BizNews Radio

Springbok legend Breyton Paulse joins the BizNews Rugby Show to unpack URC playoff drama, Rassie’s surprise squad picks, and Jake White’s outcry over SA talent heading abroad. Plus, moving tributes to the late Cornal Hendricks and high hopes for the Baby Boks.

A troubling trend for democracy and social discourse is the increasing manipulation of social media platforms like X, where AI-driven algorithms deepen ideological silos and limit engagement with opposing viewpoints. The anonymity of pseudonyms has further enabled nano influencers - often quietly funded - to shape narratives without disclosing their financial backers. In South Africa, recent revelations have exposed multiple political campaigns leveraging paid influencer networks to manufacture public sentiment online. In response, Ludré Stevens is launching Opino, a social media platform positioning itself as Europe’s independent, bot-free space. In an interview with BizNews Stevens described Opino - set to launch publicly on 1 June - as a platform with “absolutely no bots, complete transparency, where real people and real companies can interact.” The app will require influencers who receive payment to declare it, ensuring authenticity and preventing covert sponsorships. Stevens emphasised that while Opino shares similarities with platforms like Threads, Twitter, and Bluesky, its defining principles are “no bots, no AI, and no manufactured outrage - just back to basics.”

The African National Congress (ANC) had a strong by-election night last night. In this interview with BizNews, Election Analyst Wayne Sussman says it was “either their second best night or you could say equal their best night since 2024.” In Soweto, they had “resolute” support - despite uMkhonto weSizwe’s MKP) Floyd Shivambo and Julius Malema of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) campaigning there. The ANC also had “solid” support in the uMgungundlovu district, (the second most populous district in KwaZulu-Natal) where, in 2024, MKP won 50% of the vote. And the ANC withstood an onslaught from the Patriotic Alliance (PA) and the Namakwa Civic Movement to clock up another win in the Northern Cape, where - since the 2024 election - it has won four wards off opposition parties. Sussman identifies Premier Zamani Saul as a possible future party leader. “If I…was the ANC, I would look strongly, not just at him for a leader at the next National Elective Congress, but also someone who's clearly doing something right…” As for the Democratic Alliance (DA) holding on to a ward Stellenbosch, he notes the 7% voter turn-out and points out that “they have some work to do”. Sussman also shares his take on the most competitive races in the next round of by-elections on May 28.

The 59 (not 49) Afrikaner “refugees” that arrived in America earlier this week are under “a lot of pressure”. So says US intelligence analyst (Retired) Colonel Chris Wyatt who is in regular contact with some of them. “They are located in multiple States around the country right now. I will not disclose their locations because of the reprehensible conduct of some media in South Africa and the United States and the social media doxing that's going on, people committing POPI violations and other criminal actions. But what I can tell you is that they're under a lot of pressure. And if they're smart, they're staying off social media because people are trying to expose their families back here and put them in physical harm or jeopardy.” As for the allegation that at least one of the refugees exaggerated threats, Col Wyatt says: “The United States government does investigations into refugees….they get vetted very seriously. So if any of these people have defrauded the US government, they will be sent back.” He also hits back at the African National Congress (ANC) for rejecting claims of ethnic victimisation, and calling it “a cowardly political construct” instead. “People have a real fear. And the government dismissing their concerns is repulsive.”

BizNuus Blitsbrief - ’n kragtige oorsig van die belangrikste plaaslike en internasionale nuus, vinnig en feitlik, binne minute. Bly ingelig met nuus wat saak maak.

In this BizNews Briefing, President Cyril Ramaphosa pushes back against claims of white Afrikaner persecution, following their controversial resettlement in the US under a Trump-era refugee programme. Gayton McKenzie demands that his department prioritise South Africans for jobs, rejecting foreign hires. Economist Dawie Roodt shares his expectations for next week’s national budget, while Afrimat CEO Andries van Heerden discusses a challenging year of financial results. The SABC appeals for R7.3 billion to fulfil its public broadcasting mandate, drawing criticism for diverting commercial revenue. On the global front, Tencent bets big on AI integration despite short-term profit pressures.

Afrimat CEO Andries van Heerden joins Alec Hogg to unpack the group’s worst results in decades, driven by a perfect storm of collapsing iron ore prices and early Lafarge losses. He remains bullish on the cement acquisition, touts a new ultra-low carbon product, and outlines progress on Transnet’s rail recovery and Afrimat’s rare earth ambitions. Van Heerden shares cautious optimism on SA’s infrastructure outlook under a new political era.

BizNuus Blitsbrief – ’n kragtige oorsig van die belangrikste plaaslike en internasionale nuus, vinnig en feitlik, binne minute. Bly ingelig met nuus wat saak maak.

Joburg’s rowdy mining camp excesses appear to have returned in the drama surrounding the alleged manipulation of Mantengu shares, whose CEO accused socialite Zunaid Moti and his company insider of manipulating the stock to near destruction. Mantengu’s CEO Mike Miller shares the sordid story with BizNews editor Alec Hogg.

Millions of South Africans were plunged into peak-hour darkness again last night. In this interview with BizNews, Kevin Mileham, the Democratic Alliance (DA) spokesperson on Electricity and Energy, says that ESKOM's fleet is running at 28% unplanned outages - and that “this last week, they've burned 210 million rands worth of diesel to keep the lights on.” As for sabotage, Mileham says: “I think that we've come a long way in that respect, that there's less, to use that word, sabotage than there was before… and I think that certainly the department and ESKOM are taking steps in that regard to weed those people out and take the necessary action against them. It's not happening as quickly as I would like, but there are steps being taken.” ESKOM is also battling the financial impact of corruption . “I think one of the challenges that we've got is, and again, I'm going to emphasise State Capture as being part of the problem, that we had a massively corrupt entity where things ran years over time, cost more than double what they were budgeted for. And as a result, ESKOM's balance sheet took a huge hammering.” Meanwhile, Mileham expresses concerns around the National Transmission Company which he says “needs to be really fully independent…it needs to be out of ESKOM's control and more independent minded so that there's a level playing field between ESKOM and the private sector generators.” He notes that ESKOM still behaves in a “very monopolistic fashion; that they aren't willing to play fairly and competitively with other role players”.