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Once, Iran was the cradle of civilisation, but now it’s the cradle of war. The US/Israeli invasion could play out in multiple ways, some good, mostly bad. But the larger question is what war ultimately achieves in the modern era. Ever since the US war in Vietnam, aggressors large and small, democratic and authoritarian, have regretted their decision to opt for aggression. Barnes and Cohen discuss...

A strong gold price, lower interest rates, stronger consumer spending and marginally higher economic growth suggest a smoother national budget, particularly compared to last year when a surprise VAT increase sparked a crisis in the government of national unity. But does that mean SA is out of the woods? Absolutely not, argues Barnes, who points to larger structural economic issues that have yet to...

Beer and national debt, which is the most important? Barnes and Cohen discuss this crucial question. But more importantly, how are we choosing our government ministers and their entourages? Shouldn’t the ministers choose the president, rather than the president choose the ministers? Just asking. It’s time to: ListenUp! This show airs every Tuesday morning wherever you get your podcasts.

NOTE: We apologise for the poor audio quality in this edition. Should South Africans spend some time after graduation working for the government? Well-known businessman Mark Barnes thinks they should – in certain circumstances. Journalist Tim Cohen thinks they should not – in any circumstances. Also, is Patrice Motsepe a good candidate to be SA’s post-Ramaphosa president? Yes, no, maybe? This is y...

South Africa’s economy might be moving forward, but the public sector is sliding into a kind of casual anarchy. Almost every robot in the country is now regarded as a suggestion, not an instruction. Is this fixable? How bad is anarchy? Corporate financier Mark Barnes and journalist Tim Cohen ask the crucial question: What is so wrong with anarchy, actually? And what about launching a set of public...

The biggest question, when it comes to gold, is whether you say “all that glitters is not gold” or “all that glisters is not gold”. The formally accurate version from Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice is “glisters”, but what the bard meant was “glitters”, so that works too. Actually, that’s not the biggest question. In this episode, Barnes and Cohen discuss the much thornier issue of whether go...

Floods in the Kruger National Park but drought in the Karoo – weather problems abound. This week, the formidable duo that is Barnes and Cohen discusses the storms all over the world, including Greenland, which US President Donald Trump wants to, um, “buy”, but the Europeans are having nothing of it – so the USA will tariff them! 6-7 and ho hum. Locally, the prime rate debate is hotting up (but it’...

It’s been quite a start to 2026, but what does it mean that the US has abducted the leader of a foreign power?  What happens to international relations now and what has this got to do with the Peace of Westphalia?  Mark Barnes and Tim Cohen discuss how the international order has changed - and the local order has not. Also, is AI investment now in a bubble?  Listen Up!

Mark Barnes and Tim Cohen discuss the year 2025 - the ups, the downs, and the potholes. It was a bewildering year, which went faster than any previous year. Well … not really. But I felt like it did. In South Africa, things actually went a little bit better. In the rest of the world, things didn’t go as badly as many expected at the start. Will 2026 be different? The only way to find out is to Lis...

The joys and dangers of ambition. South Africans are drowning in debt, but is that due to poor investment decisions or a lack of investment opportunities? Mark Barnes and Tim Cohen discuss whether South Africa should build a very tall skyscraper, reaching for the sky. Like Dubai. Or not. How is it possible that someone can just decide to build a huge city, just go ahead and do it, earn the scorn o...

International comparisons suggest that South Africans work pretty hard - around 42.2 hours a week on average. That’s higher than Brazil and Mexico, and only a little less than China. It’s about double the total hours put in per week on average in Norway. Amazing.  But is that the whole story? Not so much says Mark Barnes and Tim Cohen. It’s like golf - the winner is not the one who does the most w...

The G20 was simultaneously a grand success and a disappointing failure, and the key, according to Mark Barnes and Tim Cohen, is that there is an insufficient intersection of priorities and a lack of common purpose. Whose fault is that? What does it mean? Why is that happening now? These are all questions we discuss, along with the joys of public transportation and the surprising utility and value...

It's been a great week for South Africa, not least on the sports field with international wins in soccer, rugby and cricket. And then there is the unexpected S&P ratings upgrade. And the JSE hitting yet another record. And Jo’burg looking spectacular for the G20! Actually, wait a bit; let's not get too carried away. Jo'burg's still a bit dodgy, except where the leader convoys w...

US president Donald Trump says no US officials will be attending the G20. Mark Barnes and Tim Cohen ask the crucial question: does that make the G20 in Johannesburg later this month a bit of a talk shop? Was it a talk shop in the first place? What actually is the point of the G20? And the rugby. Obvs. Listen Up!

October was an extraordinary month for stock markets around the world. Every single major stock market around the world hit record highs last month, other than the Chinese CSI index which is still a long way off its pre-Covid highs. Spain’s IBEX finally surpassed its 2007 highs, and even the big European countries with the slowest growth, Germany and France, managed to join in the act. In response...

Change is, as they say, the one constant. In this podcast Mark Barnes and Tim Cohen discuss the efficacy of rail transport, South Africa’s departure from the Financial Action Task Force greylist, trade negotiations and, of course, art theft. Listen Up!

We live in an era of being overwhelmed and disorientated, so now more than ever there is a value in the distilled essence. In this podcast Mark Barnes and Tim Cohen discuss the genius of simplicity in the midst of a discombobulated world. How do you achieve it in the face of societal and business pressures: excessive borrowing against the future, an emerging gambling addiction and a crisis in the...

October is turning out to be a big month for enquiries into what happened to the money, with the continuing Madlanaga commission into allegedly corrupt police tenders, the spat between Lucky Montana and SARS, and the continuing Road Accident Fund hearing in parliament.  Mark Barnes and journalist Tim Cohen discuss why people do such odd things with their alleged ill-gotten gains - like buy three L...

Everything is united - except it’s not! In this podcast, Mark Barnes and Tim Cohen discuss the prospects of Unite for Change, comprising GOOD, Rise Mzansi, and Build One SA, and wonder why they are uniting rather than being united. And on that subject, what are the prospects for the United Nations, and must it unite for change? And gold. Listen up!

It was a big sporting weekend, but also a contrasting one. Rugby, well known for its calm, quiet, subdued supporters, who were out in force in Durban to see South Africa thrash Argentina 67-30 to top the table with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu breaking a test points record. Contrast that with the European 15-13 victory in the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York. Golf supporters were, as usua...

If we are being honest about being honest we might admit that for politicians, being honest is full of risks. But then again, so is lying. However, the honest truth is that Joburg - South Africa’s economic and cultural centre point - is very badly run and consequently it constitutes an opportunity for the DA’s new mayoral candidate Helen Zille. Mark Barnes and Tim Cohen discuss Zille’s chances - a...

Carrying the national debt is a lot like carrying a coffin: everyone pretends it’s manageable, but deep down everybody knows there is already someone inside. Mark Barnes and Tim Cohen discuss in this podcast why people call it a “debt burden”, even though nobody seems to ever put it down - we just seem to carry it further down the road. Our advice: if you are in debt, you need to attend very, very...

In deference to the blood moon, Mark Barnes and Tim Cohen discuss some left-field topics this week. What does the non-breakup of Google mean for investors? What is the future of the DA? And perhaps most importantly, with government issuing guarantees left, right and centre, what is the state of the state’s balance sheet? Hint: We should be worried.

There is a new phase of truth-telling going on in South Africa, and in this podcast Mark Barnes and Tim Cohen discuss the trend of whistleblowers popping up everywhere. We are somewhat used to it, but we like it. The courage to speak out is our motto! Also, the Post Office and the international scene.

We live in an era where things feel broken, but are they? And if they are, how do you fix things? Mark Barnes and London correspondent Tim Cohen banter on these topics, touching on wars, Transnet, the weather and of course, rugby. We live in an era where audacity and modernity trump moderation and conservatism. That could be good - or bad. Listen up!