The OFM Business Hour

The Welkom Business Forum says there were several warning signs that the Welkom Cargo Airport project was not what it appeared to be. Chairperson of the Welkom Business Chamber, Jakes Jooste, told the OFM Business Hour that they attended meetings with the team from Sébastien Investment et Logistique – a company owned by murder-accused KT Molefe and from the outset saw something was amiss.

South Africa’s approach to financially distressed companies has shifted significantly. Where business rescue was once seen as just a detour on the road to liquidation, today the mantra in many boardrooms is ‘rescue first, liquidate later.’ Gareth Cremen, a Partner in the Business Restructuring, Rescue & Insolvency team at Cox Yeats unpacks the restructuring process.

The University of the Free State’s women’s breakfast is taking place on 22 August under the theme “Be Better, Be-Lieve. Burneline Kaars, Head of the Division of Organisational Development within the Department of Human Resources at the UFS, says the event aims to empower women. When asked about work-life balance, Kaars says she is a firm believer in work-life integration.

Vrystaatse toerisme en gasvryheidsbesighede word gedwing om in silo’s te funksioneer weens vervallende openbare infrastruktuur en swak dienslewering. Bianca de Klerk, die departementshoof van Toerisme en Geleentheidsbestuur aan die Sentrale Universiteit van Tegnologie, sê aan die OFM Sake-uur dat die regering se onvoltooide beloftes oor die verbetering van sleutelpaaie en die opgradering van roete...

The OFM Business Hour looks at the implications of Maersk’s announcement that it will discontinue its direct shipping service from South Africa to the United States starting this October. According to Dr Ernest van Biljon from the IMM Graduate School, the decision comes at a particularly challenging time for local exporters, but contrary to what some might think, tariffs aren’t the reason behind t...

For the third consecutive year Standard Bank is sponsoring the Best of Bloem, Bloemfontein Courant’s Readers’ Choice Awards gala event. Kevin de Beer, Standard Bank’s Head of Client Coverage, Business Banking for the Free State and Northern Cape, told the OFM Business Hour that what drew them to the awards and keeps them coming back is the authenticity and power of the platform to spotlight everyd...

The 2025 edition of the Best of Bloem, Bloemfontein Courant’s Readers Choice Awards is here and it promises to be bigger and better. Under the theme rooted in Bloem and voted by you, the awards continue to celebrate local establishments and their excellent service. Bloemfontein Courant Editor, Sazly Moses, tells the OFM Business Hour more. This is part 1.

With time ticking fast and panic setting in regarding the United States’ imminent 30% tariffs on South African exports, calls are increasing for a coordinated response to the crisis. Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) CEO Khulekani Mathe says the delay in finalising a framework agreement between the South African government and the United States to mitigate the proposed 30% tariff is particularly...

Concern has been raised regarding the recent approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for Shell’s proposed Northern Cape Ultra Deep (NCUD) oil and gas exploration project. Advocacy organisations like the Green Connection and small-scale fishers like Deborah Deewee from Doringbaai argue that the approval disregards the livelihoods of coastal communities and the environmental risks pose...

MTN has long played a role in keeping families connected and now they’re taking it a step further with their Shesh@ 5G promotion. Bertus Van der Vyver, MTN SA’s General Manager for Residential and Postpaid, tells the OFM Business Hour that the Shesh@ 5G Home Internet plans are designed to bring families even closer by offering fast, reliable, and high-quality internet, whether it’s for work, schoo...

Simoné van Tonder shares how the North-West University (NWU) Business School's Postgraduate Diploma in Management and the Master of Business Administration (MBA) programmes develop ethical leaders ready to create impact in Africa and beyond. Applications for 2026 are open until 30 September.

Na die jongste inflasie-opdatering delf ons saam met Johann Biermann in die Braaibroodjie-indeks. Kan hierdie stukkie kulinêre trooskos, ’n knapperige kaas-en-tamatiebraaibroodjie, dalk meer oor voedselprysveranderinge verklap as amptelike statistiek? Ons gesels oor wat hierdie braaigunsteling ons leer oor die werklike koste van kos.

Woolworths recently emerged triumphant over SARS in the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein where the parties battled it out over input VAT. It is a landmark and significant victory for Woolworths and Micaela Paschini, Team Lead: Tax Legal at Tax Consulting SA, unpacked it for the OFM Business Hour.

Free State MEC for Roads and Transport, Jabu Mbalula, has committed to meet with the community of Clocolan in the Eastern Free State. After numerous delays to repairs on the pot-hole riddled R708, the Clocolan Farmers’ Association, local taxi association, and other stakeholders closed the road in protest on Thursday (10/7). Olebogeng Motse spoke to Mbalula and heard from Chris Bender, farmer and c...

The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has received recall notifications from three major leading automakers in SA for thousands of vehicles. NCC spokesperson, Pheto Ntaba unpacked the Volkswagen, Volvo and Toyota South Africa recalls on the OFM Business Hour. Further, noting that there appears to be a rise in the number of recalls in the automotive industry at the moment.

The 90-day freeze on sweeping U.S. tariffs is set to expire on July 9, sowing economic uncertainty as the Trump administration works to revamp the terms of global trade. Frederick Mitchell, Chief Economist at Aluma Capital touched on the impact of tariffs on the South African economy.

Somaya Marais, founder of U Go Girl Driving Academy, a women-focused driving school that began in Bloemfontein and now operates in the Western Cape shares her journey of entrepreneurship. Following a panel discussion on the financial constraints facing SMMEs in the city, Marais unpacks the unique challenges of running a small business in the driving school sector, the resilience behind relocating...

Everest Wealth verstaan dat ’n mens se finansiële toekoms van die uiterste belang is. Hierdie privaat beleggings- en welvaartbestuursmaatskappy spesialiseer in alternatiewe beleggings wat spesifiek ontwerp word om aan die unieke behoeftes van kieskeurige kliënte te voldoen. Met ’n bewese rekord van sterk opbrengste, plaas hulle deursigtigheid en kliëntetevredenheid altyd op die voorgrond. OFM Inho...

Did you know that revolving short-term credit could derail your dream of owning a home? For our 'business of me segment' Renier Kriek, the Managing Director at Sentinel Homes shares how. He spoke to OFM News' Rigardt Hug.

Lindiwe Sebesho, Master Reward Specialist and Executive Committee Member at the South African Reward Association (SARA) shares what is realistic and what is not in 2025 when it comes to salary increases.

’n Landboudorpie, wat boere in Mafube en omliggende distrikte verder by produkontwikkeling in die waardeketting wil betrek, is in die finale fases van beplanning. Quintin Antunes, voorsitter van die distrikslandbou-unie, sê aan die OFM Sakeuur dat die dorpie omgewingsvolhoubaar en sonkragaangedrewe sal wees. Dit is daarop gemik om boere in staat te stel om meer as net primêre produsente te wees. H...

Die Mafube-sakeforum (MBF) bly daartoe verbind om plaaslike besighede en nywerhede stap vir stap te ondersteun. Die MBF is reeds jare aan die voorpunt van pogings om besighede in die Mafube Plaaslike Munisipaliteit — wat die dorpe Tweeling en Frankfort insluit — teen die gevolge van finansiële wanbestuur en swak dienslewering te beskerm. Die voorsitter van die forum, Jannie Schabort, sê die munisi...

Thinking about taking your career to the next level in 2025? Ketlareng Polori, Assistant Director at the University of the Free State Business School, joins the OFM Business Hour to unpack the range of programmes on offer, from short learning programmes to formal postgraduate qualifications.

South Africa is in survival mode, and more needs to be done to stimulate economic growth. Dr Arno van Niekerk, economist and lecturer at the University of the Free State (UFS), had this to say in his post-budget speech 3.0 analysis. He shares more key takeaways from Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s address.

South African small and medium enterprises (SMEs) continue to face a tough business climate, with poor profitability and limited access to external finance being the main reasons for failure. Dr Werner Henk Otto, lecturer and researcher at the University of the Free State, says trade credit can serve as a critical lifeline. However, he cautions that it must be used responsibly. His findings are pu...