In the first BizNews Briefing of 2025, Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen and ActionSA parliamentary leader Athol Trollip go toe to toe on luxury blue light vehicles; GG Alcock unpacks the destructive reaction to the ‘Spaza poisoned food’ fracas; David Bacher looks at the 2025 investment outlook; and our partners at Bloomberg look at the oil price increase and AI’s impact on the world. Join BizNews editor Alec Hogg as he unpacks the biggest stories of the day.
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.
The seventh BizNews Conference, BNC#7, is to be held in Hermanus from March 11 to 13, 2025. The 2025 BizNews Conference is designed to provide an excellent opportunity for members of the BizNews community to interact directly with the keynote speakers, old (and new) friends from previous BNC events – and to interact with members of the BizNews team. Register for BNC#7 here.
If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here
Watch here
Listen here
BizNews Reporter ___STEADY_PAYWALL___
BizNews Briefing Highlights
Alec Hogg kicks off the 2025 BizNews Briefing, reflecting on a packed agenda, including political tensions, economic updates, and the informal economy.
Political Tensions
- Neil de Beer: A heated discussion on South Africa’s deputy president featured on the Sunday Show. The full recording is available on here.
- ActionSA vs DA: A feud emerged as ActionSA accused John Steenhuisen of owning luxury SUVs.
Township Tragedy
GG Alcock addressed the controversial deaths of township children from poisoned snacks. He criticized politicians for using the tragedy as a tool, emphasizing the need to investigate why industrial pesticides are prevalent in townships.
Global and Local Economic Updates:
- Oil Prices Surge: New sanctions on Russia pushed oil prices to a four-month high, aiding Sasol’s stock recovery.
- World Economic Forum: Alec Hogg is set to attend Davos, focusing on artificial intelligence, an area previously explored with successful investments in Palantir and Nvidia.
Market Highlights:
- JSE Top 40 fell 1.75%, with industrials and financials leading the decline.
- Bitcoin dropped 2.5%, sitting at R91,793.
- The Rand weakened to R19/USD and R23/GBP.
- Life Healthcare surged 3.5% after selling its UK subsidiary for $750 million, promising shareholders a significant dividend.
Stock Movers:
- Notable Gainers: Life Healthcare (+3.5%), Sasol (+2%), and BHP.
- Notable Decliners: Sun International (-5%), Brait Motors (-4.7%), and Telkom (-4.3%).
Evening Premieres
- GG Alcock Interview: A deep dive into the township tragedy and the informal sector, airing at 8 PM.
- David Bacher Market Recap: A review of 2024’s market performance and potential 2025 trends, premiering at 8:30 PM.
Read also: