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In an engaging conversation with Rory Steyn, SA20 commissioner Graeme Smith reflects on his transition from cricket captain to league leader, the tournament’s massive economic impact, and the growth of new cricket audiences. He also shares memories of his rugby-playing days and his loyalty to the Stormers. As SA20’s third season concludes, Smith’s vision for the league is clear—bigger, better, and built to last. Closing off the episode, host Rory Steyn unpacks the latest rugby results.
In a recent conversation with BizNews’ Bronwyn Nielsen, Sygnia CEO Magda Wierzycka shared her insights on the evolving global landscape, the role of Donald Trump in reshaping international relations, and what South Africa’s positioning in the world means for business and investment.
In today's BizNews Briefing, Bronwyn Nielsen covers President Trump's remarks on Elon Musk's access to sensitive documents and explores the implications with Magda Wierzycka, CEO of Signia Limited. The conversation continues with insights from Chris Steyn and Dawie Roodt on Musk's influence. Alec Hogg engages Corné Mulder on Afrikaner sentiments towards Trump, while Kevin Ling shares thoughts on President Ramaphosa's upcoming State of the Nation address.
South Africa's strained relationship with the United States has been dealt a second blow with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s decision to boycott the G20 Summit in Johannesburg. In this interview with economist Dawie Roodt, he warns: “I think it's pretty much a given that we will not be part of AGOA that much longer - unless we really start taking extraordinary measures to get on the good side of Donald Trump. And if the relations deteriorate even further, I think there's a possibility that it could be some further actions against South Africa, something like levies or import duties. And we have to understand that if we don't polish this guy's ego for one, many other things that we need to do as well….If we don't do that, we're going to pay a very dear price. And South Africa simply cannot afford that.” Roodt also gives his take on Elon Musk’s role in the White House. And in his latest economic forecast, Roodt says: “We are in trouble. And it's not only Donald Trump that causes all of that. A lot of that is homemade because of the wrong policies that we've been following locally for, in fact, many decades.”
What started as a project to help land reform farmers become more productive and commercially viable has developed into the successful Mdukatshani Rural Livestock Project, which facilitates rural auction sales of goats. So far, the project has earned 9000 rural farmers about R200-R300 million. The project has facilitated several auctions to set fair market prices for livestock, reducing the exploitation by speculators. A cashless system has also been introduced for secure transactions. Behind this success is Rauri Alcock, who told Biznews in an interview that most of the farmers they work with are women. Alcock said they have decided to concentrate on goats because they are low-hanging fruit, with 80-90% of the national goat herd owned by African farmers. Alcock describes the goats, found all over the rural areas of South Africa, as being similar to cockroaches—they will eat anything and can push back against invasive species encroaching on grasslands, which is also good for the environment. Most of the goats sold are for ancestral sacrificial ceremonies. Alcock wants to scale the project and his aim is ultimately to see regular sales rural areas and to reduce imports from countries like Botswana and Namibia.
South Africa stands at a political crossroads as tensions within the government of national unity (GNU) escalate, the debate over Expropriation Without Compensation (EWC) intensifies, and global pressure mounts from a potential second Trump presidency. In a recent BizNews interview, Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) parliamentary leader Corné Mulder shared insights on how these factors could shape the country’s future, warning of potential instability if coalition partners fail to address critical concerns.
Meet the remarkable former Zimbabwean farmer turned land restitution activist Ben Freeth, whose victory in a SADC Tribunal triggered the Mugabe/Zuma axis’s abolition of the highest court for 400 million Southern Africans. In this powerful interview with BizNews editor Alec Hogg, unbowed Freeth explains how a recently promulgated South African law has parallels with Zimbabwe’s initially ignored 1992 Act was the foundation for events that transformed his country from bread basket to basket case.
This episode is led by excerpts of today’s interview with FF+ Parliamentary leader Dr Corne’ Mulder who explains why SA’s Government of National Unity is in real danger; there’s a focus on EWC with Zim farmer/activist Ben Freeth pointing out parallels with his country’s 1992 law that that was the foundation for political land grabs and local agric leader Dr Theo de Jager exposing unintentional but probably consequences; Plus Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza; Mark Bristow on the gold price and why Alphabet’s shares fell so heavily after a small miss in its quarterlies.
The law of land expropriation in South Africa is making headlines across the world. In this interview, Dr. Theo de Jager, the CEO of the Southern African Agri Initiative (SAAI) and the former president of the World Farmers Organisation, says: “If anybody is going to bleed it is us. If farmers don't stand together, they are delivered.” He warns that the act lends itself to abuse, and that farmers could not just assume that “you work with honest officials who really have the best interest of the state and the nation at heart”. SAAI is currently in discussions to set up a fund to assist the first “victim” in court. “And in the meantime, we must push. We need everybody's weight in this scrum now. We must push back. We must try to get this act to go back to parliament and to be changed…And we need to make sure that we are safeguarded against the whims of officials, especially on the second and the third tier of government, where the risk is the highest of wild actions…” Dr De Jager also hails the role Elon Musk has played in US President Donald Trump’s move against South Africa over the signing of the act. “And although he is under severe criticism, the majority of farmers welcome the way he's shaking the cage at the moment, shaking out all the paraphernalia to get to the bottom, to the principle of things.”
South Africans have been jolted by attention US president Donald Trump is giving their country - starting with freezing an annual $450m gift to HIV/AIDS sufferers with much worse in the wings. Among the most concerned are exporters - and those employed by American companies from KFC and Ford to Microsoft and Amazon operating in SA. Democratic Alliance Leader John Steenhuisen, Agriculture Minister in the Government of National Unity, says with cool heads, the growing crisis could become an opportunity. He spoke to BizNews editor Alec Hogg
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