BizNews Radio

Welcome to BizNews Daybreak with Alec Hogg—your essential morning update for Thursday, 5 March 2026.

In today's episode, we bring you the sharp, actionable news you need to stay ahead of the curve. Wall Street experienced a major rebound last night, driven largely by tech giants such as Palantir, Tesla, and Amazon. Meanwhile, Bitcoin continues its massive rally, surging over 7% to $72,500—a spike reportedly fueled by Iranian citizens utilising the cryptocurrency as a safe haven amidst the escalating war.

Also in today’s episode:

Global Conflict: The U.S. Senate has voted down a resolution to halt President Trump's military campaign against Iran. We also share insights from Antony Blinken on how this sustained conflict could wear down America's munitions stockpiles.

A System in Crisis: Action Society unveils its first Criminal Justice Trust Indicator, revealing a dismal reality: a staggering 96% of South Africans no longer trust the country's criminal justice system.

Political Interference: We feature a shocking, firsthand account from the management at Normandien Farms, detailing how politicians and labour inspectors stormed their sawmill and shut down operations without providing proper documentation or valid hygiene reports.

Global & Local Investments: We cross over to Beijing for a breakdown of China’s 15th five-year plan and its adjusted economic growth targets. Plus, mining expert Peter Major weighs in on Anglo American's recent restructuring and discusses whether the stock is finally a buy.

Grab your coffee and tune in to get fully briefed for the day ahead!

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Tonight’s BizNews Briefing opens with Normandien Farms’ Sean Hoatson, who describes what he says was an unlawful and intimidating incursion at the group’s Newcastle operations. We then move to a mixed JSE update, with Woolworths, Quilter and Cashbuild showing resilience while AfroCentric swings to a heavy loss. Dr Iraj Abedian follows with a sharp critique of MTN’s continued Iran exposure, before Bloomberg reports on President Trump’s plan to support tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

In this episode of Mining Weekly, investment master Peter Major joins Alec Hogg to dissect a volatile resources landscape. Major argues that while geopolitical strikes rattle markets, gold’s strength stems from central bank demand rather than just conflict. He offers a "stock picker’s" perspective on the PGM recovery, copper’s overvaluation, and why he’s eyeing pullbacks in Afrimat and Orion Minerals while remaining cautious on a fully rerated Anglo American.

Action Society’ first Criminal Justice Trust Indicator shows that public confidence in justice has collapsed to 4 out 100. In this interview with Chris Steyn, Action Society's National Spokesperson, Juanita Du Preez says the score of four out of 100 should be such a wake up call for the whole criminal justice system. “People do not believe that if a crime is committed against them, they will get justice. So we have a skewed picture of crime happening in the country because it's not reported because people believe there will be no justice. So we can think it's getting better, but it's actually just getting more underreported. And that is very, very worrying.” Du Preez outlines the goal of the survey, the key findings, and a practical reform agenda. “So it's a complete system overall that we need, and we believe decentralising it so that we can do public-private partnerships is the first tangible thing to be implemented - and it will bring results.”

As the world grows more uncertain, clarity matters more than ever. BNC#8 brings together some of the smartest and most experienced minds to help you cut through the noise and navigate the turbulence with greater confidence. Tickets are selling out fast, with only 40 left. Don’t waste time, book your place at BNC#8 now - https://www.quicket.co.za/events/347022-bnc8-the-2026-biznews-conference-in-hermanus/#/

One month after a dramatic raid on Normandien Farms near Newcastle in northern KwaZulu-Natal, owner Sean Hoatson recounts how dozens of parliamentarians and officials allegedly stormed the property without following biosecurity protocols. Despite searching for labor and immigration violations, inspectors reportedly found no wrongdoing. Hoatson describes the incident as political overreach and intimidation, raising concerns about investor confidence, rural job security, and respect for lawful business operations.