BizNews Radio

Despite having stepped down as DA Leader three years ago, Mmusi Maimane remains popular among South Africans, second only to Cyril Ramaphosa as their most popular leader. After realising promised Electoral Reform will take much longer than anticipated, on Heritage Day (Sept 24) Maimane re-entered the fray with the launch of Build One South Africa (BOSA), the country's newest political party. In this interview with Alec Hogg of BizNews, the former Leader of the Opposition explains why he identifies with Teddy Rooseveld's 'Man in the Arena', shares his dreams for SA and unveils plans for BOSA to secure a significant share of the vote in the 2024 National Election. These include applying an Obama-style digital approach in targeting 5m voters.

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In this Q&A session off the back of his presentation at BNC#4, Sean Peche of Ranmore funds answers questions regarding the performance fee debate, the switch from growth investing to value investing and his hope that money leaves the big institutions and makes its way to smaller fund managers. 

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For decades, dentistry has been regarded as one of the better paid professions. However, this assumption, largely maintained with reference to rising costs for dental work, is inaccurate. Even a cursory glance at the distribution of healthcare benefits paid in 2020 (see graph below) refutes this assumption. In 2020, of the total amount paid by South African medical schemes to service providers, a mere 2% was paid to dentists. To discuss the medical scheme set-up in South Africa and the way in which this unique 3rd party funder system has marginalised the dental profession, BizNews spoke to Dr Pieter van Rooyen, a dental surgeon and co-owner of Patheodent. With particular reference to Discovery Health’s exorbitant administrative and managed care fees, Van Rooyen shed light on the drastic decline in the dental profession’s standing.

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A must watch investment debate between master fund managers Cy Jacobs of 36ONE and Piet Viljoen of Counterpoint at the BizNews Conference #4. Topics under the hammer included differing investment principles, performance fees and how to position your portfolio post-2024.

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Investor in banking stocks ask first about the prospects of the country where the institution operates, then about the company itself. Having just arrived back home after a post-results roadshow to US and UK investors, FirstRand CEO Alan Pullinger has been thinking a lot about their questions around the likely future for the SA economy. His conclusions - positive results of economic reforms; optimism about the country's latent potential - may come as a surprise for many of his fellow citizens. Rational, insightful and balanced, Pullinger delivers hope without varnishing reality. He spoke to Alec Hogg at BizNews.

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For many observers of SA's banking sector, Absa has been the sleeping giant that somehow never manages to fulfil its huge potential. After numerous of false starts, however, under new CEO Arrie Rautenbach, this time may indeed be different. The banking group's new leader started at the very bottom of the pile (in collections) a quarter century ago and has packed his Executive Committee with other Absa 'lifers'. He appeared an unlikely candidate for the top job, but since his appointment in late March Rautenbach has accelerated the "reimagining" of a group emerging from a three year process of extricating itself from former parent Barclays Plc. This interview with Alec Hogg of BizNews goes some way to confirm why so many JSE investors, including financial services investing guru Kokkie Kooyman, are tipping a resurgent Absa as the bank most likely to challenge SA's long-time market leader FirstRand.

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Panga-wielding communities on routes serving as alternatives to the N2 in KZN have been blocking roads and looting trucks. This isn’t necessarily new, as protests are an everyday occurrence in the country but it’s stifling the ability of businesses to cost-effectively get products and commodities to market. Parts of the N2 near Pongola are considered off limits for transporters, as communities are refusing to allow trucks to travel the route following a recent deadly crash in which 19 school children were killed when a truck ploughed into a bakkie. BizNews correspondent Michael Appel spoke to Vryheid Meatmasters MD Patrick Friend about the most recent looting incident which took place just outside Eshowe. Friend is calling for “greater police presence and a bit more intent from politicians” to resist the economy being held ransom by lawlessness targeting the trucking industry - the very lifeblood of the South African economy.

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There are particular fields in which those that stray from the official narrative are instantly shunned as dissidents. Climate change is one of these. Dr Judith Curry, Professor Emeritus and former chair of the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology, has become known as one of the outspoken scientists who doubt the “scientific consensus” on climate change. As a result, she was “academically, pretty much finished off” and “essentially unhirable”. However, this didn’t slow down the bold climatologist. BizNews spoke to Curry about her views on climate change and the impact that human beings have had on the planet. A delightfully fascinating discussion ensued in which Curry explained her objection to the “manufactured consensus of scientists at the request of policy makers” and how far reality really is from the grim picture painted by environmental activists. Curry made sense of recent extreme weather events and indicated that “Earth has survived far bigger insults than what human beings are doing”. An eye-opening interview.

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The now former mayor of Joburg, Dr Mpho Phalatse, wants her job back and she’s turning to the courts to try and snatch back the reins from what she calls the ANC’s “coalition of corruption”. She was ousted in a motion of no confidence last week in a process she'll be challenging through the courts. BizNews correspondent Michael Appel spoke to the DA's deputy caucus leader in Johannesburg, Bongani Nkomo, to unpack Phalatse's ousting in a "coup", the looming court case, the crisis within the multi-party coalition, and the ongoing public spat with ActionSA.

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In this Q&A from BNC#4, Cy Jacobs shares his insights into investing, how 36ONE runs multiple funds, on performance fees, Warren Buffet, and crypto currencies. This Q&A was in preparation for Cy’s debate with Piet Viljoen. 

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