Alec Hogg’s regular column covering investment, economics, moneycraft and, occasionally, something very personal.
Just 0.7% of humanity are South African. But the other 99.3% are with us in spirit as South Africa mourns Nelson Mandela. We live in Houghton, the centre of Madibaland, so popped up the road this afternoon to pay our respects. We joined hundreds more who had the same idea. The mood was a lot … Read more
A few months ago, a leading publication asked me to write an obituary on our national icon. Nelson Mandela had taken a bad turn. They wanted to be prepared. Like every other media organisation on the planet. So stand by for Madiba-overload as thousands of editors around the world get the chance to finally dust … Read more
It was the kind of incident you don’t easily forget even though it happened a couple decades back. Leading City of London investment analyst Michael Coulson, then employed by Nedcor Securities, wrote a critical commentary on a major South African group. Unfortunately for Coulson, the group happened to be one of Nedbank’s major clients back home … Read more
Bidvest founder Brian Joffe has finally shown his hand in the fight for control of historic but badly under-performing SA pharma group Adcock Ingram. This morning Joffe released details of his alternative offer for Adcock on the Stock Exchange News Service. It is offering shareholders the opportunity to cash in now, at R70 a share, until … Read more
This is the final instalment of the Rational Alternative, a column I have been writing for the Financial Mail over the past few months. I will also be stopping my weekly writing for Business Day. There are a few reasons, but mainly because Biznews.com’s growth has been beyond expectations and it requires more of my … Read more
South Africa’s Government today reaffirmed its determination to exploit shale gas reserves in the Karoo Basin. From our conversations, Trade & Industry Minister Rob Davies is well aware of the potential. It’s now clear he’s done a grand job of getting the Cabinet excited – judging by the speech which SA President Jacob Zuma delivered … Read more
Tzaneen’s most famous son, Tito Mboweni, has been making some serious business waves since leaving his Governorship of the SA Reserve Bank. ANC stalwart Mboweni, who chairs JSE-listed gold major Anglogold Ashanti and energy prospector Sacoil, will be expanding his listed company portfolio on December 12 Â Accelerate Property Fund makes its JSE debut. Recently formed, … Read more
Between the the distribution of last week’s newsletter and the writing of my weekly Undictated column for Business Day, a London coroner released results of her investigation into the death of the Merrill Lynch intern Moritz Erhardt. That got me thinking again about the topic of  workaholics. As did an email from old friend, … Read more
Spent an absorbing day in Maritzburg after being invited to give the keynote in an event hosted by the Trade & Investment KZN. My talk, Tap Dancing in a Warp Speed World, seemed to resonate with the roughly hundred people – including passionate Mayor Yunus Bhamjee – who came out to the Royal Agricultural Show … Read more
They tend not to show it, but once you get to know them you’ll be surprised at how many of the country’s top executives have deep faith. Some, like Discovery’s Adrian Gore, verge on religiously orthodox. Gore refuses to allow anything to interfere with his Sabbath and makes no secret of that fact. Former Gencor … Read more