BizNews Radio

In this episode of the BizNews Power Hour, legendary British actor Martin Clunes talks about South Africa, his industry and the "Doc Martin" star's latest role, the BritBox series Manhunt II: The Night Stalker; Sasfin Security's David Shapiro offers his unique market insights; The FT ponders the link between economic and population growth; and Standard Bank's Deerosh Maharaj and Kevin Ssemwogerere unpack PowerPulse, an innovative digital platform that helps companies to install alternatives to Eskom power.

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As is customary for a Monday, David Shapiro gives us his investment insights looking at what's happening in the markets both locally and abroad.

As is customary for a Monday, David Shapiro gives us his investment insights looking at what's happening in the markets both locally and abroad.

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*South Africa’s finance minister urged investors not to be deterred by what he termed “isolated” incidents of criminality, and assured them that improving safety and security is one of the government’s top priorities. “I would argue that people must invest in South Africa,” Enoch Godongwana said in an online panel discussion on Sunday. “We cannot let an isolated incident, which is not a feature of our society, be a reason for lack of investment.” The latest police statistics show there were 5,760 murders in South Africa in the three months through June, an average of 62 a day.

*Eskom has started court proceedings to review the regulator’s rejection of a price plan into 2025 that outlines how much the utility can charge electricity consumers. The National Energy Regulator of South Africa on Sept. 30 called for a pricing methodology review and discarded the so-called MYPD 5 revenue application of Eskom, which is unprofitable and struggles under about R400 billion of debt. “This is impossible both from a legal process and timing point of view,” the utility had said.

*The spectacle of two South African cabinet ministers being held hostage by military veterans demanding an audience with the president has embarrassed the government and highlighted security concerns ahead of next month’s municipal elections. Defense Minister Thandi Modise, herself a former combatant in the fight against White-minority rule, her deputy Thabang Makwetla and Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele were prevented from leaving a hotel near the capital, Pretoria, on Thursday after talks with the veterans collapsed. The stand-off lasted less than an hour before special forces stormed the venue, firing teargas and arresting 56 people who now face kidnapping charges. No one was hurt. “We were there against our will, but it was not a violent situation,” Gungubele later told reporters.

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*South Africa’s finance minister urged investors not to be deterred by what he termed “isolated” incidents of criminality, and assured them that improving safety and security is one of the government’s top priorities. “I would argue that people must invest in South Africa,” Enoch Godongwana said in an online panel discussion on Sunday. “We cannot let an isolated incident, which is not a feature of our society, be a reason for lack of investment.” The latest police statistics show there were 5,760 murders in South Africa in the three months through June, an average of 62 a day.

*Eskom has started court proceedings to review the regulator’s rejection of a price plan into 2025 that outlines how much the utility can charge electricity consumers. The National Energy Regulator of South Africa on Sept. 30 called for a pricing methodology review and discarded the so-called MYPD 5 revenue application of Eskom, which is unprofitable and struggles under about R400 billion of debt. “This is impossible both from a legal process and timing point of view,” the utility had said.

*The spectacle of two South African cabinet ministers being held hostage by military veterans demanding an audience with the president has embarrassed the government and highlighted security concerns ahead of next month’s municipal elections. Defense Minister Thandi Modise, herself a former combatant in the fight against White-minority rule, her deputy Thabang Makwetla and Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele were prevented from leaving a hotel near the capital, Pretoria, on Thursday after talks with the veterans collapsed. The stand-off lasted less than an hour before special forces stormed the venue, firing teargas and arresting 56 people who now face kidnapping charges. No one was hurt. “We were there against our will, but it was not a violent situation,” Gungubele later told reporters.

In the fifth episode of the Standard Bank PowerPulse podcast series, BizNews founder Alec Hogg is joined by Deerosh Maharaj, Senior Manager for Natural Resources, Power, and Sustainable Solutions at Standard Bank, and Kevin Ssemwogerere, Corporate Venturing Lead in Wholesale Clients Digital for the Standard Bank PowerPulse platform, to discuss how the platform has been received thus far. They also look at the common pitfalls associated with investing in solar PV and how PowerPulse aims to help its clients avoid these experiences altogether.

In the fifth episode of the Standard Bank PowerPulse podcast series, BizNews founder Alec Hogg is joined by Deerosh Maharaj, Senior Manager for Natural Resources, Power, and Sustainable Solutions at Standard Bank, and Kevin Ssemwogerere, Corporate Venturing Lead in Wholesale Clients Digital for the Standard Bank PowerPulse platform, to discuss how the platform has been received thus far. They also look at the common pitfalls associated with investing in solar PV and how PowerPulse aims to help its clients avoid these experiences altogether.

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As the world attempts to move towards some semblance of normality, human beings face a host of consequential challenges relating to the unprecedented nature of the last (over) 18 months. IQbusiness, South Africa’s leading management and technology consulting firm, released a report in September based on a recent pilot study, which revealed over 66% of office-based employees surveyed are experiencing extreme stress, anxiety and depression. The study tested key empirical indicators of trauma including financial constraints, breakdowns in close relationships, retrenchments or caring for a loved one. While South Africans are – by virtue of the distress that has characterised our past and, regrettably, present – resilient by nature, it would be a mistake to assume we have not been fundamentally affected by these events. In order to further understand both the broader implications of the findings of the IQbusiness report as well as the ways in which the report can enable organisations to address these implications, BizNews spoke to Adam Craker, the CEO of IQbusiness, and Nadine Rix, the report’s originator. The importance of acknowledging the findings of the report as well prioritising ways to address these findings cannot be overstated. Engaging with an organisation that recognises this and is working hard to introduce other corporations to the imperative and related benefits was incredibly refreshing.

As the world attempts to move towards some semblance of normality, human beings face a host of consequential challenges relating to the unprecedented nature of the last (over) 18 months. IQbusiness, South Africa’s leading management and technology consulting firm, released a report in September based on a recent pilot study, which revealed over 66% of office-based employees surveyed are experiencing extreme stress, anxiety and depression. The study tested key empirical indicators of trauma including financial constraints, breakdowns in close relationships, retrenchments or caring for a loved one. While South Africans are – by virtue of the distress that has characterised our past and, regrettably, present – resilient by nature, it would be a mistake to assume we have not been fundamentally affected by these events. In order to further understand both the broader implications of the findings of the IQbusiness report as well as the ways in which the report can enable organisations to address these implications, BizNews spoke to Adam Craker, the CEO of IQbusiness, and Nadine Rix, the report’s originator. The importance of acknowledging the findings of the report as well prioritising ways to address these findings cannot be overstated. Engaging with an organisation that recognises this and is working hard to introduce other corporations to the imperative and related benefits was incredibly refreshing.

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Walter Aylett, founding fund manager of Aylett and Co., shares their house view on Transaction Capital.