BizNews Radio

As far back as March 2020, Dr Meryl Nass, a board-certified internist and a biological warfare epidemiologist and anthrax expert, proposed that the pathogen we know today as “SARS-CoV-2” was likely made in the Wuhan Institute of Virology lab. BizNews spoke to Nass to discuss the basis of her lab origin theory and whether the virus escaped or was deliberately engineered and released as a biological warfare weapon. In January, after over 40 years as a practising internist with a stellar reputation, Nass’ medical licence was suspended without a hearing and she was ordered to submit to a neuropsychological evaluation by the state medical board in Maine for “spreading misinformation” and prescribing ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine. Nass, however, has not backed down. In this long-form interview, Nass, who studied anthrax and bioterrorism for the past 26 years, drew parallels between the Ebola and anthrax outbreaks and Covid-19 and explained the fascinating but frightening concept of original antigenic sin and the disastrous way in which it could manifest as more and more people continue to get Covid-19 boosters.

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Alec Hogg of BizNews is joined by country head of Luno, Christo de Wit, and Ashleigh Hale, co-head of Corporate at Bowmans in the first episode of this four-part series which demystifies the complicated world of crypto currencies, what exactly they are, their various utilities and how to get involved in the market. The series seeks to simplify questions around the digital asset, the tangibility of its value and the role it it will play in the future. In this educational interview the trio unpack the burgeoning role of crypto currencies as the future of finance. Cryptos and the blockchain that supports them are relatively new technologies and the average joe is often left scratching his head when trying to wrap his mind around exactly what crypto is, and how to access the market, which is known for its volatility. Chris and Ashleigh take us through the regulatory environment of crypto, which has recently been classified as a financial product to protect the consumer. There has been a significant uptake of crypto currencies in South Africa, and as an investor it makes sense to do the research and look to crypto as an investable asset vehicle in your portfolio.

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The Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF) is concerned by two pieces of legislation the government is aiming to push through as it seeks to comply with recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to avoid greylisting. The HSF has made submissions to Parliament's Standing Committee on Finance, taking issue with aspects of both the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Terrorism Financing Amendment Bill, as well as the Draft Non-Profit Organisation Amendment Bill. In an interview with BizNews correspondent Michael Appel, director of the HSF, Nicole Fritz, says: "We're concerned for freedom of civil society, NPOs generally, and we would point to the fact that the FATF itself maintains that any reforms or amendments undertaken by governments should be consistent with international law obligations, and this requirement of mandatory registration is concerning in that it provides for the potential of government interference, [and] politicisation."

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As humanity demands space to continue to grow and prosper, they increasingly interact and compete for resources with wildlife. Conservationist Jonathan Oppenheimer described it as humanity being like an ocean that erodes the spaces of wilderness, which is “terrifying”. To promote research for the preservation of the continent’s natural environment, Oppenheimer has established a grant, the Jennifer Ward Oppenheimer Research Grant in memory of his late wife that has been awarded for the past 4 years to boost African researchers. This year’s winner is Dr Elizabeth le Roux, research fellow at the University of Pretoria and an assistant professor at the University of Aarhus in Denmark. Dr Le Roux’s work was chosen from over 300 applicants from 29 African countries. Dr Le Roux told BizNews she is seeking ways to link isolated conservation areas in Africa but stressed the importance of making it work for pastoralists. – Linda van Tilburg

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When co-founding 36ONE almost two decades ago, top SA money manager Cy Jacobs used the opportunity to launch a long/short hedge fund. Initially only for big clients, this massive out performer was made available to retail investors six years ago. In this interview with Alec Hogg of BizNews, Jacobs explains how a classic hedge funds enjoy major risk and reward advantages over traditional unit trusts – and shares his latest perspectives on which parts of the investment markets are most likely to deliver superior returns.

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South Africa's business sector needs to stand together in denouncing the race-based employment ideology government is seeking to implement if pending legislation is signed into law in its current form. So believes Sakeliga CEO Piet le Roux, in conversation with BizNews correspondent Michael Appel. Dis-Chem-gate has shone a light on the impending Employment Equity Amendment Bill, recently passed by the National Assembly. Le Roux has written to Sakeliga members decrying what he calls the "state's harmful ideology" as a "road that leads to ruin". Sakeliga has made public its intention to legally challenge the legislation should the president sign it. Le Roux says, as state failure accelerates, the government has less and less ability to enforce it's own harmful policies, and believes the business sector shouldn't be too eager to apply them either. In fact, he says "we should resist".

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Now that the ANC government has finally admitted defeat on Eskom by ending its monopoly and last week promising to assume up to ⅔ of its massive debt burden, the facade is being stripped from SA's teetering electricity provider. Global energy turnaround specialist KW Miller, who calls Eskom an "operationally dysfunctional, financially insolvent, unreliable and corrupt entity" says the path forward will be determined by the actions of creditors which own a large chunk of mostly SA government-guaranteed Eskom debt that he says is far higher than the official number of R400bn. Eskom has tapped global bond markets for decades - and according to Miller those who own the debt are now insisting the disaster be urgently addressed. In this powerful interview with Alec Hogg of BizNews.com, media-shy Miller says the only route now open for SA's State-owned electricity provider is for the private sector to take over the productive assets to cut off third-party leeches and criminal syndicates that continue to bleed the utility. Abu Dhabi-based Miller, who rarely grants interviews, says he "made an exception given the importance of the Eskom restructuring to SA citizens."

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Fighting talk! The challenger to the Supreme Limelight Taker and Gucci’s Favourite Customer – the yacht-cruising Mr Julius Malema – is none other than the DA’s Ms Natasha Mazzone, who is gloves off and ready to go. It’s the metaphorical equivalent of Muhammed Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard; one all mouth and insult and the other usually more discreet but determined to be equally menacing. Natasha Mazzone, the DA Shadow Minister of State Security is shouldering her way into the public spotlight, hitting Malema in all his vulnerable spots and hoping to elicit a response, ideally a public debate. I’d buy a ticket tomorrow. She’s reporting Malema to the South African Security Agency for subversion, terrorism, sabotage and organised crime while challenging him to a debate to clear up what he means by his threats and utterances. You could say she’s the archetype of the privileged white madam; the kind that this privileged black diamond detests. Should be fun! C’mon Julius.

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Although evidence is mounting to show mRNA Covid vaccines may have done more harm than good, the popular narrative is so deeply entrenched that it still takes courage to publicly question it. Mindful of the risk she will be labelled a Conspiracy Theorist, Adv Erin Richards wants truth on Covid vaccines to be exposed by the courts. The activist lawyer spent weeks doing research before agreeing to spearhead a High Court action to prove Pfizer jabs given to millions of South Africans were neither "safe" nor "effective" as the nation was continuously told. In this powerful interview with Alec Hogg of BizNews, Richards points to the smoking gun of Pfizer's own data which, she maintains, reveals those jabbed have a 36% higher chance than the unvaccinated of a serious adverse medical event, especially heart-related. With what she claims is compelling evidence of the long-term damage of mRNA vaccines, Richards wants the court to force SA's government to revise its approach. Adv Richards has also called on anyone who witnessed skulduggery by officialdom to blow the whistle by emailing [email protected]; those who suffered adverse personal health events after being vaccinated to email [email protected]; and for those whose family members were affected (or died) after getting the vaccine to email [email protected].

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Cabinet has officially "ditched" cadre deployment in favour of merit-based appointments throughout the public service. Officially the policy is called the National Framework towards the Professionalisation of the Public Sector and was - quite silently, one might add - adopted by cabinet on 19 October. The DA's shadow minister for public service and administration Dr Leon Schreiber, believes quite emphatically, that this is the most significant policy shift in this country's democratic history. It's a battle he and his party have been fighting for years. Adoption of a policy versus implementation remains a sticking point. For this reason, Schreiber tells BizNews correspondent Michael Appel, the court battle to abolish cadre deployment must continue because the ANC cannot defend such a policy when cabinet has already rejected it. The two are mutually exclusive.

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