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Defying Barriers is the memoir of a man told by his own government to vanish — and who turned the threat into a business empire spanning two countries. In this interview with Irakli, businessman and author Sam Montši recounts how a 1987 order to "disappear" from military-ruled Lesotho drove him into apartheid South Africa, where he joined the mighty South African Breweries. There, he says, "I was the first Black general manager in the SAB Group at the time. And white people, sadly, were not used to having a Black person overseeing them. So some of them behaved in an unfortunate fashion, and I had to get rid of one of them." Montši explains the operating instinct behind a portfolio that broke barriers from fishing to shipbuilding — "a business needs to move, and move fast" — and reflects candidly on succession, recalling how his son Arif joined him: "Dad, I'm coming to work with you. I'm not coming to work for you. I'm not going to carry your briefcase." He reveres Nelson Mandela as a nation builder — "we were lucky to have him when we had him" — but delivers a stinging critique of Black Economic Empowerment, charging that it "has pitted the Black man against the white person, rather than getting them to work together," and that requiring white firms to take on Black partners is "in a sense, suggesting that Black people cannot create these things themselves." Montši also shares the leadership philosophy that carried him from a Soweto childhood to West African boardrooms: "for you to shine, you must make the people that work directly under you shine." He outlines in detail the journey of crossing boundaries others said could not be crossed — and what it means to now hand the family business to the next generation.

To get Cape fynbos and proteas ready for the Chelsea Flower Show after wildfire one year and drenching rain the next is no small feat. But Leon Kluge, South Africa’s plant guru and master designer, has done it again. This year he returned from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London, the world’s most prestigious floral showcase, with not only a Gold medal but also the coveted Best Exhibit in the Great Pavilion for Life After Fire. The display, one of South Africa’s largest ever at Chelsea, featured 20,000 stems, thousands of burnt protea branches and even blooms from the Drakensberg. In an interview with BizNews, Kluge describes the hurdles he and artist Tristan Woudberg faced, from hostile weather to the soaring cost of flights. South Africans will be able to see the exhibition in September in Stanford in the Overberg, an event dedicated to the community and the flower pickers who helped make it possible. Kluge says South Africa’s natural spaces are becoming fewer and more fragile, and that he sees it as his responsibility to tell the story of an ecosystem that is both uniquely vulnerable and admired around the world. – Linda van Tilburg

On today's BizNews Daybreak, pressure builds globally as the US and Iran edge toward a tentative 60-day ceasefire. Plus, we bring you the latest market-moving updates on Dell, SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Anthropic.

In South Africa, the Democratic Alliance (DA) achieved a sensational, historic victory by winning its first-ever pure township ward in Evaton West from the ANC.

Meanwhile, analysts debate Helen Zille’s 45% coalition strategy in Johannesburg and the DA's principled test regarding the Ramaphosa impeachment inquiry.

In this edition of The Electoral Road Show with Chris Steyn, Elections Analyst Supremo Wayne Sussman describes how the Democratic Alliance (DA) has made history by winning its first ever township ward: “Emfuleni, Evaton is an historic ANC stronghold. And last night the DA achieved something sensational. They are able to win its first ever pure township ward, hundred percent township ward, not just in a by-election, but ever…” However, the African National Congress (ANC) did continue its “very good run” in Northwest where they had “an emphatic victory” in a Mahikeng ward, growing from 58% of the vote to 73%. These by-elections took place against the backdrop of a chilling warning from SCOPA that municipalities across the country are unviable, and the ANC NEC moving to make local government reform its singular focus. Says Sussman: “The ANC, particularly after that Gauteng result, is on the back foot now and needs to find great candidates which can connect with communities, find credible mayoral candidates which can turn the negative sentiment towards the party in Gauteng and in many other parts of the country around. This is a key, key few weeks for them.” Meanwhile, Jo’burg residents are facing more steep tariff hikes.

In today's BizNews Daybreak, we cover mixed signals regarding a US-Iran deal, defensive airstrikes in Bandar Abbas, and escalating Israeli operations against Hezbollah. In corporate news, Snowflake’s stock surges 35% on an AWS partnership, while Fed Governor Lisa Cook warns of potential interest rate hikes.

Locally, political commentator Solly Moeng breaks down the impeachment pressure facing President Ramaphosa, and SAAI CEO Francois Rossouw discusses potential massive damages claims against Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen over livestock vaccines.

Finally, strategist Edward Yardeni breaks down the S&P 500's "fabulous earnings momentum" and the scarcity of buying the dip.