BizNews Radio
Welcome to BizNews Radio where we interview top thought leaders and business people from South Africa and across the globe.
Russia has first Covid-19 vaccine; Eskom race row; Sasol profit warning; SA-style protest trades push HK stock up 1,100%
In today's news headlines: * SA’s Covid-19 death toll heads towards 11,000 and the number of reported cases is at 564,000 - as Russia announces it has the first Covid-19 vaccine. * Embattled power utility Eskom has been criticised for appointing a white man to its treasury. * Sasol, one…
Inside Covid-19: Foods that blunt virus's sting; SA hero Prof Guy Richards; Kodak's surge; Russian vaccine. Ep 70
In episode 70 of Inside Covid-19, some smart advice from Discovery's chief dietician who explains what to eat to blunt the coronavirus sting; a South African healthcare hero, Wits Professor Guy Richards, shares his own Covid-19 infection journey and explains why his team applied dexamethasone well before the lifesaving drug…
Inside story of Kodak's surge on $765m White House loan to pivot into drugs
Mostly forgotten photography icon Eastman Kodak jumped into the headlines this month after the Trump White House picked it out for special treatment in a plan to move production of chemicals that go into cornavirus drugs back to the US. The now tiny US company was incentivised through a $765m…
Prof Guy Richards on contracting Covid-19: ‘Transmission is easy in hospitals’
At least eight doctors in Gauteng have succumbed to Covid-19 and according to Zweli Mkhize, there are 24,000 healthcare workers infected with the disease in South Africa. Angry health workers say it’s an issue that stems from a severe shortage of good quality PPE. Among the infected is Professor Guy…
SA Covid-19 deaths at 10,500; govt wants SAP to repay R400m; Tencent; SA hospitality crisis
In today's news headlines: * About 10,500 people have died of Covid-19 in South Africa, with the total number of reported cases at around 560,000. The number of global Covid-19 cases is now around 20m. * Tencent Holdings, the Chinese tech giant that underpins Naspers and its Amsterdam-listed Prosus, added…
Coping with high Covid-19 death toll among healthcare workers: applauding hospital staff - Dr Adri Kok
The Covid-19 death rate is particularly high among hospital staff. The Discovery Life team says two-thirds of the life claims that they've had during Covid have been for healthcare workers. In this podcast, BizNews founder Alec Hogg speaks to Dr Adri Kok, a Covid-19 survivor who works at the Netcare…
Numsa investment co. plans to bring drugs from India, Russia to fight Covid-19 - Tim Modise interviews Khandani Msibi
In this interview with broadcaster Tim Modise, Khandani Msibi, CEO of Numsa Investment Company, talks about 3sixtyBiomedicine’s offering hope in fighting Covid19 by bringing Covid19 therapies Remdesevir from India and from Russia Avifavir to South Africa. He says the medications are likely to be made available in the country in…
Steinhoff: Why Markus Jooste still roams free - NPA boss
In 2017, an accounting scandal erupted at South African multinational Steinhoff. The German authorities uncovered a number of financial irregularities - and Steinhoff CEO Markus Jooste jumped ship. Steinhoff's demise meant that a number of wealthy investors, including billionaire Christo Wiese, have felt the devastating effects of its share price…
CR cracks his corruption whip as Covid-19 fraud mushrooms; MTN; Zim; Rand
In today's news headlines: * President Cyril Ramaphosa has unveiled yet another raft of plans to deal with the corrupt and the captured, including detailed reporting on which companies have been approved to supply Covid-19 services. * SA's prosecuting authorities have provided granular detail on how the country is tackling…
Unpacking the scale of Covid-19 corruption: Over 167 cases in Gauteng alone - SIU
Corruption allegations surrounding Covid-19 contracts have been a hot topic, especially since the president has promised that he will now be 'clamping down' on those who cross the line. In particular, SA is dealing with corruption cases surrounding the purchasing and supply of PPE, which puts frontline workers at risk…
Afrika Tikkun's Marc Lubner on dire effects of Covid: 'There are going to be food riots'
Afrika Tikkun has played a very special role in looking after the poorest of our nation. Over the 25 years it's been around, the non-profit has put systems in place to ensure their funding goes as far as it can. One thing they can guarantee is efficient delivery, says CEO…
Magda Wierzycka: 80% probability for Oxford Covid-19 vaccine availability by September
Magda Wierzycka, co-founder of disruptive fintech Sygnia, expresses gratitude that SA is unable to borrow more offshore as that would send the country to a sovereign default within five years. The outspoken actuary, economist and businesswoman also updates us on the status of the Oxford University Covid-19 vaccine. Learn more…
How gym visits and good driving channelled R2m to Covid-19 relief
Discovery Vitality's MoveToGive is an initiative where scheme members donate their active rewards to selected charities. In the four years since its inception, MoveToGive has donated to a number of causes, including giving over R370,000 to help people affected by the Knysna fires and donating over 42,000 sanitary packs to help…
9,000 Covid-19 deaths; vaccine in 2021 - Gates; alcohol ban kills property projects; ANC 'embarrassed' by corruption
In today's news headlines: * The global death toll from Covid-19 has surpassed 700,000, data from Johns Hopkins University shows. * Bill Gates, The Microsoft Corporation founder and philanthropist said in an interview that while the US leads in research, “we’ve only taken care of ourselves” in producing and procuring a vaccine…
Inside Covid-19: Desperation grows in hungry townships, but there is a way out; Guard of Honour for nurses. Ep 69
In episode 69 of Inside Covid-19, worrying feedback on growing hunger in SA’s townships but with solid suggestions on how collaboration CAN overcome the unprecedented challenges; we hear from a hospital in Alberton where doctors and members of the community show their gratitude by forming a guard of honour when…
Yusuf Abramjee on cigarette ban: Instead of running to IMF, govt should stop R4bn illicit trade
Yusuf Abramjee, the founder of Tax Justice South Africa, has filed an affidavit in the Western Cape High Court in support of a bid by British American Tobacco (BATSA) to overturn the four-month-old cigarette ban. The economy has already lost over R4bn in indirect taxes, and thousands of people have…
Inside Covid-19: Complacency now the danger as pandemic's worst is behind SA; Tax Justice; Magda Wierzycka. Ep 68
In episode 68 of Inside Covid-19, a rational perspective on the plateauing of coronavirus infections cases in South Africa from Discovery Health CEO Dr Ryan Noach with a warning that although we've peaked, complacency will be costly; Yusuf Abramjee, founder of Tax Justice SA, shares a compelling argument on the…
Booze ban costs 84,000 more jobs, hammers Pick n Pay; Denel has no cash to pay salaries; bond investors look at Europe
In today's news headlines: * The sector has already cut 118,000 jobs and projections show that a nine-week booze ban now will cost another 84,000. * The alcohol prohibition has hammered Pick n Pay. * State-owned Denel faces a liquidity crisis, with a court ordering it to pay workers outstanding…
PANDA's Nick Hudson tells Alec Hogg: lockdown to save lives is a joke, the curve just does what the curve will do
Nick Hudson, the coordinator of Pandemic Data and Analytics (PANDA), a multidisciplinary initiative, has for some months now described the South African government’s mantra that the lockdown saves lives and that it is lives versus the economy to be a false dichotomy. In this fascinating excerpt from Monday’s Rational Radio…
Eskom in court to recover R3.8bn; CR on PPE ‘scavengers’; SAB cans R2.5bn upgrades; Choppies; Shoprite
In today’s business news headlines: * Eskom and the Special Investigating Unit have issued a summons in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria against former executives and board members, seeking to recover about R3.8bn ($220m) that it alleges was diverted illegally; * President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed to deal…