Bruce Whitfield’s Business Week

Episodet

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  FirstRand’s Vilakazi cleans up after R17bn UK hit 10.09.2026 29min

  In this episode, FirstRand CEO Mary Vilakazi unpacks results that look worse than they are. Reported earnings fell 5% after an R11.4 billion provision for the UK motor finance scandal, but strip that out and normalised earnings from continuing operations grew 13%, with return on equity at 24%. The UK business is being sold, and FirstRand is placing its next big bet on Optasia, a fintech platform targeting the unbanked across Africa. Andrew Dunn of DNI tells one of South Africa’s most unexpected entrepreneurial stories. Watching bread trucks return idle by midmorning at Premier Foods, he noticed that every outlet buying bread was also selling airtime and SIM cards with no efficient way to restock. That single observation became the foundation for a business now spanning connectivity, devices, eSIMs and fintech, touching millions of South Africans in the informal economy. Chantal Marx of FNB Wealth and Investments on a bumper week of financial services results, why South African insurers and banks keep outperforming a moribund economy, and what Anton Rupert Jr’s elevation at Richemont really signals. And News24 Business editor Helena Wasserman discusses GDP shrinking by 0.2% in the second quarter, the Gauteng office market at 18% vacancy, and why Hyde Park Corner is somehow the best-performing retail asset in the country. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec. To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24’s Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels, or catch up on past episodes here. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00. 
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  Reserve Bank governor talks inflation, Iran and El Niño. And Shoprite brews a Vida deal 03.09.2026 39min

  In this episode, Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago joins Bruce to unpack what he calls a “polycrisis of overlapping shocks”, from the war in Iran to Ukraine’s attack on Russian wheat infrastructure and the looming El Niño threat to South African food prices. His message: South Africa’s starting point this time is fundamentally stronger than in 2022, and that breathing room is why the Reserve Bank can still take measured rather than aggressive steps on rates. Shoprite CEO Pieter Engelbrecht speaks about the acquisition of Vida e Caffè, which adds more than 400 coffee stores to a group already operating in pet, liquor, pharmacy, and fashion adjacencies. Sixty60 added R6.6 billion this year and set a new record just yesterday, and Shoprite and Checkers now sit as the top two retailers in South Africa by sales.News24 Business editor Helena Wasserman analyses Woolworths’ food-first CEO, making clear the retailer’s clothing era is over, TFG’s Australian business dragging results down under, Eskom sitting on R125 billion cash after a R30 billion profit, and Sasol’s share price tripling to nearly R200 on the back of surging refining margins. And Peter Armitage of Anchor Capital examines rising bond yields reshaping asset values globally, why AI has increased his costs without yet cutting them, and why the real AI boom right now is actually a construction boom in disguise. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec. To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24’s Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels, or catch up on past episodes here. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00. 
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  One of these heavyweights runs Africa’s biggest telco. The other began with a bag of nuts  27.08.2026 38min

  In this episode, MTN CEO Ralph Mupita joins Bruce to unpack a strong set of first-half results driven by Nigeria, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, with R13.9 billion in dividends repatriated. Mupita addresses the R74 billion trademark lawsuit MTN dismisses as frivolous, the Iran investment it cannot exit because of US sanctions, and what it actually takes to operate profitably across 19 contested African markets. Antoine van Heerden of ButtaNutt tells the story of building a plant-based food empire from a student digs in Stellenbosch, from macadamia butter at weekend markets to 1 500 stores nationwide and a 54% investment from PSG Group. Helena Wasserman, editor of News24 Business, on Northam’s audacious move to put itself on the market, an insider trading probe into trades ahead of the Curro delisting, and OR Tambo’s deepening crisis as air traffic controllers are poached abroad, and a Sasol refinery shutdown threatens jet fuel supply. And David Shapiro of Otto 1890, in his 53rd year in markets, on why Nvidia’s blowout results should silence the sceptics, the two-speed US economy, and why the rand may surprise everyone. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec.To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24’s Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels, or catch up on past episodes here. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00. 
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  Jozi’s gold rush isn’t done. Plus: Jockey turns 150 20.08.2026 40min

  In this episode, DRDGold CEO Niël Pretorius explains how the company extracts 1.93 grams of gold per tonne of mine-dump material, and why, at $4 000 an ounce, that amounts to R4.2 billion in profit, while simultaneously cleaning up Soweto’s dust problem and reversing a century-long environmental legacy. Bruce McMurray of Jockey South Africa speaks on keeping a 150-year-old underwear brand relevant, why more than 95% of its products are still made locally through a 75-year manufacturing partnership, and what e-commerce is forcing the factory to rethink.News24 Business editor Helena Wasserman discusses the SPAR board chair quitting under pressure from revolting independent retailers, the US debt approaching $40 trillion, and food price inflation at its lowest in 16 years. And Graeme Korner of Korner Perspective explores why the JSE has been a damp squib in 2026, why precious metals are finding their mojo again, and why he thinks the US bond market intervention is a dangerous gamble. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec.To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24’s Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels, or catch up on past episodes here. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00. 
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  Boerie gets a glowup – and where do seized Lambos go?  13.08.2026 32min

  In this episode, ENS head of forensics practice Steven Powell goes behind the scenes of asset forfeiture, using the Tembisa Hospital scandal to explain what actually happens after the cameras leave and the Lamborghinis have been seized, and why South Africa’s ability to secure convictions amid a Financial Action Task Force review matters more than most people realise. Neil Swart of the Belly Restaurant Group joins Bruce to talk about Buri, the new Cape Town concept built entirely around the boerie roll. Gary Booysen of Rand Swiss speaks on Anthropic’s potential $2 trillion IPO and the Goldman Sachs warning about $1.3 trillion in AI infrastructure commitments quietly sitting off-balance-sheet. And Helena Wasserman reviews gold at a 10-week high, Shoprite’s Sixty60 growing to a third the size of Pick n Pay, and the court ruling that cleared business mogul Patrice Motsepe of a R3 billion claim, just as 37% of South Africans say they want him as their next president. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec.To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24’s Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels, or catch up on past episodes here. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00. 
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  The SA EdTech that beat Silicon Valley. Plus: Nedbank’s quiet comeback 06.08.2026 39min

  In this episode, Nedbank CEO Jason Quinn unpacks flat headline earnings that hide 12% underlying growth, explains the NCBA acquisition in Kenya and what it means for Nedbank’s African ambitions, and reads a South African banking landscape as being disrupted from every direction. Nick Miller of Teach Me 2 and Coachbit tells the story of building a tutoring platform from a UCT engineering dorm to TIME’s global EdTech list, via a Silicon Valley startup that lost to TikTok and taught him everything about digital addiction. Helena Wasserman discusses Glencore’s Iran war windfall, Sasol’s remarkable 75% share price surge and South Africa’s strange new problem of a grid producing too much solar power during the day. And Jean Pierre Verster of Protea Capital Management addresses why Pick'n Pay is still loss-making and tracking behind its own recovery targets, plus the AI memory stock crash that wiped 40% off some of the sector’s biggest names in a single month. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec.To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24’s Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels, or catch up on past episodes here.Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00. 
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  Is Woolworths quietly becoming an Edgars? Plus: The man reimagining Cape Town’s CBD 30.07.2026 34min

  In this episode, Murray Clark, co-founder and CEO of Neighbourgood, talks about The Acre at Golden Acre, converting Cape Town’s iconic 27-floor CBD office block into 417 apartments with flexible leases, co-working spaces and shared amenities. It’s a bold bet on city centre living and adaptive reuse done right.News24 Business editor Helena Wasserman unpacks a results-heavy week: Woolworths holding premium pricing as sales slow, Boxer growing but disappointing the market, Canal+ celebrating its best subscription month in a decade, and Anglo American preparing to let De Beers go for cheap. Meryl Pick of Old Mutual digs into whether Woolworths is quietly becoming an Edgars in its clothing division, and what a food-first CEO signals about the group’s future direction. And, Sean Coleman of the South African Bookmakers Association discusses the R50 billion leaving South Africa’s shores through unregulated gambling platforms every year, why prediction markets are the fastest-growing frontier of that problem, and what happens if nobody acts. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec. To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24’s Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels, or catch up on past episodes here. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00. 
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  A R21bn fintech empire hides inside Pepkor. Plus: The last old-school hotelier passes the keys 23.07.2026 34min

  In this episode, Arthur Gillis, the last of the old-school hoteliers, reflects on 50 years in the industry, growing Protea Hotels from four properties to 116 across seven countries, negotiating its R2 billion sale to Marriott in 2014, and now handing the keys of Platinum Hospitality Holdings to his son Anton after deliberately leaving the room during the board process that appointed him. Patrick Schofield of BackaBuddy tells the story of a platform he inherited with no staff, no momentum, and R14 000 raised in its first month, to now being on track to reach R1 billion raised and 1 million donors in 2026, sustained by a bold decision to drop platform fees entirely in favour of optional donor tips. News24 Business editor Helena Wasserman unpacks Pepkor’s R21 billion fintech play targeting township traders, a trusted employer scheme cutting visa times from months to days, and Gareth Penny’s consortium emerging as the preferred bidder for De Beers. And Peter Armitage of Anchor Capital tells us why South African bonds are attracting record foreign capital and why the AI spend is the one secular force holding global markets together despite oil, inflation and rising long bond yields. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec. To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24’s Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels, or catch up on past episodes here. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00.
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  Amazon comes to South Africa from space. Plus: Mexican candy, market mayhem and PIC chaos 16.07.2026 34min

  In this episode, Bruce chats with Herotel CEO, Van Zyl Botha, about the partnership bringing Amazon Leo to South Africa, a satellite internet service that could finally connect farms, townships and rural communities where fibre has never reached. South Africa goes live in 2027. Claire Swanson of ARK Provisions tells the story of a sweet she tasted in Mexico that reminded her of corner shop treats from Mitchell’s Plain. Graeme Korner of Korner Perspective unpacks a market caught between AI euphoria and oil anxiety, where pick-and-shovel companies are soaring even as SpaceX trades below its listing price. And News24 Business editor Helena Wasserman covers the alarming breakdown at the PIC, whose CEO has been suspended and the FSCA has stepped in; Richemont’s surprise 20% sales jump; and why a Hormuz flare-up means petrol price relief may be short-lived. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec. To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24’s Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels, or catch up on past episodes here. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00. 
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  Bootlegger brews up expansion. Plus: SA’s demerit points disaster 09.07.2026 30min

  This week, Bruce chats with Ricky Ruthenberg, CEO of Bootlegger Coffee Company, about building one of South Africa’s most recognisable coffee chains from a single Sea Point store in 2013 to 116 locations today – with 15 to 20 more planned before year’s end. Ruthenberg unpacks the two-model strategy, the cautious push into Namibia and Africa, and why the coffee revolution in South Africa is still far from over. Meryl Pick of Old Mutual Investment Group makes sense of a complicated week in oil markets, where Brent has been squeezed lower by China stepping back from imports and Russia flooding crude onto the market, while refining margins have hit levels not seen since 2001 – meaning lower oil prices are not yet translating into relief at the pump. And William Brederode, tech and trends journalist at News24, covers Adnoc’s $1 billion acquisition of Shell’s South African fuel station business, the forced labour tariff hearings in the US and what they reveal about South Africa’s compliance gaps, and the chaotic rollout of the AARTO demerit point system for drivers. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec. To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24's Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels, or catch up on past episodes here. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00. 
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  The SA lawnmower brand taking on the US market. Plus: GEMS on edge 02.07.2026 30min

  In this episode, Bruce chats with Stuart Williams, CEO of Rolux Global, about one of the most unlikely turnaround stories in South African business. In 2023, six weeks from closure, Williams shipped product cold into the United States with no brand and no customers. It sold out in six weeks. He has since moved his family to Atlanta, partnered with EGO Commercial on battery mowers to crack California, and is building a deliberately niche but genuinely underserved global business. The episode also features Deon Gouws of Credo in London on Andy Burnham’s UK leadership prospects; why Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh’s hawkish stance has limits when inflation is supply-driven; and why 30 years of government debt warnings haven’t yet collapsed the system. Business editor Helena Wasserman weighs in on the week’s big talking point: Alcoa’s acquisition of Hillside, South Africa’s biggest power user. Also up for discussion are the Constitutional Court’s dismissal of the broad rand manipulation case, and growing anxiety about the Government Employees’ Medical Scheme. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec. To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24's Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00.
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  The app fixing SA’s hiring crisis. Plus: Why reasonable leaders are losing  25.06.2026 40min

  In this episode: why being unreasonable might be the best leadership trait right now, why food prices could be the world’s next flashpoint, and the El Niño risk building in commodity markets. Andrew Woodburn of Amrop Woodburn Mann discusses why uncompromising leadership may be exactly what the world needs. Christiaan van den Berg of JOBJACK explains why SA’s unemployment crisis persists even as employers say they can’t find staff. Peter Armitage of Anchor Capital discusses a market where Elon Musk lost a quarter of a trillion dollars in a week – and why he’s staying disciplined rather than chasing  AI hype. Plus, News24 Business editor Helena Wasserman shares insights on a busy week of bank results, Novo Nordisk’s court win against a copycat Ozempic pharmacy, and an oil oversupply sending Brent back to pre-war levels. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec. To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24's Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00.
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  Doctors on demand. Plus: Peace in Iran and what it means for your bond 18.06.2026 27min

  In this episode, Bruce chats with AD Schoeman, co-founder of The Surgical Assistant, about the platform connecting unemployed young doctors with surgeons needing theatre assistants. Built from personal frustration in 2018, it now spans a staffing platform, a training academy and an NPO, though the founders admit it only thrives because the system around it is failing. Helena Wasserman, editor of News24 Business, unpacks the Iran peace deal and what it means for SA interest rates, Vodacom’s new pay disclosure, and the IDC’s deal to rescue Tongaat from liquidation. Bruce also looks at Premier Group’s record year, with revenue up 6.6% and profit up 29.3%, driven by volume rather than price, plus its R6.5 billion acquisition of RFG Holdings. And Rand Swiss portfolio manager Gary Booysen makes sense of the markets: SpaceX post-IPO, oil and Sasol after the Iran deal, and what it all means for interest rates. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec. To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24's Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00.
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  SPAR’s comeback story. Plus: High oil prices linger longer 11.06.2026 38min

  In this episode, Bruce puts SPAR CEO Reeza Isaacs in the hot seat. Isaacs, the retailer’s third CEO in three years, takes questions on why profits have more than halved, what’s gone wrong with the independent retail model, and how to roll out a turnaround plan that is more than just talk. We also get a glimpse into Handwritten, YuppieChef co-founder Andrew Smith’s new book on building one of South Africa’s most beloved online retailers from the ground up. Old Mutual’s Meryl Pick makes sense of a surprisingly well-behaved oil price, a dovish new Fed chair, and MTN’s long-awaited continental comeback. Lastly, News24 Business editor Helena Wasserman explores the mining sector’s anger over a new industrialisation policy, SA’s better-than-expected GDP number, and a court ruling that could quietly take the shine off crypto in South Africa. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec. To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24's Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00.
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  Tiger Brands roars back. Plus: The South African spirit born from a dad joke 04.06.2026 33min

  Bruce chats with Tiger Brands CEO Tjaart Kruger about a robust set of interim results: operating income up 26.1% and R9.2 billion returned to shareholders since 2024. But with geopolitical uncertainty expected to bite harder in the second half, the question is whether the momentum holds. Adrian Kinsey-Quick tells the story of Bangbroek Aperitif, a vodka-based spirit infused with Karoo Agave Syrup, cinnamon and a chilli kick, born as a tribute to a fearless dad and now making its mark on South Africa’s crowded spirits market. Helena Wasserman unpacks the US government’s proposed new tariffs on South African imports, a health ministry crackdown on Dis-Chem, and Canal+’s quiet JSE debut, replacing Mr Price on the Top 40. And Graeme Korner makes sense of markets – where AI is driving extraordinary flows into chips and memory while draining liquidity elsewhere, and what the SpaceX IPO means for the broader market. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec. To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24's Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00.
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  The AI hospital is here. Plus: SA’s pothole crisis meets its match 28.05.2026 33min

  In this episode, Bruce chats with Netcare CEO Richard Friedland about how AI and digitisation are transforming healthcare. With savings now exceeding implementation costs, smartwatches are monitoring patients in real time, and algorithms detect sepsis long before symptoms appear. As Friedland puts it, the clinical AI revolution is already here. News24 Business editor Helena Wasserman unpacks new legislation on pay gap disclosure, Absa group CEO Kenny Fihla’s extraordinary talent raid on Standard Bank, and Pepkor’s bold move into banking with its new PlusB offering. Jaraad Hassim, founder of PatchPal, has a deceptively simple fix for South Africa’s pothole crisis: biodegradable mesh bags of cold-mix asphalt that can be dropped in, overlapped, and driven over. It works; municipalities are testing it. Now, the last remaining hurdle to clear is the law. Lastly, Jean Pierre Verster of Protea Capital Management compares Life Healthcare and Netcare, unpacks Pepkor’s banking ambitions, and weighs in on Pick n Pay. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec. To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24's Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00.
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  WeBuyCars backs itself as Chinese brands shake the showroom. Plus: Southern Sun’s best year yet 21.05.2026 30min

  This week on the podcast, Bruce chats with WeBuyCars CEO Faan van der Walt about how Chinese and Indian vehicles are reshaping South Africa's used-car market, accelerating depreciation for legacy brands, and forcing a new equilibrium in the industry. Despite the headwinds, WeBuyCars is backing itself hard, expanding aggressively, targeting 20% market share, and doing it all without debt. Then, Southern Sun’s Marcel von Aulock unpacks a standout year for the hotel group, but with the G20 tailwind fading and global uncertainty mounting, can the momentum last? Plus, Rand Swiss portfolio manager Gary Booysen offers market insights, and News24 Business editor Helena Wasserman examines the stories shaping the economy. Lastly, well-known human potential expert Nikki Bush joins Bruce to explore the number one way to improve your leadership. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec.To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24's Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00.
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  Boxer’s debut JSE bout. PLUS: Thandana’s garage births 60 jobs 14.05.2026 28min

  In this episode, Bruce chats with Boxer Superstores CEO Marek Masojada about the discount giant's first full-year results since listing on the JSE, with headline earnings up 13.2% to R1.6 billion, and how Boxer keeps growing amid deflation, rising fuel costs and looming food inflation. Helena Wasserman, editor of News24 Business, reports live from NAMPO 2026 in Bothaville, where producer profitability and food security are at the forefront. Peter Armitage, CEO of Anchor Capital, unpacks the global market picture: where value still exists, what the US-China relationship means for investors, and what the JSE has to offer right now. Carla Ashton shares the story of Thandana, the proudly South African lifestyle brand she built from a four-person garage operation in 2010 to a 60-strong team. Lastly, well-known human potential expert Nikki Bush joins Bruce to tackle the Founder's Trap: what happens when you are scaling up but simply cannot let go, and what it costs you and your business when you don’t. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec. To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24's Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00.
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  Your long-term oil price prediction. Plus: Donkey Long Tong rises 07.05.2026 40min

  In this episode, Bruce explores the global fallout from the Iran conflict – and why the risks extend far beyond oil prices. Omnia Group CEO Seelan Gobalsamy explains how disruptions to fertiliser supply chains could place renewed pressure on food prices, farmers and the broader economy, even if a peace deal is reached. Helena Wasserman, editor of News24 Business, unpacks China's tariff removal on thousands of South African exports, Pick n Pay's labour shakeup, and what a potential US-Iran agreement could mean for the rand and local markets. Portfolio manager Meryl Pick shares why elevated oil prices may persist longer than markets expect, while Nic Eve, CEO of Donkey Long Tong, tells the story of how a joke around a braai became one of South Africa's most recognisable outdoor brands. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec. To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24's Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00.
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  Can Trump find his oil price offramp? Plus: Khayelitsha Cookies clear for takeoff 30.04.2026 37min

  In this episode, Bruce unpacks what a doubling oil price means for South African fuel costs, inflation, and the global economy – and why the US midterm elections may be the most powerful force pushing president Donald Trump toward an off-ramp. Peter Armitage, CEO of Anchor Capital, discusses what's really driving oil above $126 a barrel. Adri Williams, founder of Khayelitsha Cookies, reveals how a 100% women-owned biscuit business built in Mfuleni landed a R1.4 million export deal – and got its cookies onto British Airways flights. Helena Wasserman, business editor at News24, provides insights on a divided US Fed and a landmark High Court challenge to the BEE legal sector code. And Graeme Körner, founder of Körner Perspective, looks at why markets are surprisingly calm. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec.To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24's Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00.