energy dilemma and the best way forward.

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Action Society SA is being swamped with unsolved murder cases, including the killing of Pastor Liezel de Jager. The NPO’s Ian Cameron shares details of some of the worst cases of police incompetence their investigators are trying to deal with.

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Into the third week of Fantasy Fund Manager, the interest is still growing as over 3500 users have joined the fun with a critical education driver behind the initiative. Corion Capital's Garreth Montano and Chris Clarke from Money Better joined BizNews' Stuart Lowman. The most brought-in stock for the week was Richemont, which also made it the most-owned share in the game. Gareth put this down to the weakening rand, which might have also played the antithetical part in Capitec being the most sold-off share. The developers have also worked hard with the My History tab launched in-app. This addition allows users to keep track of any weekly trades and performance. If you still want to play the game, register at www.fantasyfundmanager.co.za and compete in the weekly and monthly prizes—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.

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Steinhoff shareholders are staring down the barrel after the company's management is approaching the Dutch courts to force through a decision voted down at the annual general meeting. But all is not yet lost, says German Shareholder Association lawyer Dr Marc Liebscher, whose organisation is fighting for Steinhoff's small shareholders. He is urging them to once again vote against the management proposal - and says this will ensure they capture the R30bn (€1.5bn) that they own in the business, in his opinion the true net asset value of the company. The WHOA vote closes on May 24, and should the majority of shareholders go against the management's proposal, Liebscher says his organisation will give its Wall Street-commissioned research to help the Dutch judge rule in shareholders' favour. Liebscher also spoke to Alec Hogg of BizNews about former CEO Markus Jooste's no-show in the German Court a month ago.

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Sharenet portfolio manager Dylan Bradfield has taken a deep dive into the telecoms options in our inaugural Fantasy Fund Manager game and offers some canny advice. Bradfield, a value investor at heart, explains in some detail why the shares of Telkom and Blue Label have explosive upside potential - while rivals Vodacom and MTN are fragile. He spoke to Alec Hogg of BizNews

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The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a net outflow of overseas migration from Australia for the first time since World War II, resulting in a critical skills shortage and numerous unfilled vacancies. To address this, Australia welcomed 400,000 migrants in 2022 but found the need for even more people "to do the stuff that needs to get done." As a result, Australia is now offering another opportunity for 400,000 migrants, making it the best period in the past ten years to choose Australian migration, according to Sam Hopwood from Sable International. Hopwood told BizNews about the profession that are in high demand in Australia and how far less business and investment visas are available .

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Kurt Steiner, the first head of Law Enforcement for African Parks, now an independent consultant, reveals how at least 24 armed groups have settled in conservation areas in Africa; how militias in one area alone are netting $ 70 million a year from the charcoal trade; and how over 1000 rangers have lost their lives trying to protect the Continent’s wildlife and its natural heritage.

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