Business Day Spotlight

Home buying dynamics in SA is the focus in this edition of the Business Day Spotlight.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Siphamandla Mkhwanazi, a senior economist at FNB.

Topics of discussion include: new data from FNB’s House Price Index; the effects of a tough economic environment on the residential property market; ways in which financial institutions can help with making home ownership more accessible; and an outlook for the sector.

Are non-fungible tokens (NFTs) still relevant and valuable in 2022? That is the focus in this edition of the Business Day Spotlight.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Adam Romyn, co-founder of NFT social marketplace, Momint.

Topics of discussion include: Momint’s business model; use cases for NFTs in SA; whether growth in the market has indeed stalled; practical uses of blockchain technologies; smart contracts; and an outlook for the market going forward.

Rising meat prices are the focus in this edition of the Business Day Spotlight.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Marcelle Pienaar, brand marketing manager at local meat manufacturer Eskort, together with Paul Matthew, CEO of SA’s Association of Meat Importers and Exporters (AMIE).

In an environment of rising living costs, the discussion focuses on meat inflation, specifically how this has affected the pork and chicken markets. What choices are consumers making when buying meat products in the face of these price changes?

According to Stats SA, food and nonalcoholic beverages inflation increased 6.4% year on year in February, placing pockets under more pressure.

Topics of discussion include: how inflation has affected the pork and chicken markets in SA; factors driving up prices for meat; the balance of imports and exports for chicken and pork in SA; the move to cheaper protein options for consumers to rising prices; and an outlook for the sector.

PwC’s outlook for SA’s economy is the focus in this edition of the Business Day Spotlight.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Lullu Krugel, PwC’s chief economist.

Topics of discussion include: new GDP from Stats SA; whether good headlines necessarily translate to a good standard of living for South Africans; PwC’s economic outlook for 2022; the risk of stagflation; and global factors likely to continue weighing on the SA economy.

Solving logistics issues to increase e-commerce adoption in SA is the focus in this edition of the Business Day Spotlight.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Lars Veul, co-founder at logistics tech firm, Pargo.

Topics of discussion include: Pargo’s business model; trends in the crowd sourced logistics space; last mile logistics as a driver for e-commerce adoption; and challenges with delivering parcels to secondary towns and rural areas.

Solving parking issues in SA through technology is the focus in this edition of the Business Day Spotlight.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Mark Bradford, CEO of Docklands Ventures.

Topics of discussion include: ParkUpp’s business model; Docklands Ventures’ acquisition of ParkUpp; trends in the parking and property market; new niches and areas of focus for the business; and an outlook for the business.

The use of digital technology platforms in construction is the focus in this edition of the Business Day Spotlight.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Mike Bignold, founder and CEO at Cost Certified.

Topics of discussion include: Cost Certified’s business model; how the platform works; what attracted the company to the SA market; trends in the market; the company’s hiring drive; and competition in the market.

Newly proposed website hosting regulations are the focus in this edition of the Business Day Spotlight.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Morne Patterson, financial director at local web hosting outfit, 1-grid.

Topics of discussion include: an outline of newly proposed rules for domain registry companies in SA; the intention behind the potential changes; concerns raised by industry players; how SA’s domain market compares to other parts of the world; whether websites are still necessary in 2022; and the threat posed by social networking sites.

Ways in which investors can endure volatility in financial markets is the focus in this edition of the Business Day Spotlight.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Samukelo Zwane, head of product at FNB Wealth and Investments; Annabel Bishop, chief economist at Investec; and Dawie Roodt, chief economist at Efficient Group.

Topics of discussion include: a tribute to renowned South African economist Mike Schüssler who recently passed on; the state of financial markets; how investors can survive and endure market volatility; the opportunity for those looking to enter the stock market; and the real difference between short term and long term investing.

The evolution of ride sharing in SA is the focus in this edition of the Business Day Spotlight.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Frans Hiemstra, GM for Sub-Saharan Africa at Uber.

Topics of discussion include: the size and scope of Uber’s business in Africa; differences between the markets; the impact of inflationary pressure of the company’s pricing; safety of drivers and riders; trends in the gig economy; relationship with drivers; and competition in SA’s ride sharing market.