BN Daybreak Fri 13 Feb: SONA Reality Check on CR's Trillion Rand Promise; PA shocks DA; Shapiro on Roedean

In today's episode of BizNews Daybreak, President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers a "game of two halves" State of the Nation Address—promising a R1 trillion infrastructure drive while admitting water has replaced electricity as South Africa’s newest crisis. We dissect his branding of mining as a "sunrise industry" that just continues sliding into darkness despite the country sitting on R40 trillion in mineral reserves.Plus:Political Earthquake: The Patriotic Alliance surges in George, snatching a key stronghold by giving the Democratic Alliance another bruising, taking its head-to-head score to four from four in the by-elections.School Scandal: An emotional David Shapiro weighs in on Roedean School's refusal to play tennis against its Jewish counterpart, King David, sparking fierce debate about antisemitism and politics in sport.Market Moves: Gold breaks $5,000, the Rand strengthens, and Sasol jumps 7%..Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here..Watch here.Listen here.BizNews Reporter.The dawn of Friday, February 13, 2026, brings a complex tapestry of economic optimism, drastic regulatory overhauls, and deep-seated social tensions. From President Cyril Ramaphosa’s upbeat national address to the seismic "deregulatory action" in the United States, today’s landscape is defined by leaders attempting to navigate a rapidly changing world.South Africa: A positive outlook and Market stabilityPresident Cyril Ramaphosa delivered a notably upbeat State of the Nation Address (SONA) yesterday, framing a vision of progress and national direction. While global markets provided little immediate reaction to the speech, the South African Rand remained resilient, trading at R15.96 to the US Dollar. This stability was largely bolstered by a surge in precious metals; gold prices rose approximately 8%, crossing the significant threshold of $5,000 an ounce.Domestically, the political tide continues to shift. In recent by-elections in George, the Patriotic Alliance (PA) delivered what has been described as a "shellacking" to the Democratic Alliance (DA), signaling a growing influence of the PA in traditional DA strongholds. Simultaneously, the National Treasury is celebrating a major milestone as South Africa has been officially removed from the FATF grey list, a move expected to restore international financial confidence and lower transaction costs for businesses.The US "Green new scam" repeal and trade tensionsIn the United States, the Trump administration has executed what it calls the "single largest deregulatory action in US history". By rescinding the Obama-era 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding, the administration has effectively removed the legal foundation for federal vehicle emission standards. Officials claim this move will save taxpayers $1.3 trillion and reduce the average cost of a new vehicle by $2,400. However, the decision has met fierce criticism from scientists and environmental groups who warn it prioritizes fossil fuel profits over public health.On the trade front, a landmark Reciprocal Trade Agreement between the US and Taiwan has been finalized. The deal includes a confirmed 15% tariff rate on Taiwanese goods in exchange for Taiwan’s commitment to purchase $44.4 billion in American liquefied natural gas and crude oil, along with significant investments in US semiconductor production.Corporate turmoil and Crypto contractionThe financial sector is reeling from the resignation of Kathy Ruemmler, the top lawyer for Goldman Sachs. Ruemmler’s departure, effective this summer, follows the release of DOJ documents detailing her extensive ties to Jeffrey Epstein between 2014 and 2019.In the digital asset space, Coinbase reported a challenging fourth quarter for 2025. The company saw total revenue tumble to $1.77 billion, a 5% decline from the previous quarter, as retail trading volumes compressed and Bitcoin corrected from its all-time highs.Social FrictionThe broadcast concluded with a sobering discussion on the "tennis row" between Roedean School and King David High School. The refusal of Roedean to play a scheduled match against the Jewish school—reportedly due to parent pressure—has ignited a national debate on anti-Semitism. Commentators noted that while the IDF’s actions in Gaza are often cited as a catalyst, the recent surge in overt anti-Semitism was tragically "triggered" by the events of October 7th, revealing a hatred that has persisted for millennia.

BN Daybreak Fri 13 Feb: SONA Reality Check on CR's Trillion Rand Promise; PA shocks DA; Shapiro on Roedean

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