BizNews Radio

Our go-to guy on all things digital, Stafford Masie, believes the FTX collapse and associated contagion will once and for all highlight the vast difference between Bitcoin and its many imitators - so called ‘shitcoins’. In this fascinating interview with Alec Hogg of BizNews, he discusses FTX and its fraudster founder Sam Bankman-Fried, explains how the FTX collapse was inevitable and why what happened proves that in direct contrast to other crypto currencies, Bitcoin is ’a fundamental, technological gift to humanity that redefines value exchange on a global basis”. A Bitcoin maximalist, he reckons Cathie Wood’s updated forecast this week that Bitcoin’s price will hit $1m by 2030 “is conservative”. Sceptical? Keep an open mind, invest half an hour, and chances are you’ll change that opinion.

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In the fourth and final episode in the series which unpacks crypto currency for would-be investors, Luno’s Johan Hetzel and Robyn Berger of Bowmans provide key considerations for those starting out. Hetzel, a forensic accountant, offers some excellent tips on how to avoid being scammed. Tax expert Berger shares her insights on what the taxman will demand – with the good news that losses can be offset against other income (up to a limit). In this episode we also cover critical homework required before making that first investment in a digital asset, the role of financial advisors and much more.

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Western medicine has largely failed to appreciate the complexity of how the brain, gut, and more recently, the gut microbiota—the microorganisms that live inside our digestive tract—communicate with one another. Though many people have had “gut feelings” or “gut instincts”, the scientific basis of these terms and how they form part of the hidden conversation in our bodies falls far outside the perimeters of our understanding. Medical research, however, is increasingly uncovering stunning new information about the extraordinary brain gut connection. To explore the brain gut microbiome system and its implications on human health and disease, BizNews spoke to Dr Emeran Mayer, a world renowned gastroenterologist and neuroscientist and a pioneer of medical research into brain gut interactions. The degree to which the microbiome is insinuated into virtually every aspect of our health, and the opportunities this presents in terms of disease management, is astounding.

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The Institute for Race Relations (IRR) believes the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) judgment means Jacob Zuma must go back to prison. This after the SCA upheld a decision of the High Court in Pretoria that Zuma's release on medical parole by former Correctional Services commissioner Arthur Fraser was illegal, invalid and unconstitutional. Zuma was jailed for contempt for 15 months for refusing to testify before the Zondo Commission. But he was released on medical parole after just two months. The Medical Parole Advisory Board did not find Zuma was permanently incapacitated nor was he suffering from a terminal illness, one of which must be present for placement on medical parole. Fraser, instead, overruled the panel of medical experts and approved Zuma's release. The IRR was an amicus curiae (friend of the court) in the matter. IRR head of campaigns Gabriel Crouse joined BizNews correspondent Michael Appel for an expansive discussion on what the judgment means for the embattled former president.

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The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has upheld a decision of the High Court in Pretoria that Jacob Zuma's release on medical parole by former Correctional Services commissioner Arthur Fraser was illegal, invalid and unconstitutional. Zuma was jailed for contempt for 15 months for refusing to testify before the Zondo Commission. But he was released on medical parole after just two months. The Medical Parole Advisory Board did not find Zuma was permanently incapacitated nor was he suffering from a terminal illness, one of which must be present for placement on medical parole. Fraser, instead, overruled the panel of medical experts and approved Zuma's release. The Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF) was a respondent in the appeal filed by Fraser and Zuma with the SCA. HSF director Nicole Fritz explained to BizNews correspondent Michael Appel the significance of the judgment, as well as what this spells for Zuma.

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Among healthcare professionals across a broad spectrum of expertise in the field of medicine, there are comparatively few doctors who came closer to the practical reality of COVID-19 than Dr EV Rapiti, who had his finger on the pulse of the virus since its arrival. Though Rapiti’s more than 45 years of experience as a general practitioner in Mitchell’s Plain couldn’t prepare him for the pandemic, for various reasons beyond the virus itself, he ate, breathed and slept COVID-19. While most of the medical fraternity, at the behest of regulatory authorities, shirked their basic duty to care for their patients, Rapiti refused to buy into the narrative that there was no available treatment. Instead, he humbly accepted the answer would not be found in old medical textbooks and fine-tuned a protocol with which he treated over 3,000 patients with a success rate of 99.95%. Before the COVID-19 era, that this kind of dedication to duty could be met with anything other than respect would have been laughed off as absurd but this has not been the case. Rapiti was shunned by the medical community for diverging from the recommended ‘treatment’ regimen and utilising alternative treatment options to care for his patients. Almost three years later, even as the writing is on the wall and the official coronavirus narrative is riddled with gaping holes, doctors who stood by their Hippocratic Oath to ‘first, do no harm’ are still being persecuted. BizNews spoke to Rapiti about his COVID-19 journey and the recent proposal for ‘pandemic amnesty’ for the enforcers of the devastating pandemic policies that have eroded the fibre of societies across the world. This in-depth interview is definitely worth the time.

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We are the ones that have infused the word "Just" into the phrase "Just Transition". There is a huge element of justice to be considered as we didn't cause the climate crisis. Africa cannot leapfrog to Net Zero, we have to have something to transition from and right now we know that more than half a billion people do not have access to any form of energy. Africa must continue to develop with its God-given resources while it transitions.

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The sheer number of people in attendance at COP27 shows you just how important this climate summit is to the world. This COP has something very specific as it is the implementation COP. We have enough knowledge, we have enough will, we have enough promises and enough speeches. It is time for action.

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Kevin Kariuki, Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth at the African Development Bank, believes that it has been a successful Africa COP as the AfDB has launched two transformative climate initiatives, namely the Climate Action window and the Alliance for Green Infrastructure in Africa. Kevin adds that the Alliance for Green Infrastructure in Africa is an idea that’s time has firmly come.

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For many external observers, airline veteran Gidon Novick personified the best chance of a turnaround for teetering South African Airways and saving at least some of the billions injected by taxpayers. But the former CEO of Comair and co-founder of Lift this week announced his resignation as a director of the Takatso consortium which is negotiating to acquire 51% of SAA. Forthright as ever, Novick says his team brought airline expertise to the consortium and invested heavily over 18 months in compiling a project plan – but despite its 20% shareholding was “kept in the dark”. He spoke to Alec Hogg of BizNews.

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