In this episode of the BizNews Power Hour, a second insert in two days from Dr Frans Cronje, this time focusing on what the Polls are telling us will happen in SA's November local elections; Joburg's ANC Mayor Mpho Moerane shares his plans for the city going forward - should he retain the position; Investment heavyweights Piet Viljoen and Jean-Pierre Verster shares their insights; and in a special insert from our partners at the Financial Times of London, chief international writer Gideon Rachman travels to America to interview Yale Prof Paul Kennedy for insights into how the global superpower confrontation - US v China - is likely to pan out.

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BizNews Power Hour 21 Oct: Viljoen and Verster; Frans Cronje on polls; Gideon Rachman with Prof Paul Kennedy; JHB Mayor.

News headlines: * South Africa has recorded a daily average of just 637 new Covid-19 cases over the past week. The last time the country saw levels of infection this low was during the early stages of the pandemic in May 2020. * Scientists around the world are closely tracking a descendent of the highly infectious Delta variant that has been found in both the UK and the US. * Hours after announcing it had reached a landmark wage agreement with striking sector workers, Seifsa postponed a media briefing on the matter, saying a new date and time would be announced.

Flash Briefing: SA Covid-19 cases down to new low; new Delta variant in UK and US; Numsa strike

Counterpoint's Piet Viljoen gives us the inside scoop on the latest in local and international markets.

Bernard Swanepoel is an astute addition to the Aveng board - Piet Viljoen

One of South Africa’s leading asset managers Jean-Pierre Verster shared insight into South Africa’s food retailers from an investment angle. The big four food retailers – Shoprite, Woolies, Spar and Pick n Pay – are some of the country’s most well-known brands. Pick n Pay was the first retailer to announce results following the July riots, with the unrest and associated costs negatively affecting its bottom line. Verster notes that a higher inflationary environment will hurt food retailers, leaving those with competitive advantages and pricing power better positioned to profit in the future. Spar’s international expansion is discussed, with it having diversified into rather unknown territories. Lastly, Verster explains he is struggling to find value given the lofty valuations in the sector.

Jean-Pierre Verster on food retailers: Woolies, Pick n Pay, Shoprite and Spar

Mayor Mpho Moerane has been in office since the beginning of October after the deaths of his predecessors Geoff Makhubo and Jolidee Matongo. The newly appointed mayor has been open about his wishes for the city of Johannesburg and as local government elections draw closer and closer, Moerane remains dedicated to fulfilling his duty. In a recent interview, he outlined multiple initiatives and plans that he has or will implement despite the short time before local government elections. From bolstering the electrical supply in Johannesburg to improving law enforcement, Mayor Moerane has promised to do as much as he can for the city. Despite the litany of issues that plague Johannesburg, Moerane remains optimistic these issues can be remedied. *Image published courtesy of joburg.org.za

"We are serious about fighting corruption," says Johannesburg Mayor Mpho Moerane

Mishal Patel, Sable International's British and nationality expert, joins Bronwyn Nielsen of BizNews to shed light on the intricacies of obtaining British citizenship. Patel specialises in isolating claims to British nationality for those who have connections to former British Territories, those who are resident in the UK, and those adopted by British citizens. In the discussion, he touches on the impact Brexit has had on the process, as well as the challenges faced by parents looking to secure citizenship for their adopted children.

Looking to apply for British citizenship? This is what you can expect

Brenthurst Wealth founder Magnus Heystek comes to us from Mauritius, a destination he believes provides an opportunity from an investment perspective. Much like South Africa, Mauritius is dependent on tourism and, as a result, the economy has suffered during the coronavirus pandemic. However, Heystek paints a picture of an economic revival, with the island slowly coming out of the pandemic stronger. Heystek also touches on the contradictory statements of JSE CEO Leila Fourie, who told the investment community about the data coming out of the bond market. Heystek believes this is of serious concern because of its importance as an investment indicator. 

Magnus Heystek on Mauritius and contradictory data coming out of the local bond market

Dr Frans Cronje, who recently retired after 18 years at the Institute for Race Relations, visited KZN last week to get a first hand look at what remains in the aftermath of July's riots. It confirmed his thesis that South Africa is breaking into smaller units. In the best cases, communities which stood togewther during the anarchy are stepping into the vacuum left by Pretoria. In others, the riots have literally destroyed what were once thriving towns. Cronje also shares his interpretation of the latest polls ahead of the November 1 elections, projecting continued losses for the ANC and DA, little change for the EFF and significant increases in the share of the vote for smaller parties like Action SA, FF+ and the IFP.

Frans Cronje: KZN after the riots - new players take power as State's retreat a permanent fixture in small towns

In this episode of the BizNews Power Hour, the IRR's former CEO Dr Frans Cronje reports back after a four day road trip through small town KZN which has changed drastically since the July riots; Magnus Heystek connects from Mauritius, seeing plenty of growth in his two year absence; Jaltech co-founder Gaurav Nair unpacks the innovative cryptocurrency vehicle which offers the security of being regulated; and SVI Engineering’s Nicol Louw on the boom in bullet proof vehicles, a consequence of the July riots.

BizNews Power Hour 20 Oct: Heystek Mauritius; Frans Cronje visits KZN power vacuum; Jaltech offers regulated crypto

News headlines: * The University of Cape Town (UCT) council has approved in principle a proposal to make Covid-19 vaccinations mandatory for both staff and students. * The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of South Africa has reiterated that voters will not be expected to provide proof of Covid-19 vaccination to cast their ballots in the upcoming municipal elections. * Evergrande Group's deal to sell a majority stake in its property services unit has been put on hold, adding to the Chinese property developer's precarious position. The embattled firm, which faces more than $300 billion in debt, was in talks to sell 51% of its stake in Evergrande Property Services to a smaller rival for around $2.6 billion.

Flash Briefing: UCT to impose mandatory vaccination; IEC says vaccine not needed to vote; Evergrande deal on hold

South Africa is known for sunny skies, glorious scenery…and as the hijacking capital of the world. As South Africans become wearisome, many are looking at alternative ways to protect themselves and their assets in crime-riddled SA. Once the reserve of VIPs and politicians, bulletproofing is slowly becoming mainstream. BizNews Motoring correspondent Jarryd Neves spoke to SVI Engineering’s Nicol Louw, to gain insight into this growing industry.

Armoured vehicles: No longer for VIPs, private citizens are looking for alternative protection in SA

Jaltech co-founder Gaurav Nair shared his insight into regulated cryptocurrency products, the first of its kind in South Africa. It has been the Achilles heel of all financial advisers in recent months, with the rise in popularity of crypto. However, the financial services watchdog in South Africa – the FSCA – has stated on several occasions that the asset class is not regulated in South Africa. Although, it has announced its intentions for this to change in time. Jaltech has created a financial instrument that gives investors exposure to either bitcoin, ether or a diversified basket of cryptocurrencies in a regulated environment, a solution to a problem faced by many financial advisers. The rest of the details and fees are outlined during the conversation. 

A regulated cryptocurrency product, a solution to the public – Jaltech’s Gaurav Nair

In this episode of the BizNews Power Hour, Action SA's confident leader Herman Mashaba explains how his previous stint as Joburg's Mayor prepared him to identify and eject the Metro's ANC saboteurs; The Bureau of Investigative Journalism’s Global Editor James Ball unpacks episode 6 of Smoke Screen where the action turns deadly; NWU's Professor Ronnie Lotriet and NW Chamber of Commerce CEO André Coertzen expose how Chinese Mafia-imported and funded illegal immigrants have cartelised business in the province's small towns; and Renergen CEO - Stefano Marani on the creation of a spot market for helium.

BizNews Power Hour 19 Oct: Herman Mashaba breathing fire; Smoke Screen; Chinese Mafia takes over NW dorpies; Renergen

In the 2016 local elections, successful entrepreneur Herman Mashaba was the surprise victor in the majoral race, after being drafted into politics on a Democratic Alliance ticket. On November 1, he swaps the DA's blue for Action SA's green - standing as the candidate for the political party he founded in the aftermath of his period in office being cut back by internal disputes with the DA. After months of campaigning while his rivals were occupied elsewhere, Mashaba is confident of victory - and says he will be far better prepared this time to deal with the saboteurs who aborted his anti-corruption; pro-efficiency project first time around. This is the first of the BizNews interviews with the three major contenders who hope to secure the mayoral chain in South Africa's biggest and richest city.

Herman Mashaba: Breathing fire, preparing to incinerate Joburg Metro's ANC "snakes" who sabotaged him

Conclusions reached in a report into small town business in the North West province should be sending shock waves through South African society. Officially sanctioned, it is authored by NW University's Prof Ronnie Lotriet and supported by the NW Chamber of Business and SA's Department of Economic Development. The report exposes how around two thirds of these unregistered, tax-evading operations are operated by illegal immigrants and allegedly funded by "the Chinese Mafia". In this podcast Prof Lotriet and the NW Chamber's CEO Andre' Coertzen unpack their findings, urging action from central government to force registration as a starting point to address these dens of iniquity. They spoke to BizNews editor Alec Hogg.

In NW, locals barely get micro business look-in as "Chinese Mafia"-funded Bangladeshi, Ethiopians dominate small towns

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