This week, the world woke up to the exciting news that Dexamethasone, a cheap drug in the Aspen stable, dramatically improves the chances of survival for people seriously ill in hospitals with Covid-19. The Aspen share price has jumped up in value on the Johannesburg stock exchange as investors anticipate high demand for Dexamethasone. In this interview with BizNews founder Alec Hogg, Aspen group senior executive Stavros Nicolaou shares the details of what is known about Dexamethasone and how it will be made available.

The wheels of justice are turning and the rule of law will prevail. With these words National Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Shamila Batohi assured the public today that the tide against corruption was turning as the National Head of the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigations, Lieutenant-general Godfrey Lebeya, announced that they have made high profile arrests linked to the great VBS Mutual bank 'heist'. The development comes after over R2bn of hard-earned savings were allegedly stolen from pensioners and stokvels in Limpopo. Listen to Lebeya setting out the details of the case after arresting four people and Batohi, who says she shares the public's impatience for justice and describes the arrests as a key milestone in the nation's fight against corruption. - Linda van Tilburgh

South Africans should start preparing themselves for a Wealth Tax. With a R500bn Covid-19 bill to be met, the idea of raiding wallets of the rich is gathering momentum globally. And given their ideological leanings, South Africa's ruling party's politicians are sure to love solutions proposed by rock star economists Thomas Piketty and Joe Stiglitz, who are leading the charge for a hefty Wealth Tax to now be introduced. The duo are commissioners of the ICRICT - the Independent Commission for the Reform of International Corporate Taxation which has tax dodging multinationals, especially the tech titans, and super rich individuals in their sights. In this podcast the rock star economists explain the why and how of what high income earners should expect to hit in the near future. - Alec Hogg

South Africans were pretty pessimistic about the future of the country before the Covid-19 pandemic, with Chief Executive Officers indicating in a PwC survey that only 14% were very confident about their organisation’s growth prospects in 2020. And then the pandemic hit the world and it appears that the only optimism left is a dim silver lining somewhere in 2021. It is not only in the business world where this is felt; South Africans generally are fed up with the fact that the government used the lockdown to clampdown on smoking and drinking; imposed fines which are seen to be unfair. And with loose canon cabinet ministers the President appears to try solve problems with yet another consultation or Presidential council. In this environment, Anthony Fabian has released his film of Good Hope Stories – a feature-length documentary offering powerful messages of hope by a group of young people who managed to change their fate in one generation. It is a project that Biznews founder Alec Hogg has supported over a number of years and it has, despite several obstacles with funding, seen the light on 16th of June, Youth Day in South Africa. It carries a powerful message that young people’s lives can be changed in one generation. The film is available on the Good Hope website (www.goodhopedoc.com). Film maker Anthony Fabian told Biznews how he believed it could help to bring hope again to South Africa and said the film provided solutions to problems that the rest of the world were facing. – Linda van Tilburg

In episode 47 of Inside Covid-19 we hear fresh and (if you're rich) some rather frightening ideas from rock star economists Joe Stiglitz and Thomas Piketty on how countries should pay the bill for the war against the pandemic: a blanket 25% levy on multinationals especially tax dodging tech titans; a wealth tax of between 6 and 8% on assets of the world’s rich; and a hike in the marginal tax rate to 90% on the earnings of the super rich. Also tonight, our London correspondent Linda van Tilburg shares context on stories from our partners on a surge in India’s infections; why a flu jab may help ward off a Covid-19 infection - although not in the way you may think – and sensible reasons why wearing a mask when you’re out and about is just like having your seatbelt on in the car. And we close off tonight’s programme with a plea to the government from SA’s Tourism Business Council for its members to test their Covid-19 precautions on domestic tourists and prove that in September they will be safe to honour foreign bookings worth R120bn. - Alec Hogg

In today's news headlines: * The number of Covid-19 related deaths in South Africa is heading towards 1,600 and, says BizNews contributer Douglas Parker, the growth in the total number of cases, which is heading towards 74,000, shows no sign of slowing; * Discovery shares fell after it said it was setting aside R3.3bn for potential policy claims and lapses; * Six African countries are among the world's best economic performers in 2020; and * A notable exception to Africa’s success stories is Zimbabwe, with its government reporting an annual inflation rate of a whopping 785.55% in May.

In today's news headlines: * Nearly 1,500 people have died of Covid-19 in South Africa and Deputy Minister of Correctional Services Nkosi Phathekile Holomisa has tested positive for Coronavirus, says the government; * A South Africa-linked Covid-19 vaccine, backed by Sygnia, is leading clinical trials; * About 90,000 people active in the hair and beauty sector are keen to get back to work in what is a R300bn industry and were dealt a blow when a court case was postponed; and * Ratings agency Fitch said on Friday it expects South Africa’s economy to shrink 5.5% this year.

South Africa’s coronavirus case count and Covid-19 death toll continue to rise as government expands testing. Yet, although the virus is still advancing, we are reopening our economy. By doing so, we face two risks – a renewed and more aggressive surge in cases and a derailed economic recovery. But the alternative – endless lockdown – is clearly impossible. South Africa is not alone in trying to navigate this difficult paradox. In this episode, which features content from the Bloomberg Surveillance podcast, we look at why countries are reopening despite the ongoing spread of Covid-19 and what this means for growth and public health. - Felicity Duncan

Some excellent practical advice in this podcast with financial educator Hayley Parry, whose mission is to help South Africans better understand their finances. She comes up with some excellent ideas to help those hardest hit by the financial impact of the Covid-19 crisis. Start by taking a deep breath... - Alec Hogg

Despite the fact Chinese investors have poured almost R2.5bn into loss-making gold mining company Village Main Reef, CEO Jeff Dong is upbeat about the future - provided agreement can be reached with SA trade unions on the proposed restructuring. He says Chinese investors with deep pockets are ready to follow his Heaven Sent Group into SA, but need the right message. Restructuring is desperately needed at Village's two deep level mines. If concluded successfully, a wave of Chinese money could be unleashed into SA. - Alec Hogg

Hedge fund pioneer Kevin Shames is the CEO of Bright Light Solar, a 12J company that raised R82.5m in its third capital-raising tranche which closed at the end of February this year. The capital is invested in fully funded renewable energy projects, to generate electricity, solar thermal delivering hot water solutions and atmospheric water generation providing filtered potable water. Alec Hogg caught up with Shames for an update on how the lockdown has impacted the company, into which many members of the Biznews community have invested. Despite challenges Shames is optimistic that a massive opportunity exists in SA's changing energy equation.

South Africa is not good at developing entrepreneurs says Allon Raiz. In the last part of his discussion with Alec, the Oxford University guest lecturer and head of the company which has been described by the Economist as Africa's only genuine incubator says there are many opportunities in the post-Covid era, but it is not about singling out a specific industry. Raiz says black empowerment rules should not be an impediment for entrepreneurs. - Linda van Tilburg

Within 10 years of opening, 96% of new businesses fail. That is the brutal reality of how difficult it is to start a new business. In the third part of the business masterclass with Allon Raiz, he looks at what you should do if your business fails. Raiz talks about the surprises he encountered and the differences between life and growth entrepreneurs. - Linda van Tilburg

In today's news headlines: * A legal battle is looming between South African hospitality businesses and the insurance companies that have refused to pay out for business interruption caused by Covid-19; * The Western Cape Department of Health has supported the return of pupils to schools. Although the province has the highest number of Covid-19 cases, and deaths, the incidence is very low among children; * The United States cannot shut down its economy again because of the coronavirus, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Thursday, adding that another $1trn in rescue funds will flow into the economy over the next month; * South African mining output dropped the most since at least 1981 in April; and * MultiChoice signed deals with Netflix and Amazon.com to offer their streaming services through its new decoder, a move intended to help Africa’s largest pay-TV company retain subscribers.

In the second part of the entrepreneurial masterclass with Allon Raiz, the founder of Raizcorp looks at some of the core competencies he sees as 'must haves' for entrepreneurs and singles out that kind, smart and flexible people usually get further. He has also found that people with 'father issues' - as he calls them - are more successful because of the constant need to prove themselves. Women he said are equal, if not better entrepreneurs than men as child rearing means they know how to delegate. - Linda van Tilburg

As many people are losing jobs and wonder where to turn to because of the Covid-19 pandemic; starting their own businesses may be something that they are considering, or are pushed into. Who better to go to, to find out what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur than Allon Raiz, his company Raizcorp once described by the Economist as Africa’s only genuine business incubator. In a webinar with Biznews founder Alec Hogg, Raiz described his path as a successful entrepreneur, which started with a billionaire backer and failure in his first venture, and what he's learnt along the way. In the first of four excerpts from the hour long webinar; Allon discusses innovation, the holders of MBAs who are afraid to take a risk and how he views education and research. - Linda van Tilburg

South Africa’s Business Confidence dropped to an unprecedented low during the second quarter, the RMB/BER Index recording just 5 points out of the possible 100, the only time in its 45 years of measurement that it is in single digits. This surpasses the previous low of 12 points set in the depths of the 1977 and 1985 economic recessions. The index, measured quarterly, was already on a sharply declining trend before Covid-19 struck, falling from 26 in the final quarter of last year to 18 in the first three months of 2020. RMB chief economist Ettienne le Roux gives us more detail on the numbers. - Alec Hogg

In today's news headlines: * South African business confidence has plunged to the lowest level in 45 years, with companies even more pessimistic now than when disinvestment from the country over its apartheid policies started gaining momentum more than three decades ago; * People with HIV are almost three times more likely to die if they contract the coronavirus than those with no co-morbidities, irrespective of whether they are taking anti-AIDS drugs, an analysis of South African data shows; * In a two-punch blow, the torrent of claims is coming on top of the destruction to investment portfolios that insurers have amassed in recent years; * The Sasol rollercoaster ride continues: It has plunged from R300/share in 2019 before surging about 700% in recent weeks and landing at around R139/share at the end of the trading session; and * Africa’s largest pay-TV group MultiChoice reported its first full-year profit as a stand-alone company on Wednesday, in the middle of a range it forecast last week.

In episode 46 of Inside Covid-19, South Africa’s business confidence index falls to an almost impossibly low 5 points of a potential 100; we explore the change in banking behaviour with spending plummeting and savings rising; a University of Free State breakthrough in measuring viral loads of sewerage that will aid management of outbreaks by location; also, we hear about what will be needed for SA to attract foreign direct investment post the pandemic; and highlights of today’s Biznews webinar with political economy specialists Moeletsi Mbeki and Jakkie Cilliers. - Alec Hogg

South African Airways has flown the national flag proudly around the world. Behind the good cabin service and the smart uniforms worn by attendants, SAA has been sucking up billions of rands in taxpayers’ funds. Its financial problems have been linked to graft and incompetence, with former chair Dudu Myeni declared a delinquent director earlier this month. Eight years ago, former JSE president Russell Loubser stepped down as a director of South African Airways, leading half the board in a very public walkout in protest against the incompetence of the Public Enterprises department. In this interview with BizNews editor-in-chief Alec Hogg, Loubser explains what it will take to make SAA profitable. For now, he doesn’t appear optimistic that SAA will be anything other than loss-making. - Jackie Cameron

Covid-19 containment has cost millions of jobs and put pressure on many individuals, who have been forced to eat into savings to survive. In this interview with BizNews’ Jackie Cameron, Mr Daniel Kibel, the CEO of CM Trading, reveals that the number of active forex traders in South Africa has grown exponentially in recent months as individuals look at alternative ways to make money. Mr Kibel, who heads the largest international retail brokerage in SA, shares tips and sets out where the risks lie in trading. He has some useful suggestions for new entrants as well as more seasoned traders. - Jackie Cameron

In episode 45 of Inside Covid-19, some solid practical moneycraft advice during a time when 89% of South Africans are worried how they’re going to pay their bills; we hear from the Chinese owners of Village Main Reef on challenges the pandemic has brought for its deep level mines that are now in care and maintenance; retired rugby superstar Bryan Habana helps fellow athletes find a way to overcome the issues flowing from the pandemic; and insights into why coronavirus mortalities in some nations is far lower than others.

In today's news headlines: * South Africa has recorded a sharp rise in Covid-19 deaths, with 82 cases reported on Monday. This takes the death toll to more than 1,000 of the more than 50 000 cases reported in the country; * Children under 10 do not appear to spread Covid-19 to each other. The Wall Street Journal’s Bojan Pacevski told Alec Hogg in an interview that the European experience has shown that there had been no cases of children transmitting Covid-19 to each other or their parents; * Administrators in charge of Edcon want to sell parts or all of the country’s oldest non-food retailer under a plan that may lead to significant job losses, after the company filed for a form of bankruptcy protection in April; * Former South African Revenue Service (Sars) executive Johann van Loggerenberg has welcomed the Pretoria High Court’s order setting aside the Inspector-General of Intelligence report into the so-called Sars rogue unit, reports Eye Witness News; and * The Rand has strengthened on US dollar weakness.

Asset manager Ninety One has launched a R10bn-fund, in partnership with a private equity firm Ethos, targeting South African businesses that have been badly knocked by Covid-19 containment measures. In this interview with BizNews editor-in-chief Alec Hogg, Ninety One's chief commercial officer John Green says his team members are on the look-out for companies in the small to mid-cap sector. These are companies that have promising business models, but whose bosses could not have anticipated the sudden arrival of a global pandemic and its consequences for business activity. Ninety One is attracting long-term investors to plough cash into these businesses, which can include companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. - Jackie Cameron

Athletes would have descended on Tokyo in July and August this year, hoping that four years of sweat and blood would bring them the glory of an Olympic medal. But their dreams have been dashed by the Covid-19 pandemic. It has affected every single sports star with a resultant loss in income. New Zealand's rugby players will be the world's first sports people to play in front of crowds as it had eliminated Covid-19 from its shores, but Covid-19 is likely to hang around in most other countries for the foreseeable future. Organisers of other major sports events have tried to put together events without crowds, but have had difficulties luring big names to participate. The US Tennis Open Championship suggested that every player should arrive with just one team mate for this year’s championship in September, but last year’s winner Rafa Nadal indicated that he would not be interested if that is how the event would be run. So, what do athletes do in the interim to earn money and stay relevant? World Cup winning Springbok legend and try scoring machine Bryan Habana has teamed up with a former school mate, Mike Sharman to launch Matchkit.co – a platform that gives athletes a solution to grow their commercial brands. The pair’s sporting agency, Retroactive.digital, which they founded with Ben Karpinski and Shaka Sisulu won the Sport Industry’s Young agency of the Year award in November 2019. – Linda van Tilburg