Classic Business

Dolana Conco, regional executive of consulting at Alexander Forbes

Anthea Gardner, MD Cartesian Capital

Why is the South African government not talking to vaccine role players. With the news that UK regulators have authorised the Pfizer and Biontech vaccine, questions are being raised about whether the government is doing the necessary groundwork to roll out a vaccine in 2021 when one becomes available. And as concern grows around mounting cases in the Eastern and Western Cape, with the National Coronavirus Command Council contemplating government’s response as we head into the December break, it’s important to stop and ask what we have learned so far that can help guide our response now and into the new year.

Michael Avery speaks to Department of Science & Technology and National Research Foundation Research Chair in Vaccine-Preventable Diseases at Wits University, Prof Shabir Madhi; and Professor Alex van den Heever, chair in the field of Social Security Systems Administration and Management Studies at the Wit's School of Governance, about lessons learned and mistakes best not repeated

Suzanne Morel, country manager for Mastercard South Africa

Group President and CEO Fleetwood Grobler

Quite remarkably ASISA released research, which shows that South African investors committed R57 billion in net inflows to local Collective Investment Schemes (CIS) in the third quarter of this year, bringing to R165 billion the total net inflows for the 12 months to the end of September 2020. R23bn in Q1, R88bn in Q2, and then R57 billion in the third quarter, which was the third highest achieved over the past five years and what it shows is that investors didn’t panic, which is what Michael Avery has been trying to educate investors about, and hopefully this also means financial advisors are doing their job. Sunette Mulder, senior policy advisor at ASISA, shares the results.

COO Andrew Costa

Scandal-plagued IT services group EOH Holdings has turned in a significant improvement in full-year results, with the total headline loss per share in the period ended 31 July 2020 reduced by 72% to R4.95. At the same time, the group’s debt problem – though still there – is less severe than it was a year ago, with gross debt down 20% to R2.6-billion at end-July. Debt is still a major concern with net debt (allowing for post y/end repayments) exceeding market cap and at almost 200% of equity. CEO Stephen van Coller talks to Michael Avery about the next phase of the turnaround to reduce that debt albatross around EOH’s neck.

Wayne McCurrie, portfolio manager, FNB Wealth and Investments & Karl Gevers, portfolio manager at Benguela Global Fund Managers

For the first time in SA’s history, technology and innovation incubated in South Africa’s universities is being commercialised, creating a significant economic, investment and job creation opportunity for the country and elevating the country’s innovation capability onto the international stage. Michel Avery speaks to Wayne Stocks, partner and fund manager, University Technology Fund; Thiru Pather, Investment Principal, SA SME Fund; Anita Nel, University of Stellenbosch; & Belinda Shaw, CEO and Founder of Cape Bio Pharms about the missing piece of the technology transfer puzzle.