East Coast Radio - Catch Up Business Watch

Business Watch

Business Watch is a daily feature on East Coast Radio - on-air at 06:40 every weekday. It covers local business-related events. The feature is hosted by economist and award-winning radio producer, WR Van Der Merwe. To have your industry or business featured, send an e-mail to Businesswatch@ecr.co.za
Weekly English South Africa Business · Business News
102 Episodes
80 – 100

The reason behind SA's record-high unemployment rate

Stats SA has delayed the release of the latest unemployment data after more than a month of delay, and it's not looking good. The unemployment rate climbed to 35.3% in the fourth quarter of 2021, up from 34.9% in the previous period. This is indeed a record high, even though…
30 Mar 2022 1 min

Discovery Bank launches a travel service for account holders

Discovery Bank clients can now benefit from travel benefits and discounts, which has now been enhanced even more with Vitality Travel - the world's first shared-value travel booking platform Aside from booking travel arrangements through the new platform, it also allows travelers to acquire other travel-related services like travel insurance…
29 Mar 2022 1 min

Durban’s - artisanal I heart Market is back at Moses Mabhida

The market takes place on Saturday 2 April from 08:30 to 14:00. Entrance if free and dogs (on leashes) are welcome. There is secure underground parking at the Stadium. COVID protocols will be observed. The focus of the market is on local entrepreneurs with excellent quality, hand-crafted and bespoke artisanal…
28 Mar 2022 1 min

National water week: An opportunity to tap into new standards

In 2018, the National Water and Sanitation Master Plan identified a water supply deficit of 17% by 2030 for the country, putting water efficiency under the spotlight at a time when parts of the country were feeling the pinch of prolonged drought conditions. The Master Plan also targets developing a…
25 Mar 2022 1 min

Why higher repo rates are good for inflation

The South African Reserve Bank raised its benchmark repo rate by another 25 bps to 4.25% at its March 2022 meeting, as widely expected. This is the third consecutive hike due to increased inflation risks stemming from the war in Ukraine. Policymakers said that the overall risks to the medium-term…
24 Mar 2022 1 min

Anglo American off the grid: SA's Utility Death Spiral

Anglo American is taking its 19 South African operations completely off-grid. They plan to be 100% off the grid by 2030 and the plan is to be carbon-neutral by 2040. From an environmental perspective, it is certainly leading the way, and with a national energy utility not showing signs of…
23 Mar 2022 2 min

Pick n Pay launches unique in-store ‘vertical farms’

According to Pick n Pay, the United Nations has found that the global food supply will need to increase by 50% come 2050 in order to keep up with the estimated demand for a growing world population. The retailer says this urban farming method will contribute towards achieving that goal…
22 Mar 2022 1 min

MTN SA invests R700 million in developing network infrastructure in KZN

MTN’s focus on KZN will also deliver against MTN’s 2022 rural rollout objectives. The rollout will bring network and connectivity services to people in the most remote rural settlements of South Africa, and MTN aims to have over 100 rural deployments nationally in highly underserved areas by the end of…
18 Mar 2022 1 min

Talented content creators are invited to share Gateway brand story

Announcing their Influencer 2022 search on 1 March, Gateway Theatre of Shopping Marketing Manager, Michelle Shelley, says, “we have exciting plans for creators whose brand stories align with ours”. “We are looking to collaborate with creators who are relevant, authentic, engaging, and well-matched to our overall brand story,” says Shelley…
17 Mar 2022 1 min

Hirsch's opens their 20th store - in Waterfall City, Gauteng.

The much-loved South African brand that was founded in KZN in 1979, brings the best in electronics, appliances, furniture to the Waterfall community The South African retail market has recently experienced some structural shifts, namely the growing demand within the DIY, home appliance and electronics segments underpinned by the Covid-19…
16 Mar 2022 1 min

Preparing younger online learners for the workplace of tomorrow

How does a parent or an educator prepare the learners of today for the workplace of the future? That is a big question without a clear answer, admits Business Head at the Swales Online Academy, Lauren Jacquin. Already, according to education experts, the siloed or subject-based approach that is still…
15 Mar 2022 1 min

Tyson Properties CEO says now is the best time to buy property

KZN-born Tyson Properties - which has increased turnover by 25 percent over the last year – in a pandemic – and is set for a growth spurt now. Well-known Durbanite, Chris Tyson, has been appointed chairman and will remain involved. Nick Pearson has been promoted to CEO. Tyson Properties is…
11 Mar 2022 1 min

Serco's new curtain sider truck body is a massive success

A tautliner is a generic name for a curtain-sided body that is used to carry a variety of different types of goods, which can be loaded or unloaded through the opening of the side curtain. A key priority for these builds was to use a high wear coated birch ply…
10 Mar 2022 1 min

R5 goes a very long way at Shoprite

Over 10-million South African adults and almost 3-million children experience hunger each week in South Africa. Some 2.5 million adults and 600 000 children experience hunger almost every day. These are the hard realities of challenging economic times, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, that has made it a daily struggle…
8 Mar 2022 1 min

Sibaya Community Trust improves Protea Secondary School

With a learner population of over 500 students coming from areas such as Bayview Flats, Khobha and Manyaleni informal settlements, Lamontville and Umlazi, the 57-year-old aging ablution facilities at Protea Secondary School in Havenside, Chatsworth, was in dire need of an upgrade, this included the learners and teachers’ toilets. Vivian…
2 Mar 2022 1 min

KZN company launches pioneer farming project in Eastern Cape.

Proudly KZN founded and run Discount Supermarket group: Boxer Superstores recently launched a pioneer Agri Project in the Eastern Cape which will see 300 farmers taught core business skills to allow them Access to Market. Group Executive; Stakeholder Engagement and Sustainability – Ntombi Dludla commented on the project in Business…
1 Mar 2022 1 min

What is Bracket creep? Tax expert explains

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana delivered his maiden Budget Speech and one of the main changes that can affect your pocket is the change in tax brackets. WR Van Der Merwe spoke to Mike Teuchert - National Head of Taxation Services at Mazars to find out how it works Photo by…
25 Feb 2022 4 min

This is how Ukraine/Russia conflict will impact SA (Full Interview)

The world is now becoming aware of just how serious the Russian invasion into Ukraine is. Interfax Ukraine reported rocket attacks on military facilities throughout Ukraine and that Russian troops had landed in the southern port cities of Odessa and Mariupol. It also reported staff and passengers evacuating Kyiv's Boryspil…
24 Feb 2022 8 min
80 – 100