BizNews Radio

The ANC caucus in Parliament managed to ward off a rebellion against President Cyril Ramaphosa with only 5 of its members of parliament voting for the adoption of the Section 89 panel report on the Phala Phala theft that found that he may have violated the Constitution. Notably voting in favour of proceeding with impeachment was his arch-rival for top positions in the ANC, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. Conspicuously absent from voting was Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and the man who plans to challenge Ramaphosa for the ANC leadership, Zweli Mkhize. 

It means the obstacles have been cleared  for him to stand as president of the ANC for another 5 years when the organisation convenes at Nasrec, near Soweto for its 55th National Conference on Friday.  At his election in December 2017, Ramaphosa said he would focus on tackling corruption and that he was the unity candidate. Ramaphosa essentially made a deal to hold the ANC together, but the deal prevented him from making big decisions that he needed to make to take the country forward - and his decision to keep his friends close and his enemies closer almost cost him the presidency.  Political analyst Prof Theo Venter from the University of Johannesburg told Biznews he believes President Ramaphosa will emerge victorious to lead the ANC for a second term. Venter expects the biggest battle to be for the position of deputy president of the ANC, as the candidate would become president should Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala theft force him to fall on his sword.  - Linda van Tilburg  

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The uMgungunglovu District has emerged as the surprise leader among SA regions battling to engineer solutions to loadshedding. The region, which includes PMB, Howick and Mooi River, is launching massive battery plants to serve business hubs. James Martin, who heads Economic Recovery in the district says the batteries will be charged by Independent Power Producers and within a year electricity will be flowing to businesses to ensure they are unaffected during Eskom blackouts. Memories of last year’s KZN riots and the way loadshedding is hitting employment provided the stimulus to sweep aside red tape - and launch a pragmatic solution which could provide a template for other parts of the country. Martin spoke to Alec Hogg of BizNews.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For many South Africans uMngeni’s hard-working Mayor Christopher Pappas (31) personifies what the country could become. Young, smart, multi-lingual and hard working, Pappas and his Democratic Alliance team have achieved a great lot since taking power a year ago - serving as a template for the DA’s alternative to the increasingly destructive example of governance by the ANC. In this interview with Alec Hogg of BizNews, Pappas provides an update on the municipality which was the feature of party leader John Steenhuisen’s latest weekly newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scenario planner Jakkie Cilliers, founder of the ISS and author of the 2017 book Fate of the Nation, shares updated perspectives on SA’s political future. It’s a sobering message for those hoping for change, and points to a binary consequence after the 2024 Election. Two big events in the next week, however, will provide some clear milestones. Cilliers spoke to Alec Hogg of BizNews.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The number of students interested in accounting and auditing has been falling worldwide. A member of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, Christina Ho, recently called the shortage a “crisis”. This has also been the case in South Africa where the profession is facing the same challenge. The CEO of the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA), Shahied Daniels, told BizNews that a reason for the decline is digital transformation and the lack of skills thereof. He reveals the professional accountancy organisation (PAO) is upskilling its members with digital tools to ride the Fourth Industrial Revolution wave, sustainably and ethically. According to him, the days of bean counters as well as the title chief financial officer, are over, as they have evolved to much more. The era of the chief value officer and Professional Accountant (SA)– who plays a much bigger role in business and society, and contributes to the sustainability of the economy of the country – has arrived. – Linda van Tilburg

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Any South African who has spent an extended period abroad soon realizes that relative to the First World, their country’s needs are great. Even modest “do-good” efforts which are likely to go unnoticed in the rich North, can make a significant difference in SA. Hollard picked up on this reality by introducing a cash-back incentive – providing a discount of up to 20% on premiums for those volunteers serving an hour a week at charitable causes. In this uplifting interview, Hollard’s Warwick Bloom explains how it works, the reaction from clients and why the innovation also makes good business sense. He spoke to Alec Hogg of BizNews.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week DA Federal Chair Helen Zille spent three days campaigning in the rural North West province ahead of a forced re-run of the 2021 Local Election for the Ditsobotla municipality. This is a major test for South Africa’s young democracy, as it is scarcely imaginable how local voters could have been more obviously abused by those they put into power. How voters react will be a useful gauge of the state of voter education in SA - and whether citizens really understand that they alone have the power to effect change in the potentially watershed 2024 National Election. Zille spoke to Alec Hogg of BizNews.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Perchtold of OMBA tells us that the current era of volatility is far from over, with a significant correction in equities a distinct possibility in the first half of 2023. But there are ways to protect against these drawdowns - and he explains why European stocks (and especially Autos) and those in China are appealing. And offered some advice on how to structure investments in a way that protects against whatever the new year may bring. He spoke to Alec Hogg of BizNews.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Mileham, the Shadow Minister of Minerals and Energy, explains how the ANC blundered when appointing Gwede Mantashe to the portfolio responsible for SA’s electricity supply. The record shows that in under four years since taking charge, Mantashe has made one mistake after the other, his deliberate actions contributing greatly to the country’s current loadshedding crisis. Mileham says Mantashe’s obsession for coal and nuclear solutions reflect a man who is badly out of touch with reality - while his obstruction of private sector solutions is based purely on the ideological ground of a hard boiled communist. There is hope, however. Mileham says the ANC Elective Conference may well force Ramaphosa’s hand and force him to fire his long-time political ally. He spoke to Alec Hogg of BizNews.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr John Christy, distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Science and Director of the Earth System Science Center at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, has been a compelling voice on the other side of the climate change debate for decades. Christy, a self-proclaimed “climate nerd”, developed an unwavering desire to understand weather and climate at the tender age of 10, and remains as devoted to understanding the climate system to this day. By using data sets built from scratch, Christy, with other scientists including NASA scientist Roy Spencer, have been testing the theories generated by climate models to see how well they hold up to reality. Their findings? On average, the latest models for the deep layer of the atmosphere are warming about twice too fast, presenting a deeply flawed and unrealistic representation of the actual climate. In this long-form interview, Christy – who receives no funding from the fossil fuel industry – provides data-substantiated clarity on a host of issues, further refuting the climate crisis narrative.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices