BizNews Radio

In this episode of BizNews Daybreak, we cover global strikes in the US-Iran conflict, Red Sea shipping risks, Paramount's blocked merger, and new UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Locally, Parliament's Ian Cameron questions SAPS's R3.6bn senior leadership salary bill, Mayor Chris Pappas highlights uMngeni's governance model, Russell Lamberti proposes subnational AGOA trade reforms to protect businesses, and a new drive aims to register South Africa's informal waste pickers.

In April he told the country he was done, headed for the private sector. By July he'd changed his mind. Chris Pappas, the DA's rising star and mayor of the party's only municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, explains to Alec Hogg why nobody in his own caucus would take the job, what that says about the DA's succession problem, and why he thinks a 25 to 30% national showing is realistic for the party come November. Plus: Gayton McKenzie's R31 million World Cup bill, South32's big bet on copper, and the helium squeeze putting an obscure Free State gas field on the world's radar.

Chris Pappas was set to leave politics for the private sector. Instead, he's back, seeking a second term as uMngeni mayor after talks from colleagues, community leaders and supporters. In this candid interview with Alec Hogg, Pappas explains why he changed course, reflects on the DA's prospects ahead of the 2026 local elections, defends the party amid recent controversies, and outlines his long-term ambitions. He also argues that uMngeni's governance record offers a blueprint for the rest of KwaZulu-Natal.

In his latest interview with Chris Steyn, Ian Cameron, the Chairperson of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Police, reveals that the South African Police Service (SAPS) has 722 brigadiers and generals that cost nearly R3.6 billion in pay and maintenance. In addition, only five of 823 senior SAPS officers underwent lifestyle audits in the 2024-25 financial year - and all five were cleared. Describing how certain officers jump ranks, Cameron says: “It seems that you either need to be well connected, not only politically, but strategically connected in parts of the police, or you need to be up to something that you shouldn't necessarily be busy with.” Meanwhile, Cameron denies reports that Special Leave Minister Senzo Mchunu and all the others were cleared in the Ad Hoc Committee draft report. “That's totally false.” As for breaking news of an explosive affidavit by suspended Inspector General of Intelligence Imtiaz Fazel, Cameron says it “draws a bit more of a dark cloud over” Minister Mchunu. “I think it puts a lot more pressure on the President… I think there are many many missing pieces of the puzzle that could be filled in if he (Fazel) is allowed to testify (at the Madlanga Commission).”

In this episode of BizNews Daybreak, political commentator Solly Moeng examines South Africa’s deepening criminal justice crisis. On the global stage, President Trump demands harsher Iran sanctions as Middle Eastern oil routes shift. Meanwhile, Chinese tech startups Moonshot AI and DeepSeek prepare for massive IPOs, investors confront AI energy bottlenecks, Netflix pivots to live content to win screen time, and Andy Burnham prepares for Downing Street.