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From representing Zimbabwe in rugby to flying high as a successful safari operator, Rusty Labuschagne’s life came crashing down when he was wrongfully convicted of murdering a poacher in December 2000. In this interview with BizNews, he shares his harrowing journey through a decade in Zimbabwean prisons, where he was crammed into a cell holding 79 men, each allotted barely 33 centimetres of sleeping space. He recounts the unimaginable conditions, watching thousands of inmates die from starvation, disease, and cholera outbreaks while he survived. Rusty relives the cruelty, the loss, and the unexpected clarity that emerged from the darkness, and the lessons he drew about hope, forgiveness, and gratitude. Today he shares those lessons with audiences worldwide, and his memoir, Beating Chains, is now being adapted for film.

In today’s Editor’s Desk, Alec Hogg unpacks Davos’ shifting centre of gravity — from Elon Musk’s surprise debut to Donald Trump’s blunt warning that global pharma pricing is about to change. He then brings it back to home truths: what rising medicine costs could mean for South Africa’s NHI ambitions, and why Uganda’s “election” exposes the ugly reality of power politics in Africa.

From the World Economic Forum, here’s Elon Musk in a wide-ranging Q&A — his first appearance at Davos — in conversation with the chief executive of BlackRock. Musk argues there’s a single thread running through his companies: maximising the odds of a “great future” for civilisation — from making life multi-planetary, to using AI and robotics to drive abundance. He also flags the big constraint in the AI era: power — and points to solar and even space-based infrastructure as possible answers.

Today on BizNews Daybreak, Alec Hogg unpacks the key stories shaping your day:

Musk at Davos: Despite past criticism, Elon Musk makes a surprise appearance at the World Economic Forum, declaring full self-driving a "solved problem."

Political Earthquakes: The Democratic Alliance faces shock by-election losses as the Patriotic Alliance surges in George and the Freedom Front Plus makes major gains in Tshwane.

Market Moves: Sasol jumps 14% on higher oil prices, Mr Price gets a vote of confidence from Allan Gray, and Investec continues its massive share buyback.

Tech & Trade: GinsGlobal's Anthony Ginsberg on the US tech rally and how South Africa can secure better trade deals with a booming American economy.

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In this BizNews Briefing, Donald Trump’s Davos appearance wrong-footed allies with fresh talk on Greenland and NATO burden-sharing. SA-born US-based asset manager Anthony Ginsberg unpacks Washington’s “America-first” mindset — and what it means for South Africa’s trade and diplomacy. Mining veteran Peter Major weighs in on record gold prices and whether we’re drifting into bubble territory. And to close, independent financial advisor Magnus Heystek warns viewers about the hidden downsides of retirement annuities — including loss of control and a potential long-term tax trap.