As is customary for a Monday, South Africa's favourite market commentator David Shapiro gives us the latest on the equity markets across the globe. David and BizNews founder Alec Hogg touch on a number of topical investment related matters. After a great start to the year, the JSE has had a tough few months, with heavyweights Naspers and Prosus dragging the index lower. The resource counters have also experienced drawdowns with commodity prices across the board softening as the year has progressed. David shares his pearls of wisdom on cryptocurrencies, with the veteran analyst outlining that regulation is crucial in order for it to become an investable asset class.

News headlines: *An unsigned affidavit from ANC employees allege that the party’s leaders made deductions from employee salaries for UIF and PAYE but did not give this money to the intended authorities. *South Africa approved Pfizer Inc.’s vaccine for use for children over the age of 12, a boost to the country’s immunisation program. *Businesses continue to weigh up mandatory vaccination.

Freelance healthcare journalist Chris Bateman is joined by Professor Ames Dhai, the founder and former director of the Steve Biko Centre for Bioethics at the Wits Faculty of Health Sciences. What's more, Dhai also serves as the vice-chair on the Ministerial Advisory Committee for Covid-19 vaccines. She joined BizNews to discuss Covid-19 vaccination and mandatory inoculation in South Africa. Dhai says that, "if we had to go [with] mandatory vaccination - and we pulled from constitutional principles - looking at limiting one's right to autonomy and autonomous decision making, we would need to ask, 'what would be the purpose of the limitation?'

In my tweede gesprek met Jan Meintjes van Denker Capital gesêls ons oor Combined Motor Holdings. Ons raak ook aan die voordele wat "small caps" vir 'n belegger se portefeulje kan inhou.

References to a tax revolt have surfaced on a number of occasions recently over with warnings that tax morality could suffer if corruption remains unchecked. One of the organisations that is taking the government on with a campaign to make sure that their members and other taxpayers pay as little tax as possible, is Solidariteit. They have just released a Flash report on South Africans tax base and say that only 3.4 million people that is 5.8% of the population is paying 91.8% of all income tax. Connie Mulder, the head of Solidarity's Research Institute told Linda van Tilburg about their research and the campaign they are planning to launch in South Africa and overseas.

Tekkie Town co-founder and Counterpoint Value Fund manager Piet Viljoen discuss the ins and outs of the Steinhoff settlement saga. Mostert is fighting for the restoration of his business, Tekkie Town, which was sold to Steinhoff in exchange for shares for over R3bn in 2016. Viljoen is of the opinion that Mostert and his business partner Braam Van Huyssteen should've been shrewder in negotiations and taken a cash deal. Viljoen emphasises that further due diligence should have been done from the ex-Tekkie Town owners.

Steven Nathan joins BizNews founder Alec Hogg to talk on an array of topical investment related news with 'the great Steinhoff debate' between Bernard Mostert and Piet Viljoen taking centre stage. Rational as always, Steven looks at both arguments from an objective perspective. He also adds his thoughts on the R50m fine handed down by the FSCA to Viceroy Research, who's scathing short-sell report on Capitec in 2018 was deemed ‘false, misleading and deceptive’ by South Africa's financial market watchdog. Lastly, Steven looks it both Capitec and Steinhoff as investment propositions.

In this episode of the BizNews Power Hour, Alec Hogg is joined by co-host Steven Nathan; Counterpoint's Piet Viljoen and former Tekkie Town CEO Bernard Mostert debate the Steinhoff end game, Standard Bank's Deerosh Maharaj provides more detail on the bank’s new digital platform PowerPulse, Invest Africa chairman Rob Hersov opens the door to investment into Zambia, and the BizNews Team.

News headlines: *South Africa’s government is preparing to ease restrictions that were imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus after a sustained slowdown in new infections. *South Africa’s current-account surplus for the second quarter missed estimates even as it widened to a record amid improving economic activity and growing exports following the easing of restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19. *Correctional services commission Arthur Fraser has admitted that he overruled a decision by the medical parole board that Jacob Zuma not be released from prison and that he personally made the call to let him go.

Paul Gardiner, Chief Executive Officer of the Mantis Collection, joins BizNews to shed more light on the Rhino Conservation programme at Mantis Founders Lodge in the Eastern Cape. The Rhino Conservation Impact Experience is a four-day immersion in the world of conservation, where guests learn from expert conservationists and take part in dehorning and other crucial conservation activities. "Instead of doing that quietly behind the scenes, we invite a group of guests to come for that immersive experience. We'll actually go out with the wildlife team and dart that rhino, and then you have this whole touchy-feely experience and it's just one of those life-changing things. When you get close to an animal like that, it's almost like a Jurassic Park moment. You have this whole new appreciation for those animals," Gardiner explains. He also delves into what it's been like to run an international hotel group during a global pandemic.

Rational arguments relating to Covid-19 vaccination – whether for or against – are particularly hard to come by. It is understandable considering the delicate and significant nature of the subject matter and as such, all the more appreciated once received. Dr Duncan Carmichael, founder of the Institute of Healthy Ageing (IHASA) and author of the medical book medical book ‘Younger for Longer’, wrote an article which exemplifies a balanced and rational observation of a subject which has caused much dismay – mandatory and enforced vaccination. BizNews interviewed Dr Carmichael to discuss his article. https://www.biznews.com/thought-leaders/2021/09/07/enforced-vaccination

The hard hitting Magnus Heystek joins BizNews founder Alec Hogg, on the topic of the ugly truth on South Africa as an investment destination. Magnus has been advising diversification and offshore investment for the better part of ten years, purely as a result of the facts. Heystek says he has an open mind about South Africa from an investment perspective, although the stars are yet to align.

On Tuesday, David Masondo, South Africa’s deputy finance minister, suggested that investors forgive about R146bn of sovereign debt in exchange for Eskom - the national power utility - meeting climate targets. This very controversial proposal, which Masondo termed a debt-for-climate-swap, would entail a portion of national debt, which he suggested could be R146bn, being forgiven by new or existing creditors. The National Treasury has reportedly said that Masondo’s comments are his personal views and not policy. Nevertheless, Masondo’s statement raised many questions about the potential repercussions of this proposal - should it become policy. In a bid to obtain more clarity on the matter, BizNews founderAlec Hogg spoke to Olga Constantatos, the Head Of Credit at Futuregrowth Asset Management, who said that Masondo’s proposal ‘actually raised more questions than answers.’

In this episode of the BizNews Power Hour, Alec Hogg is joined by co-host Magnus Heystek; Futuregrowth's Olga Constantatos on David Masondo's call for R150bn debt forgiveness, Purple Capital's Rob Graham on El Salvador using Bitcoin as its currency, and the BizNews Team.

News headlines: *Talks are underway with Johnson & Johnson about running a booster trial in South Africa after the company’s Covid-19 vaccine was used in a mass trial of almost half a million health workers in the country. *David Masondo, South Africa’s deputy finance minister, suggested that investors forgive about R146bn of sovereign debt in exchange for the national power utility meeting climate targets. *The ANC says it will resort to tried-and-true campaigning methods, given that it cannot afford to splash out for the coming elections.

El Salvador has made history as the first country to adopt bitcoin as legal tender. The implementation of the premier cryptocurrency as the national currency began yesterday, with the digital coin nosediving nearly 20%. Vice President of Finance at the Purple Group, Rob Graham, joined the BizNews team to discuss the challenges and opportunities that El Salvador will face in the coming months. International regulators have warned against the Central American country using bitcoin as a currency, with volatile price action making it difficult as a medium of exchange. Graham, a cryptocurrency enthusiast, gives fascinating insights into the application of bitcoin from a transactional and logistical perspective.

In this episode of the PowerPulse podcast series, Deerosh Maharaj, Senior Manager for Natural Resources, Power, and Sustainable Solutions at Standard Bank, joins Alec Hogg to provide more detail on how PowerPulse can benefit its clients. PowerPulse is a new digital platform introduced by Standard Bank that provides alternative energy solutions by connecting clients with appropriate power suppliers. Maharaj says that there are three main benefits to this platform. Firstly, it addresses the challenges that clients experience when they [are] looking to enter this alternate energy environment. Secondly, it solves possible funding issues they may face, and lastly, it simplifies the technical, legal, and regulatory components of this environment. "Essentially what it does is it takes the client from that area where there are a lot of unknowns and equips them so that they are placed into the driver's seat of this journey," he says.

London is a city renowned for its architecture, with great buildings like the Palace of Westminster and St Paul’s cathedral, the masterpiece of Sir Christopher Wren. In recent years, more modern architecture - like Norman Foster’s 'Gherkin' and Renzo Piano’s 'Shard' sky scraper - have been changing the skyline. In the European summer, the city celebrates modern architecture with an annual commission of a pavilion in the grounds of the Serpentine gallery. Here, an internationally famous architect is chosen for the design. This year an architect from Johannesburg was chosen. She is Sumayya Vally from the Counterspace Studio. This is not the only honour bestowed on this young woman from Jozi - she has been featured on Time magazine's 2021  best 100 list as the most influential architect “who is shaping and defining the next generation of leadership.” But despite the international accolades, Vally told BizNews that she remains committed to Johannesburg, where she sees potential beyond deterioration and challenge.

News headlines: *Opposition political parties have threatened legal action over the Electoral Commission of SA’s (IEC’s) decision to reopen the candidate registration process, saying the move smacked of “political bias” and was aimed at benefiting the embattled ANC. *South Africa will seek to increase the funding provided to developing nations for the energy transition as one of its goals at climate talks in Glasgow in November. *Zimbabwe’s government ordered state employees who are unwilling to be vaccinated to resign to reduce the risk of them spreading the virus to others.

Gerhard Papenfus and Jaco Swart of the National Employers Association of South Africa (Neasa) talk about a topic being discussed around a number of boardrooms around the world - mandatory vaccination. The topic has come under intense scrutiny since Adrian Gore, founder of Discovery, said that all 10,000 strong of the conglomerate's workforce would be required to be vaccinated. This violates an individuals freedom of choice, says Papenfus, who strongly encourages employers to take a different approach. Gore has followed the lead of many international corporates as businesses around the world look to get its employee base back to the office. Besides violating a persons freedom of choice, Papenfus goes a step further and states that mandatory vaccination is morally incorrect.

In this episode of the BizNews Power Hour, Alec Hogg is joined by co-host Piet Viljoen discussing the Steinhoff settlement; Phumelela ex-CEO Rian Du Plessis on the demise of the company following remedial action by Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane, which has been overturned; Mmusi Maimane on Hakainde Hichilema's landslide victory in Zambia and the current wave of change in Africa, and the BizNews Team.

Counterpoint Value Fund manager Piet Viljoen took centre stage as Tuesday's BizNews Power Hour co-host, with the veteran analyst unpacking the nitty gritty of the Steinhoff settlement saga. Viljoen outlines the risk inherent in Steinhoff shares after yesterday's court hearing and states that there is a possibility that ordinary shareholders will be left with nothing. Viljoen lambasts the Tekkie Town owners, who he believes should have been more cautious in their decision to take Steinhoff shares for the business. Lastly, the Naspers stable latest acquisition of Indian payments gateway company BillDesk is discussed, with Viljoen pointing out that growth via acquisition is a very risk strategy as 'sellers always know more about the business.'

In my eerste van drie gesprekke met Jan Meintjes van Denker Capital gesels ons oor Kaap Agri.

Alternative stock exchange 4AX, a rival to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), is rebranding to become the Cape Town Stock Exchange (CTSE). 4AX Chief Executive Officer Eugene Booysen joined the BizNews Power Hour to unpack this development with Alec Hogg. According to Booysen, what sets this new stock exchange apart is its focus on SMEs, mid-sized corporates, and small-cap stocks. "We can't keep paying lip service to SME development; we can't keep paying lip service to growth in the underlying SA economy. [If] we are serious about targeting growth companies, [if] we are serious about helping entrepreneurs, then we need to bring ourselves down to where the entrepreneurship occurs," he explains.

Bernard Mostert sits down with BizNews founder Alec Hogg to discuss the ins and outs of the Steinhoff settlement saga, a litigation battle which is seemingly coming to a close after nearly four years. The Steinhoff share price has been on a rollercoaster ride the last few weeks, having doubled from R2 to R4 in a matter of weeks before nosediving more than 20% on the local bourse today. Below, Tekkie Town co-founder Bernard Mostert provides clarity on the legal proceedings, as Judge Slingers ruled in favour of Mostert and co in that liquidation proceedings against Steinhoff can proceed.