BN Briefing: Leaked Iran death toll, US-SA relations, and Equities vs Gold

In this BizNews Briefing, Dr. Iraj Abedian reveals leaked reports of 12,000 deaths in Iran, questioning the South African government’s silence. The Hudson Institute's Josh Meservey analyses Pretoria’s alignment with American adversaries. Plus, David Shapiro discusses the "survival mode" of South African business, and Peter Major explains why equities historically outperform gold. .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.Edited transcript of today's BizNews Briefing.The humanitarian crisis in IranThe situation in Iran has escalated into what experts describe as a "war zone". Dr Iraj Abedian, a respected analyst and former UCT professor, highlights a leaked internal memo from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Shocking Death Toll: The memo reveals that between a single Thursday and Friday, approximately 12,000 protesters were killed. Demographics: The majority of those killed were young people under the age of 30. Human Rights Violations: Reports include horrific details such as security forces throwing tear gas into hospitals in Tehran. Dr Abedian likens the regime's actions to an "autoimmune failure," where the government has turned military-style weapons against the citizens it is meant to protect. South Africa’s diplomatic stanceDr Abedian and Josh Meservey of the Hudson Institute critique the South African government’s response—or lack thereof—to global atrocities. Silence from Pretoria: Despite being a champion of multilateralism and UN standards, the South African government, parliament, and president have remained silent regarding the Iranian killings. "Handmaids of Adversaries": Meservey suggests that while South Africa is not a military threat to the US, it is viewed as a "diplomatic nuisance" and a "willing accomplice" to American adversaries like Russia, China, and Iran. Partisan Loyalty over Principle: The ANC is accused of using the language of "anti-imperialism" as a code for "partisan loyalty," supporting brutal regimes simply because they supported the ANC’s liberation struggle. Domestic infrastructure decayDavid Shapiro discusses the transition of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) from a "stage for champions" to a "battleground for fighters". Survival Mode: South African companies are no longer thriving but merely "managing the situation" by installing their own solar panels and water tanks to compensate for state failures. Institutional Decay: Shapiro notes a visible decline in infrastructure since 2007, citing neglected law courts, schools, and crumbling roads (potholes) in Johannesburg. Economic Impact: He argues that an economy cannot grow when the basic environmental platform and infrastructure are "evaporating". Investment insights: Gold vs. EquitiesPeter Major provides a brief analysis of long-term investment performance. The "Peloton" Effect: While gold has periods of outperformance (such as in 1979-1980), equities are the consistent long-term winners. Index Resilience: Stock indices outperform because they constantly replace failing companies with new, faster-growing ones, much like a cycling peloton.

BN Briefing: Leaked Iran death toll, US-SA relations, and Equities vs Gold

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