* South Africa’s government spent R49 billion on contracts linked to the Gupta family. * South Africa’s biggest healthcare service provider Netcare on Monday reported a 62% drop in profit for the six months to March 31. * Telkom, the country’s third largest mobile operator, promised to revise its plans to suspend its dividend after t reported a jump in annual profit on Monday. * Three researchers from China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology became sick enough in November 2019 that they sought hospital care, according to a previously undisclosed U.S. intelligence report.

In this podcast, Biznews.com's Alec Hogg quizzes Discovery Bank's CEO Hylton Kallner about the organisation's innovative referral programme, inspired by its customers, Uber and AirBnB. Before the end of the conversation, the usually sceptical Hogg has heard enough to swap over his account from the bank he's been with for decades. He says he always "got" the group's shared value concept, but now finds it impossible to argue against 75% discounts on air travel and healthy food.

In hierdie potgooi het ek met Frans Cronjé van die sentrum vir risikoontleding gesels oor wat hy en sy span dink die twee grootste risikos virdie globale politieke ekonomie is. Hy het ook verduidelik hoe hy dinkhierdie verwikkelinge Suid Afrika beïnvloed en kan beïnvloed.

Andrew Bannister writes about Ivermectin causing controversy amid the global pandemic. In this clip, Bannister joined the BizNews Power Hour team to unpack his well-read piece. Ivermectin, which is 37 years old, is safer than some of your daily vitamins, says Bannister.

Magnus Heystek has been very vocal about just how wrong it has been to keep all your money in South African assets. In an article published on BizNews, he writes how many South Africans have suffered a financial 'wipe-out.' He joined the BizNews Power Hour to discuss and further elaborate what he said in his thought-provoking piece.

William Saunderson-Meyer is best known for writing about politics, but he is also well-known in the medical community as the editor of Medical Brief. Saunderson-Meyer had a good deal to say about the presentation in parliament last week, on the medical aid funds that are to be nationalised. The editor of Medical Brief tells us about how he got into the medical field and also touches on Ivermectin. Finally, Saunderson-Meyer gives his views on the proposed NHI.

Festive Friday BizNews Power Hour features a review of the big stories of the week - Ivermectin, SA's wealth wipeout, NHI threat to medical aid reserves - and in Carrie's Corner the inimitable Carrie Adams talking roses and wine.

* The cryptocurrency market nursed its wounds Friday after a week of pain triggered by a Chinese regulatory warning shot, forced selling and a possible U.S. tax clampdown. * The death rate in the month after admission to intensive care is about 48% on the continent, compared with about 32% globally, according to a report published this week in The Lancet. * Cybersecurity company McAfee has warned that an increasingly high number of questionable COVID-19 vaccines and illicit proof of vaccination cards are being sold on the dark web. * One of South Africa’s political heroines in the fight against corruption has stepped away from politics. The DA’s former shadow minister of communications, Phumzile van Damme, played a key role in exposing state capture in the Jacob Zuma era.

SA tech company EOH is in the headlines again, following an announcement that the DA plans to take both the company and Johannesburg mayor, Geoff Makhubo, to court over alleged involvement in corruption. CEO Stephen van Coller joined the BizNews Power Hour to discuss this in further detail. Speaking to host Alec Hogg, van Coller remarks that, “judging by the way they worded [it], I’m sure they’re looking to go after the previous management, as some of them have been implicated. We’ve done a lot of work, as management, to get that information out there and did an independent review, reporting everything we found.”

Michael Townshend is the portfolio manager at Foord Asset Management. Many market commentators are saying we are in a supercycle for commodities. Townshend explains how the last one came about and, along with Piet Viljoen, discusses whether there are in fact any parallel’s with today.

Across the world, another rapidly developing sector is in the cannabis industry. In South Africa, Labat - a JSE-listed company - is run by Brian van Rooyen. The company is at the forefront of cannabis exploration in South Africa. The CEO joined the BizNews Power to discuss progress, with van Rooyen mentioning that Covid was a struggle - but the company is back on track.

In this episode of BizNews Power Hour, Alec Hogg is joined by co-host Piet Viljoen, Labat CEO Brian van Rooyen, Foord Asset management's Mike Townsend on the commodity supercycle, EOH's Stephen van Coller on the DA's plan to lay criminal charges, GIB CEO Jurie Erwee and the BizNews Team.

* South Africa’s National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) wants a 15% wage increase across the board for employees in the gold mining sector, as well as minimum pay of 15,000 rand, says Reuters. * South Africa’s biggest food producer Tiger Brands will launch a venture capital fund to invest in food and beverage start ups. * A judge is set to rule after the first ever case filed against the government over its alleged failure to crack down on polluters Eskom and Sasol. * A statue of Cecil Rhodes, an imperialist who greatly expanded the footprint of British rule in southern Africa, will remain in place at Oxford University’s Oriel College.

Mpumelelo Mahlangu, an orphan that was raised by his grandparents, is on the path to develop the first-ever entry-level laptop in South Africa.  The young entrepreneur from Soshanguve spent three years researching how this could be done, managed to find a backer and mentor, and is planning to launch the DTC400 - which will be priced at R4 999.  Mahlangu not only wants to disrupt the laptop market in South Africa, but to build an electronics company that will be competitive against foreign-owned brands. This is not the only passion and flair that Mahlangu has - growing up in the township, he was the go-to-guy when people discovered snakes in their houses. He told BizNews what prompted this leap into technology.

It’s not often that our resident wine expert Carrie Adams is in the company of someone as famous as her latest guest. In Carrie’s Corner is Samuel Viljoen, who has just taken over the reigns as the Nederburg cellarmaster.

Bettr is a South African digital banking app and virtual card. CEO and founder, Tobie van Zyl, joined the BizNews Power Hour to discuss the advent of digital banking and the traction the app is gaining. The Bettr CEO also weighs in on the 'super app' from Vodacom. Joining him is Grant Hinds - social media sensation, YouTuber and also a co-founder of the company.

Gusti Coetzer, doyenne of executive search in SA, joined the BizNews Power Hour to discuss Minister Ebrahim Patel’s decision to disclose executive remuneration. In 60 days, there will be a change in legislation. However, Coetzer says she is in favour of this, especially “when it comes to parastatals, disclosing salaries of parliamentarians, officials and public companies.” However, co-host Magnus Heystek seems to disagree with Coetzer, citing personal safety issues for those whose salaries are disclosed.

In this episode of BizNews Power Hour, Alec Hogg is joined by co-host Magnus Heystek, Grant Hinds tech expect Bettr, Tobie van Zyl on the merger of gaming worlds, Gusti Coetzer and the BizNews Team.

* The Democratic Alliance says it will lay criminal charges against Joburg mayor Geoff Makhubo and IT company EOH for alleged corruption. * SA inflation rose to 4.4% in Apr 2021, above expectations - with the increase driven by food and fuel. * South African Medical aids are in the firing line amid calls for R90bn in reserves and assets to be handed over to bolster NHI, reports BusinessTech. * Recent huge outbreaks of brown locusts in Namibia, Botswana and South Africa could cause a humanitarian crisis.

Vodacom announced that they will be partnering with AliPay to launch a financial super app. Where you can save money and make many other financial transactions, ex-investment banker and 10X founder Steven Nathan joined the BizNews Power Hour to chat to us about this new venture. Nathan said SA banks have been operating on low growth environment and have legacy issues.

Julian Kettle is the Senior Vice President, Vice Chair Metals and Mining of Wood Mackenzie and has 30 years of experience in the analysis of metals and mining. In his latest blog - 'Could soaring prices see copper fly too close to the sun?' (below) - Kettle argues that the threat to copper from aluminium as a viable energy transmission alternative is being vastly underestimated. He joined the BizNews Power Hour to discuss this blog and the sustainability of the copper price

Heineken NV, the world’s second-largest brewer, is in talks about a takeover of South African wine and spirits maker Distell Group. This potentially R35bn (plus) offer to buy Distell, which is the giant of South Africa's booze industry, was discussed on the BizNews Power Hour between BizNews founder Alec Hogg and 10X Investments founder Steven Nathan. Nathan provided insight on the level of confidentiality required in deals as big as this and reflected on what an enormous vote of confidence this is in South Africa.

Solidarity is a South African trade union that negotiates on behalf of its members and attempts to protect workers' rights. They are taking Minister Lindiwe Sisulu to court, amid the hiring of Cuban engineers to assist with our water infrastructure - while local engineers sit unemployed. The head of legal at Solidarity told Alec Hogg that they want answers.

The chairman of Kisby, Mark Barnes, got his first shot of the Pfizer vaccine. He joined the BizNews Power Hour to share his experience. Barnes took to social media about the experience, tweeting "Vaccinated! I got the SMS - get to Hillbrow CHC! System worked. Frontline medical staff wonderful - caring, positive and competent. Yes, SA, we can".

In this week’s episode of the Currency Focus Andre Cilliers, currency strategist at TreasuryONE, underscores the benefits of offshore diversification - and he says that it's a great time to take advantage of the rand's strength relative to major currencies. In this in-depth conversation with Jackie Cameron, for BizNews, the currency expert shares how data from around the world play into sizing up the value of the rand. He picks up on recent rand volatility, with the South African currency dipping below R14 to the US dollar.