Some businesses have sparkled in the pandemic as they have risen to the challenge of helping companies adapt to a dramatically changed world. The 4Sight Holdings Group of companies is a case in point. In this interview with BizNews founder Alec Hogg, Tertius Zitzke, CEO of 4Sight Holdings, shares how his teams have been able to help customers create smarter operations, build new products and disruptive models through digital transformation. He provides a glimpse into how to assess opportunities and reshape products to appeal to customers with new requirements.

2020 in review. In 2017, an accounting scandal erupted at South African multinational Steinhoff. As the German authorities uncovered a number of financial irregularities, Steinhoff CEO Markus Jooste jumped ship. Steinhoff’s demise meant that a number of wealthy investors, including billionaire Christo Wiese, felt the devastating effects of its share price drop. Many individuals had Steinhoff in their portfolios as did funds. Understandably, South Africans are crying out for Jooste to be brought to justice. In his weekly webinar, BizNews colleague Tim Modise asked National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Sipho Ngwema when we can expect to see results. Full story at BizNews.com. - Editor

SA's govt. announces subsistence farming grant, Fossil Mines buys into Zim's biggest platinum development. Mango and Chef Air seek investors

England's ODI delayed by Covid-19. Contradictions are rife at Zondo commission. Telkom loses key player to MTN and SA govt. breaks silence on vaccine plans.

Born into a philanthropic family, Ruth Lewin fondly remembers collecting money for the blind - one of her parents many charitable endeavours. It would come as no surprise that Discovery's Head of Corporate Sustainability was recently appointed to the respected position of world president of the global volunteerism body, at the International Association of Volunteer Effort (IAVE). Lewin told BizNews editor Jackie Cameron about this exciting new role, what it means for Discovery and how her significant career of helping others - which included a stint as regional manager for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission - led her to her latest challenge.

This week we evaluate the SA government, business community and Unions response to the downgrades by ratings agencies, the continued business shutdowns and rising unemployment. Surely there are better responses given SA’s history, endowments, infrastructure and place in global economic networks? Marius Oosthuizen, GIBS strategic foresight expert and South African Chamber of Commerce CEO Alan Mukoki discuss the opportunities.

Oil giants exposed in global corruption, tension at Zondo commission, Tongaat turns a profit, Glencore's Glasenberg is leaving, Engen's south Durban refinery explodes.

The official dropout rate at South African schools is between 37 and 42%. This is according to figures released in October this year by the Department of Basic Education.  In many communities, this rate is much higher. Dropout rates used to be very high in Bonnievale, a small Boland community nestled between the beautiful winelands and mountains of the Western Cape.  The community is plagued by alcohol-fuelled violence, broken homes, drug and alcohol abuse, teenage pregnancies and few opportunities.  But the community, local businessmen and the Western Cape education department 'willing to explore blue waters' banded together to change this. Out of this they built a new school, called the Jakes Gerwel Entrepreneurial School.  Philip Jonker, a wine farmer and the owner of Weltevreden Wines, who is one of the initiator of the project told BizNews how this three-stranded partnership came together to weave a chord that is hoping to pull every child in the area out of poverty and give them a future.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced stricter lockdown measures for the Eastern Cape metropolitan area of Nelson Mandela Bay. Curfews and restrictions on alcohol consumption and sales are back, but initiations will be allowed in the province. The decision is a warning shot to residents in other provinces to stick to wearing masks, social distancing, hand-washing and other steps to limit the spread of the virus.

In this episode of Inside Covid-19, we look at two SA success stories as the world fights the biggest global health crisis in living memory. BizNews journalist Linda van Tilburg looks at an entrepreneurial Cape company that has developed a rapid Covid-19 test from a cousin of the tobacco plant. The company is one of five companies attracting investment from the University Technology Fund, a South African fund aimed at commercialising technologies and innovations developed n the country. We speak to Cape Bio Pharms founder, Belinda Shaw. Also coming up on this programme, we hear from Ruth Lewin, Discovery’s head of Corporate Sustainability. Ruth has been appointed to lead the International Association of Volunteer Effort, a global organisation based in the US. We speak to her about this prestigious role and what it means for volunteer work in SA and Africa. Also coming up, we hear about the Covid Resilience Ranking - an index that puts SA at 35 on a list of 53. - Jackie Cameron & Jarryd Neves

SAA price tag scares investors. SA lags behind in vaccine plans. Banking sector gloom. Land and agriculture bank falters, waits for bailout.

The Monday Noontime webinar is the only weekly webinar hosted by BizNews founder Alec Hogg, with SA's favourite market commentator David Shapiro as the regular guest. In this episode, they are joined by Gavin Hudson, CEO of Tongaat Hulett, KZN's venerable sugar and property group which had some really good news last week when the R5bn sale of its starch operations was confirmed - despite last minute seller's remorse from purchasers Barloworld. Our guest investment analyst was veteran asset manager and shareholder activist Chris Logan of Opportune. This week, Tongaat said it expects to swing to an interim headline profit of as much as R189 million rand driven by a turnaround at its local operations. The announcement sent the sugar producer’s shares higher on the Johannesburg stock exchange. - Jarryd Neves & Jackie Cameron

* Tongaat Hulett says it expects operating profits to jump by about 70%  as a result of a turnaround at its local operations. * Multinationals are eyeing opportunities for growth in Africa. Access Bank Plc is in talks about a potential acquisition of assets belonging to Bob Diamond’s Atlas Mara Ltd, as it aims  to expand its reach in the rest of Africa. * Nissan, along with competitors Volkswagen, BMW, and Toyota, have been lobbying African governments to grant conditions that favour local assembly and manufacturing while curbing imports of cheap used cars. Carmakers are also hoping to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which is expected to come into force early next year and will reduce tariffs and ease the flow of goods between its members states.

In the latest episode of Inside Investing, Bright Light Solar CEO Kevin Shames spoke to BizNews founder Alec Hogg about an exciting development - an investment opportunity exclusive to the BizNews community. They discuss the future of 12J investments. Shames says that he expected Minister Mboweni to discuss the future of 12J investments at the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement in October this year. 'We now anticipate that we'll get clarity on that in the February budget', said Shames. Listen in to hear more about that and the exclusive investment opportunity which, says Shames, will close 'as soon as we hit that R50 million' capital raise.

In this in-depth report, BizNews journalist Linda van Tilburg explores why Economic Freedom Fighter leader Julius Malema - head of a party represented in Parliament - hasn't been arrested for inciting violence against police officers and their families. While Malema is known for stirring the pot of racial tension, he is seen as having overstepped a mark in taking on state law-enforcers. Civil society organisations are pushing for prosecution, saying Malema is threatening democracy and stability.

Lisbon's property market has been fuelled by strong demand from Chinese investors in particular - as well as South Africans - looking for returns from real estate plus the opportunity to gain access to a European passport through a special visa. In this interview with BizNews editor Jackie Cameron, Malcolm Lobban of LX Living clarifies the legal details about Lisbon property developments and highlights the advantages of Portugal bricks-and-mortar - including the opportunity to use the bank's money to boost your offshore investments. * LX Living is a BizNews business partner.

Cape Town is considering a mini lockdown. Pravin Gordhan has been scathing about Tom Moyane's history at Sars. Vukile property fund says unlisted retailers have been resilient during the pandemic. Tesla is set to rock the S&P 500 when it enters the index.

Stellenbosch University will soon give honorary doctorates to six outstanding individuals. One of them is Professor John Volmink, a transformation educationist, who has been asked by every post-apartheid education minister to play a role in transforming the country’s education curriculum. Originally from Athlone, Cape Town, Professor Volmink lived overseas for 25 years before returning to South Africa when Nelson Mandela was released. He has been instrumental in the establishment of non-governmental organisations to help with development in different parts of the world. This includes the Umalusi organisation that sets the standards of education in South Africa. He told BizNews about a defining moment when a man (who looked like KFC’s Colonel Saunders) changed his life and how he believes civil society should help sort out the 'mess' in South African education.

The Noontime webinar is the only weekly webinar hosted by BizNews founder Alec Hogg, with SA's favourite market commentator David Shapiro from Sasfin, as the regular guest. This week our CFO in focus was Basil Sgourdos of Naspers. The money manager supporting David and Alec with the questions was Adrian Saville.

Eskom summoned to court for hiding emissions, Beitbridge border gets an investment boost and Zimbabwe says it will rebuild on the Zimbabwean dollar.

Energy expert Chris Yelland has been investigating staggeringly high pollution levels at power stations in SA, with his work leading to a criminal court case in connection with shenanigans at Mpumalanga’s Kendal plant. He shares the details of why Eskom employees must be held accountable for poisonous emissions linked to anywhere from 100 to 2,000 premature deaths, each year near one power station alone. Yelland has been in touch with Eskom’s management. In this discussion, BizNews explores whether Eskom employees will go to jail, how much this legal action will cost the taxpayer and the extent of Eskom’s pollution.

Dawn Ridler of Kerenga Wealth Ecology and Wynand Gouws, wealth manager at Gradidge Mahura Investments, answered your questions about global assets as well as your domestic savings, with a special focus on how to pay less tax when you retire.

* South Africa can’t implement a pay deal with public servants because it would precipitate a fiscal crisis, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni said. * Mboweni said Zambia’s financial woes provided a cautionary tale and South Africa can ill afford to go down the same path as Zambia - which this month defaulted on its Eurobonds, the first African nation to do so since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. * The alcohol industry committed to train and deploy 80 community patrollers in eight police stations (10 patrollers per station) in the Covid-19 hotspots areas in the province, an industry body has announced. * South African retailers including The Foschini Group and Woolworths Holdings are increasing investment in local clothing manufacturers – both to reduce a dependency on Chinese imports and secure a supply chain thrown into disarray by Covid-19 restrictions, reports Bloomberg.

The business week in review: Taxpayers foot massive travel bill, Sygnia speaks on ASISA lobbyists,vote of no confidence in Cyril Ramaphosa approved and the Zondo Commission hears shocking testimony.

An unexpected weak dollar presents a unique opportunity for South-Africans looking to move funds offshore. As most of us have been unable to travel abroad, we have not touched our R1m discretionary allowance that amounts to $64,850.84 (R15.42 per $1 at today's exchange rate) to invest offshore. By putting that R1m, or $64,850.84 at today's exchange rate, into one of our new real estate investment opportunities will earn you an estimated $5,188.07 every year (at 8% cash on cash per annum*), which gets paid to you every quarter and you can re-invest, building compound growth offshore in the worlds default currency. Alec Hogg from BizNews hosted Martin Freeman and Justin Clarke from ObVest, where they discussed how the latest US election impacts the projects and shared details of OrbVest's latest real estate investment opportunity, Medical 30, located in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE: *Past performance is no guarantee of future results. This is subject to certain terms and conditions in respect of some countries and Jurisdictions. In the USA the relevant issuer files under Reg 506(c). OrbVest SA (PTY) LTD is an authorised FSP with License No. 50483.