BizNews Radio

As the expansion of renewable energy generation requires large investments, a sound understanding of the costs and benefits of RE technologies is necessary to effectively decarbonise the power sector on an efficient path. Bronwyn Nielsen spoke to Amith Singh, Head of Energy Finance at Nedbank CIB, about scaling investments in renewable energy at the right price.

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Independent financial advisor Magnus Heystek, a long-time advocate of offshore investing, is back in top form after his clients' portfolios have rocketed over the past few weeks as the South African Rand fell sharply. In this podcasted interview with Alec Hogg of BizNews.com, the founder of Brenthurst Wealth unpacks reasons for the currency's plunge - and warns it may not be over. He also shares advice on what to do next and takes a swing at SA's financial sector where comparison by fund managers between themselves is outlawed, leaving many of their clients unwittingly supporting poor performers.

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With June's inflation data set for release tomorrow, nerves jangled in US stock markets overnight. Sharp declines were recorded as investors fretted about the Fed's ability to engineer a soft landing for the economy while taming inflation with higher interest rates. Bad news, too, out of China this morning. No such worries for US Dollar Bulls, however, as the greenback powered to its highest level in two decades - with the Rand feeling more pain, sailing beyond the R17/$ level. Also in this morning's BizNews Breakfast Briefing, mandatory vaccines; the Eskom CEO's plan to end (or at least reduce) loadshedding; and frontrunners to replace UK prime minister Boris Johnson.

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Coronavirus waste has become a new form of pollution as personal protective equipment floods our oceans and rivers. It has prompted the World Economic Forum to ask governments to ensure a green recovery that incentivises sustainability. The South African non-profit-organisation, GoDiva, started a project to upcycle masks into sanitary pads, thereby solving two problems at once: mask pollution and the lack of sanitary products for less advantaged girls, which leads to absenteeism at schools. But disaster struck the project and GoDiva’s Maria Horn told BizNews about what they would need to get it off the ground again. – Linda van Tilburg

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South Africa faces yet another crippling week of intermittent power supply with Eskom announcing it is unable to match peak demand. Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter hosted a press briefing updating the nation on the electricity crisis. Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa wrote in his newsletter that a comprehensive set of actions to deal with the crisis will be announced soon.

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While Dr EV Rapiti is largely known as a family physician, over four decades of frontline healthcare experience and his insatiable drive to keep up to date with medical advancements have made him a uniquely qualified medical generalist. Over the last two-and-a-half years, Dr Rapiti personally treated approximately 3,000 Covid-19 patients with a significantly high success rate. He ate, slept and breathed Covid-19 while mainstream media engulfed the world with - in Rapiti’s view - incorrect information intended to scare. In an interview with BizNews, he said with conviction that “nobody should have died of Covid” as proper, early management of the virus could, and should, have been implemented to treat patients with Covid-19. He also takes an unsparing swipe at Professor Salim Karim and the official narrative which, on principle, Rapiti refused to follow, instead opting to do whatever was necessary to save his patients.

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NEASA's combative CEO Gerhard Papenfus comes out with all guns firing in this feisty conversation on Standard Bank's refusal to back down on its mandatory Covid vaccine policy - an approach which has seen it locking horns with the banking trade union. SASBO has demanded the bank drops its policy, and re-instate 40 fired staff and numerous others who were suspended for refusing to have a Covid vaccine. Papenfus, whose organisation represents employers, blames another company still applying mandatory vaccines, healthcare company Discovery, as the instigator of needless labour friction on what he says has become "a dead issue".

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Some people are fortunate enough to realise their life purpose at a very young age. Dr Brett Lyndall Singh knew he wanted to be a healer when he was in primary school. His failure to resuscitate his ill grandmother during adolescence cemented his drive to acquire the necessary skills to save lives and, despite not finding a place at any medical school in South Africa, this is exactly what he did. Dr Singh spent 10 years in China gaining extensive medical experience and discovering his flair and passion for entrepreneurship. He spoke to BizNews at length about the unique opportunities to learn in China and how these, along with his new love of entrepreneurship, led to the birth of his company, Alpha and Omega Medtech. It’s no wonder that Dr Singh was recently selected as one of Forbes Africa’s 30 under 30 innovators.

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Elon Musk's formal dumping of Twitter on Friday evening may spark a legal battle that could last years - meanwhile the share price has dropped to just over half the level of Musk's proposed takeover offer. Insights on the on-off-off deal from our partners at the Financial Times. Also in today's BizNews Breakfast Briefing, some sage advice for South African corporations determined to force their staff back into the office - and those who flout laws about hiring foreigners before locals.

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Cryptocurrencies were a brave new system for our evolution from coins and notes to computers or digital transactions but as the Financial Times points out in this article, the system is inherently flawed and “is an object of speculation rather than a store of value.” This speculation has taken cryptocurrencies to dizzying heights and has resulted in the current crash. For those who prefer to steer away from the risks associated with crypto but want to take advantage of the enthusiasm for crypto that still exists, Future Forex offers an investment product called cryptocurrency arbitrage that produces investment returns no matter what the movement or volatility of crypto. CEO of Future Forex, actuary Harry Scherzer, explained to BizNews that their product isn’t an investment in cryptocurrency: it is an investment in a glaring market inefficiency, and for peace of mind, you could substitute cryptocurrency with avocados. It is about buying cheaper in another market and selling for more in South Africa, and annualised returns could be as much as 80% per annum. – Linda van Tilburg

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