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South Africa’s Hartebeesthoek ground station has once again proven its strategic value in deep space exploration, delivering critical tracking support for NASA’s historic Artemis II mission, the first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years. SANSA Space Operations Executive Director Raoul Hodges told BizNews in an interview, how the station’s veteran 12-metre antenna provided essential one-way data to help pinpoint the Orion spacecraft, the excitement in the control room during passes behind the Moon’s far side, and why South Africa’s Southern Hemisphere location remains vital for global lunar missions. Looking ahead, Hodges outlines plans for the new Matjiesfontein ground station and efforts to train the next generation of South African space professionals as the country positions itself for Artemis III, IV and the intensifying international space race. – Linda van Tilburg

South Africa’s future hinges on one simple truth: jobs come from growth, and growth comes from political choices. This sharp discussion unpacks how policy, ideology, and global alignment are choking investment and costing livelihoods. Inside the ANC, paralysis, fear, and patronage block reform - despite clear evidence of what works. Yet there’s hope: ordinary South Africans remain pragmatic and solutions-driven. Shift the mindset, unlock investment, and growth can follow. The path forward exists - but it demands courage, clarity, and decisive change now.

Durban businessman Roy Tilley says a deeply flawed municipal rates formula is pushing property owners and small businesses toward a financial breaking point. In this interview, the Queensmead industrial property owner explains why he believes ever-rising rates are becoming impossible to absorb, hurting tenants, jobs and investment, and argues that Parliament must step in to cap what municipalities can charge.

A sharp, no-holds-barred conversation on South Africa’s financial reality - rising offshore limits, shrinking property values, and the struggle for economic revival. From Johannesburg’s decline to gold’s surge, and investor psychology to policy failures, this discussion cuts through the noise. It’s a candid look at risk, resilience, and the tough choices shaping wealth, opportunity, and the country’s future.

Today’s BizNews Daybreak unpacks a fragile US-Iran ceasefire ahead of pivotal peace talks in Pakistan, with Donald Trump warning Tehran against disrupting Strait of Hormuz shipping. Regional tensions persist as Israeli strikes hit Lebanon, while Anthropic’s “Mythos” model raises fresh cyber risk concerns. At home, the Rand rallied after talks between Cyril Ramaphosa and US Ambassador Brent Bozell - though deeper diplomatic strains remain.