Steven Nathan, founder of 10X Investments, joined the BizNEws Power Hour today where a discussion ensued with BizNews founder Alec Hogg on consequences finally being seen in South Africa - the ‘Republic of no consequences.’ Former President Jacob Zum’s sentencing to 15 months in prison earlier today was something that many of us had resigned ourselves to believing would never happen. While it is only for his contempt of court - a mere tip of the iceberg which makes up his mountainous volume of transgressions - Nathan hopes that this will facilitate further investigations. With corrupt individuals being held to account in the private sector as well - perhaps this is the beginning of a turning tide in South Africa

In this episode of the BizNews Power Hour, Alec Hogg is joined by co-host Steven Nathan; Perpetua's Delphine Govender on larger firms now questioning the Naspers/Prosus share swap; Western Cape minister David Maynier on fixing SA ports; Karam Singh on Jacob Zuma's sentencing; EOH CEO Stephen van Coller on corruption fight back and the BizNews Power Hour Team.

More than 10 years ago, many felt that former president Jacob Zuma should go to prison. Well, he might be going - or at least, that's the court's findings. Helping us unpack the legal side of this ruling is Karam Singh, Head of Legal and Investigations at Corruption Watch. Singh gives his thoughts on the ruling.

Plastic waste is everywhere. Even at the bottom of the Mariana Trench - the deepest oceanic trench -  the dreaded waste has been found. It is choking our cities, rivers and beaches - even being dubbed the white flower of South Africa. But there's a company turning useless plastic waste into something useful. The Centre for Regenerative Design (CDRC) turns plastic waste into a granular product called CDRC - which can be used as a building material. BizNews spoke to Deon Robbertze, the Business Development Director of CDRC, who said they saw an opportunity in the piles of waste.

Former South African president Jacob Zuma has been sentenced to 15 months in jail for contempt of court. * The severity of the third wave of coronavirus infections in Johannesburg and the rest of South Africa’s commercial hub of Gauteng may be due to a comparatively low rate of previous infections, according to a blood survey. * South Africa’s foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows narrowed to R6.1bn ($426m) in the first quarter of this year from R16bn in the fourth quarter of 2020, says Reuters. * EOH Holdings is suing its co-founder and former CEO, Asher Bohbot, and its former chief financial officer, John King, for R1.7bn in damages each, reports TechCentral.

Currency strategist and director at TreasuryONE, Andre Cilliers dissects exactly what is happening in the foreign exchange markets with specific focus on the ever volatile rand. The rand has benefitted from an extended commodity bull run which has seem to have run its race with commodity prices having moved steadily lower over the prior weeks. This saw a sharp pullback in the rand against all the major currencies, however, the rand has still managed to outperform everyone's wildest expectations during the Covid era. Andre says the rand is in a good place and assures one that there is not too much to be concerned about.

Anti-apartheid activist Lord Peter Hain lambasts the efforts of authorities all over the globe, outlining that there are many institutions that helped facilitate the widespread corruption and money laundering during the Gupta’s years of power. He deems these institutions as responsible for aiding and abetting wholesale corruption. The Gupta family are reported to be living in Dubai or India and of recent, the South Africa authorities have asked the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) to assist with the arrest of the Gupta brothers and their wives.

Dr Daniel Israel joined the BizNews Power Hour, to outline the reality of what’s going on in Covid-19 wards across the country. People with severe symptoms often wait hours for a bed – and it’s not just the elderly and those with comorbidities suffering anymore.

In this episode of the BizNews Power Hour, Alec Hogg is joined by co-host David Shapiro; mining veteran Peter Major on Anglo and BHP sale of Colombian coal mine to Glencore; Dr Daniel Israel on realities of the third Covid-19 wave in SA, TreasuryONE's Andre Cilliers with this week's currency focus and the BizNews Power Hour Team.

Expert market analyst David Shapiro joined the BizNews Power Hour for yet another insightful discussion on Mr Market’s latest movements. Most prominently discussed was Anglo American and BHP Billiton’s sale of its Colombian thermal coal assets to Ivan Glasenberg’s Glencore for R8.3bn, which Shapiro believes makes all three companies look attractive. Also on the line was veteran mining analyst Peter Major. Both experts gave Glencore’s purchase the thumbs up. Shapiro, a ‘commodity optimist’, believes that those companies that ‘sell a machine that makes a noise or needs big tires’ are those that are going to benefit and is particularly impressed by Afrimat, Raubex and Invicta - to name a few.

* South African business owners are bracing for hard times after the government tightened restrictions to limit the spread of Covid-19. * President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration is facing widespread criticism because less than 1% of the population has been fully inoculated against Covid-19. * South African consumer confidence declined in the second quarter after the government ended increased social welfare payments and temporary relief measures for workers who lost their income because of the coronavirus pandemic, reports Bloomberg.

Mergence Corporate Solutions veteran mining director Peter Major dissects Anglo American and BHP Billiton's sale of its Colombian thermal coal assets to Ivan Glasenberg's Glencore for R8.3bn. Major highlights that there are many factors at play here with Anglos and BHP disinvesting from coal assets given their diverse and universal shareholder base calling for environmental best practice. According to Alec Hogg and Peter Major, Glasenberg having a large shareholding in Glencore was critical in the acquisition, putting monetary interests ahead of ESG considerations. Major regards this as a big win for Glencore shareholders.

In my tweede gesprek met Drikus Combrinck van Capicraft het ons kortliks weer geraak aan inflasie (luister na 'Groot prentjie belegging met Drikus Combrinck' - 7 Mei 2021 vir 'n meer uitgebreide gesprek). Die kern van ons gesprek die keer het gehandel oor watter lande hy dink die minste - en meeste - uitgelewer is, en sal wees, aan globale ekonomiese skommelinge, en die beleggings implikasies daarvan. Hy deel ook sy raad rondom wat dit vereis om 'n goeie belegger te wees.

For the past 100 years, the majority of cerebral palsy cases were believed to have been caused by oxygen deprivation before or during labour. This has resulted in massive claims against the state, with R10 billion paid out over the past 7 years. In a study commissioned by the Actuarial Society of South Africa, Gregory Whittaker found that millions could be saved if other factors - that are currently not considered - are taken into account. BizNews spoke to Whittaker to find out what his research revealed, asking him what he recommends to claw back a sizeable chunk of the money spent annually on medical negligence claims.

Veteran mining analyst Peter Major joins BizNews editor-at-large Jackie Cameron talking all things commodities and resource shares. Peter has covered commodity counters on the local bourse for many years, having seen many super-cycles play out. Peter is bearish resources stocks, explaining that the enthusiasm in the commodity prices are at unexplainable levels.

In this episode of the BizNews Power Hour, Jackie Cameron is joined by co-host Piet Viljoen; mining veteran Peter Major; Discovery's Ryan Noach on the Covid third wave, Pam Golding chief executive Andrew Golding and the BizNews Power Hour Team.

* Former South African president Thabo Mbeki has joined the debate on land expropriation without compensation, slamming plans by President Cyril Ramaphosa to push forward the controversial legislation. * The Democratic Alliance says the South African government should be held responsible for the unfolding tragedy of thousands dying from Covid-19. This comes as Gauteng fights a massive spike in Covid cases. * South African-born former labour MP, Lord Peter Hain, has written to Rishi Sunak, UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, after a blistering attack on Thursday during a House of Lords debate, urging the prosecution of UK-based firms implicated in South African state capture. * South Africa’s environmental authorities rejected an application by Karpowership to generate electricity at three of the nation’s ports, dealing a setback to the government’s plans to reduce outages that are stifling economic growth.

Well-known as one of South Africa's best fund managers, Piet Viljoen joined the BizNews Power Hour to discuss what's caught his eye on the markets. From Sanlam to Sasol, editor-at-large Jackie Cameron picks Viljoen's brain, gaining his insights into various investment opportunities. He weighs in on coal investing as well as global mobility platform, Karooooo.

BizNews editor-at-large Jackie Cameron interviewed Pam Golding chief executive Andrew Golding during Thursday's BizNews Power Hour, where the seasoned property expert was buoyant regarding South Africa's residential property markets. Fifty year low interest rates have been the catalyst for the housing boom and although Golding says its tough to extrapolate forecasts for the long-term, demand should remain strong for the remainder of 2021.

The Free Market Foundation has presented its very first award to PANDA co-founder Nick Hudson for freedom of expression, decentralisation, and an evolutionary approach. Alec Hogg caught up with Hudson to unpack what the award means to him and the rest of the PANDA team. "It's been a long, hard struggle and a lot of the people at PANDA have put up with enormous risks and challenges to their livelihoods and careers," Hudson explains. "So to have this recognition for them I think is particularly welcome and important." - Claire Badenhorst

Discovery Health CEO Dr Ryan Noach joined the BizNews Power Hour to discuss the severity of the Third Wave. Currently raging in Gauteng, Noach discusses the Covid-19 pandemic from a South African perspective. Talking to Alec Hogg, he says SA's daily infections are 30% above where they were in the prior peak of the second wave.

Once the darling of the local bourse, Brait's fall from grace over the past few years has been short of disastrous. The private-equity powerhouse turned debt-laden investment house has left a sour taste in many portfolio managers mouths, with value destruction totalling hundreds of billions of rands. Peter Hayward-Butt has the unenviable task of getting the once juggernaut back on track and formed part of the BizNews Power Hour on results day. Peter, an ex-investment banker and also chief executive of Ethos Private Equity, was quietly confident on the performance of the underlying businesses throughout the Covid period, maintaining that company has a number of quality businesses within the Brait stable.

The ever-outspoken Magnus Heystek adds his value as co-host of the BizNews Power Hour, outlining a number of sad realities faced by South Africa's economic recovery. The painfully slow rollout of Covid-19 vaccinations has caused infections to balloon in many parts of South Africa, causing paranoia that we may be headed for further lockdowns. Magnus warns that if lockdowns are extended indefinitely, many businesses in some of the hardest effected sectors will not have the resources to see it through this never ending nightmare.

In this episode of the BizNews Power Hour, Alec Hogg is joined by co-host Magnus Heystek; another Bitcoin scam with Darren Hanekom; Brait's Peter Hayward-Butt; Prof Robert Vivian on Nick Hudson's FMF award and the BizNews Power Hour Team.

It's a big day for PANDA (Pandemics - Data and Analysis) as its polarising chairman, Nick Hudson, readies to accept an award on behalf of the organisation. The Free Market Foundation is to bestow this special award, motivated by Professor Robert Vivian from Wits University. Prof Vivian joined the BizNews Power Hour to discuss the decision to give the award.