BizNews Radio

Helen Zille says Johannesburg’s crisis is far worse than she imagined, warning the city faces financial collapse, crumbling infrastructure, and coalition chaos. In this wide-ranging interview, she outlines her plan to restore water, electricity, roads, and investor confidence while exposing deep governance failures, corruption, and “last lap looting” inside the metro. Zille argues only a DA majority can deliver stability and prevent Johannesburg from sliding further into dysfunction.

In today's BizNews Daybreak, we cover the latest business and political updates. On the international front, US-Iran tensions escalate over Strait of Hormuz tolls, while SpaceX scrubs its 12th Starship test mission.

Locally, Helen Zille warns of Johannesburg’s collapsing municipal budget and failing infrastructure, economist Dawie Roodt discusses Treasury's futile attempts to control crypto-assets, and thirsty CEO Rob Hoatson urges businesses to fight state dysfunction.

Finally, AfriForum demands transparency regarding the delayed extradition of the Guptas.

BizNews editor Alec Hogg sits down with THIRSTI founder and CEO Rob Hoatson at the company’s Tulbagh bottling plant for a wide-ranging discussion on state overreach, private-sector investment, Woolworths, counterfeit bottled water, the informal market and South Africa’s looming water infrastructure challenge. Hoatson explains why his family business continues to invest heavily in SA, why standing up to abuse matters, and how THIRSTI has built a differentiated brand in a fast-growing market.

South Africa’s crypto crackdown has sparked outrage among investors - but economist Dawie Roodt says Treasury is fighting technology it doesn’t understand. In this wide-ranging interview, he unpacks stablecoins, tax fears, oil shocks, inflation risks and why the future of money could reshape banking, government control and the economy itself.

AfriForum has asked the National Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Andy Mothibi, for an urgent update on the much delayed extradition of the Guptas who allegedly benefited from State Capture to the tune of between R50 and R70 billion. In this interview with Chris Steyn, Jacques Broodryk, AfriForum’s Chief Spokesperson: Community Safety, says it is possible that the Guptas still enjoy protection from South African politicians. “And I think the main reason for that would be that there are other people who are still implicated in their misdeeds as well. People who aren't hiding in the UAE, but people who are still living within the borders of our country.” Broodryk goes on to vow “...this is definitely something that we're not going to let go. Even if it takes us years…I think we've proven ourselves, that we don't let matters go. Look at the Julius Malema case, for instance, the firearms case that took us eight years of continuous pressure and continuous following up to ensure that justice was served and it was eventually - and we're planning to do the same with this Gupta matter.”