START YOUR MORNING BY LISTENING TO TODAY’S BIZNEWS BREAKFAST BRIEFING PODCAST: Shares rocket despite Fed’s 0.75% rate hike; Rand rises strongly; BN favourites report – Spotify jumps 12%; Meta falls 6%; Dr Frans Cronje on SA’s rebound
That unwavering pillar of hope and good sense, Bobby Godsell, closed off an interview two years ago by reminding us how South Africa has always been cursed by its governors – but blessed by its people. In our engagement yesterday, Dr Frans Cronje opined that this depressing 400 year stretch will soon end.
___STEADY_PAYWALL___Cronje’s thesis is after coalition politics arrives on the national stage in 2024, it will usher in a new era of economic prosperity for SA. Sadly, one of Cronje’s long-time former colleagues at the IRR, John Kane-Berman, will not be here to share in the fruits of tireless labouring for his homeland’s true new dawn.
An email this morning from John Endres, Cronje’s successor as CEO at the IRR, informs that JKB has passed away after a short illness. Johannesburg-born, the Wits-educated Oxford Rhodes Scholar, former journalist and author was 76. Endres says “his work was always informed by an unshakeable commitment to freedom.”
Adding that he leaves a ‘profound legacy’ and his “brave and unstinting commitment to the liberal cause inspired legions of SA liberals, myself included.” We mourn the passing of this member of the BizNews tribe. Farewell JKB. You ran a great race. RIP.
More for you to read today:
- Stocks End Higher After Fed Decision on Interest Rates. Investors also cheer better-than-expected results from megacap tech companies
- Facebook Parent Meta Platforms Reports First Ever Revenue Drop. Social-media giant missed Wall Street’s sales expectation by 10%, shares drop 6% in after hours trading
- Mbeki’s attack on Ramaphosa is a watershed. Douglas Gibson on the former ANC President’s criticism of the current ANC President’s failure to live up to his promises
- Spotify Adds Subscribers, Ad Revenue Despite Fears of U.S. Economic Malaise. Shares jump 12% after the audiostreaming company surpassed forecasts growing subscriber base by 19%
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