The South African film and television industry is facing a crisis. Continued funding losses and a malfunctioning Treasury rebate system have left producers struggling to finance projects and keep local talent on our screens. Thato Moraka, CEO of Leaders In Motion Media Africa (LIMA) tackled why aren’t South Africa’s film incentives working. Kaya FM

Eskom has summoned an urgent creditors’ meeting to review its unbundling plan, which local lenders argue is less ambitious than what was initially promised. Ruse Moleshe, Energy expert explains what this meeting is really about. Kaya FM

South Africa’s manufacturing sector may be showing early signs of life after a very difficult end to 2025. The latest Absa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for January has jumped by 8.2 points to 48.7. While that’s still below the crucial 50 mark that separates contraction from expansion, the size of the rebound is significant. ABSA Economist, Andiswa Nondudule unpacks these findings. Kaya FM

The Automotive Business Council reports that the South African new vehicle market entered 2026 with sustained momentum, confirming that the positive trajectory established during 2025 has carried decisively into the new year. Aggregate domestic new vehicle sales in January 2026, at 50,073, reflected an increase of 3,479 units, or a gain of 7,5%, compared to the 46,594 vehicles sold in January 2025. Is this growth evidence of durable consumer demand or expectations of imminent rate relief? Chief Economist at NAAMSA, Dr Paulina Mamogobo takes listeners through the latest vehicle sales. Kaya FM

Fewer South Africans were taken to court over unpaid debt in November 2025, official data from Statistics South Africa shows. Yet, the picture is not simply one of financial relief. Based on the total value of judgements recorded in November, the average civil judgement for debt was just under R29,000. Amukelani Ngobeni, StatsSA Chief Director responsible for business cycle indicators explains. Kaya FM

Tonight on KayaBiz, we’re talking to one of the leading voices in digital payments and business solutions in South Africa. The 2025 festive season saw record growth in digital transactions, signalling not just resilient consumer demand, but also the accelerating shift towards mobile-first, online commerce.

Joining us is Norman Nyawo, Head of Merchant Solutions for Business and Commercial Banking at Standard Bank South Africa. He shares insights on how businesses are adapting to the digital payments revolution. Kaya FM

The January 2026 Household Affordability Index presented a mixed picture for South African families as it reveals a modest increase in the cost of basic food items. The average cost of the Household Food Basket rose to R5 401.44, marking a R67.99 (1.3%) increase from December 2025. Notably, however, this figure is still R32.26 (0.6%) lower compared to January 2025. Sibusiso Mboto, Advocacy Coordinator at the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group. Kaya FM

South Africa’s Reserve Bank took a cautious approach, opting to hold the repo rate steady at 6.75% on Thursday at its first Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting of 2026, despite a surging rand and a benign inflation outlook. FNB Senior Economist Koketso Mano unpacks what this means for South Africans. Kaya FM

The recent resurface of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) across South African farms has raised concerns amongst the nation with the country now being urged to declare a state of disaster over the outbreak. According to Lucinde Rhoodie, Agriculture legal expert at the commercial law firm, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH), “While Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has announced a 10-year strategy to contain and recover from the disease, many businesses are still faced with the legal and commercial risks which can be felt almost immediately on livestock, trade obligations and the broader economy”.She joins Gugulethu on the show. Kaya FM

In November 2024 the government issued a decree frantically announcing that spaza shops in Gauteng had 21 days to register or close. The deadline was eventually extended to February 2025, accompanied by the usual threats of “enforcement” and “crackdowns”. We are now in a new year, looking at the scoreboard for strong gains to carry forward into 2026 and beyond. Can we leverage these registrations in this regard? Virat Chadha, Director at Inani Strategies shares her views on this matter. Kaya FM