BizNews Joburg Indaba

Joburg Indaba

Joburg Indaba podcast links
Weekly English South Africa Business
38 Episodes
12 – 32

Is the industry getting the balance right?

Sir Mick Davis reflects on how major mining companies need to accept the responsibility to convince investors of the need to invest enough capital to continuously replace what is being mined. He argues that the recent focus on cost has made the majors more resilient, but he is not convinced…
5 Nov 2020 10 min

The one priority to top them all

As is the norm, such an in-depth and comprehensive conversation should conclude on a more serious note. In this short clip Sir Mick shares his view regarding the one priority that the South African mining industry needs to get right.
28 Oct 2020 1 min

Taking the Mick(ey) out of Sir Mick!

Sir Mick Davis is a hard-nosed businessman who served as the CEO of the Conservative Party in the UK for some time. So he takes insults, banter, sarcasm and jokes all in his stride. Listen to why I described him (to his face of course) as “at least being a…
28 Oct 2020 1 min

To merge, or not to merge? Who better to ask than Sir Mick Davis!

In this clip Sir Mick shares some of his learnings with regards to megamergers. He reflects on how difficult it is to get shareholder support for such mergers and how politicians leverage antitrust issues to extract benefits and strategic advantages for their countries. But he is most critical, by far,…
28 Oct 2020 2 min

Too much hype around hydrogen?

As it generally happens so often with new technologies, we tend to overestimate their impact in the short term, but almost always underestimate their long term impact. Davis believes that there are many technical hurdles, such as storage to overcome, but still clearly believes that South Africa should position itself…
28 Oct 2020 1 min

It does not need to take decades to fix Eskom

Sir Mick argues that unlike the skills and healthcare challenges facing South Africa which may require decades to fix, Eskom’s problems are comparatively easier. He expands on his views, which are incisive as well as relevant due to his recent role on one of the many task teams created to…
28 Oct 2020 1 min

Despite having seen beneficiation from up close, Mick is not a believer

Davis shares the obvious point that without a significant local market, South Africa’s obsession with beneficiation is misdirected and does not create value. Instead, he argues that mining companies should focus their attention on increasing efficiencies in mining and logistics, thereby ensuring that they are cost-effective suppliers to international customers…
28 Oct 2020 3 min

Getting to know Sir Mick Davis

Everyone in the mining industry knows Sir Mick Davis. His amazing career took him from his position as CFO of Eskom, to become Brian Gilbertson’s right hand man during the Gencor/ Billiton days and then culminated at Xstrata, where he really made his mark. And yet, according to Sir Mick,…
28 Oct 2020 36 min

A top SA mining CEO elected to chair the WCA

July Ndlovu would not have put his name forward to become the chair of the World Coal Association if he was not prepared to become the public face of coal worldwide. As coal is the commodity everyone loves to hate, take a moment and open your mind before you listen…
22 Oct 2020 4 min

“License to innovate” – say what?

My corporate-speak radar was set off when Mark spoke about Anglo American’s “License to innovate. No need to worry.” He got practical and explained that it is about reducing one’s footprint, producing more with less, and even approaching communities differently.
22 Oct 2020 2 min

Are diamonds still forever?

The fact that an Anglo American CEO can speak for 30 minutes without reference to De Beers shows how this company has changed in the post-Oppenheimer era. When asked to elaborate on De Beers and the diamond market, Mark was very clear: diamonds are in a very special place with…
22 Oct 2020 2 min

Exiting coal or South Africa?

When asked the question as to the direction he is taking Anglo American in the next few years, Mark expanded on why they are considering demerging their SA coal assets, but importantly also why they are keen to invest more in the SA mining industry. Put differently, demerging from coal…
22 Oct 2020 3 min

Cutifani cuts through the clutter

Blunt and honest conversations are a hallmark of all Joburg Indaba events. As well prepared as a keynote is, it often smacks of the corporate spin easily accessible through the company’s website. It is when one engages directly with the real person, not only the “prepared CEO”, that the difference…
22 Oct 2020 27 min

To BE(neficiate) or not to BE(neficiate)? The South African obsession

The South African government’s new economic recovery plan continues to emphasise beneficiation. This obsession is indeed one policy that the ANC government is at least as passionate about as was the previous Apartheid government! Globally, it is acknowledged that in order to successfully beneficiate the raw materials a country mines,…
14 Oct 2020 4 min

Chinese Demand for SA mined commodities

Similarly, Martyn Davies has established himself over 20 years as an expert on China’s critical role in terms of the demand for SA-mined commodities. He argues that we have missed out on the greatest industrial revolution in China over the last 20 years as a result of bad policy choices…
14 Oct 2020 8 min

The “Failed State” of the future

Claude Baissac of Eunomix caused quite a stir recently when he predicted that SA is on a trajectory that will result in it being a ‘failed state’ in the foreseeable future. In this clip he shares some more detail on the choices the country faces right now.
14 Oct 2020 8 min

The newly-released economic recovery plan

Roger Baxter is uniquely positioned to comment on the recently released economic recovery plan and the detailed planning that went into it, especially for the side of the mining industry. Roger’s insightful comments are definitely worth listening to!
14 Oct 2020 9 min

What does the industry need to do now to secure its future success?

Mark Cutifani is indeed uniquely positioned to discuss the issues facing the SA mining industry. After a very successful stint as the CEO of AngloGold Ashanti, he has his hands full overseeing the process of restoring Anglo American to some of its former glory. In his address, he talks about…
14 Oct 2020 27 min

Can we get some of what these PGM marketing guys are on?

Benny Oeyen, Executive Head, Market Development at Anglo American discusses the PGM market with Anton Berlin, VP Sales at Norilsk Nickel and Kevin Eggers, Partner at AP Ventures. They were joined by Trevor Raymond, Director of Research of the World Platinum Investment Council, Matthias Dohrn, SVP at BASF and Tim…
30 Sep 2020 47 min

What’s next for Sibanye-Stillwater?

Neal Froneman has taken Goldfields’ cast off SA gold assets and converted them into a significant precious metals company. In 2018, during safety incidents, he feared for the company’s survival as it was caught with huge debt post its acquisition of Stillwater, the Montana based palladium mine. Now he is…
30 Sep 2020 20 min
12 – 32