| A DOSE OF REALITY IS A REMINDER OF OUR HUMAN FOIBLES |
A visit or two to some of our favourite wine destinations in the Western Cape was a stark reminder of the dichotomy of life in South Africa. Often, we found ourselves the minority among a potpourri of tourists from Germany, the Netherlands, UK and elsewhere, who were clearly enjoying the fruits of the vine, accompanying sustenance and the wine-addled experience. No doubt their free-spending largesse was sweetened by the strength of foreign currencies against the Rand, notwithstanding its recent show of strength as it inches closer to the R16/$ level.
We were, so to speak, watching the complexities of our emerging economy in action that is benefiting from a heady mix of investor confidence, global volatility, commodity strength, foreign inflows, and a weaker Dollar, Euro and Pound. (see the green numbers in the financial indicators below)
The suspension of reality lasted as long as the drive past informal townships, entrenched poverty, and the scars of unseasonal flooding and fires that are visibly changing the landscape. These dynamics pose enormous challenges, not only in the Western Cape but in the other provinces too, not least our beloved KZN. And yet, underpinning these realities is the human element that ultimately decide the direction, some say fate, of our existence. Here's to better decision-making and a happy weekend to all! Derek Alberts (Editor)
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| SCHOOL NUTRITION BOOSTS CHILDREN’S FUTURE SUCCESS |
Pumelani Khumalo of the Lunchbox Fund (left) receives a Certificate of Appreciation from Christian Dlamini of the Community Chest.
School nutrition plays a crucial role in helping children reach their full potential. With less than 50% of South African Grade 1 learners completing Grade 12, poor education and high unemployment - up to 70% for school dropouts - remain pressing challenges. The Community Chest, in partnership with The Lunch Box Fund, provides daily nutritious breakfast cereal to 3 395 children across 54 Early Childhood Development centres. This guaranteed meal supports healthy physical growth, cognitive development, and psycho-social well-being, helping mitigate the effects of poverty and food insecurity while fostering stronger foundations for lifelong learning and success.
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| GOVERNMENT PUSHES TO ERADICATE INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS |
The Department of Human Settlements is ramping up efforts to eliminate over 4 700 informal and mud-house settlements nationwide. Provinces and metros must dedicate at least 2% of 2026/27 housing grants to innovative building technologies. The upcoming Innovative Building Technologies Summit will showcase scalable, sustainable solutions, accelerate dignified housing delivery, and strengthen disaster-resilient communities, transforming South Africa’s human settlements.
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1900: The Battle of Spionkop in the Anglo-Boer War started.
Elsewhere, in 1986, the first artists were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Among the first inductees were Ray Charles, James Brown, and Elvis Presley.
Sweet wishes on International Sticky Toffee Pudding Day! |
CAN A DEDICATED RAF CLAIMS TRIBUNAL CURE A BROKEN SYSTEM?
A senior State Attorney has called for the creation of a dedicated Road Accident Fund (RAF) tribunal to ease mounting pressure on South Africa’s courts, clogged with thousands of compensation claims. Johannesburg assistant State Attorney Simbongile Siyali argues that RAF cases have overwhelmed the judiciary, with claims often taking years to resolve.
Writing in De Rebus, Siyali said specialised forums such as the Labour Court and Competition Tribunal show how focused adjudication can improve efficiency. Funded mainly through a R2.18-a-litre fuel levy, the RAF has been criticised for chaotic litigation practices that drain public funds through default judgments and costly delays. Siyali said a specialist tribunal could speed up decisions, cut legal costs, improve fairness for injured claimants and restore confidence in a system widely seen as broken. (SOURCE: Bizcommunity)
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PRIVATE SECTOR JOINS GOVERNMENT FMD CONTROL DRIVE
Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has appointed an Industry Coordination Council to support implementation of South Africa’s long-term Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) strategy. The council will ensure coordinated private-sector involvement in vaccine rollout, traceability systems and disease-control readiness. Steenhuisen said government needs farmers, veterinarians and industry bodies working together and expressed confidence South Africa could achieve FMD-free status within 10 years. The council forms part of a three-way partnership with the Department of Agriculture and a Technical and Scientific Task Team. It will provide operational insight, align industry actions with national measures and support compliance, training and monitoring. (SOURCE: Engineering News)
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SOUTH AFRICA TO REVIEW SUGAR PRICE TRIGGER TO STEM IMPORTS
South Africa’s sugar industry faces a crisis as cheap imports surge and demand drops due to the sugary drinks tax. The International Trade Administration Commission (Itac) will revisit the Dollar-based reference price after conflicting applications from Sasa, which seeks a rise to $905/tonne to protect growers, and BevSA, advocating a reduction to $552–$650/tonne to ease costs for beverage producers. Annual production has fallen nearly 25% over two decades, with sugarcane farmers declining 60%. Itac’s review aims to balance both positions, potentially adjusting import duties to stabilise the local industry and safeguard jobs amid ongoing market pressures. (SOURCE: Bloomberg)
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CLIMATE SHOCKS WIDEN INSURANCE GAP FOR BUSINESSES
South Africa’s worsening fires and floods are exposing a growing insurance protection gap that leaves businesses dangerously exposed to climate shocks, a new Marsh report warns. More than 70% of weather-related losses in the country are uninsured, compared with a global average of about 46%. The shortfall was starkly illustrated by the 2022 KZN floods, which caused an estimated R54bn in economic damage, much of it unrecovered. Recent wildfires and floods have reinforced the risk, particularly for small firms. Marsh says closing the gap will require better risk data, proactive planning, infrastructure investment and closer public-private collaboration. (SOURCE: BDLive)
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INVESTOR ROTATION LIFTS SOUTH AFRICA EMERGING MARKETS
South Africa and other emerging markets are benefiting from a global investor rotation away from US assets, with strong gains across currencies, equities and bonds. Analysts cite firm commodity prices, improved domestic fundamentals and a weaker dollar as key drivers. The JSE all share index is up 5% this month, supported by precious metals miners, which make up about 23% of the index. Gold prices climbed more than 64% in 2025, boosting returns and foreign interest. A firmer rand, easing inflation, infrastructure improvements and removal from the FATF greylist have further strengthened South Africa’s investment appeal. (SOURCE: BDLive)
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DOUBLE BUSINESS RESCUE UPENDS AIDS DRUG ROLL-OUT
Two companies awarded major contracts in the health department’s latest Aids drug tender have entered business rescue, disrupting supplies of critical HIV medicines. Avacare subsidiaries Barrs and Innovata, which together hold nearly 30% of the multibillion-rand tender for the three-in-one antiretroviral pill, failed to disclose their financial distress and have been unable to meet supply obligations. The contracts form part of a R15.5 billion tender, with the core TLD component valued at R12.6 billion. The department has turned to other suppliers, including Aspen Pharmacare, to prevent shortages that could place patients at risk of treatment interruption and drug resistance. (SOURCE: BDLive)
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MTN HOLDS ONTO CROWN AS BEST MOBILE NETWORK
MTN has retained its position as South Africa’s best mobile network for 2025, achieving a Network Quality Score of 9.96, according to the MyBroadband Insights 2025 Mobile Network Quality Report. The findings are based on 1.3-million speed tests conducted nationwide, supported by 73 000 km of drive testing. Cell C ranked second with a score of 8.02, followed by Vodacom at 7.69, Telkom at 6.06 and Rain at 4.38. MTN recorded the highest average download speed of 83.94 Mb/s, upload speed of 27.77 Mb/s and latency of 30 ms, consistently outperforming rivals across key performance metrics. (SOURCE: Engineering News)
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DENEL SALARY CRISIS DEEPENS DESPITE R2 BILLION BAILOUT
Denel has told workers at its Dynamics and Pretoria Metal Pressings divisions it cannot pay January salaries, despite receiving close to R2 billion in government bailout funding. Trade unions Numsa and Solidarity described the situation as deeply alarming, saying workers are once again bearing the cost of governance failures. Denel is among state-owned entities weakened during the state capture era and is one of 27 SOEs that recorded R69.3bn in irregular expenditure over five years. Although the arms manufacturer has received R3.4bn in recapitalisation support and has an approved turnaround plan, unions say weak leadership, the absence of a permanent board and poor implementation have left employees distressed and unpaid. (SOURCE: BDLive)
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NEDBANK IN R13.9 BILLION EAST AFRICA EXPANSION MOVE
Nedbank has offered to buy a 66% stake in Kenya’s NCBA Group for R13.9 billion in a cash-and-share deal, accelerating its push into East Africa. The transaction will be settled 20% in cash and 80% through new Nedbank shares, based on a price of R250 per share. The remaining 34% of NCBA will continue trading on the Nairobi Securities Exchange. If concluded, NCBA will become a Nedbank subsidiary while retaining its brand, leadership and listing. NCBA operates across four East African countries, serves over 60 million customers and runs 122 branches, offering Nedbank a major regional growth platform. (SOURCE: Bizcommunity)
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UK-AFDB DEBT EXTENSION SAVES R16.1 BILLION MUNICIPAL LOAN
The UK and the African Development Bank have extended a climate-linked $1 billion (about R16.1 billion) debt guarantee to South Africa, securing a $400 million municipal funding deal that risked collapsing after the guarantee expired in December. The extension supports negotiations for an AfDB loan to improve municipal energy and water services, backed by the UK under the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). The loan will target four municipalities in Mpumalanga, helping cut electricity and water losses and upgrade infrastructure in the coal-dependent province. The JETP, a $10 billion climate-finance pact agreed in 2021, has deployed about $3.8 billion to date. (SOURCE: Bloomberg)
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RAINBOW WARRIOR DOCKS TO CHALLENGE FOSSIL-FUEL FRENZY
Greenpeace’s iconic vessel, the Rainbow Warrior, is docking in Cape Town for five days as part of a campaign opposing expanding fossil fuel exploration and rising plastic pollution in African waters. The visit comes amid increased offshore oil and gas activity along the continent’s coastlines, often beyond public scrutiny. Greenpeace Africa plans to engage more than 2 500 residents in climate justice discussions, with the ship open to the public on 24–25 January. Purpose-built for long offshore missions, the Rainbow Warrior enables independent monitoring and documentation of drilling activities. Funded entirely by individual supporters, its presence highlights growing calls for ocean protection, climate accountability and African ocean sovereignty. (SOURCE: Bizcommunity)
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Success isn't Always about Greatness. It's about Consistency.
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| Dollar | R16.10 | + 0.12% | | Pound | R21.71 | + 0.21% | | Euro | R18.92 | + 0.20% | | Yen | 0.101406 |
| | Yuan | R2.31
| + 0.05% | | Bitcoin | $ 89 605.10
| + 0.54% |
These rates are correct at time of going to press. | | Platinum | $ 2 642.70
| + 0.34% | | Gold | $ 4 953.48
| + 0.35% | | Oil | $ 64.50
| + 0.37% | | All Share | 121502.41
| + 0.60% | | Repo | 6.75 | | | Prime | 10.25 | |
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