Clover beds down dairy success, and looks to the next big thing

Back in 2010 Clover, then newly listed and ready to expand, implemented a major capital expansion and repositioning strategy it called Cielo Blu. The idea, basically, was to fix up an inefficient supply chain by bringing its production facilities closer to suppliers in the Eastern Cape, and bringing those facilities up to date with the … Read more

Naspers China bet – paying off?

Naspers is by far the best-performing media company in South Africa, thanks in large part to its willingness to embrace technologies as they develop. Whether it’s satellite TV or the internet, Naspers is quick to spot the Next Big Thing, and to roll up its sleeves and get involved. However, even for Naspers, things aren’t … Read more

Why gold, platinum stocks are up; fresh look at Clover: Sasha Naryshkine

Bad news for some is inevitably good news for others. Anxiety is building about unsavoury political developments in Ukraine, with the risk of war reflecting in a rising gold price, as Biznews publisher Alec Hogg and market commentator Sasha Naryshkine (@SashaNaryshkine) of Vestact discuss on the CNBC Power Lunch. Meanwhile, bad news in South Africa’s platinum sector has … Read more

R1.5bn infrastructure investment bonanza for SA

I was reading some commentary on the South African manufacturing sector today, and came across something that said, roughly, that any positive impact the weak rand might have had on South African manufacturing is being offset by the drag on manufacturing created by the electricity shortage and other infrastructure bottlenecks. This really struck me – … Read more

ICT shakeup coming as regulator plans competition probe

Competition in the telecoms or ICT business is a huge issue around the world – in the United States, for example, there is a great deal of dissatisfaction with low levels of competition at the local and national levels, limited consumer choice, rising prices, and poor service. However, getting the right balance is tricky. Regulators … Read more

Shale Gas law is nationalisation by stealth, DA calls it “catastrophic”

The government’s new Mineral and Petroleum Resources and Development Bill is causing an uproar in business circles, and not without reason. The bill essentially paves the way for government to grab 20% of any new oil or gas project in South Africa, and then acquire the remaining 80% at “an agreed upon price” – an … Read more

Opportunity for SA entrepreneurs to access support, training, funding

  When it comes to entrepreneurship, everyone from government down talks the talk – small businesses create jobs, they need support, they’re key to growth and development etc. etc.. But few people or organisations really walk the walk. Government, for example, takes months and months to pay its bills, often leaving small businesses high and … Read more

Rand boosts domestic exporter DAWN, and so does Africa

Distribution and Warehouse Network, or DAWN, which makes hardware, sanitaryware and the like, and distributes it around Africa and South Africa, is a kind of model for what South African businesses are supposed to be doing – as a manufacturer and exporter it has duly benefited from the weakening rand, and it has embraced the … Read more

Not great for BRICS: Evraz disaster and major Chinese bond default

Never a dull moment on the JSE, but in this market update with Garry Booysen of Vunani (who got the memo on dress code)  there’s more bad news than good, especially as it relates to SA’s partners in BRICS . The Evraz Steel disaster missed most radars, but it provides a cautionary tale for Russian … Read more