Business News Leaders

What business hopes for SA following the national elections

Wednesday’s election is being touted as the most contested since 1994. Polls conducted in the lead up to the election show that the ANC is likely to win majority but the research has shown diverging results on the degree of voter support for the ANC and this has led to…

6 May 2019 2AM 7 min

What a coalition government would mean for SA

Experts believe that next week's election could be a turning point in South African politics given that a coalition government is possible. But what would that scenario mean for the country and the economy? Wits University’s head of political studies Daryl Glaser joined Business Day TV for a closer look…

3 May 2019 2AM 7 min

Absence of load-shedding brightens outlook for business

Activity in South Africa's manufacturing sector has picked up for the first time in 3 months. The seasonally adjusted Absa Purchasing Managers Index has come in 2.2 index points higher at 47.2 in April. The up tick is due to an improvement in sentiment as worries about power cuts eased…

2 May 2019 3AM 6 min

Election 2019: The science behind polling

The dominant election polls run by Ipsos and the IRR both signal a drop in support for the ANC and DA when the votes are counted post next week's election. The IRR has put specific focus on coalition governments being the order of the day while Ipsos suggests that the…

2 May 2019 3AM 6 min

How will the national election influence markets?

We are less than a week away from the national elections and analysts predicts that if we do see the return of Ramaphoria as a result of a strong ANC win then South African assets are set for a rally, but if this isn't the scenario that plays out what…

2 May 2019 3AM 5 min

Mashaba focuses on JHB CBD revival in his 3rd state of the city address

Mayor of the City of Johannesburg Herman Mashaba delivered his third state of the city address today with a key focus on rejuvenating the inner city with a R20bn investment. The mayor is also negotiating a private electricity deal for the city to help deal with Eskom's electricity crisis but…

30 Apr 2019 2AM 7 min

Support for ANC slumps ahead of vote according to IRR poll

According to the IRR's latest election poll, the ANC's national majority hangs in the balance while support for the EFF is set to grow. Head of Politics & Governance at the Institute of Race Relations Gareth van Onselen spoke to Business Day TV about the findings of the poll and…

30 Apr 2019 2AM 6 min

Small political parties gear up for next week's national elections

The 2019 national election is just over a week away with a record 48 parties on the ballot, 19 of which are new. No stranger to politics, Patricia de Lille is back leading her Good party which Ipsos predicts will garner 1% of the national vote. She spoke to Business…

29 Apr 2019 2AM 10 min

What does the rise of smaller parties mean for SA's upcoming elections?

South Africans will be heading to the polls next week in what is said to be the most competitive election with a record 48 parties contesting the vote . Among the parties is break-away formations from the two major parties, the ANC and DA that with Makhosi Khoza ditching the…

29 Apr 2019 2AM 5 min

SA banks compete to win customers

It may not be significant to them now in terms of numbers, but the big banks are increasing their efforts to retain their consumer customers, with the arrival of the new digi banks. Investment analyst at Mergence Nolwandle Mthombeni joins Business Day TV to talk about the future of banking…

26 Apr 2019 2AM 6 min

Sasria confident of meeting claims despite rising service delivery protests

South Africa’s sole special risks insurance service provider is confident it is more than adequately capitalised to meet rising service delivery related and all other claims, says Cedric Masondo, Managing Director of Sasria. Sasria is a state-owned insurer established 40 years ago to protect organisations, businesses, municipalities and individuals from…

26 Apr 2019 2AM 6 min

Oil touches $75 a barrel for first time in 2019

Oil rose above the $75 per barrel mark for the first time this year. This comes as quality concerns forced the suspension of some Russian crude exports to Europe, while the US prepares to tighten sanctions on Iran. Warwick Business School’s Ivan Petrella joined Business Day TV to discuss the…

25 Apr 2019 3AM 4 min

No room for negotiation on Shoprite share deal, says Christo Wiese

Shoprite plans to buy-back deferred shares held by its chairman Christo Wiese in order to simplify the company's voting stucture and curb Wiese's influence. The deal will see all of Wiese's deferred shares being repurchased and cancelled in exchange for the issue of 20-million new Shoprite shares, which means Wiese…

25 Apr 2019 2AM 6 min

Consumer confidence plummets in the first quarter

With exactly two-weeks before the national election, most South African consumers are neither optimistic nor pessimistic about the outlook for the economy. This according to the first quarter FNB/BER Consumer Confidence Index which dropped to +2 from +7 largely driven by Eskom woes, tax and fuel increases. The reading is…

24 Apr 2019 3AM 7 min

Vodacom, MTN slammed for high data prices that exploit the poor

The Competition Commission's provisional Data Services Market Inquiry report has found that the country's data prices are higher than its BRICS and SADC counterparts and that mobile networks, MTN and Vodacom charge higher prices in South Africa than any of the other countries which they operate in. Chief Economist of…

24 Apr 2019 2AM 7 min

PSG Group’s annual financial performance boosted by Capitec and Curro

Investment holding company, PSG Group delivered its annual results on Wednesday and reported a 9% increase in recurring earnings per share. This was largely boosted by stronger performances from most of the group's core investments including Capitec, PSG Konsult and Curro. PSG Group CEO Piet Mouton joined Business Day TV…

24 Apr 2019 2AM 6 min

Government bailout saves Eskom

Public enterprise minister Pravin Gordhan has stated that Eskom is not on the brink of financial collapse. Speaking to Talk Radio 702, Gordhan stated that government has the utility's monetary problems well under control. The comments come after reports last week revealed that the state was forced to pay R5bn…

23 Apr 2019 2AM 9 min

BEE trusts have been a source of abuse enabling fronting, says B-BBEE Commission

The Black Economic Empowerment Commission, which was set up in the department of trade & industry in 2017, has written to dozens of companies informing them of the need to rectify their ownership structure and undergo reverification of their BEE status or face investigation for fronting. Among the trusts that…

23 Apr 2019 2AM 6 min

Should Airbnb be regulated in SA?

The Tourism Amendment Bill has been criticised for being a direct attack on global online hospitality service Airbnb and other home sharing apps as it's aim is to regulate short-term accommodation. The bill, which was published in the Government Gazette on Friday April 12, will enable the minister of tourism…

18 Apr 2019 2AM 8 min

Rand to strengthen in the medium term, says UBS Global Wealth Management

UBS Global Wealth Management believes that the rand will strengthen in the near to medium term, with some domestic risk events having diminished, at least for now, and a more favourable external backdrop coming to bear. The firm has however highlighted a few key risks to its positive outlook. In…

18 Apr 2019 2AM 6 min