At the second BizNews Investment Conference in Hermanus, tech maverick and Africa Bitcoin Corporation Executive Chairman Stafford Masie made a powerful case for Bitcoin as the world’s most undervalued and misunderstood asset. Drawing on lessons from his pioneering work with the internet, open-source software and Google’s entry into Africa, Masie explained why he sold nine properties and even his Range Rover to buy Bitcoin. He urged South Africans to “study Bitcoin” and not confuse it with crypto, outlined how Lightning Network and Bitcoin treasuries are reshaping finance, and dismissed quantum computing fears as hype compared to real risks like losing your keys. This BizNews production is brought to you by Brenthurst Wealth. Building wealth and protecting legacies since 2004. Invest Better with Brenthurst: https://www.bwm.co.za/.

Alec Hogg's daily update which is embedded in the BizNews Premium newsletter - covering the day's news you need to know.

At BizNews Investment Conference #2 in Hermanus, tech maverick and Africa Bitcoin Corporation chair Stafford Masie delivered a sweeping vision of the future where AI and Bitcoin converge as humanity’s twin transformative forces. Masie traced parallels between the iPhone’s 2007 disruption and today’s breakthroughs in AI and blockchain, arguing that Bitcoin is the world’s first “perfect money” – an unstoppable neutral asset poised to replace the dollar standard. He explained how Bitcoin mining is stabilising power grids and enabling AI expansion, while demographic and generational shifts will drive unprecedented adoption. From longevity breakthroughs to de-dollarisation, Masie insists Bitcoin is no longer optional for investors – it’s inevitable. This BizNews production is brought to you by Brenthurst Wealth. Building wealth and protecting legacies since 2004. Invest Better with Brenthurst: https://www.bwm.co.za/.

At the second BizNews Investment Conference in Hermanus, Walter Aylett, founding fund manager of Aylett & Co, outlined his investment philosophy shaped by Buffett and Munger’s discipline. He shared lessons from backing WeBuyCars early, stressing patience, honesty, and owner-driven businesses. Aylett warned against over-trading, likening true investing to the tortoise beating the rabbit. He sees South Africa as “scary cheap” with opportunities in Spar, hospital groups, and bonds, while stressing margin of safety and integrity. Blending personal anecdotes with sharp observations on politics, gold, and global markets, Aylett underscored that long-term thinking and trust in the right people remain the investor’s edge. This BizNews production is brought to you by Brenthurst Wealth. Building wealth and protecting legacies since 2004. Invest Better with Brenthurst: https://www.bwm.co.za/.

Top officers in uniform are drawing the battle lines between the execution of their duties and political interference by the ministers in suits. Action Society’s Juanita Du Preez talks to Chris Steyn about Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa dying in an apparent suicide before he could answer for his role in Police Capture; Crime Intelligence boss General Dumisani Khumalo's revelations about the Big 5 crime cartel and their links to African National Congress (ANC) politics and payments to delegates before suddenly taking too ill to continue testifying; the strong backing National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola has given whistleblowing General Nhanhla Mkhwanazi; increasing pressure on former Police Minister Senzo Mchunu now on special leave; and Advocate Terry Motau abruptly quitting as evidence leader at the Madlanga Commission as “various people are getting threats..." Du Preez also comments on President Cyril Ramaphosa being accused of shielding his nephew from a previous marriage, Morgan Hongwani Maumela, implicated in the R2 billion Tembisa Hospital scandal; and Commander-in-Chief of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Julius Malema being found guilty on firearm charges and facing up to 15 years in jail.

In today’s BizNews Briefing, growing wave of AI-powered fake news scams now targeting Trevor Manuel and the SABC. Institute for Race Relations CEO John Endres stresses that only economic growth can solve South Africa’s unemployment crisis. We hear an uplifting story from Springbok women’s rugby coach Swys de Bruyn, while concerns persist over the National Democratic Revolution’s economic drag. Plus, Zimbabwe courts investors, Walter Aylett explains inversion investing, Hoskinson eyes $250,000 Bitcoin, and Prosus secures a major global food delivery deal.

Swys de Bruin, head coach of the Springbok women’s rugby team, guided his team to a historic quarterfinal at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup in England. In an interview with Biznews, the former Lions and Springboks coach said the strength of the team lies in their diversity. He highlighted the growing professionalism within the women's team and outlined ambitious plans for the future, including a professional six-team domestic league and an increase in international matches. De Bruin said the men could learn from the women's attitude, as “they never moan” and he said he could write a book about how tough women are. Committed to the stay until the next World Cup, De Bruin believes the team has firmly established itself with the elite and is now "barking with the big dogs."

At BizNews Investment Conference #2 in Hermanus, Walter Aylett – founding fund manager of Aylett & Co – delivered an inspiring reflection on the power of heroes and principles in life and investing. Drawing on decades of annual pilgrimages to Omaha to learn from Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger, Aylett shared how integrity, energy and rational common sense built a $1.3bn fund over 20 years. He credited his success not only to mentors like Buffett and Munger but also to the partners and clients who shared his long-term vision. Looking ahead to “Aylett 2.0 and 3.0,” he said the next generation, armed with principles and hard work, could make South Africa “unstoppable.” This BizNews production is brought to you by Brenthurst Wealth. Building wealth and protecting legacies since 2004. Invest Better with Brenthurst: https://www.bwm.co.za/.

At BNIC#2, IRR CEO John Endres argued that South Africa’s best defence against sudden rupture is to keep democracy’s “safety valve” wide open—free expression, functioning social media and real electoral choice. Close that valve, he warned, and the risk of Nepal-style upheaval rises, especially under an ANC-EFF-MK axis. Endres dismissed the lure of “benevolent dictators,” pointing instead to July 2021 as proof of civic resilience when the state faltered. His preferred route to stability: an ANC that “bends” rather than breaks, with a DA–ANC coalition enabling a planned glide-path into 2029. He rejected Western Cape secession, flagged youth unemployment as the true time bomb, and argued that only rapid growth—grounded in merit and accountability—can turn South Africa into a beacon again. This BizNews production is brought to you by Brenthurst Wealth. Building wealth and protecting legacies since 2004. Invest Better with Brenthurst: https://www.bwm.co.za/.

Fresh from the US, mining veteran Peter Major joins Alec Hogg to unpack the week’s biggest stories. Was Mark Bristow pushed out of Barrick by pressure from Mali’s military junta? Are Orion Minerals’ copper and zinc riches worth the political risk? And what do gold at $4,000, a new Chinese giant, and South Africa’s battered mining policies mean for investors? Major doesn’t hold back on the risks - or the opportunities.

Alec Hogg's daily update which is embedded in the BizNews Premium newsletter - covering the day's news you need to know.

In today’s BizNews Briefing: Nathi Mthethwa’s sudden death in Paris; AGOA trade benefits lapse amid US shutdown; insights on Trump’s letter from the “three amigos”; The Economist on spotting genius; Spotify founder Daniel Ek steps back; Capitec delivers strong results while Orion Minerals eyes copper production; and why the Springboks’ 16th man is South Africa itself.

The dark triad of criminal tenderpreneurs, crooked cops and captured politicians has not only cost the country billions, but has led to the loss of lives of an untold number of people. Following the latest revelations about the R2-billion looting of Tembisa Hospital, Jack Bloom, the Democratic Alliance Shadow MEC for Health in Gauteng, tells BizNews he believes that the syndicates are still busy in other hospitals. “The vultures are still there.” Bloom warns that unless people at the top of the Gauteng Health Department were replaced, “this looting is just going to continue”. He also laments the “immense implications… about political connections…and political protection”. And, commenting on the death from a mysterious fall in Paris of former Police Minister Minister Nathi Mthethwa - just a week after being named at the Madlanga Commission, Bloom says: “… you can't help but sort of make an inference that perhaps it was what was coming up at the Commission and that you know he was possibly implicated….the tentacles are all over the place. They really are. We have a Mafia State. You get rid of one criminal syndicate, another takes over, but they seem to work together.” As for the still unanswered question as to who ordered the hit on whistleblower Babita Deokaran, Bloom says: “I think we can have our suspicions now because now we see people who are embedded in networks and the police are implicated as well because none of this could have happened without high-level collusion."

The United States is willing to “fortify” South Africa as it has moved from “latent fragility to being very fragile” and “moving in the direction of failure”. However, it would need to see “positive steps” and “genuine earnest attempts” from SA. So says a former diplomat to both the National Party and the African National Congress governments, Dr Edward Mienie, who is now a professor with the University of North Georgia in Atlanta. “I've never seen…the diplomatic relations between the two countries at such a low point - even during the dark years of Apartheid.” Dr Mienie says President Cyril Ramaphosa is viewed as a leader who is “taking care of his own interests, taking care of the ANC first and foremost, taking care of those that support him personally within the structure”, but not as taking care of the interests of all South Africans. Meanwhile, he expresses concern about how the ANC government would react towards an outright loss in the next general election. “And I'm even more concerned about who's going to be taking over as the ruling party at that stage.” He urges the Democratic Alliance to take “a stronger stance, to embrace morals and ethics in a more visible way”

Alec Hogg's daily update which is embedded in the BizNews Premium newsletter - covering the day's news you need to know.

At BNIC#2 in Hermanus, John Endres, CEO of the Institute of Race Relations, warned that the ANC is at risk of sudden collapse as legitimacy drains and economic stagnation worsens. Drawing parallels to the fall of East Germany and Romania’s Ceausescu, Endres argued that the ANC must choose between "bending" — abandoning fake transformation and embracing real economic reform — or "breaking," risking further decline, instability, and dangerous coalitions with extremists. He urged business leaders to reject race-based policies and amplify the call for genuine transformation that delivers growth, jobs, and prosperity. This BizNews production is brought to you by Brenthurst Wealth. Building wealth and protecting legacies since 2004. Invest Better with Brenthurst: https://www.bwm.co.za/.

Explosive testimony at the Madlanga Commission reveals how drug cartels have infiltrated South Africa’s power structures, with shocking claims of political protection and evidence of deep criminal capture. At Tembisa Hospital, the SIU exposes a staggering R2bn fraud network—vindicating whistleblower Babita Deokaran, who paid with her life. Meanwhile, the gold sector reels as Mark Bristow makes a shock exit from Barrick, even as bullion hits record highs

Alec Hogg's daily update which is embedded in the BizNews Premium newsletter - covering the day's news you need to know.

In this interview, BizNews editor Alec Hogg takes a deep dive into lessons learned during the incredible journey of Blue Label co-founder and co-CEO Brett Levy. At 28, he was once the youngest CEO of any JSE-listed company when he and brother Mark too the company public. Now worth R11 billion, Brett’s journey has been defined by Blue Label’s R5.5bn acquisition of debt-laden CellC SA’s third-largest mobile company. This deal caused acute indigestion, lasting seven years, and required the entire purchase price to be written off. An older and wiser Levy shares how both Blue Label and Cell C have emerged stronger from the challenges - and are poised for a magical future.

At BNIC#2 in Hermanus, the “three amigos"—VF Plus leader Corné Mulder, NEASA CEO Gerhard Papenfus and SAAI executive director Theo de Jager—unpacked their recent Washington swing and what it means for South Africa. Framing a "leadership vacuum" at home, they delivered a positive but unsparing brief to US officials on the NDR, BEE, EWC and rural security, saying America wants trade, not aid—yet sees non-tariff political barriers. De Jager warned that US tariffs are hammering high-value farm exports, urging relief that "doesn't punish the good." Papenfus said targeted sanctions could change the game but risk backlash. Mulder argued the ANC won't self-correct; ballot-box coalitions and devolution are the path. The trio's verdict: keep pressure, grow trade, and let civil society drive "corridor diplomacy." This BizNews production is brought to you by Brenthurst Wealth. Building wealth and protecting legacies since 2004. Invest Better with Brenthurst: https://www.bwm.co.za/.