Business Bagel

In Today's Show:   South Africa’s back on the world stage as the country celebrates its first World Cup qualification in 23 years. SANParks just recorded its richest year yet. And Moody’s thinks the economy’s finally showing faint signs of life. Plus, the African super-corridor where the big five roam five countries without passports. More From Us: ⁠⁠Spotify Apple Podcast ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Instagr...

In Today's Show:   South Africa’s weight-loss drug wars are heating up as one of Ozempic’s biggest rivals lands through Aspen. Meanwhile, Namibia’s oil boom exposes how South Africa keeps missing its own chance at energy wealth and the Post Office’s ‘profit plan’ sounds more like a farewell letter. We explore Kogelberg - the Western Cape valley that proves even the smallest landscapes can hold...

In Today's Show:   South Africa’s rolling out a new anti-gang strategy - one built on intelligence and coordination instead of brute force. But after decades of failure, can it really clean up a system where crime and corruption overlap? Meanwhile, a global study finds South Africans are living shorter, sicker lives as lifestyle diseases erase our HIV-era gains. The Reserve Bank, though, says...

In Today's Show:   South Africa’s police wars have exploded into Parliament, with KZN’s top cop accusing ministers, MPs, and journalists of corruption and leaks - leaving lawmakers scrambling to separate fact from spectacle. Dis-Chem’s new rewards system could change how the country thinks about healthcare, while a R2-billion Club Med resort may redraw the tourism map entirely. Also in today&#...

In Today's Show:   South Africa extends the Zimbabwean Exemption Permits to 2027, giving 180,000 Zimbabweans more time to live and work here - but not without controversy. FlySafair wins a court reprieve that could reshape local aviation, and Anglo American warns that decades of red tape are killing mining exploration before it starts. Plus, the Public Investment Corporation faces fresh turmoi...

In Today's Show:   Load-shedding may have ended (for now), but it’s not quite the victory Eskom’s claiming. While South Africans have powered ahead with a wave of private solar, Eskom’s recovery leans on long-delayed maintenance and a diesel bill that’s ballooned to record levels. We also unpack the new law aimed at restoring trust in South Africa’s shaky statistics, and why experts say the co...

In Today's Show:   Some of Mexico’s biggest cartels are no longer just passing through South Africa - they’re setting up shop. Today’s show unpacks how the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels appear to be embedding themselves across provinces, the legal fight to finally hold failed state executives personally accountable, and SARS’s rare offer to let taxpayers settle their debts for less. Plus, a deep...

In Today's Show:   South Africa’s neighbour is fast becoming the region’s next powerhouse. As Namibian oil and gas discoveries spark a rush of South African investment, the SABC’s latest report reveals chaos at home - from skipped advertisements to a looming financial cliff. Meanwhile, Parliament faces a parental-leave puzzle that could cost the UIF billions, and the courts have dismissed Pres...

In Today's Show:   South Africa’s finally cracking down on the spam call epidemic that’s plagued millions of phones but will the new rules actually silence telemarketers? A Russian cargo jet blacklisted by the US quietly lands in Upington, raising questions about what it was carrying and who helped. And municipalities celebrate “clean audits,” even as service delivery falls apart. More From Us...

In Today's Show:   Cybercriminals are hijacking SARS eFiling accounts and pocketing tax refunds before taxpayers even notice. The Madlanga Commission, meant to be SA’s big anti-corruption clean-up, is already wobbling as its evidence leader quits. Meanwhile, Capitec is rewriting banking by targeting the hustle economy, helping small businesses get paid faster. And in the wildcard, we revisit t...

In Today's Show: Julius Malema’s guilty verdict now threatens to upend the EFF’s leadership and future in Parliament. Eskom is boasting its first profit in eight years, but the fine print shows a utility propped up by bailouts and rebates rather than true recovery. And Netcare’s rising profits reveal an even starker truth around the state of mental health in South Africa. Plus: the Wild Coast...

In Today's Show: South Africa’s immigration debate is heating up, with the Finance Minister calling a key clause in the Constitution a “grave mistake.” Canal+ has revealed bold plans for DStv’s future after its R55 billion takeover, aiming to dominate Africa’s screens while grappling with Showmax’s losses. On the global stage, Washington has placed South Africa on its trafficking watch list -...

In Today's Show: South Africa’s banking sector faces its biggest shake-up yet as Revolut eyes the local market, as digital banks threaten to upend the dominance of the big four. On the roads, motorists brace for December’s nationwide rollout of the AARTO traffic system, bringing fines, backlogs, and looming demerit points. Meanwhile, Pretoria waits on a last-minute call from Washington as AGOA...

In Today's Show: South Africa’s municipalities are already in election mode, with mayoral chains dusted off and service-delivery battles setting the stage for a brutal 2026 contest. In business, Uber is quietly reshaping the grocery delivery war, while a fresh fight over credit laws could decide how easily small firms access the billions they need. Quickfire mentions track Africa’s hotel boom,...

In Today's Show: South Africa’s had more than its fair share of gloomy headlines, but 2025 has also delivered some standout victories. Home Affairs went from punchline to progress, clearing backlogs and rolling out digital IDs, while tourism is back at record levels and the courts blocked a VAT hike. On the markets, the JSE smashed through 105,000 points and privatisation finally cracked Eskom...

In Today's Show: Chinese exports are flooding global markets after the US slapped new tariffs, and South Africa’s response has left local producers wondering if they can survive China Shock 2.0. At home, Busa is taking the government to court over rushed equity targets that could reshape hiring. Allan Gray warns BRICS isn’t the safety net Pretoria thinks it is, and in the wildcard, we dig into...

In Today's Show: Canal+ has officially taken control of DStv in a R30 billion deal, raising fresh questions about whether South Africans might finally get that long-awaited SuperSport-only package. Meanwhile, AI isn’t just hype anymore - it’s creeping into local banking apps and reshaping how work gets done. The Reserve Bank is holding the repo rate at 7%, keeping bonds and car payments unchan...

In Today's Show: A landmark expropriation case in Ekurhuleni is about to test how far “nil” compensation can go, with property rights and investor confidence on the line. In Johannesburg, Helen Zille’s return turns local politics into a Game of Thrones episode, while in KwaZulu-Natal, the police commissioner’s inquiry is dropping revelations that put ministers and senior cops squarely in the c...

In Today's Show: BEE rules may be blocking millions of South African learners from free internet, as Ramaphosa’s 2019 digital textbook promise collapses. The Marriage Bill is stirring royal controversy, carving out an exception that leaves some wives without constitutional protection. In Washington, senators are pushing for sanctions on ANC leaders just as trade talks hit crunch time. Quickfir...

In Today's Show: Ramaphosa’s attempt at tough love has backfired, with ANC councillors pushing back in public and even penning open letters. At the same time, Uber and Bolt drivers face a crackdown that could see their details plastered on car doors, while Cape Town experiments with AI to cut through thousands of planning applications. Plus, on the business front, Namibia’s oil and gas boom is...

In Today's Show: Ramaphosa has admitted the DA is running municipalities better than the ANC - and told councillors they’ve got 100 days to prove they can deliver. Johannesburg’s water lifeline is slipping further behind schedule, with the Lesotho Highlands project now billions over budget and facing community pushback. In global markets, reinsurers are quietly pulling back just as climate dis...

In Today's Show: Fifty years after Apollo, South Africa’s back in the spotlight of humanity’s journey to the moon, with Matjiesfontein gearing up to connect Artemis astronauts to Earth. Meanwhile, government’s sudden retreat on sweeping credit law changes has banks, students, and businesses arguing over who really wins. And while the JSE smashes through 104,000 points on a wave of global optim...

In Today's Show: South Africa’s online shopping boom has turned into a R130 billion battlefield, with Takealot fighting off Shein, Temu, Amazon, and grocery apps racing for your basket. Discovery, meanwhile, has notched its best year ever with its bank finally breaking even. Finally, Fitch still keeps us in “junk” territory, warning growth is stuck while debt climbs. Plus in the wildcard, the...

In Today's Show: South Africa’s casino giant has been dethroned and not by another casino, but by its own betting app. SunBet now makes almost as much as GrandWest, showing where the real gambling profits lie. Meanwhile, Growthpoint’s results suggest property might finally be turning a corner, with offices regaining some value after years of decline. Liqui Fruit, however, has landed in hot wat...

In Today's Show: South Africa’s name could change - at least if a political proposal gains traction, but the constitutional math makes it unlikely. At the same time, the Constitutional Court is weighing a ruling that could give government sweeping powers over where doctors work, sparking fierce pushback from the medical profession. In business, Old Mutual has officially entered banking, chasin...