Author: Chris Steyn
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The NdB Sunday Show: Lauren Evanthia – “Scrambling” Cyril, Witness I & a “criminal enterprise” government
Listen here: Edited transcript of the interview Chris Steyn (00:01.196) Welcome to the NdB Sunday Show with Chris Steyn and Lauren Evanthia, the founder of the Organic Humanity Movement. Morning, Lauren. Lauren (00:11.815) Morning Chris. I’m looking forward to discussing what’s on the agenda for today. Another exciting week in South Africa. And you know,…
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David Ansara: Sakeliga’s AGOA Gambit: The Smart Way to Fight BEE Without Fighting the Government
This article was first published by The Common Sense With South Africa’s AGOA eligibility increasingly precarious, business lobby group Sakeliga has put a creative proposal to US trade authorities: move beyond the blunt all-or-nothing framework and allow individual firms and subnational governments — think Western Cape — to access US markets by committing to non-racial hiring…
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Race Is a Human Invention – But That Doesn’t Make It Useless
Race remains one of the most controversial concepts in modern society, often caught between outdated prejudices and claims that it has no scientific basis at all. In this thought-provoking essay, the author challenges both extremes, arguing that the debate has become clouded by politics, ideology and misunderstanding. Drawing on developments in genetics, evolutionary biology and…
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The Impeachment Trap: Ramaphosa Scrambles to Escape
President Cyril Ramaphosa has moved to halt a parliamentary inquiry that could determine whether he is fit to remain in office, escalating the long-running fallout from the controversial Phala Phala farm scandal. While the president insists the findings that triggered the process were flawed and legally unsound, lawmakers appear determined to press ahead. The latest…
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Cape Town Challenges Joburg’s Grip on South Africa’s Economic Crown
Cape Town is booming. Cranes dominate the skyline, global investors are pouring in, and South Africa’s oldest city is increasingly eclipsing Johannesburg as the country’s economic powerhouse. From Amazon’s new African headquarters to a thriving tech ecosystem and surging property market, confidence in the Mother City appears stronger than ever. But beneath the success story…
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Iran, Hamas and the ANC: How South Africa got played at the ICJ
South Africa launched its genocide case against Israel at the ICJ in late 2023 with all the moral urgency of a government that believed history was watching. Now it has requested an 18-month extension just to file its written submission. Political scientist Kenneth Moeng Mokgatlhe unpacks the contradiction — and it is a damaging one.…
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Hersov to Mantashe: Fix mining or forfeit SA’s future
Rob Hersov pulls no punches in this open letter to Minerals Minister Gwede Mantashe, framing South Africa’s mining collapse as a policy crime rather than a geological misfortune. Gold output down 86%. GDP contribution halved. 300,000 jobs gone. Exploration spending in freefall. And the Fraser Institute now ranks us below military junta-run states as a…
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Mayor first, party leader second: Geordin Hill-Lewis on why Cape Town beats a cabinet seat
Listen here Geordin Hill-Lewis says he has the best job in South African politics – and he’s not giving it up. The DA leader explains why he’s staying on as Cape Town mayor, tackles criticism of DA ministers, outlines bold plans to build a city detective branch, and shares his vision for expanding the party…
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Old School SA’s Stellenbosch brothers riding Bafana Bafana fever sweeping the country
Listen here Stef and Daneel Steinmann couldn’t buy the vintage Springbok jerseys they kept seeing around Stellenbosch in 2019, a Rugby World Cup year when green and gold were everywhere, so after roughly 100 emails they found a supplier and started their own brand, Old School SA. Six years on, Old School holds official partnerships…
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The hollowing out of Eskom: De Ruyter’s prophecy becomes reality
André de Ruyter warned this would happen. As Eskom CEO, he flagged the risk of a revenue death spiral — major customers fleeing to private power, leaving the utility stranded with ballooning municipal debt and no reliable income base. It’s no longer a warning. As MyBroadband reports, Namibia is building green hydrogen capacity at scale.…
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Beyond the metros: Where SA’s real political battle in November is brewing
Everyone’s watching Johannesburg, Cape Town and Tshwane — but the November local government elections will be decided in places like Pietermaritzburg and Polokwane too. Marius Roodt of The Common Sense drills into the numbers, and the divergence is striking. Msunduzi tells a story of ANC collapse — from 70% in 2014 to 18% in 2024…
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Hedge Fund thinking meets the beautiful game — Inside America’s World Cup ambition
An offhand text message among friends spirals into a high-stakes intervention in American soccer’s future. When frustration with the US men’s national team reaches a boiling point after a disastrous Copa America, hedge fund manager Scott Goodwin finds himself at the centre of an unusual power play – where billionaire wealth, personal passion, and national…
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Hedge Fund thinking meets the beautiful game — Inside America’s World Cup ambition
An offhand text message among friends spirals into a high-stakes intervention in American soccer’s future. When frustration with the US men’s national team reaches a boiling point after a disastrous Copa America, hedge fund manager Scott Goodwin finds himself at the centre of an unusual power play – where billionaire wealth, personal passion, and national…
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Jim Chanos has a warning for SpaceX investors — and his track record demands attention
SpaceX hits the stock market today riding over $100 billion in retail orders and a wave of institutional FOMO — but veteran short seller Jim Chanos isn’t buying the narrative. Bloomberg Opinion’s Lionel Laurent draws a sharp parallel between SpaceX’s IPO and Michael Saylor’s Strategy Inc., the Bitcoin-buying vehicle that Chanos shorted and which has…
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The Economist: Passport shopping, tax havens and a whole industry built around billionaire flight
Amid rising geopolitical uncertainty, the world’s wealthiest individuals are quietly redrawing the map of where they live – and why. A fast-growing industry of advisers is emerging to guide them through a complex web of visas, investment schemes, and shifting government policies. From sun-soaked tax havens to tightening Western regimes, countries are competing fiercely to…
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Brian Benfield: The Fair Pay Bill will not create a single sustainable job
A seemingly well-intentioned proposal before Parliament has ignited a fierce debate about fairness, freedom and the future of South Africa’s economy. Proponents argue the Fair Pay Bill will promote transparency and equity in the workplace. Critics warn it represents yet another expansion of state control into private enterprise, carrying far-reaching consequences for employers, job seekers…
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Ivo Vegter: Stop fearing Artificial Intelligence. Start fearing its would-be masters
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming the defining technology of our age, promising extraordinary gains in productivity, knowledge and innovation. Yet the greatest questions it raises may have little to do with machines themselves. In this thought-provoking analysis, the author cuts through both the utopian hype and apocalyptic fear surrounding AI, exploring its impact on truth,…
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Econ Bro: Special Economic Zones and how they expose the hypocrisy of the state
What if the world’s most celebrated economic success stories were actually evidence of a much bigger failure? Across the globe, governments create Special Economic Zones and Free Trade Zones where taxes are lower, regulations are lighter, and businesses are allowed to thrive. The results are often remarkable: investment pours in, jobs multiply, and prosperity follows.…
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Brig Fanie Bouwer: Madlanga Commission – Don’t pull the plug
South Africa’s appetite for truth is being tested by something as mundane as a budget shortfall. With R123 million of R147 million already spent, Minister Kubayi has gone cap-in-hand to Treasury – and some are quietly suggesting the Commission should simply be wound down. Brigadier Fanie Bouwer argues the opposite: the deeper the inquiry digs,…
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BN Daybreak – Fri 12 June 2026: Trump halts Iran strikes; SA’s overlooked gold fortune; PA surge; World Cup fees
Listen here In today’s BizNews Daybreak: Global markets rallied after President Trump halted planned military strikes against Iran. In South Africa, the Patriotic Alliance clinched a major by-election victory in Malmesbury, weakening established parties. Meanwhile, Alec Hogg unpacked South Africa’s overlooked multi-billion rand gold mining fortune. Finally, we highlight Adobe’s executive shakeup amid strong AI…