Elon Musk, Mark Shuttleworth some of the well known South African entrepreneurs who've made waves globally. And they've been recognised for it as well. On the back of this the Biznews team has spent September in London searching for other success stories, and Alec's had some scintillating discussions off the back of this, including one with Investec co-founder Bernard Kantor, as well as a retail masterclass with former Pick 'n Pay CEO Sean Summers. Below Alec chats to Matthew Donaldson, CEO of the BGL group, an insurance company based in Peterborough, founded by South African Douw Steyn. Steyn's more recently known for the creation of the R6.5 billion Steyn City, located in the northern outskirts of Johannesburg. In this interview we discover how Steyn, the founder of Auto & General, took a South African concept of insurance to the United Kingdom, and built a business that now generates £100m profit a year. Yet another fascinating example of South African success overseas.

After a couple of years in the oil business, a youthful Sean Summers was lining up a move into computers with IBM before fate intervened. A chance discussion with his parents’ dinner guests launched him into a career with Raymond Ackerman’s then embryonic Pick n Pay, a journey which ended in 2008 when the duo “fell out of love”. At the time Summers had been Pick n Pay’s CEO for 11 years and helped steer it to the top of the SA retailing tree, a position it has since lost. After emigrating to the UK, the Capetonian teamed up with Markus Jooste’s Steinhoff Group and now runs its 450 store UK beds and furniture chains. In this in-depth interview, Summers gives a masterclass in retailing, talks about his close relationships with the iconic Ackerman and Jooste, and offers some pointed insights into mainly self-inflicted challenges facing his homeland.

Author and poet Antjie Krog tells Tim Modise that the attitude of forgiveness by Black to the White community following the demise of apartheid was not properly compensated for. She says the Truth and Reconciliation process missed an opportunity to determine what the apartheid compensation should be. She says South African whites expect black leadership to declare what the minority community should do to bring about unity in South Africa. Professor Krog suggests that land may have to be nationalised to fast-track redistribution.

Most new businesses fail - and that's just as true in the United States as it is in South Africa. The difference is that in the US, failure is not regarded as something to be ashamed of. That may be slowly changing in South Africa. What is clear is that some entrepreneurs fail not because their business case is poor or they lack ability, but because they lack support in, for instance, dealing with the bureaucracy that is required to establish a business. Annie McWalter is CEO of the Hope Factory, a successful entrepreneurship project that falls under the SA Institute of Chartered Accountants. She tells David Williams how the Hope Factory draws on the lessons of the past to guide entrepreneurs in dealing with pitfalls that can be avoided.

Here's an interview I've wanted to do for some years. It has been a privilege to have a front row seat to Investec's development, watching it develop into a multinational powerhouse from a tiny start 35 years ago. Co-founder Bernard Kantor works in the block the group's offices occupy near St Paul's in the City of London. He offers a unique insight into the Investec Story, sharing memories from the early days to the secrets which he believes makes the company different - and insights into some of the fascinating personalities insight the group and in its client base. The kind of interview I'll still be enjoying years from now. - Alec Hogg

Zwelinzima Vavi tells Tim Modise that corruption poses the biggest threat to South Africa’s democracy. In a scathing interview, Vavi says the current rate of corruption and the disregard for the Public Protector’s findings on Nkandla show that South Africa is on a march to ‘kleptocracy led by thieves’. He says the appointments to senior positions in the National Prosecuting Authority and the Hawks, as well as the golden handshakes paid to the former heads, suggest that government is committed to blunting the instruments that citizens and the State have in dealing with crime and corruption. Vavi says democracy has been hijacked by ‘political hyenas’.

Prominent businessman Herman Mashaba says South Africa should do away with race based transformation to allow the economy to grow. Mashaba argues that the country should pursue free market policies to create opportunities for the majority of black South Africans. He says the current policies pursued by the government promote ‘public slavery’. In his book ‘ Capitalist Crusader’, Herman Mashaba calls on South Africans to hold the government to account and be pro-active in the formulation of economic policies.

Obed Bapela, Deputy Minister in the SA Presidency tells Tim Modise that Israel is an apartheid state that oppresses the Palestinians. He says this is why South Africa discourages dual citizenship of the local Jewish community. Bapela says the ANC is opposed to the imperialist agenda of the US and its allies, and therefore pledges solidarity with progressive movements and countries of the world. He denies that China is an emerging colonial power and rejects the criticism that the ANC is naïve in its understanding of the global politics.

The South African credit market is a growing and vibrant part of the resource allocation process within asset management as well as private and governmental funding. More and more entities are looking for funding which requires a level of expertise on the part of the funder to assess the potential risks and returns of the loan they are about to make. Further if you are trading credit, you need to make sure it is priced correctly and that the probability of default is low enough to match your risk profile. Have you ever wondered exactly what a credit analyst does all day and why it's important? Listen to this podcast as Biznews speaks to Wafeeqah Mallick, credit analyst at Futuregrowth Asset Management - Candice Paine

Infrastructure spend can be a big driver of economic development and growth in any country. Most emerging markets have understood the importance of this driver and have used it to their advantage in recent times. South Africa, however is sadly lacking which is a frustrating situation to be as we have the skills, the capital available and the willingness from the private sector to support government in its efforts to rectify this glaring omission in our growth story. Futuregrowth Asset Management has been running an Infrastructure and Development Bond Fund for the last twenty years which focuses especially on these projects. So it seems there is no one better to ask what the temperature is like out there to fund these projects and how you go about doing it.

Rick Samans, World Economic Forum by Biznews.com

Leslie Maasdorp says the recent developments in Chinese financial markets will not affect their commitment to the BRICS Bank. He says China may reduce investments in the emerging economies. Maasdorp tells Tim Modise that other BRICS members are going through a variety of economic challenges, and China remains the main engine. Russia, it appears, is the worst affected.

No one is surprised at the current global equity market volatility and some might even argue that a contraction was always on the cards as valuations had become stretched while supporting economic data was looking less than commensurate. Traditionally at times like these, fixed interest assets become a safe haven for investors fleeing falling share prices. This was however not the case when many markets across the globe experience record equity declines on Monday, 24 August. Heavy trading, particularly on US bourses saw what has come to be called a ‘flash crash’ – stock exchanges try to ease panic selling by inserting circuit breakers at various index levels which when triggered halt trading for 15 minutes. The theory is that this will stop the panic. But of more interest is the effect that this had on our own local bond markets resulting in good buying opportunities for the astute fixed income manager. Wikus Furstenberg explains.

One of South Africa's great entrepreneurs, Brian Joffe, tells the story of his Bidvest from its 1988 founding to the R200bn, 145 000 employee multinational group it has become. Joffe shares what he has learnt from operating in the global arena, making acquisitions and teaching his colleagues about business. Some fascinating insights provide a "how-to" guide for South Africa's next generation of business leaders.

SACP General Secretary Blade Nzimande tells Tim Modise that some high profile politicians in the ANC are promoting factionalism by buying votes of delegates to conferences. He also criticizes business for being greedy and uncaring during this difficult economic time. He says South Africa must intensify industrialization through beneficiation of minerals. Nzimande also defends the government’s track record in providing education and skills. He says the business sector should participate substantially in giving young South Africans work experience.

Ginsglobal Index Funds MD, California-based Anthony Ginsberg, talks to Biznews.com's Alec Hogg about a week in which US equities rebounded strongly after being hit by the Chinese stock market meltdown. It was a week in which some US Blue Chips were briefly available at bargain prices - but if you missed the opportunity, it's unlikely to present itself again soon. Ginsberg points to a positive economic outlook to support his still bullish view on US stocks.

Are entrepreneurs born or made? How do you recognise a true entrepreneur? What is the best strategy for those wanting to start their own business? Who should they approach for money? What is a bank looking for before lending to them? Mercantile Bank CEO Karl Kumbier has invested his career pondering these questions - and then betting his bank's capital on the answers. Here are the unique insights from South Africa's only bank that focuses exclusively on doing business with entrepreneurs.

A feisty Lucky Montana insists he is going to have the Public Protector’s report on Prasa reviewed as it contained serious false allegations against him and the previous board. He is very critical of political parties, including the ANC for criticizing him personally, and for some who've laid criminal charges against him. Montana says the report may have damaged him but has given him renewed reason to fight for his reputation.

In this Biznews Special Podcast, Barry Sergeant shares his encyclopedic knowledge of the family which once ruled South Africa's mining roost, to explain what was behind the suicide two days ago of family patriarch Roger Kebble. Sergeant, an author who was previously an investment analyst and investigative journalist, first met the family almost two decades back when they sued him after exposing their West African mining scam. He tells Alec Hogg the fascinating Kebble story, including a macabre fact that father and son died in the same Mercedes Benz. Sergeant is convinced that Roger Kebble wanted to make a statement about as yet unexposed forces that engineered his son's death in 2005.

Musician Caiphus Semenya tells Tim Modise that at 76 he is involved in various projects that include building a Performing Arts Academy in Gauteng. He relives his memories of days in exile, relationships with Harry Belafonte and Miriam Makeba as well as friendship and collaborations with legendary Quincy Jones. Reflecting on South African music he promises to mentor young musicians to be rooted in their musical culture.

Mzwanele Manyi, President of Progressive Professionals Forum, tells Tim Modise that Affirmative Action policies should be revised to exclude white women ,and Indian men and women, as they/re already empowered. He says both coloured and black women need to be prioritized. Manyi says government should be stricter in enforcing the Economic Empowerment codes especially in the mining sector. He says ‘White Owned’ businesses have betrayed the legacy of reconciliation preached by Nelson Mandela.

In this month’s instalment of the Biznews.com Global Share Portfolio Webinar, Alec Hogg once again takes us through the performance and current position of the long-term portfolio, which is proving to be highly successful indeed. If you’ve just joined in on this journey, not to worry. Hogg provides a comprehensive breakdown of how the shares are doing and how the companies, split between the likes of Apple, Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, Google, IBM and Novo Nordisk are performing.

Economist Dawie Roodt tells Tim Modise that South Africa still has the capacity and goodwill to turn back the tide of crime and high unemployment. Reflecting on his recent experience of violent crime, Roodt says to save the young, unemployable and sometimes violent South Africans, the government needs to resolve the ‘confused ideology‘ pursued by the political leadership. He says South Africa has the capacity and potential to grow the economy at 5 percent but is held back due to wrong policy choices and a ‘contemptuous’ public sector.

Home grown online payments service e-escrow is expanding into Africa and India as demand for the service grows apace. In this special podcast, founder and CEO Llewellyn Morkel tells Alec Hogg about the progress - and uses a couple of examples to explain how e-escrow saved one business from a chunky loss (and could have done so for another). There's also a free giveaway of 10 branded power banks; details towards the end of the interview.

SANRAL CEO Nazir Alli tells Tim Modise that the decision to introduce e-tolls in Gauteng was taken by the provincial government itself. He reveals that his agency has built 14,000 kilometres of roads since 1998 and the quality of roads is ranked in the top 5 globally. He attributes proper governance to his longevity in his job and advises public sector colleagues not to compete with their political principals.