BizNews Radio

For much of the Zondo Commission's three year public hearings, experienced journalist Michael Appel watched from inside the arena, reporting daily for news channel eNCA. Now part of Team BizNews, in this podcast Appel gives us an overview of the 800+ page first volume of Zondo's conclusions. This is an introduction to the coming week's comprehensive coverage of SA's watershed Commission into State Capture.

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Once one of the richest men in South Africa, Christo Wiese lost a large chunk of his fortune following the corporate fraud at Steinhoff. The company was a hugely popular stock with investors, with thousands (including Wiese) losing out. Wiese joined the BizNews Power Hour for a special 30 minute segment, with the SA business mogul spewing nuggets of knowledge and wisdom throughout. When asked how he feels about everything that has happened he said 'I had to look myself in the mirror. I saw 50 years of my work go up in smoke and I had to ask myself how I'm going to cope with it. I decided that I don't mourn the loss of money'.

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In August, Dr Herman Edeling wrote an open letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Minister of Health in which he addressed the health and economic crises that we are facing as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. As a neurosurgeon specialising in medico-legal practice, Dr Edeling is particularly qualified to comment on issues and concerns in respect of the Covid-19 vaccines as well as the arbitrary and parochial manner in which the South African government and health authorities have addressed the pandemic. Drawing on his expertise in medico-legal practice, Dr Edeling states that; ‘ In this global catastrophe, we have people expressing opinions and instructions - relying on their authority to do so, but not relying on reasons. And by not relying on reasons, they are neither relying on facts, nor on science, nor on logic. That is the philosophical crisis that we are in.’ In a fascinating and acutely informative interview with Dr Edeling, elements of the official Covid-19 narrative were discussed - a global narrative put forth by, amongst other institutions, the World Health Organisation and the US’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which he believes ‘the South African government has slavishly followed without, it seems, any questioning.’ The central core of the open letter, he says, is to say to the President; please provide South Africans - citizens, doctors, scientists, everybody - with the truth and allow people to discuss the truth and debate, and ‘also to stop suppressing people who try to tell the truth - but who are suppressed or censored.’ Less than 24 hours after the interview was live streamed on youTube, it was removed on the grounds of ‘medical misinformation’ and as a consequence, BizNews has been prohibited from uploading any content on YouTube for one week. A video of the interview can now be viewed on Vimeo.

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His outspoken views on the South African government and what needs to change made him a fan favourite with the BizNews community. Rob Hersov – who has worked with Rupert Murdoch and Johann Rupert – joined the BizNews Power Hour to discuss his exciting African Gold SPAC.

According to Bloomberg, the SPAC is targeting gold assets on the African continent and ‘raised a more-than-expected $360m ahead of a listing in New York on Friday. The 60-year old businessman joked that his mining magnate father – Basil Hersov – laughed when he was told about his son’s latest business endeavour.

‘He really burst out laughing when I told him what I was doing. He said, ‘you’ve tried everything in your career to avoid getting into the mining industry and here you are, aged 60. He thought it was so funny.’

In a BizNews exclusive, Hersov also revealed that he has purchased an airport in the Western Cape. Fisantekraal Airport – located just 13 km away from Durbanville – was built in 1943 by the British, says Hersov, and has four runways. ‘We want to build the Lanseria Airport of Cape Town. We’re renaming it Cape Winelands Airport.’

Hersov is no stranger to the aviation industry, founding Marquis Jet Europe – which he later sold to Warren Buffett.

‘Buffett called me in 2004 and said, ‘I’m buying your business’, said Hersov to Alec Hogg in an interview last year.

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Welcome to Episode Nine of The Alec Hogg Show, a long form audio biography where we look behind the headlines at the lives of interesting South Africans. Our guest in this episode is Rob Hersov. Wealthy, educated, and just turned 60, Hersov is on a mission to help fix South Africa, something you’ll hear plenty about in what follows. A Harvard MBA and scion of a mining dynasty, his CV includes having worked under the direct tutelage of media mogul Rupert Murdoch and luxury goods baron Johann Rupert. Hersov put those lessons to great effect, achieving significant entrepreneurial success including the building of a successful private jet business which he sold to Warren Buffett. He has clearly inherited the energy of his famous father Basil, Anglovaal chairman, World War Two fighter pilot and still active in his mid 90s. With the wealth and experience to go anywhere on earth, three years ago Hersov junior chose to return to South Africa after three decades abroad. Like other guests on this show, Rob was selected on the basis that if his story were captured in book form, it would likely be a best seller.

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BizNews' Jackie Cameron had a fantastic interview with Counterpoint value fund manager Piet Viljoen, in which they went back to basics. With many of us paying – perhaps – too much attention to Mr Market’s movements, it is refreshing to get Viljoen’s perspective on everything from the fundamentals of value investing to the benefits (or lack thereof, in Viljoen’s view) of investing in residential real estate in South Africa. Also, it’s always a plus to hear what this expert has on his radar and in his portfolio.

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During his career in journalism Brian Pottinger scaled all SA peaks, ending up as the editor-in-chief of the Sunday Times when it dominated the sector, subsequently taking over the publisher's role. Since retiring, Pottinger has written a raft of books, including last year's highly prescient offering on the coronavirus pandemic. His superb research enhanced a rational approach delivering an accurate reading of Covid-19. This has ensured Pottinger became a regular voice on global broadcasting channels, including this week's gone-viral chat with Unherd's Freddie Sayers. In this podcast Pottinger moves on from the discussion with Unherd to explain how the virus is following a predictable path and why Covid-19 is now nearing expiry. Sensible, rational and easy-to-understand, if you only have time to consume a single interview on the subject, this disucssion with Biznews's Alec Hogg should be the one. A high quality, must-listen.

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In spite of being written off by pundits, pollsters and most publications - and having its logo removed from voting forms - Herman Mashaba's Action SA still emerged as the big winner in SA's 2021 Local Elections. The party's strong showing only a year after being formed did not surprise everyone - Mashaba delivered a brilliant opening address at the first BizNews Investment Conference in March. His message resonated among those in the room - and tens of thousands who watched the recording. Having achieved the initial objective of ejecting the ANC from governing Gauteng's three major metros, in this podcast Mashaba tells Alec Hogg of Biznews what he and ActionSA will be focusing on during the next two years to achieve a similar exit for the ANC from national rule in 2024.

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Covid-19 brought about an age of misinformation like never before. With this, the responsibility of journalists to provide informed, well-researched and objective news to the public has never been of more paramount importance. This article by Marc Girardot, a member of PANDA, is loaded with hyperlinks – each of which provide the source of those facts asserted in the article. The links and pictures are an integral part of this article, which takes a deep dive into the issue of natural immunity and Covid-19 vaccination. This article is not and should not be construed as ‘anti-vax’. Rather, it provides evidence of natural immunity. It is impeccably researched and well worth reading. And spontaneously endorsed by Prof Michael Levitt, the only living South African Nobel Prize winning scientist (see below). Subsequent to this article, Girardot followed up with an equally powerful and critically informative article in which he delves even deeper into the extent and strength of our pre-existing immunity to Covid-19.

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It is often during times of great adversity, that we witness the extraordinary strength of the human spirit. Dr Imtiaz Sooliman founded the Gift of the Givers Foundation in 1992 and has spent the last 29 years dedicating himself to providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief. BizNews founder Alec Hogg spoke to Dr Sooliman about the crisis that wreaked havoc in South Africa in July. Dr Sooliman shares an incredibly insightful view of the four categories of persons who are fuelling the riots and the looting. What really hits home, though, are his stories about ordinary South Africans who have united to defend themselves and each other where the government has dismally failed its people and its citizens. Describing these events, Dr Sooliman says; “It’s an incredible thing. I’ve never seen anything like this in my 29 years of working in disaster in South Africa.”

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