Category: News
-
Sakeliga proposes ‘off-ramp’ to shield compliant businesses from US tariffs and ANC policy fallout
Listen here As the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) faces bipartisan scrutiny in Washington ahead of its December 2026 deadline, South African business group Sakeliga has submitted a radical new proposal for “subnational differentiation”. Russell Lamberti explains how the plan would allow individual companies, municipalities, and provinces—like the Western Cape—to bypass looming punitive US…
-
The NdB Sunday Show: Lauren Evanthia – Tender tycoons, political treachery & human tragedy…
Listen here In the latest edition of NdB Sunday Show with Chris Steyn and Lauren Evanthia, the Founder of the Organic Humanity Movement, they talk about the authorities going after the R3million Bentley Continental GT that had belonged to President Cryil Ramaposa’s nephew by marriage, Hangwani Morgan Maumela, who has been fingered as the Tembisa…
-
WATCH: Inside SA’s black market for number plates | Special Feature
A Business Day investigation has exposed how easily illegal and cloned licence plates can be bought in South Africa — in some cases within minutes, with no proof of ownership, ID or vehicle registration required. In this BizNews special feature, Business Day deputy editor Kabelo Khumalo, DA trade and competition spokesperson Toby Chance, Licence Plate…
-
Dell takes aim at Apple with a $699 touch-screen laptop
Key topics: Dell XPS 13 challenges Apple MacBook Neo on price and design More config: up to 32GB RAM, better display, Wi-Fi 7, longer battery Tradeoffs: no headphone jack; Acer also launches $699 rival laptop By Chris Welch Dell Technologies Inc. introduced a redesigned XPS 13 laptop, positioning the device as a direct answer to Apple…
-
Michael Saylor’s Bitcoin strategy is unravelling
Key topics: Strategy faces strain as Bitcoin and stock fall; STRC below par First Bitcoin sale breaks “never sell” promise, signals funding stress Three-way conflict between investors, dividends, and capital raising strategy By Sidhartha Shukla Michael Saylor built Strategy Inc. around a straightforward idea: raise money to buy Bitcoin, then never sell it. Over time, that…
-
When entitlement replaces enterprise: The Gen-Z economic threat
Key topics: Rise of Gen-Z socialism led by young, online-driven left-wing movements Push for price controls, wealth taxes and nationalisation across economies Critics say it threatens growth and is shifting mainstream centre-left politics From The Economist, published under licence. The original article can be found on www.economist.com © 2025 The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved. The Economist Something…
-
Shoprite ups the ante on customer loyalty with free pet insurance
This article was first published on Business Day Key topics: Shoprite adds free pet insurance via Outsurance partnership Pet care market grows fast but remains highly price sensitive Retailers expand pet services, loyalty, and digital delivery channels By Nompilo Zulu Shoprite says its Petshop Science has partnered with Outsurance to offer its fur customers free accidental…
-
Anti-foreigner sentiment surges as South Africa braces for unrest
Key topics: Johannesburg migrant crackdown shuts downtown businesses Anti-immigrant protests fuel election-year tensions Government warns against xenophobia and vigilantism By Ntando Thukwana On a thoroughfare that usually throbs with music, shouted bargains and the bustle of downtown Johannesburg, the metal shutters on the shops are closed. Police patrol the Smal Street Mall, where an operation targeting…
-
Ivo Vegter: FIFA — Power, greed and the world’s most untouchable monopoly
Key topics: FIFA accused of corruption, monopoly power, and rule abuses World Cup hosts bear costs while FIFA reaps massive profits FIFA’s 2026 policies spark backlash over fan restrictions By Ivo Vegter* It is corrupt. It is criminal. It is tyrannical. And no other private organisation in the world gets special laws to feed its…
-
BN Daybreak – Fri 5 June 2026: US Ukraine aid; DRC Ebola outbreak; Athol Trollip on FMD; Cuba sanctions
Listen here Today on BizNews Daybreak, global updates reveal the US passing a key Ukraine aid bill, leveling strict new sanctions against Cuba, and racing to contain a Texas screw worm outbreak. Locally, Athol Trollip warns that slow cattle vaccinations are worsening South Africa’s foot and mouth disease crisis. Plus, The Economist’s Chief Africa Correspondent,…
-
Ebola outbreak in DRC grabs global attention – perfect storm of war, fear, and disease
Listen here John McDermott explores the unfolding Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, unpacking how transmission occurs, why the crisis is spreading, and what makes this strain particularly dangerous. He examines strained health systems, limited aid funding, and the challenge of vaccine development. The discussion situates the outbreak within broader regional conflict and…
-
The millionaire machine: How AI is supercharging the franchise industry
Key topics: Greg Flynn builds 3,000+ outlet franchise empire, $1bn+ fortune Franchising drives US economy, jobs, and “American dream” appeal Debate over model: profits, risks, worker wages, and regulation issues From The Economist, published under licence. The original article can be found on www.economist.com © 2025 The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved. The Economist When Greg Flynn graduated…
-
Adcock accused of hiking dialysis costs during surging Covid demand
This article was first published on Business Day Key topics: Adcock Ingram referred to Tribunal for alleged dialysis overpricing (2019–24) Competition Commission alleges abuse of dominance; seeks up to 10% turnover penalty High kidney disease burden; dialysis costs strain access; prior fines and recalls By Tamar Khan The Competition Commission has referred pharmaceutical manufacturer Adcock Ingram…
-
AI’s reality check: The “never-ending utility bill” bites
Key topics: AI IPO hype and trillion-dollar valuations face rising ROI skepticism Companies hit AI cost overruns as usage caps follow massive token bills Debate grows: productivity gains vs runaway AI costs and unclear returns By Parmy Olson In the coming months, some of the world’s biggest AI labs — including OpenAI and Anthropic PBC — will…
-
Inside SpaceX’s $75bn IPO: AI, Mars & Musk’s iron grip
Key topics: SpaceX targets record $75bn IPO at $1.77tn valuation Musk retains control as critics raise governance concerns AI, Starlink and Mars plans drive ambitious growth strategy By Bailey Lipschultz SpaceX is seeking to raise $75 billion in an initial public offering that would be the biggest of all time, as Elon Musk’s rocket, satellite and…
-
Anthea Jeffery: SA mining is “uninvestable” — the rational plan to save it
Key topics: GEM Bill proposes replacing MPRDA with investor-friendly reforms IRR seeks to scrap BEE rules and boost mining investment New bill strengthens property rights and legal certainty By Anthea Jeffery* South Africa’s mining industry is becoming “uninvestable.” The country has among the most valuable mineral endowments in the world, but is nevertheless battling to…
-
Athol Trollip: Government’s FMD response is a “national disaster”
Listen here Athol Trollip delivers a blistering critique of South Africa’s handling of the foot-and-mouth disease crisis, arguing that government bureaucracy and a state-controlled vaccination strategy are failing farmers and allowing the outbreak to spread. Drawing on decades of farming experience, the ActionSA parliamentary leader says commercial farmers should be empowered to vaccinate their own…
-
BN Daybreak – Thu 4 June 2026: Amazon Prime SA launch; US-Iran war vote; Illegal Number plates; UK leaders clash
Listen here Amazon has officially disrupted the local market by launching its full Prime offering in South Africa. Globally, SpaceX plans a historic $75 billion IPO, Broadcom’s AI chip revenue forecasts disappoint, and a fragile Israel-Lebanon ceasefire is renewed. Additionally, experts call for urgent action against South Africa’s rampant illegal number plate trade, while UK…
-
Amazon Prime boss throws down gauntlet to Takealot in SA: “We’re just getting started”
Listen here Amazon is turning up the heat in South Africa. Two years after launching its local marketplace, the e-commerce giant has officially rolled out Amazon Prime at a dramatically lower price, taking direct aim at Takealot. Global Prime chief Jamil Ghani explains why Amazon believes fast, free delivery, streaming, gaming and exclusive Prime Day…
-
“Unacceptable weakness”: UK parliament targets Palantir’s $445m NHS deal
Key topics: UK MPs urge ending Palantir NHS deal over dependency risks Military contract with Palantir faces scrutiny over tender process Concerns over privacy, political alignment, and digital sovereignty By Mark Bergen and Lucy White British members of parliament are calling on the government to end a major deal with Palantir Technologies Inc. and disclose more…