Cell-C CEO Alan Knott-Craig came to the studio to chat about the first R200m allocation of a further  $350m cash injection by his company’s parent Saudi Oger. We ended up chatting about the reason why he’s been in the news so much of late. Knott-Craig, founder and former CEO of Vodacom, has been sucked into … Read more
This is Johann Rupert’s letter to Business Day in response to Alec Hogg’s UNDICTATED column of September 9, 2013.
Alan Knott-Craig has a good name. His dad, Vodacom’s founder and now Cell-C’s rescuer, is one of SA’s most admired business leaders. But the younger version is also quite a guy. And a pal. We’ve played golf and shared profound ideas at the 19th hole, rubbed shoulders with the rich and powerful in Davos, and … Read more
There’s been a lot of noise around talented jockey S’Manga Khumalo becoming the first black to pilot a winner of the Vodacom Durban July. Rightly so. But in the excitement, an even bigger breakthrough is forgotten – 2011’s J&B Met when the Hassen Adams-owned Past Master made him  the first black owner to win South Africa’s … Read more
 Gijima founder and chairman Robert Gumede is a real charmer. He showed that again after my late morning call yesterday. I rang to follow up on a shock SENS announcement that his closest business associate, Carlos Ferreira, had left the building. Within a few minutes Gumede had rounded up his company’s interim CEO, cleared their … Read more
August 17, 2009 Working in the media has its benefits. By the nature of news, you get exposed to the exceptional. That uniquely positions you to think. To absorb. Pity it’s taken me a couple decades to work this out. Only recently did the penny drop that actually understanding what interviewees are trying to communicate … Read more
Seven career lessons former MXiT leader Alan Knott-Craig says he’s learnt already I consider both Alan Knott-Craigs to be friends. Senior, the country’s cell visionary and founding CEO of Vodacom. A man who returned after a heart-attack instilled sabattical and is now running Cell-C (and soon, if sense prevails, Telkom). We’ve shared some deep moments. I … Read more
First shots fired in the bidding for Independent Newspapers South Africa Newspapers might be dying, but they still carry enough legacy to attract good money. Warren Buffett has changed his mind and started scooping up US papers. And this week in South Africa bidding began for Independent Newspapers, the willing cash cow that’s kept on … Read more